Our take
What would you do if 2% of the world’s population disappeared without any apparent reason? This haunting human catastrophe is the premise of the HBO series The Leftovers. Starting three years after the event (dubbed the “Sudden Departure”), it homes in on small town coming to grips with the ramifications of this question, particularly police chief Kevin Garvey, played by Justin Theroux, who inadvertently finds himself at the center of it all.
For some inexplicable reason, it is relatively unknown compared to other HBO shows but this has to change. It is innovative, has an amazing Max Richter soundtrack, as well as a stellar cast, including Liv Tyler and an outstanding Carrie Coon. Created by Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta, whose 2011 novel the show is based on, The Leftovers is a must-watch mixture of grim and gripping, but also beautiful, engrossing television!
Streaming arrival
What it won
WGA
1 nom
The story
When 2% of the world's population abruptly disappears without explanation, the world struggles to understand just what they're supposed to do about it. This is the story of the people who didn't make the cut.
Elsewhere
"I'd be lying if I said The Leftovers didn't fascinate me. The totality of the suffering feels new. The scale of it overwhelms, so much so that nitpicking the dialogue, the performances, or the filmmaking seems petty."
— Matt Zoller Seitz
"Damon Lindelof ("Lost") and Peter Berg ("Friday Night Lights") actually form the perfect partnership for this complex parable."
— Ben Travers
The details
I can’t watch any other shows after watching this one. Raised the bar so much.
Hands down, this is the best show ever.
Totally agree, few come close to this level of perfection in story, acting, cinematography and score.
Best series on HBO since Six Feet Under. It was painful to have to watch this in real time week by week, season by season! Def a bingable series. The best part about it is – the ending. After ALL you go through to get there, it’s worth it. Carry Coon is unbelievably good, and JT has such a painful air about him it’s a bit hard to watch. But you’ll understand why.
I could watch this masterpiece just for listening to its music! This show is something else, something you should experience.