'Twin Peaks' superfans got a big surprise from Agent Cooper at SXSW

Travis Blue knew he wanted to be a filmmaker after watching Twin Peaks -- not only did he love the '90s cult show, he lived it. As such, this would not be his first sighting of FBI Special Agent Dale Bartholomew Cooper.

The 38-year-old grew up near Snoqualmi Valley in Washington, and sometimes camped out to watch the cast and crew film the seminal David Lynch series that aired on ABC from 1990-1991.

The series, which Showtime is bringing back in May, follows Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) after he travels to the (fictional) small town of Twin Peaks to solve the murder of high schooler Laura Palmer.

"Twin Peaks to me was to me kind of a film school because I got to see it be made and the show also references a lot of cinema history so it was a real education," Blue told Mashable while hanging out at The Showtime House at South by South West. "The Double R Diner and I go way back."

Blue was among the 15 "superfans" selected by Showtime via social media who got to be the first to step into the world of the show and experience the Twin Peaks Lodge at The Showtime House (located at Clive Bar on Rainey Street).

There, fans were greeted by themed cocktails, merch, donuts, a photo booth and most importantly: MacLachlan.

The actor surprised the superfans as part of Showtime's event on Thursday.

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"We are not worthy!" Sara Sanderford, 33, who was dressed as Twin Peaks character Audrey Horn, told MacLachlan as she gave him a hug.

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MacLachlan shook the hand of every superfan after he walked through the back entrance of the bar. The fans also posed for photos with the actor on stage.

"I was not expecting him to be here, my heart was pounding," Courtney Hazlett, a 29-year-old fan from Austin, said.

"I was like I'm just going to stand here and smile and stare at you, so hopefully I didn't freak him out too much," Stephanie Lowe, a 28-year-old fan from Austin, added. She was sporting a ladies of Twin Peaks t-shirt and a Twin Peaks tatto.

The new series is set 25 years after the original and fans lined up for their time in the Lodge couldn't have been more excited.

"The show is an escape into a different world that's magical, scary and mysterious," said Dominque Patton, 27, who was holding a box filled with Twin Peaks memorabilia, including a cast signed copy of an Us Weekly magazine from May 1990.

She said the Twin Peaks immersive experience "was a big part" of why she traveled from Fort Worth, Texas to Austin for South By.

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As part of the Twin Peaks activation, The Showtime House is also hosting a two-day musical lineup with afternoon and evening sessions featuring music inspired by the show's chanteuse performances and spectral, noir-ish soundtrack.

Performers include Neko Case, Real Estate, M. Ward, Agnes Obel, Holly Macve, Julie Byrne, Alex Cameron, Aldous Harding, Alexandra Savior, Cameron Avery and Annie Hart (of Au Revoir Simone), Tim Darcy, L.A. Salami and Let’s Eat Grandma.

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"Fans I think are a big reason why we are here," MacLachlan said.

The actor then exited the house and walked around Rainey Street, stopping to take selfies with any fan who asked.

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Twin Peaks will return with a two-hour premiere on May 21.