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A quarter century after Agent Dale Cooper got trapped in the Black Lodge, "Twin Peaks" returned Sunday and broke Showtime subscription records.

That day, Showtime offered episodes 1 and 2 of the 18-episode reboot to regular subscribers. But it then immediately released episodes 3 and 4 only to people who've signed up for streaming, including through Showtime Anytime, Showtime On Demand and Showtime on Hulu.

The decision to release episodes 3 and 4 early to streamers apparently generated interest.

"The network said it sparked the single biggest day and weekend of signups ever," according to Deadline. (Editors' note: Showtime is owned by CBS, CNET's parent company.)

"In the world that we live in now, offering original programming that attracts new subscribers is our primary business objective," Showtime Networks CEO David Nevins said. "By that standard, the 'Twin Peaks' premiere is the biggest single-night driver we've ever had."

Ratings aren't out yet, but if the new subscriber numbers are any indication, co-creators David Lynch and Mark Frost may have another hit on their hands.

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