10 Amazing TV Episodes (That Doomed Great Shows)

Marking perhaps the worst decision made in the history of television since Bobby walked out of the shower in Dallas, the second season of Twin Peaks was to be its last, felled by public and studio pressure on creators David Lynch and Mark Frost to reveal the identity of Laura Palmer's killer.

Lynch understood all too well that the enjoyment of a mystery lies not in the answers but in the telling. The cathartic release experienced through revelation proves not only to be fleeting but ultimately destructive. Lynch knew this from the start and after Leyland Palmer was outed as the murderer BOB, the evil entity from the Black Lodge, that was the end of Twin Peaks - for 25 years at least.

There are stunning achievements in this episode alone, brought to life by the touching and committed performance of Ray Wise as Laura's long suffering, increasingly insane and terrifyingly possessed Leyland. The scene in which Laura's cousin Maddy is killed will go down as one of the best horror moments that TV had to offer, but after that it was mostly downhill.

Lynch quit and the story rambled on, directionless and ostensibly pointless. Consequently, the show was axed but not before Lynch returned for the finale, pulling off what can only be described as a televisual coup d'etat; Cooper is left inhabited by BOB and laughing manically into the mirror as blood streams down his face. Chilling.