I have so many faves, but my top 5 are:

- Cooper

- Gordon

- Pete

- Audrey

- Leland

 And I'll stick another one in.. Andy. I just love the way he speaks :)

I think it is so difficult to answer that question because there are somany excellent characters in TP. That's what makes the show so special. Very difficult question...

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I realized with time that I love all TP characters.Cause each one of them is unique.It's been 20 years since the world of Twin Peaks was created and my love for the show has not diminished at all,not even a bit. But of course my most favorites from the show remain the same - the extreme goodness Cooper and the extreme evil BOB and Laura Palmer always torn between good and evil, BOB and Laura,two characters we don't get to see much in the show,yet they're the ones who the essence of Twin Peaks is based on.

Beware of BOB

When I call out no one can hear me,when I whisper he thinks the message is for him only..my little voice inside my throat,I always think there must be something that I've done or something I can do...But no one no one comes to help,he says,a little girl like you...

Laura, Bob, Leland, Cooper, Benjamin and Cathryn. They're the richest characters in the film, IMO, you can't go past them.

Secondary characters of importance:

Bobby - for energy.

The TP gang (Pete, Big Ed, Hawk, Andy, Truman, Lucie, Doc Haywood, Major Briggs may be other) - for wholesome TP cherry pie goodness.

Renault's and Leo - because sometimes you just want to knock all that goodness on its damn head.

Audury - you don't want to know what she does for me.

The young women of TP, Ronette, Teresa, Donna, Maddie and Shelly - as a group I'd almost promote them to the rank of key characters

Problematic characters:

I think most will join me in identifying James.

I liked and feel sympathetic toward the character of Annie but something lacking. Can't quite put her in the same group as TP young woman. I think her and the next character on my list, Windom Earle, weren't developed well.

Windom Earle - I know many like what he brought, but he's always just a functionary for me. His evil high jinx were, I thought, tedious to sit through. The scenes with Leo were the best scenes involving Earle.

Beauty is momentary in the mind -
The fitful tracing of a portal;
But in the flesh it is immortal.
The body dies; the body's beauty lives.
So evenings die, in their green going,
A wave, interminably flowing.
So gardens die, their meek breath scenting
the cowl of winter, done repenting.
So maidens die, to the auroral
Celebration of a maiden's choral.
Susanna's music touched the bawdy strings
Of those white elders; but, escaping,
Left only Death's ironic scraping.
Now in its immortality, it plays
On the clear viol of her memory,
And makes a constant sacrement of praise.

('Peter Quince at the Clavier' by Wallace Stevens)

Just wanted to mention Denise/Dennis Bryson (the Duchovny character). Of the characters who emerged in the later stages of the series, he had the right feel, IMO, in a way that Annie (unfortunately) and Earle (definitely, IMO) didn't.

Three other problematic character: Blackie. Acted well but I always wanted to hear more about Blackie, particularly the history of her corruption at the hands of the Ben and Jerry - too much was offloaded onto Jean, especially through the link with her sister.

Josie Packard. It's always perplexing to me why a cunning girl like Josie went for the Sheriff when she could have had the mayor.

Harold and James - tsk tsk. Mummy's loves you dearies.

Finally, I didn't mention Jacoby (I put him in the same category as Bobby, for energy).

Beauty is momentary in the mind -
The fitful tracing of a portal;
But in the flesh it is immortal.
The body dies; the body's beauty lives.
So evenings die, in their green going,
A wave, interminably flowing.
So gardens die, their meek breath scenting
the cowl of winter, done repenting.
So maidens die, to the auroral
Celebration of a maiden's choral.
Susanna's music touched the bawdy strings
Of those white elders; but, escaping,
Left only Death's ironic scraping.
Now in its immortality, it plays
On the clear viol of her memory,
And makes a constant sacrement of praise.

('Peter Quince at the Clavier' by Wallace Stevens)

i'll go with a top 10.

laura

leland

BOB

the man from another place

cooper

truman

hawk

gordon

pete

the log lady