There weren’t any Twin Peaks clips dropped by Showtime today, but the network surprised the TCA press corps with the series creator himself David Lynch.

Few details about the upcoming reboot were revealed. Earlier today, Showtime president David Nevins said that series would center around the odyssey of FBI Agent Dale Cooper’s return to the mountainous town.

What Lynch spoke about today was that c0-creator Mark Frost “contacted me many years ago and asked if I wanted to go back in that world. We met at Musso & Frank and talked, that’s what got us going again for this one.”

On what killed Twin Peaks, Lynch expounded, “Who killed Laura Palmer was a question we really never wanted to answer. That Laura Palmer mystery was the goose that laid the golden eggs. We were told to wrap that up, and it didn’t get going on again after that.” In regards to the prequel feature film he made, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, and how it relates to the new series, Lynch commented, “It’s very important.”

Asked to reveal who his Blue Velvet actress Laura Dern would portray and Lynch simply said “I like Laura Dern.” Asked about why certain actors from the old series weren’t returning –I.E. Joan Chen, Lara Flynn Boyle– the director acknowledged that it partially had to do with a new storyline.

Asked whether he had future feature film or TV series plans beyond Twin Peaks, and Lynch said that he was completely consumed with the new series.

Lynch even remained brief on his working process with co-creator Mark Frost: “He lives in Ojai, we work by Skype, and that’s how we write,” said Lynch. On why he departed the project briefly and returned, Lynch opted not to comment on what went down.

Nevins revealed earlier today that Twin Peaks will return on May 21, 9PM for 18 weekly episodes.

Appearing after Lynch today were Mädchen Amick (Shelly Johnson, waitress at the Double R diner and former g.f. to Bobby Briggs), Laura Dern, Miguel Ferrer (Albert Rosenfield, FBI forensics expert), Robert Forster, Kyle MacLachlan (FBI Agent Dale Cooper) and Kimmy Robertson (ditzy receptionist Lucy Moran at the Sheriff’s Department).

Said MacLachlan to the press corps about Lynch’s glibness, “He gave you guys a lot.”