Spoilers are ahead for Twin Peaks.

Summary

• Small towns hold dark secrets in I Saw the TV Glow, echoing the mystery and surreal tone of Twin Peaks.
• I Saw the TV Glow pays homage to Twin Peaks through its '90s setting and surreal elements, as well as its in-universe cancelation of a cult classic TV show.
• The film's commentary on nostalgia mirrors Twin Peaks' darker approach in its third season.

A24's latest psychological horror-drama set in a small-town setting shares some substantial DNA with the works of David Lynch, especially Twin Peaks. Co-created by Lynch and Mark Frost, the surreal mystery series centers on the murder of homecoming queen Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee). When a second victim, Ronette Pulaski (Phoebe Augustine), is discovered just over the border, the Twin Peaks sheriff's department brings the FBI in on the case. Led by Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan), the investigation into who killed Laura Palmer takes center stage in Twin Peaks season 1.

...countless contemporary television projects have been directly inspired by Twin Peaks.

Set in the fictional Washington lumber town of Twin Peaks, the series straddles several genres, drawing from detective fiction, horror, and even the campy melodrama of soap operas. With its uncanny tone, surreal elements, and distinctive atmosphere, Twin Peaks is a prime example of what makes David Lynch such a singular and influential filmmaker. From Atlanta to Riverdale to Gravity Falls, countless contemporary television projects have been directly inspired by Twin Peaks. Most recently, the original two-season outing and its 2017 sequel, Twin Peaks: The Return, have inspired A24's latest critically acclaimed film, I Saw the TV Glow.

I Saw The TV Glow Shares Tropes With David Lynch’s Films

Small Towns Are Not What They Seem In Both Twin Peaks & I Saw The TV Glow

Written and directed by Jane Schoenbrun (We're All Going to the World's Fair), I Saw the TV Glow is a psychological horror-drama set in small-town New Jersey. Following its premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, Schoenbrun's sophomore feature has received universal acclaim, with many critics applauding the filmmaker's distinctive style and visuals. At first glance, the film's premise doesn't share a ton of similarities with Twin Peaks: I Saw the TV Glow chronicles the relationship between troubled teens, Owen (Justice Smith) and Maddy (Brigette Lundy-Paine), whose reality blurs after their favorite TV show is canceled.

Although he's daunted by the show's lore, Owen's whole world becomes about The Pink Opaque...

Set in the mid-90s, the opening of the film sees shy middle schooler Owen befriending high schooler Maddy. Instantly, the two outsiders bond over their love of The Pink Opaque, a supernatural young-adult TV series that sees two teenagers tasked with fighting monsters. Although he's daunted by the show's lore, Owen's whole world becomes about The Pink Opaque, making its abrupt cancelation even more life-altering. With its '90s setting, surreal elements, and indication that small towns aren't what they seem, I Saw the TV Glow clearly takes inspiration from Twin Peaks' aesthetic and atmosphere.

The Original Ending Of Twin Peaks Season 2 Directly Inspired I Saw The TV Glow

Writer-Director Jane Schoenbrun Discussed Twin Peaks' Influence On Their Film

For those familiar with Twin Peaks' real-world legacy, I Saw the TV Glow's story will resonate. A cult classic that reshaped the television landscape, Twin Peaks also faced a sudden cancelation due to declining ratings. Pressured by ABC, Lynch and Frost were essentially forced to resolve who killed Laura Palmer in Twin Peaks season 2, with Lynch later lamenting that doing so "killed the goose that laid the golden eggs" (via Entertainment Weekly). Bloated with subplots that weren't as engaging as the main storyline, much of the sophomore outing's quality dipped. However, Twin Peaks' eerie, cryptic lore remained endlessly intriguing.

Twin Peaks is available to stream on Paramount+.

As a result, Twin Peaks season 2's cliffhanger ending became the series finale. (Of course, Twin Peaks: The Return finally revisited the show's ambiguous ending 25 years later.) In the original finale, Cooper enters Twin Peaks' mysterious Black Lodge — an extra-dimensional place home to a number of beings. While there, Cooper encounters doppelgängers of various characters, culminating with Cooper's own villainous double chasing him through the Lodge's maze of red curtains. After the unsettling sequence, Cooper emerges from the Lodge and into the woods surrounding Twin Peaks.

Jane Schoenbrun recalled how the [Twin Peaks season 2 finale] was "lodged" in their subconscious...

In the final scene of the season, it becomes apparent that the Cooper who escaped the Lodge is the evil doppelgänger. Under the influence of BOB (Frank Silva) — a manipulative entity from the Lodge who feeds on pain and sorrow — "Cooper" smashes his head against a bathroom mirror and laughs maniacally as blood runs down his face. In a recent interview, Jane Schoenbrun recalled how the scene was "lodged" in their subconscious, adding that it "felt like unfinished business, if not like trauma," and that "part of the inception of ‘I Saw the TV Glow’ is wanting Dale Cooper to get out of the lodge" (via IndieWire).

I Saw The TV Glow Is A Commentary On Nostalgia

The Movie Is In Conversation With Cult Classics Like Twin Peaks