Summary
Over the month of May, I finally watched the mystery dramaThe Leftovers, and I’m convinced HBO hasn’t released a better show in this genre in the decade since it first premiered. HBO has been the captain of prestige TV dramas and comedies for several decades now, and while acclaimed Sunday night HBO shows often prove to have a hold on popular culture, some end up flying relatively under the radar compared to shows with similar praise. One of these TV shows happens to beThe Leftovers, which sadly hasn’t enjoyed the same level of sustained widespread popularity in the years since it ended as similar showslikeLost,True Detective,Big Little Lies, andTwin Peaks.
Starring Justin Theroux and Carrie Coon,The Leftovers’ initial setup follows residents of a small New York town three years after the “Sudden Departure,” a mysterious occurrence in which 2% of the world’s population inexplicably vanished. The show explored the lives of the Garvey and Jamison families in the Departure’s aftermath, with season 2 moving them to Texas before season 3 brought them to Australia. AlthoughThe Leftoversholds a 91% score on Rotten Tomatoes, theacclaimed HBO showwas largely overlooked at the Emmys and only received average viewership ratings between 2014 and 2017. After several months of being told to watch it, I finally gave in – and I’m disappointed I missedThe Leftoversduring its original run.
The Leftovers Is HBO’s Greatest Mystery Drama From The Last Decade
The Leftovers is even better than its 91% Rotten Tomatoes score suggests
HBO has put out some extremely impressive mystery drama miniseries since 2014, includingMare of EasttownandSharp Objects. But,when it comes to multi-season mysteries, no other HBO show has come close to rivalingThe Leftovers. Not only doesThe Leftoversget better with each season, but each season could also stand alone as some of the greatest, most thought-provoking stories ever put on the small screen. To top it off,The Leftovers' endingsticks the landing and leaves one of TV’s best series finales. While show co-creator Damon Lindelof may always be best remembered for creatingLost, it’sThe Leftoversthat I would truly consider to be his magnum opus.
Not only doesThe Leftoversget better with each season, but each season could also stand alone as some of the greatest, most thought-provoking stories ever put on the small screen.
The Leftoversshines in its cast performances and quieter, more subtle moments. From the devastation of Margaret Qualley’s Jill finally “speaking” to her mother to Carrie Coon’s Nora turning around to see her entire family disappear in season 1 or Justin Theroux’s Kevin giving a sobering karaoke rendition of “Homeward Bound” by Simon & Garfunkel in season 2’s “International Assassin,” which is stillone of the most perfect TV episodes,The Leftovershas no shortage of gut-wrenching moments that, like it did for me, will bring so many viewers to tears. At its core,The Leftoversis an exploration of the human condition, the daily existential crisis, andhow different people respond differently to the horrible realities we face in our lives, and the show did an incredible job of making me empathize with each person’s response.
82%
94%
Season 3
99%
InThe Leftoversseason 1, you may hate Laurie for abandoning her family and children. InThe Leftovers' tranformative season 2, you may hate John for his unwavering suspicion of Kevin. InThe Leftoversseason 3, you may find issues with Matt’s “book” about Kevin.The beauty ofThe Leftoversis that it’s a show about flawed, broken people; none of whom respond to situations that will please most viewers – which makes it so much more believable and grounded in reality. Even Kevin and Nora, who may be two of the best-written and portrayed characters I have ever seen on TV, have their intrinsically human moments of being extremely difficult to relate to.
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Additionally,The Leftovers’ themes of grief, mortality, and spirituality are incredibly well-constructed. Overall, the show is quite agnostic in being open to the many possibilities of our “purpose” on this Earth, where we go after we die or “depart,” whether there is some larger deity with a plan for each and every one of us, and if there’s a prophetic messiah who could stop a Biblical disaster like a great flood.The Leftoversis never direct about which ideological interpretation it supports, because it’s so open to any possibility – even if its characters aren’t. This is exactly why it’s a show that resonates with people who support different ideologies and creeds; it appeals so brilliantly to human nature’s inherent curiosity, helplessness, and desire for truth – however that manifests.
This is exactly why it’s a show that resonates with people who support different ideologies and creeds; it appeals so brilliantly to human nature’s inherent curiosity, helplessness, and desire for truth – however that manifests.
Although I didn’t watchThe Leftoversuntil seven years after its 2017 finale was released, I find thatits themes are still as pertinent today as they were then. It’s also the kind of show that could be revisited with an entirely new lens during different eras in my life, which may completely change how I see each character and their responses to the world around them.The Leftoversisn’t an easy show to digest and rewatch over and over again due to its harsh, emotionally taxing themes, but it deserves to be seen under different lenses as life’s trials and tribulations change perspective over the years.
The Leftovers' Success Is A Reminder Of A Harsh Reality About True Detective
The Leftovers & True Detective both premiered on HBO in 2014
When I say thatThe Leftoversis HBO’s best mystery show since 2014, I say so with the knowledge that this also means – overall – its quality is superior toTrue Detective, which also debuted in 2014. But, as a caveat,I may not say this ifTrue Detectiveended after season 1.True Detectiveseason 1 is one of the greatest showcases of writing, acting, suspense, direction, and thematic execution in TV history, and is a chief example of HBO’s prestige drama reputation. But,True Detectivebecoming an anthology series with varying quality across installments threw a wrench in its overall legacy.
True Detectiveseason 1 is one of the greatest showcases of writing, acting, suspense, direction, and thematic execution in TV history, and is a chief example of HBO’s prestige drama reputation.
Therein lies a key facet of the argument thatThe Leftoversis HBO’s best mystery drama since 2014. WhileTrue Detectivetook a sharp decline in quality in season 2, revived its acclaim in season 3, and still had a critically successful yet overall divisive fourth outing, ithasn’t been able to top the story ofMatthew McConaughey’s Rust Cohleand Woody Harrelson’s Marty Hart in the decade since season 1. Meanwhile,The Leftoversis not only consistent in quality, but also manages to improve with each season.
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The Leftovers' Cast Has Gone On To Star In Some Of My Favorite Movies & Shows Over The Past Decade
One of the biggest surprises in The Leftovers was its incredible cast
When I first sat down to watchThe Leftovers, I was shocked by some of the actors that I had no idea starred in the show. While its mystery and character building may be enough to keep viewers around each season, HBO’s mystery drama is massively elevated by the talent that pervadesThe Leftovers' cast. I knew that Justin Theroux and Carrie Coon gave some career-best performances in this series, but wassurprised to see actors like Regina King, Margaret Qualley, and Jasmin Savoy Brown among the cast, whose recent works have been some of my favorite movies and shows to come out of Hollywood.
Evie Murphy
Jasmin Savoy Brown
AfterThe Leftovers, Margaret Qualley had extremely memorable, acclaimed outings in Quentin Tarantino’sOnce Upon a Time in Hollywoodand Netflix’sMaid. While she only had a recurring role in seasons 2 and 3 ofThe Leftovers, Jasmin Savoy Brown would later have standout performances inScream(2022),Scream 6, and Showtime’s mystery thriller showYellowjackets. Of course,Justin Theroux’s upcomingBeetlejuice 2roleis among my most anticipated movie performances of 2024, I find myself eagerly awaiting Regina King’s next directorial feature, and afterThe Gilded Ageand theGhostbustersreboot movies, I can’t wait to see Carrie Coon star inThe White Lotusseason 3. Hats off to Kimberly Hope andThe Leftovers' casting directors Ellen Lewis and Victoria Thomas – they found an incredible ensemble at the exact right time.
The Leftovers
Cast
The Leftovers is a three-season drama that follows a group of people as they deal with the effects of the sudden disappearance of 2% of the word’s population. It was created by Lost co-producer Damon Lindelof and Election writer Tom Perrotta, with famous actors such as Christopher Eccleston, Liv Tyler, Margaret Qualley, and Justin Theroux in the ensemble cast.
