While David Lynch never directed another feature film after the 2006 release of Inland Empire, he nevertheless remained quite busy over the last 19 years of his life. The biggest and most famous project from this era was the long-awaited third season of Twin Peaks (from Showtime in 2017), for which Lynch directed and co-wrote every episode. But most of Lynch's artistic output during this post-movie period saw him branch out into mediums outside of film and television, including music, painting, writing, and even YouTube. Furthermore, Lynch directed a number of short films, music videos, and TV commercials, often in collaboration with other artists and organizations.

Nor did Lynch ever stop trying to get another feature film or serialized TV series off the ground. Even just five months before his death, he steadfastly promised in a post onTwitter/X that he would "never retire," despite his recent emphysema diagnosis rendering him unable to leave his house.