The Leftovers (TV series)
The Leftovers is an American supernatural drama television series created by Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta that aired on HBO from June 29, 2014, to June 4, 2017.[1] Based on Perrotta's 2011 novel,[2] the series begins three years after the "Sudden Departure", a global event that resulted in 2% of the world's population disappearing. The lives of police chief Kevin Garvey (Justin Theroux) and his family, along with grieving widow Nora Durst (Carrie Coon) and her brother, Reverend Matt Jamison (Christopher Eccleston), are the focal points of the series as they struggle to adjust to life after the Departure.
The Leftovers
The Leftovers
by Tom Perrotta
Damon Lindelof
- "Leftovers Theme" by Max Richter (season 1)
- "Let the Mystery Be" by Iris DeMent (season 2 and series finale)
- Various (season 3)
United States
English
3
28 (list of episodes)
- Damon Lindelof
- Tom Perrotta
- Peter Berg
- Sarah Aubrey
- Mimi Leder
- Tom Spezialy
- Eugene Kelly
- Nan Bernstein Freed
- Patrick Markey
- Alma Kuttruff
- Amanda Crittenden
- New York, U.S. (seasons 1–2)
- Texas, U.S. (seasons 2–3)
- Victoria, Australia (season 3)
- Michael Slovis (pilot)
- Todd McMullen
- Michael Grady
- John Grillo
- Robert Humphreys
- Colby Parker Jr. (pilot)
- Henk Van Eeghen
- David Eisenberg
- Michael Ruscio
51–72 minutes
- White Rabbit Productions
- Film 44
- Warner Bros. Television
- HBO Entertainment
June 29, 2014 –
June 4, 2017
The pilot was written by Lindelof and Perrotta and directed by Peter Berg.[3] The series stars an ensemble cast led by Theroux and features Amy Brenneman, Christopher Eccleston, Liv Tyler, Chris Zylka, Margaret Qualley, Carrie Coon, Ann Dowd, Regina King, Jovan Adepo, Kevin Carroll, Janel Moloney, and Scott Glenn. The series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on October 4, 2015, and concluded December 6, 2015.[4][5] On December 10, 2015, at Lindelof's request to be able to conclude the series, HBO renewed it for a third and final season,[6] which premiered on April 16, 2017, and concluded on June 4, 2017.[7] Over the course of the series, 28 episodes aired over three seasons.
The first season received mostly positive reviews, though some criticized the series for its grim tone.[8] The series underwent a critical reevaluation during its acclaimed second and third seasons,[9][10] with many critics referring to The Leftovers as one of the greatest television series of all time,[11][12][13][14][15] with particular praise for its writing, directing, acting (particularly Theroux's and Coon's) and thematic depth.[8][9][10] The musical score composed by Max Richter also attracted critical praise.[16] Despite receiving average Nielsen ratings throughout its run, the series has developed a cult following.[17][18] The series has been compared favorably to Lost, a previous series co-created by Lindelof.[19][20][21][22]
Premise[edit]
The Leftovers starts three years after a global event called the "Sudden Departure", the inexplicable, simultaneous disappearance of 140 million people, 2% of the world's population, on October 14, 2011.[23] Following that event, mainstream religions declined, and a number of cults emerged, most notably the Guilty Remnant, a group of white-clothed, chain-smoking nihilists, and a cult led by Holy Wayne, a man who views himself as the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.[24]
The first season revolves around the Garvey family and their acquaintances in a fictionalized version of the town of Mapleton, New York. Kevin Garvey Jr. is the chief of police. His wife, Laurie, has joined the Guilty Remnant. Their son, Tommy, has left home to become a follower of Holy Wayne, and their daughter, Jill, is acting out.[2] Meanwhile, grieving widow Nora Durst and her brother, Reverend Matt Jamison, struggle to deal with their respective traumas while adjusting to life post-Departure. It also follows Meg Abbott, a woman who is slowly seduced by the Mapleton faction of the Guilty Remnant, led by Patti Levin. These characters' lives intertwine and collide as they find themselves in the middle of an ongoing conflict between the Guilty Remnant and the townspeople of Mapleton.
In the second season, the location shifts from Mapleton to the fictional town of Jarden, Texas, where not a single citizen was lost in the Sudden Departure. The Murphy family becomes a key focal point of the season. The patriarch, John, is the chief firefighter of the town, also acting as a vigilante deterrent of people exploiting Jarden's "miracle". His wife, Erika, is a doctor. Their son, Michael, is an aspiring pastor and their daughter, Evie, is a high school student with epilepsy. The Garvey family, Nora, and Matt move to Jarden at a time which coincides with an incident that leads to the disappearance of three young girls, followed by mass panic and chaos that threatens the town's safety and forces the Garvey and Murphy families to confront their inner demons.
The third and final season unfolds three years later, in 2018, starting 14 days before the seventh anniversary of the Sudden Departure. The setting of the third season moves between Jarden and Victoria, Australia, as most of the lead characters—particularly the Garvey and Murphy families—undergo emotional journeys that make them reflect upon their lives, their beliefs, and the events they have encountered in the previous two seasons. Kevin's father, the mentally ill former chief of police of Mapleton, is also a main focus in the final season as he embarks on a spiritual journey to fulfill a cryptic purpose, and eventually crosses paths with the other members of the Murphy and Garvey families.
Home media[edit]
The first season was released on Blu-ray and DVD in region 1 on October 6, 2015. The set contains two audio commentaries and four behind-the-scenes featurettes.[84] The second season was released on Blu-ray and DVD on February 9, 2016.[85] The third season's DVD format was released on October 10, 2017, while the Blu-ray format was released by the Warner Archive Collection.[86]
