[TV] The Leftovers *Probable Spoilers*

[eschatological]

Anyone else watching this? Every year, HBO casts its net, looking for the next big show. With both True Blood and Boardwalk Empire in their final seasons, they're looking for something to follow Game of Thrones next year. The Leftovers is one of those shows. Created/produced by Damon Lindelof, of LOST fame/infamy, depending on your POV. Based on some book I've never heard of or read.

Premise: 2% of the world's population just suddenly up and disappears one day, the show is basically about the aftermath of that mystery.

Cast: Some guy who's dating Jennifer Aniston as the main lead playing the Chief of Police, Amy Brenneman (Judging Amy), his wife who has left to join some sort of movement called the Guilty Remnant, Chris Eccleston (Dr. Who), a Reverand, Liv Tyler (from everything), a potential applicant to the GR, some young actresses who play the main lead's teenage daughter and her friend.

Some details: It seems, so far, 4 episodes in, there's roughly 3 or 4 factions of people: 1) the normal grieving people, some of whom are slowly going insane with the weight of this mysterious disappearance, including the main character. 2) The nihilists, who wear all white, smoke, don't talk, and believe everything has become futile. Amy Brenneman, a fairly well accomplished actress in her own right, is part of this group, and has not yet said a word in 4 episodes despite being in all of them. 3) The traditional religious cult, with a twist - the cult leader actually seems to be able to heal people. Plus he has a harem of Asian girls which "fuels" his healing. What?!? It's a mystery drama, very much like LOST, with very interwoven characters, etc. So far not sure I could tell you what the plot has been, except that 3 years has passed since the disappearance, and, according to the healer cult leader character Wayne, things are coming to a head in re: what happened to the people who disappeared.

My opinions so far: Don't know what to feel about this show. I'm wary of the Lindelof brand, and any unexplained mysteries this show may have to offer. The characters seem compelling, but something about the world feels a bit bland. LOST took place on this gorgeous island which seemed to breathe terror and mystery, this show takes place in some suburb and follows around the chief of police as the main character. It makes the world feel a little bland, but maybe that's a thematic thing. I really like Chris Eccleston's character - he plays a preacher who goes against the prevailing view that the event was soime sort of Rapture, and that the Departures were somehow heroic victims - mainly because one disappeared from his car, hit his car head on, and made his wife a vegetable. So he digs up all these sins and crimes of the Departures to show they were just ordinary, or even bad people, in the name of "The Truth." The cult side of the show (mainly shown through the Chief's son whose run off to join the cult) is a bit weird, mysterious, but might be totally de rigeure cult storyline. Already one of the Asian girls is pregnant with the healer's kid and needs to be protected from the Feds who want to shut him down.

Some pictures of the cast:
Justin Theroux (The Chief):



Amy Brenneman (Laurie):



Chris Eccleston (the Reverand):

[Tradewind]

I'm enjoying it but I feel the same way, there's still a lot of questions...though it does seem to be ramping up in the last few episodes. That one previous centered around Christopher Eccleston was pretty damn good.

More interested for The Knick with Clive Owen though.

[eschatological]

Yeah, I do hope they continue the theme of character-centric episodes, like the Chris Eccleston episode, and like LOST episodes in the past.

There are some flashbacks in this show, but they are literally flashes. Like 10 frame flashes or something where you can barely get an impression of what happened.

[Tradewind]

It was just nice to get an episode where there was some development of a character. Plus I genuinely felt bad for him lol. Plus we got to learn a bit more about Nora, who seems to be one of the ones affected the most by the event.

At least it's something decent to wash the bad taste of True Blood out of my brain every Sunday...

[eschatological]

I think I may officially like this show. The music is fantastic, very evocative, very suited to the mysterious nature of the show. The characters are in-depth and poignant. Amy Brenneman is doing a fucking fantastic job and she hasn't said a word in the series yet. Watching Chris Eccleston struggle as a man of faith whose faith has been shattered by the injuries to his wife is astonishing.

It'll definitely be one of those character-driven shows, for sure, but I like those. Probably don't want to watch it if you expect the premise of the people disappearing is due to aliens or something supernatural. I have a feeling the show might never explain why they disappeared, and might instead focus on the destruction of the people left behind (hence the title The Leftovers).

[Puupi]

Very well done show. The story so far is obviously very weird, but fascinating at the same time.

[BloodyAngel12]

Yeah i saw an article on it and gave it a watch, really enjoying it so far.

[eschatological]

Keeps getting better and better. Another single-character-focused episode, and I loved it, despite not caring much for the character before the episode.

Great storytelling.

- - - Updated - - -

I have no ideas why shit trope-filled nonsense like The Strain are getting the press, and I hear nothing about this show anywhere.

[Deleted]

Just heard the ending song of episode 6. I loved it! It is this:

Agnes Obel - Pass them By

[eschatological]

Great music throughout, yes. Most of the theme is piano based.

[Tradewind]

Yeah HBO needs to get off their duff and release the soundtrack of the score already so I can listen to some of it on my own time Max Richter is the dude composing most of the piano/orchestral score in the show.

[Halicia]

The episode about the church was very well done, but I'm slowly tiring of the constant blackout.

I've been disappointed in the past by shows like Lost that build up season after season for the 'big reveal', only to realize that they were constantly pulling stuff out of their !@# to fill in the void.

The characters in Leftovers have a good deal of depth and realism, but there's just too many mysteries... and I feel if I dont start getting answers to some of them, it will severely interfere with my ability to enjoy the characters.

the phonecall with the fed was !#$#ing creepy

[BloodyAngel12]

Im hooked i could happily watch it no matter what, Chris Eccleston and Police chief make for good watching.

Im so curious about the guilty remnant too.

[eschatological]

The episode about the church was very well done, but I'm slowly tiring of the constant blackout.

I've been disappointed in the past by shows like Lost that build up season after season for the 'big reveal', only to realize that they were constantly pulling stuff out of their !@# to fill in the void.

The characters in Leftovers have a good deal of depth and realism, but there's just too many mysteries... and I feel if I dont start getting answers to some of them, it will severely interfere with my ability to enjoy the characters.

the phonecall with the fed was !#$#ing creepy

I mean, it's five episodes into the first season. Must they answer mysteries immediately?

I do agree, though, it'll leave a bad taste if mysteries go unresolved, but I don't mind if they only get resolved seasons down the road. Part of building the connection to characters is making you wonder about them.

[Halicia]

I mean, it's five episodes into the first season. Must they answer mysteries immediately?

I do agree, though, it'll leave a bad taste if mysteries go unresolved, but I don't mind if they only get resolved seasons down the road. Part of building the connection to characters is making you wonder about them.

i'll go back to my reference to 'constant blackout', ok... having a scene in the dark is kinda neat & funny for a minute. i mean, you get to see the character's confusion while you listen only to their voices. after a few minutes though, it starts to get old hat. after a few episodes... you start wondering if they ever plan on turning the lights on.

without going through a *massive* spoiler list, i'd like to propose that every single character is shrouded in mysteries. obviously the faction-based ones and the initial disappearance are biggies... but even down to the 'wheres the bagel?' start just overburdening my sense of suspense.

and while its kinda ... original... it feels like there's also a good deal of 'prophets' in the show... maybe they're speaking the same truth... maybe different ones... either way, its starting to get hard to hear the original characters through the noise.

and while they certainly don't need to provide all the answers halfway through the season, it would be nice if i felt their was some plot or progress.

[Deleted]

This show is so fucking boring. I tried to like it but its essentially a lame family drama. Even fucking Afterworld was better or that bbc show survivors. Proper bland.

[eschatological]

I admit, the last two episodes have been pretty slow. I have, like, no fucking idea what's going on.

The whole last part of the last episode where Patty was like "You understand" and Kevin, the main character was like, "No, I really DON'T understand" I was screaming "UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU FUCKING CRAZY BITCH?!?"

Man, I have no idea. Next episode a door explodes in his face? Is it gonna get all supernatural?

[Tradewind]

I thought the last episode actually gave more insight into the whole guilty remnant's goals. It almost, almost made them seem less crazy. Why it's so important for them to make sure nobody ever forgets, not sure.

Patty killing herself was ballsy too. Even if Kevin doesn't want to or can't understand, he'll certainly remember now.

[Halicia]

The whole last part of the last episode where Patty was like "You understand" and Kevin, the main character was like, "No, I really DON'T understand" I was screaming "UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU FUCKING CRAZY BITCH?!?"

too much crazy in kevin's life.

[Tradewind]

Also curious if somehow Kevin's impending schizophrenia and his Father's condition are somehow related to everything else.