Twin Peaks in popular culture

Outside references or homages are deliberately inserted references to Twin Peaks from TV shows, movies, and other outside sources.

Connections

Follows

• "Twin Peaks: Pilot (#1.1)" (1990)

Followed by

• Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992)

Outside references to Twin Peaks

Key: usually a film (blank), television (TV), video (V), video game (VG)

• Donahue episode "The Cast of Twin Peaks" (1990) - Twin Peaks and its cast.
• Alan Wake (VG) - Referencing characters and the general feel of the game.
• Northern Exposure episode "Russian Flu" (#1.5) (1990) - There are shown references like sceneries with waterfall, music like in Twin Peaks. Also donuts and cherry pie are offered to Fleischman. The Log Lady is seen through the telescope.
• MTV Video Music Awards 1990 (1990) (TV) - Music from the Twin Peaks soundtrack is used. Actors Sherilyn Fenn and Michael Ontkean make references to "Twin Peaks".
• The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air episode "Knowledge Is Power" (#1.13) (1990) - Hilary mentions it.
• The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air episode "Someday Your Prince Will Be In Effect (Part 2)" (#1.09) (1990) - Hilary mentions at her Halloween costume party that "the entire Brat Pack is here, plus two Twin Peakers".
• Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode "King Dinosaur" (#3.10) (1990) - 'The owl footage is not what it seems.'
• Beverly Hills, 90210 episode "Fame Is Where You Find It" (#1.15) (1991) - Brandon says the on-set teacher is writing a 'spec script' for 'Twin Peaks'.
• Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode "Pod People" (#4.3) (1991) - "It's Laura Palmer"
• Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991)
• Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" (#4.21) (1991) - "...those ridiculous Earth programs. It confuses them." "Especially 'Twin Peaks.'"
• Day of the Tentacle (1993) (VG) - The famous line "Damn good coffee!" from Twin Peaks is said.
• Clueless (1995)
• Ricky Jay and His 52 Assistants (1996) (TV) - "Who killed Laura Palmer?" is one of the questions asked during the horoscope card trick.
• Hype! (1996) - Mentioned by Art Chantry.
• The Stendhal Syndrome (1996)
• A Body in the Woods (1996) - The owls and the white horse... The setting, in the woods! Even the director has mentioned it. People call this film "Twin Peaks a la catalana".
• Rusko meso (1997)
• The Simpsons episode "Lisa's Sax" (#9.3) (1997) - Homer watches an episode of Twin Peaks.
• Titanic (1997)
• Scream 2 (1997) - famous traffic light shot foreboding danger.
• Night Calls: The Movie (1998) (V) - A character asks another if she's been watching Twin Peaks reruns.
• Pi (1998)
• DR-Derude: DR-Derude på Svalbard - Part 1 (#21.1) (1998) - Søren Ryge mentions the Twin Peaks theme from the series.
• NYPD Blue episode "Twin Petes" (#5.13) (1998) - Title reference.
• Disturbing Behavior (1998)
• Silent Hill (1999) (VG)
• The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn episode on 12 August 1999 (1999) - Picture of Sherilyn Fenn is shown.
• Toy Story 2 (1999)
• Space Cowboys (2000)
• The Cell (2000)
• Little Nicky (2000)
• The Hole (2001)
• Mulholland Dr. (2001)
• Chuen jik sat sau (2001)
• I Love the 90's episode "I Love 1990" (2001) - Referenced by name.
• Vanilla Sky (2001)
• Jane White Is Sick & Twisted (2002) - Mentioned in dialogue.
• The Chronicle: The Stepford Cheerleaders (#1.18) (2002) - Mentioned by name.
• Insomnia (2002/I)
• TV Guide 50 Best Shows of All Time: A 50th Anniversary Celebration (2002) (TV)
• Dead End (2003/I)
• Love Object (2003)
• The 100 Greatest Scary Moments (2003) (TV) - Makes the countdown; is talked about.
• Jiminy Glick in Lalawood (2004) - Theme music plays a couple of times.
• Rakkaudesta rituaaleihin (2004) (V) - A Lynchlike mystery with clear references to Twin Peaks in storytelling. The "White Room" scene owes a great deal to Twin Peaks' "White Lodge".
• Twink Peaks (2005) (V) - Title reference.
• Gamers (2006) - Trivia question on the radio.
• Jeopardy! episode #22.187" (2006) - Referenced in clue in "Emerson, Lake & Palmer" category.
• Inland Empire (2006) - Logger sawing wood at party in end credits is joke reference to logging town "Twin Peaks", (earlier David Lynch film).
• Homestarrunner.com: Everything Else, Volume 2 (2006) (V) - In "3 Times Halloween Funjob", Marzipan's Halloween costume is the Log Lady.
• Strongbad_email.exe: Disc Five (2007) (V) - In an Easter egg involving Coach Z in "Alternate Universe", this scene is paid homage to with red curtains and coffee pouring down Coach Z's head, which is what Dale Cooper spilled on himself. Also, Homestar's speech refers to this show by having it sound backwards, which is how the show's actors actually spoke before recording it forwards.
• Good Luck Chuck (2007) - In one scene Chuck's little friend and his blone girl friend (resembling Laura Palmer) speak and move in backwards motion.
• Homestarrunner.com: Everything Else, Volume 3 (2007) (V) - In "DNA Evidence", two references to the show are made: first, the opening sequence's music sounds like the theme music of the show; second, the ending in which Strong Sad laughs maniacally and appears in various locations refers to the show's antagonist, Killer Bob.
• White Out (2008) - Andy specifically references the show, which then sparks a brief conversation about the Log Lady.
• 100 höjdare: Världens skönaste land - Del 6 (#6.6) (2008) - Mentioned by name.
• Ante Meridiem (2008) - That the pilot opens with the lead actress wrapped in plastic next to a river is a direct reference to Twin Peaks.
• Strongbad_email.exe: Disc Six (2008) (V) - In an Easter egg for "Underlings", the promo for a TV show called Stink's Reach parodies the opening of this show.
• Modelo Burela (2009) (V) - A shot near the beginning is designed to mirror the "Welcome to Twin Peaks" shot in the series intro.
• Fringe (2009) - Fringe's second season featured an episode called "Northwest Passage", which had been the original title for Twin Peaks. Fringe's third season also featured the character Walter who is wearing eyeglasses identical to those of Dr. Jacoby. He also mentions that they were given to him by Jacoby, with whom he had worked in the past. 
• Never Have I Ever (2009) - Four characters in the film have last names that where chosen by the writer to obscurely reference characters in the series and David Lynch himself.
• The Telling (2009) (V) - The "dead, wrapped in plastic" line and a 911 operator that sounds like Lucy.
• The Fourth Kind (2009) - The owls are not what they seem, and may be connected to Project Bluebook.
• Jeopardy! episode #26.54" (2009) - Subject of a $2,000 clue in the category "TV Things in Common".
• Winds Poem (2009) - Album by Mount Eerie sonically and thematically references themes from Twin Peaks.
• Psych episode #5.12 "Dual Spires" (2010) - Episode of comedy-drama TV seies Psych aired on December 1, 2010 is a homage to Twin Peaks and its 20th anniversary. Seven Twin Peaks stars are featured: Sheryl Lee (Laura Palmer), Sherylin Fenn (Audrey Horne), Ray Wise (Leland Palmer), Dana Ashbrook (Bobby Briggs), Robyn Lively (Lana Milford), Lenny von Dohlen (Harold Smith), Catherine Coulson (The Log Lady). The episode focuses on the murder of teenager Paula Merral (anagram of "Laura Palmer"), citizen of a small town in Washington - Dual Spires. The familiar images and stuff was used: ceiling fan, jukebox in the local cafe (where coffee was replaced with cider and cherry pie with cinnamon pie), the newspaper called The Great Northern published an article about silent windowshades, the town of Dual Spires has no modern communication such as Internet to make it look like small town of 80`s, Maudette Hornsby, the librarian played by Sherylin Fenn, drinks cherry coke, the son of local Sheriff Andrew Jackson (similar to Harry S.Truman) Randy gets a mascot owl at the cinnamon festival, he and deceased Paula Merral he was secretly dating shared one pair of earrings (similar to 'broken heart' necklace Laura Palmer and James Hurley shared), Randy also did his homework for the shop class with a carpenter`s saw buzzing like industrial saws at Packard`s Saw Mill etc. Also, the title theme song I Know You Know was given new enigmatic music in Twin Peaks style and was sung by 'the voice of Twin Peaks' Julee Cruise - whose song Kool Kat Walk sounded from the jukebox in the end of the episode.
• Deadly Premonition/Red Seeds Profile (2010) - This video game pays homage to Twin Peaks because many elements are lifted from the show and given a very Japanese twist.
• Gravity Falls (2012) (TV) - The fourth episode, "The Hand That Rocks the Mabel," protagonist Dipper Pines meets up with Gideon Gleeful in a club's familiar looking room.
• The hip-hop artist KOOL AD (formerly a part of the rap group known as Das Racist ) refers to Twin Peaks in his song Eroika (2013) by saying "Girls love me 'cause I act like Garfield; watchin' Twin Peaks, bitch, look I'm Laura Palmer."
• Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated (2012) - In episode 46, "Stand and Deliver", Scooby-Doo has a dream about following his girlfriend Nova (who's in a comma) (possibly a reference to Laura Palmer), through red curtains and finally meets with a small dancing man (voiced by Michael J. Anderson), who is heavily based on the Man from Another Place. Also, later on the show, in episode 48, "Nightmare in Red", the whole Mystery Inc. gang visits the small dancing man from Scooby's dreams who is an author. He sends them in the "sitting room, a world between worlds" through hypnosis to face a monster and uncover its identity and to get his other half (the best part of him) back. These references play an important role in the progress of the show.
• Life Is Strange (2015) (VG) - On Chloe's truck's license plates, the letters TWNPKS are written, shortened of Twin Peaks. In Episode 2 of the game, "Fire Walk With Me" can be seen written in the bathroom mirror of the Two Whales Diner.
• Jimmy Neutron (2001) - In Season 5 Episode 053B, a scene takes place in the Black Lodge.

Features

• Late Night with David Letterman episode on 4 May 1990 (1990) - Clip is used
• Twin Peaks/Cop Rock: Behind the Scenes (1990) (TV) - Clips are used
• Entertainment Tonight: The Women of Twin Peaks (1990) - Clips are used
• The 48th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1991) (TV) - clips
• Thank Ya, Thank Ya Kindly (1991) (TV) - clip
• Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992) - Clip is used
• Pretty as a Picture: The Art of David Lynch (1997) (TV) - Contains scenes from Twin Peaks
• I Love the 90's: I Love 1990 (2001) - Clips are shown
• Brilliant But Cancelled (2002) (TV)
• The Perfect Pitch (2002) (TV)
• The 100 Greatest Scary Moments (2003) (TV) - Voted as a scary moment (Killer Bob in Agent Cooper's reflection)
• I Love the '90s episode "1990" (#1.1) (2004) - Footage from this TV show was edited into this mini-series.
• Return to Twin Peaks (2007) (V) - Documentary about the Twin Peaks Festival.
• Secrets from Another Place: Creating Twin Peaks (2007) (V) - Retrospective documentary focusing on the entire series.

Spoofs of Twin Peaks

• Northern Exposure episode "Russian Flu" (#1.5) (1990) - A scene at the falls spoofs the score, cherry pie, and the Log Lady
• Saturday Night Live episode Kyle MacLachlan/Sinéad O'Connor (#16.1) (1990) - Spoofed in Twin Peaks skit
• Class of Nuke 'Em High Part II: Subhumanoid Meltdown (1991)
• Maniac Mansion episode "Luck Be a Lady This Season" (#2.1)" (1991) - A scene features Casey and Tina dressed like Shelly Johnson and Audrey Horne eating a donut and drinking coffee. The music playing is similar to "Laura Palmer's theme".
• We Are Not Angels (1992)
• The Simpsons episode "Who Shot Mr. Burns?: Part 2" (#7.1) (1995) - Chief Wiggum's dream sequence
• Dean Quixote (2000)
• Scary Movie (2000)
• Men in Black II (2002)
• Mais qui a tué Pamela Rose? (2003) - The plot is spoofed
• Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne - A Film Noir Love Story (2003) (VG)
• Greg the Bunny episode "Blue Velveteen" (#2.3) (2006) - The Wumpus is shown in a surreal fantasy sequence reminiscent of the series. His mumbled speach is subtitled, although the subtitles still make no sense to Greg. This is a reference to the man from another place.
• Muchachada nui episode #3.3 (2009) - The segment "Miguel Indurain Presenta Muchachada Nuí" spoofs characters, scenes and settings.
• Darkwing Duck episode "Twin Beaks" - On a visit to the titular town, Launchpad McQuack begins talking to a log and warning Darkwing that "The cows are not what they seem."