M. Night Shyamalan's new TV show looks like Twin Peaks meets The X-Files

From American Horror Story to True Detective to Fargo, limited series are taking over television — and it's clear that Fox wants to make a major splash with its upcoming Wayward Pines, which looks like an intriguing mash-up of Twin Peaks and The X-Files packed into just 10 episodes.

After surviving a nasty car accident, Secret Service Agent Ethan Burke (Matt Dillon) wakes up in Wayward Pines, a strange, seemingly idyllic little town in Idaho. He's on a mission to track down missing fellow agent Kate Houston (Carla Gugino) — but when he finally discovers her, he realizes that she has taken up residence in Wayward Pines. "They're watching us. And listening," she warns. Who are "they"? It's unclear — but based on this teaser, there are no shortage of sketchy people in the town.

From the isolated small-town setting to the '50s Americana outfits and music, the obvious comparison point for Wayward Pines is Twin Peaks — but can it possibly compare to such a high point in the genre? Executive producer and director M. Night Shyamalan is no David Lynch, and critics and audiences have long since turned on him. That said, he's also the guy who directed The Sixth Sense, and it's exciting to imagine Shyamalan's gift for suspense in the context of a creepy TV miniseries. Let's hope Wayward Pines is the return to form Shyamalan's fans have been hoping for. --Scott Meslow

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