Twin Peakswas a one-of-its-kind type of television series, but it has inspired countless other shows over the years. As the brainchild of David Lynch and Mark Frost,Twin Peaksinitially aired two seasons in 1990 and 1991 before returning for an even weirder third season in 2017. The show has developed a cult following thanks to its fascinating combination of horror, soap opera, and surrealist elements.
The story centers onFBI Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan)and his investigation into the tragic death of a high school girl named Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee). Cooper’s search for answers not only uncovers the darkness hiding within the town of Twin Peaks, but also takes audiences on an unforgettable journey through"a place both wonderful and strange."
No other television series has managed to replicate the unique tone of thebestTwin Peaksepisodes, but these shows managed to capture some of the same elements.
10Fallout
One Season Currently Streaming On Amazon Prime, With Season 2 Set To Premiere In December 2025
At first glance, Amazon Prime’sFalloutmay not seem to have much in common withTwin Peaks,but the two shows share some surprising similarities. Based on the video game series of the same name,Fallouttakes place in a desolate futuretwo hundred years after a devastating nuclear war.
Twin PeaksKyle MacLachlan makes an appearance as the father of one ofFallout’smain characters, Lucy MacLean (Ella Purnell), whose upbeat attitude contrasts sharply with the violence around her. LikeTwin Peaks, Falloutcombines horror, humor, and drama in unique ways, as the dark secrets of a small community come to light.
9Wayward Pines
Two Seasons Currently Streaming On Hulu
Based on the trilogy of novels by Blake Crouch andco-produced by M. Night Shyamalan,Wayward Pinesfollows U.S. Secret Service Ethan Burke (Matt Dillon) as he travels to the small and mysterious town of Wayward Pines to investigate the disappearance of two fellow agents.
Ethan soon finds himself trapped in the town along with the residents by a strict sheriff who executes those who attempt to leave. With science fiction elements and plenty of weird happenings,Wayward Pineschannels the small-town-harboring-dark-secrets vibes ofTwin Peaks,as Ethan searches for the truth just like Agent Cooper.
8Northern Exposure
Six Seasons Currently Streaming On Amazon Prime
In this Emmy-winning series, New York City native Dr. Joel Fleischman (Rob Morrow) serves as the only doctor in the small fictional town of Cicely, Alaska. LikeTwin Peaks, Northern Exposureexplores the many quirky residents of its small town as Dr. Fleischman struggles to adapt to his new life.
Created by Joshua Brand and John Falsey,Northern Exposurereceived near-universal acclaim, as its charming cast of characters captivated audiences and critics alike. WhileNorthern Exposurenever gets as dark or surreal asTwin Peaks,it captures the eccentricities and surprisingly emotional depth ofDavid Lynch’s iconic series.
7Bates Motel
Five Seasons Currently Streaming On Amazon Prime
A prequel toAlfred Hitchcock’s iconic 1960 film,Psycho, Bates Moteltells the story of Norman Bates (Freddie Highmore) and the complicated relationship he has with his mother, Norma Bates (Vera Farmiga). The series takes place in a fictional Oregon town, as Norma runs the Bates Motel while struggling to protect her son from himself.
With standout performances from Freddie Highmore and Vera Farmiga,Bates Motelearned a 93% critics' rating on Rotten Tomatoes and delivers a deliciously creepy storyoften accompanied by a campy sense of humor. This tone givesBates Motela similar feel toTwin Peaks,despite the shows' very different premises.
6Hannibal
Three Seasons Currently Streaming On Amazon Prime
Another horror prequel of sorts,NBC’sHannibaldepicts the story of the titular serial killer before his most famous appearance inThe Silence of the Lambs. Drawing from Thomas Harris' Hannibal Lecter novels, as well as the various film adaptations,Hannibalintroduces Mads Mikkelsen as a surprisingly charming, but no less terrifying version of Hannibal.
Hannibalfocuses on the complex relationship between Hannibal and FBI profiler Will Graham (Hugh Dancy), who has more in common with the cannibalistic serial killer than he wants to admit. With stunning visuals and surprising gore,Hannibalchannels the darker aspects ofTwin Peaks,but still manages to have a suitably twisted sense of humor.
5Severance
Two Seasons Currently Streaming On AppleTV+, With A Third Season Upcoming
In its two seasons so far,Severancehas already become must-watch television, delivering a complex workplace drama with a sci-fi twist. FollowingMark S. (Adam Scott)and the other employees at Lumon Industries,Severanceexists in a world where people can sever their work selves from their home selves, essentially creating two separate consciousnesses.
Much like the residents of Twin Peaks, the employees at Lumon present a falsely positive exteriorthat masks dark truths. With its quirky cast of characters and the bizarre work environment at Lumon,Severancemakes a worthy modern successor toTwin Peaks.
4Dark
Three Seasons Currently Streaming On Netflix
This German Netflix series follows the inhabitants of the fictional town of Winden as a series of mysterious child disappearances wreak havoc in their lives. The investigation into the disappearances not only uncovers many of the town’s dark secrets, but also reveals a complex sci-fi storyline involving wormholes and time travel.
With its incredibly clever take on time travel,Netflix’sDarkrequires the viewer to pay attentionin order to catch all of the ways its various narratives are intertwined.Dark’seerie atmosphere feels reminiscent ofTwin Peaks,and both shows benefit from repeated viewings to fully absorb the many twists and revelations.
3Fargo
Five Seasons Currently Streaming On Hulu
Based on the 1996 Coen Brothers film of the same name,Fargois an anthology seriescreated by Noah Hawley that depicts the life and crimes of various casts of characters in the American Midwest. Each season follows a different storyline, but they all involve unique or quirky characters and the often violent conflicts they find themselves in.
LikeTwin Peaks, Fargoincorporates dark humor into its storylines and sometimes veers into the absurd. Thanks to clever writing and incredible performances from its all-star cast,Fargohas won numerous awards, including an Emmy for Outstanding Limited Series in 2014.
2The Leftovers
Three Seasons Currently Streaming On HBO Max
Boasting a 91% critics' rating on Rotten Tomatoes,The Leftoversis a stunning drama that takes place three years after2% of the world’s population vanished from the face of the Earth.The story centers on Kevin Garvey (Justin Theroux) and his eventual romance withNora Durst (Carrie Coon), as they navigate life and struggle to find a new normal.
With doomsday cults and plenty of weird situations reminiscent ofTwin Peaks,The Leftoverschannels the darker elements of Agent Cooper’s investigation. Both shows deliver complex and thought-provoking mysteries, while also presenting fascinating character explorations.
1The X-Files
Eleven Seasons Currently Streaming On Hulu
Perhaps the series with the mostsimilarities toTwin PeaksisThe X-Files,which follows FBI Agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) as they investigate paranormal mysteries.Both shows play with different genres in interesting ways, jumping from horror to humor and back with ease.
BothTwin PeaksandThe X-Filesintroduce delightfully quirky and lovable characters, and Agents Cooper and Mulder take similarly unconventional approaches to solving their cases. Several actors appear in both shows as well, andTwin PeaksandThe X-Filesmanage to feel distinctly of the 1990s while also having a timeless quality to them.
While nothing can quite compare to the experience of watchingTwin Peaks,each of these shows offers something unique that might remind viewers of Agent Cooper and his surreal search for Laura Palmer’s killer.
