Everything 'Pretty Little Liars' Stole From 'Twin Peaks'

We break down the similarities between these two murder mystery TV shows.

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Complex Original

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Twin Peaks turns 25 today, and though it only lasted a couple seasons, it left behind an indelible mark on pop culture. David Lynch's supernatural drama, which is set for a reboot on Showtime (possibly sans Lynch), has been referenced, copied, and emulated to no end over the years, but the best nods to the cult classic may come from an unexpected place—the teen drama Pretty Little Liars. The hit ABC Family series is pretty much Twin Peaks 2.0, which creator Marlene King has openly acknowledged. To see just how similar the two shows are, here's every way PLL stole from Twin Peaks (beware: spoilers abound).

Both shows are about a pretty blonde who's been mysteriously murdered.

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Both dead girls have alter egos.

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The dead girls kept journals that are filled with clues about their murderers.

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The bad boy love interests are very similar (and not very bad).

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Both shows feature handsome floppy-haired kids who are first accused of murder.

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Tippi is basically Waldo the bird.

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Both feature a couple of old dudes with unstable minds.

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The single-syllable villain is manifested in more than one character.

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Both have elements of the supernatural.

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The teenagers won't go to the police when they definitely should.

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No one ever suffers any PTSD.

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No one ever goes to school.

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All the characters are too good looking to be believable small town folk.

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Everything goes down in the woods.

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An Agent Cooper makes an appearance in 'PLL,' which is a direct nod to Agent Cooper in 'Twin Peaks.'

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