Even though it finished airing decades ago, David Lynch and Mark Frost’s Twin Peaks is still considered the best example of how to create a compelling murder mystery. And while The Sopranos is a truly great show, it wouldn’t have been possible without the groundwork laid by earlier television shows in the 1990s.
Shows like Hill Street Blues and Homicide: Life on the Streets made realistic and intense crime dramas common on TV. David Lynch’s Twin Peaks then took things further, introducing a surreal and dreamlike quality to regular network programming. Compared to the strange and mysterious journeys of Twin Peaks’ Agent Dale Cooper, the dream sequences in The Sopranos seemed relatively simple.
David Lynch’s Twin Peaks Is The Perfect Murder Mystery Series
The show Twin Peaks is set in a small town in Washington state and follows FBI agent Dale Cooper (played by Kyle MacLachlan) as he investigates the murder of Laura Palmer, a high school student who led a hidden life. As Cooper digs deeper, he uncovers the town’s web of secrets and the surprising connections between its residents – from former criminals and manipulative characters to troubled teenagers and dangerous killers.
As the summary suggests, Twin Peaks combined the feel of a small-town drama with a murder mystery, revealing the hidden secrets of its residents as they tried to solve Laura’s murder. But the show also featured strong elements of psychological horror and surrealism, and its darkest moments still make it unsettling to watch, even years later.
What Makes Twin Peaks Different From Other Murder Mysteries
Twin Peaks featured a cast of unforgettable side characters, from the enigmatic Log Lady to the surprisingly mature Audrey Horne. But beyond its quirky comedy, romantic storylines, and dramatic moments, the show held a truly disturbing and unsettling undercurrent.
Lots of shows have tried to copy the feel of Twin Peaks, like Riverdale and Desperate Housewives, but few have managed to capture the original’s genuine sense of sadness and truly unsettling mood. When the show came back after 25 years with Twin Peaks: The Return, it became clear just how powerfully dark it was—many consider it the best TV revival ever made.
Why Twin Peaks Has Only Gotten Better Over Time
Twin Peaks: The Return brought viewers back to the original series’ often harsh and emotionally difficult storylines. It’s easy to focus on the funny, viral moments from Twin Peaks, but this new installment reminded everyone that the show was always capable of being deeply sad and unsettling.
But when you revisit Twin Peaks, it’s the show’s complexity that really shines. Many small-town-secrets stories that followed, like HBO’s Sharp Objects and Netflix’s Wayward, were influenced by Twin Peaks’ groundbreaking murder mystery and its unusual mix of soapy drama with horror elements.
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2026-02-12 20:48