The X-Files and Twin Peaks are quirky 90s TV shows that achieved cult status, and now it’s been confirmed that they share the same universe. As Screenrant points out, two of the main characters are even buddies. The 2015 comic book X-Files: Year Zero, David Duchovny’s Fox Mulder references Twin Peaks, officially connecting the two series.

In X-Files: Year Zero, there’s a memorable scene featuring Mulder and Scully at a cozy diner. When the waitress offers to refill their coffees, the agents politely decline. However, Mulder can’t help but exclaim, “This is a damn fine cup of coffee.” He credits a “friend in the Pacific Northwest“ for introducing him to this exquisite taste.

Of course, this is a reference to the catchphrase from Twin Peaks’ Agent Dale Cooper, played by Kyle MacLachlan. The culturally impactful David Lynch series influenced Chris Carter’s The X-Files, which debuted a few years later after Peaks’ second season.

While ‘The X-Files’ and ‘Twin Peaks’ Never Shared the Airwaves, They Shared Themes

The original run of Twin Peaks aired on ABC from April 1990 to June 1991, while The X-Files had its original run on Fox from September 1993 to May 2002. Both shows enjoyed big-screen films. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me was released in 1992. Meanwhile, X-Files: Fight the Future dropped in 1998, followed by a 2008 sequel.

Both shows were also revived recently for the small screen. The X-Files returned to Fox in 2016 with the original cast for two more seasons. Meanwhile, Twin Peaks returned for a third season on Showtime in 2017.

While Twin Peaks featured FBI agents investigating a murder, it leaned more into adult soap opera territory. However, it often had paranormal overtones and just an overall weird atmosphere. On the other hand, The X-files was closer to a police procedural that focused on supernatural phenomena. Still, it only seems natural that the two cult favorites could exist in the same universe.

However, fans of both series know there’s already a concrete connection between the show. Before his iconic role on The X-Files, David Duchovny had a recurring part as an FBI agent decidedly different than Fox Mulder in Twin Peaks. He portrayed Denise Bryson, a DEA Special Agent who investigated drug allegations involving Dale Cooper. She eventually became the FBI Chief of Staff. During an undercover operation, Bryson started wearing feminine-coded clothing. Duchovny reprised the role for the Twin Peaks revival in 2016.