7 Short Shows That Feel Like the 90s’ ‘Twin Peaks’
If you can't get enough of Twin Peaks, these 7 similar shows have got you covered! They feature everything from mysterious small towns to surreal twists.
Twin Peaks gave its viewers so much more than just a murder mystery when it asked, “Who killed Laura Palmer?” Original, quirky and often downright bizarre, the show created by David Lynch and Mark Frost, is still something many of us hold dear.
If you've already binged Twin Peaks multiple times and are craving more of its strange atmospheric goodness, here are 7 shorter series that will give you that same small-town mystery vibe.
1. ‘Midnight Mass’ (2021)
Length: 1 season, 7 episodes.
- On Rotten Tomatoes, Midnight Mass has 87% from critics and 79% from the audience.
- On IMDb, Midnight Mass is rated 7.7/10.
Directed by the one and only Mike Flanagan, this limited series follows what happens when a mysterious priest arrives on an isolated island. As strange events begin to occur, it becomes undeniable that something paranormal is happening.
‘Twin Peaks’ fans will love: how both shows use supernatural elements as metaphors for human darkness.
Available on Netflix.
2. ‘The Third Day’ (2020)
Length: 1 season, 6 episodes.
- On Rotten Tomatoes, The Third Day has 79% from critics and 54% from the audience.
- On IMDb, The Third Day is rated 6.4/10.
Sam finds himself on a mysterious island where a group of inhabitants preserve their unusual traditions at any cost. As strange events unfold, he finds himself caught in a world where the reality becomes blurred.
‘Twin Peaks’ fans will love: the disorienting atmosphere, small-town secrets and the feeling that something sinister lurks beneath the surface.
Available on HBO Max.
3. ‘The Kettering Incident’ (2016)
Length: 1 season, 8 episodes.
- On Rotten Tomatoes, The Kettering Incident has 67% from critics and 65% from the audience.
- On IMDb, The Kettering Incident is rated 6.7/10.
Fifteen years after her best friend mysteriously disappeared, Dr. Anna Macy returns to her hometown. After Anna returns, another girl goes missing under eerily similar circumstances, and she finds herself connected to both disappearances.
‘Twin Peaks’ fans will love: the small-town setting with its dark secrets and the slow-burning investigation that reveals something otherworldly may be happening.
Available on: Amazon Prime Video
4. ‘Dark Woods’ (2020)
Length: 1 season, 6 episodes.
- On Rotten Tomatoes, Dark Woods has 60% from the audience.
- On IMDb, Dark Woods is rated 7.4/10.
This German drama series is based on a true story. A police officer undertakes a decades-long search for his sister who disappeared under mysterious circumstances. The investigation leads to the discovery of other unsolved murder cases.
‘Twin Peaks’ fans will love: the forest setting, the obsessive detective work spanning decades, and the slow-burning mystery that gradually reveals the truth.
Available on Hoopla and Plex for free.
5. ‘Wayward Pines’ (2015-2016)
Length: 2 seasons, 20 episodes.
- On Rotten Tomatoes, Wayward Pines has 60% from critics and 68% from the audience.
- On IMDb, Wayward Pines is rated 7.3/10.
After a car accident, agent Ethan Burke finds himself in the town of Wayward Pines. While investigating the disappearance of two fellow agents, he discovers that the residents cannot leave and that the town hides a terrifying secret.
‘Twin Peaks’ fans will love: the blend of sci-fi, horror and mystery elements with quirky characters hiding dark secrets.
Available on Hulu.
6. ‘The Twilight Zone’ (2019-2020)
Length: 2 seasons, 20 episodes.
- On Rotten Tomatoes, The Twilight Zone has 66% from critics and 44% from the audience.
- On IMDb, The Twilight Zone is rated 6.0/10.
This anthology series reimagines the classic Rod Serling series. Each standalone episode presents a mix of sci-fi, horror, and supernatural stories.
‘Twin Peaks’ fans will love: the anthology format that allows for standalone stories exploring the unknown.
Available on: Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Apple TV.
7. ‘Lodge 49’
Length: 2 seasons, 20 episodes.
- On Rotten Tomatoes, Lodge 49 has 94% from critics and 89% from the audience.
- On IMDb, Lodge 49 is rated 7.6/10.
Lodge 49 is a comedy-drama about an ex-surfer who joins a fraternal order after his father's death. As he becomes immersed in the lodge, he finds community and potentially a mystery to uncover.
‘Twin Peaks’ fans will love: the surreal atmosphere and quirky characters.
Available on: AMC+, Philo.
