Twin Peaks changed TV for the better, blending genres together seamlessly due to David Lynch’s genius vision. Despite the production being plagued by studio interference, Lynch was able to cap the story with Twin Peaks: The Return (the third season) that took every storyline established into something television will never see again.
Twin Peaks is surreal, mysterious, suspenseful, and at its best, otherworldly. Taking abstract ideas of what lies beyond and in between life on multiple dimensions, Lynch took these concepts and visually represented them with his style.
Incorporating science fiction and the supernatural into a small town mystery with memorable characters has seemingly left a permanent mark on television. Here are other shows for you to watch that will scratch the itch left behind by Twin Peaks.
1. The Leftovers (2014 – 2017)
Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta’s The Leftovers is the closest example of creating a surreal show with high-concept storylines that can never be replicated. The story follows the ramifications of a global event where 2% of the world’s population randomly disappears (think of Thanos’ snap in Avengers).
The show deals with the fallout of such an event, where the world is fractured, but what distinguishes it is the multiple directions it moves in. Using dream-like logic and mystical visions, The Leftovers isn’t afraid to go esoteric with its content, just like David Lynch.
The Leftovers is streaming on HBO Max.
2. True Detective (Season 1)
A still from True Detective | HBO
Seldom do you come across a police procedural like True Detective that expounds upon taboo subjects with gritty neo-noir nihilism and heavy philosophical themes. While the protagonist of Twin Peaks is cheery in disposition, True Detective is the exact opposite, but where the two intersect is in the cosmic horror of the unknown.
Both shows are investigations that take decades to solve, with True Detective going a Gothic route with its witchcraft murders and the elusive cult that follows The King in Yellow. Rust, the protagonist of the show, goes off the deep end and sees visions that guide him towards the truth.
True Detective is streaming on HBO Max.
3. The X-Files (1993 – 2018)
A still from The X-Files | Hulu
The X-Files offers some of the best supernatural and sci-fi “case of the week” episodes from a different era in television. With episodes that are downright impossible to explain due to phenomena beyond our world, the detective from the show plays a role very similar to Twin Peaks’ own protagonist.
Mostly centered around small town mysteries with a larger conspiracy, both shows blend police procedural elements with government bureaucracy to tell weird and uncanny tales. The visual aesthetic of The X-Files also offers moody forests filled with atmospheric dread that go into dream-like territory.
The X-Files is streaming on Hulu.
4. Wayward Pines (Season 1)
A still from Wayward Pines | Hulu
Wayward Pines is one of the golden children of M. Night Shyamalan’s vision of uncanny small-town mysteries that unfold into otherworldly territory. The show is the perfect rebound for people who want more small-town-meets-paranormal detective stories, considering that the protagonist is a Secret Service Agent.
From the atmospheric forest mood to the weird and quirky characters, the DNA of Twin Peaks is written all over Wayward Pines. The feeling of an outsider stumbling into a mystery that gets larger over time is replicated well over the course of one season.
Wayward Pines is streaming on Hulu.
5. Paranoia Agent (2004)
A still from Paranoia Agent | Crunchyroll
Satoshi Kon’s brilliant psychothriller anime goes to terrifying heights to tell a story of a roller-blading boy who attacks people with a golden baseball bat. The premise does not do justice to the intensity of this anime, diving deep into traumatic and psychologically stressful territory for its victims.
With hysteria running amok and lines between reality and dreams broken constantly, Paranoia Agent is another one of Kon’s great surreal works that will delight any fan of David Lynch’s darker side of storytelling.
Paranoia Agent is streaming on Crunchyroll.
6. Dark (2017 – 2020)
A still from Dark | Netflix
Netflix’s Dark is arguably the best time-travel show in the history of the genre. The search for a missing boy in a town unravels a multi-generational conspiracy involving time travel and secret societies. Sound familiar? Dark is as meticulously crafted as Twin Peaks’ mystery.
With an oppressive atmosphere on both fronts, the supernatural events that occur take the show to new heights that introduce new twists at every turn. Dark is a great cerebral watch for viewers looking to get more of the mind-bending aspects of Twin Peaks.
Dark is streaming on Netflix.
7. Gravity Falls (2012 – 2016)
A still from Gravity Falls | Disney+
Going into the realm of animation that’s disguised as a kids’ show, Gravity Falls shares a lot of similarities to Twin Peaks that go beyond its small-town setting. With eccentric characters and anomalies that unlock something ancient, the show becomes a high-stakes mystery surrounding a surreal entity.
The show borrows heavily from David Lynch’s setting of Twin Peaks, turning the story of the townsfolk into eerie cosmic horrors. With dream sequences and weird culture, the show is guaranteed to resonate with fans of ’90s mysteries.
Gravity Falls is streaming on Disney+.
8. Widow’s Bay (2026 – Present)
A still from Widow’s Bay | Apple TV+
Apple TV has cornered a new market in this unique blend of horror and comedy. Widow’s Bay is set on a remote island where bizarre occurrences are commonplace. Dark magic and strange behavior from the quirky locals give this show a Twin Peaks vibe that is immediately felt from the first episode.
Given that the town’s buildings and general aesthetic are stuck in the past, there are many visuals that will remind you of David Lynch’s show. Both Widow’s Bay and Twin Peaks share the idea of characters being completely sincere about the paranormal behaviour around them with a Lynchian eccentricity.
Widow’s Bay is streaming on Apple TV+.
9. FROM (2022 – Present)
A still from FROM | MGM
FROM is the scariest show on this list, unafraid to go into psychologically terrifying and intense territory to inflict horrors onto the show’s victims. With people trapped inside a town that loops in on itself, the isolated setting gives birth to new horrors each season that are as mind-bending and otherworldly as Twin Peaks.
With time travel and rules that don’t make sense, the surreal horrors of FROM mimic those of the Black Lodge, which houses ancient evil in the woods that are incomprehensible. Both the shows operate with characters that get visions and glimpses of the truth and are unable to make heads or tails of it.
FROM is streaming on MGM+
10. Paradise (2025 – Present)
A still from Paradise | Hulu
An underrated show from recent times is Paradise, a thriller that jumps off a murder mystery plot. Set in its own isolated town like Wayward Pines, the community in this town holds secrets buried within that are indicative of sinister intentions.
Like Twin Peaks, the show has societal rot interwoven in its high-concept narrative. With the protagonist investigating a murder, a carefully curated set of lies begins to unfurl the way that Twin Peaks also unfurls.
Paradise is streaming on Hulu.
Here is a summary of the shows discussed.
ShowRunPremiseIMDbRotten Tomatoes (Tomatometer / Audience)The Leftovers2014 – 2017A global disappearance event leaves a small town wrestling with grief, cults, and mystical visions that blur reality.8.3/1091% / 90%True Detective (Season 1)2014Detectives chase an occult-tinged killer and uncover a decades-spanning conspiracy with cosmic-horror overtones.8.8/1091% / 92%The X-Files1993 – 2018FBI agents investigate paranormal cases and a larger conspiracy, often in eerie, secretive small towns.8.6/1074% / 86%Wayward Pines (Season 1)2015An agent stuck in a strange small town discovers bizarre rules, sinister locals, and a reality-bending secret.7.3/1078% / 83%Paranoia Agent2004A mysterious attacker sparks mass hysteria as dreams and reality bleed into each other.7.9/10100% / 80%Dark2017 – 2020A missing child case in a German town unravels into time loops, secret societies, and generational sins.8.7/1095% / 94%Gravity Falls2012 – 2016Two siblings investigate supernatural oddities in a weird small town hiding an ancient entity.8.9/10100% / 96%Widow’s Bay2026 – PresentA retro-frozen island town uses dark magic and deadpan weirdness as everyday life.8.3/1097% / 91%FROM2022 – PresentStranded townsfolk face nightmarish creatures and shifting rules in an inescapable, haunted community.7.8/1097% / 80%Paradise2025 – PresentA murder exposes the rot beneath a seemingly idyllic, tightly controlled town.7.9/1088% / 83%
With a plethora of options to choose from, it’s clear that David Lynch has left an impression on storytelling that goes beyond pinning his style to one genre. With no fear to explore some of the darker sides of humanity with surreal images and leaving puzzling clues for us to decipher, Twin Peaks is as magnetic as it is a meditation on the human experience. We hope these shows will help fill the void left behind.
What are you looking forward to seeing? Let us know in the comments.
Twin Peaks is streaming on Paramount+.
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