A Lynchian Netflix Thriller With Twin Peaks’ Essence

Twin Peaks can never truly be replaced by another show, but one acclaimed Netflix thriller seemingly comes close to capturing a similar Lynchian feel. The original Netflix TV show boasts an above-average Rotten Tomatoes score of 81% and was popular enough to last for seven whole seasons, which is rare for TV series on the streamer.

Created by David Lynch and Mark Frost, Twin Peaks, on the surface, came off as a typical detective drama focusing on an FBI agent’s pursuit of finding the truth behind the murder of a 17-year-old girl. However, what made the show feel distinct was its heavy inclination towards the uncanny and the supernatural.

In typical Lynchian style, Twin Peaks embraced surrealism and did not shy away from being weird. This allowed the show to garner a massive cult following over the years, making it one of the most compelling thrillers of all time. A Netflix show does not exactly emulate its formula but qualifies as its perfect replacement because of a few storytelling elements.

Riverdale Is A Twisty Thriller Set In A Town Full Of Dark Secrets

Similar to Twin Peaks, Riverdale unfolds in a small, quaint titular town that, on the surface, seems peaceful and wholesome. However, as the narratives in both shows unfold, the dark underbelly and the underlying corruption in both settings gradually start to emerge. In both series, the initial story hook is driven by the murder of a young character.

While Twin Peaks begins with the death of Laura Palmer, Riverdale uses Jason Blossom’s murder as a narrative device to progress its story beats. Both shows also have a dreamlike quality to their storytelling, where they do not shy away from exploring experimental story threads that adopt light supernatural undertones.

Although Riverdale is more inclined towards coming-of-age drama because of its inspiration from the Archie Comics, it presents subtle commentary on trauma and its impact on generations and the dark reality of chasing the suburban dream like Twin Peaks. With so much in common between the two, Riverdale earns the title of being a worthy Twin Peaks replacement.

Riverdale Is Self-Referentially Lynchian

Riverdale seems to wear its Lynchian inspirations on its sleeves. Even its season 4’s episode 18 is titled “Lynchian,” which is a direct reference to David Lynch’s brand of filmmaking. Riverdale‘s showrunner, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, has also previously opened up (via Vulture) up about the show’s heavy Twin Peaks inspiration by claiming that “all roads on Riverdale lead back to Twin Peaks.”

Apart from sharing clear thematic parallels with Twin Peaks and recreating many of its visuals, Riverdale also includes one of the cast members from the David Lynch show: Mädchen Amick. Amick, who played Shelly in Twin Peaks, appears as Alice Cooper in Riverdale.

The Netflix show also draws references to David Lynch’s Blue Velvet through the “Blue Velvet” video store and also features a scene in which Jughead mentions the director’s Eraserhead.

Twin Peaks Fans Shouldn’t Dismiss Riverdale Because It’s A Teen Show

Despite featuring numerous nods to David Lynch’s works and drawing several intentional narrative overlaps with Twin Peaks, Riverdale arguably falls short of being as iconic and culturally impactful. As many may argue, there are moments when it also comes off as a rip-off of the David Lynch series.

However, Riverdale still stands as a worthy addition to the thriller genre and achieves the rare feat of sustaining its storytelling quality almost throughout its runtime. Unlike Twin Peaks, Riverdale also managed to last for seven seasons, which allowed it to give its characters a far better sense of long-term growth.

All in all, the fact that Riverdale attempts to bring a new spin on coming-of-age narratives with its Lynchian elements alone makes it a commendable series that deserves attention from all Twin Peaks fans.