What a beautiful train wreck.
At its season conclusion, I've realized that The Leftovers on HBO may be perhaps the dumbest series ever promoted in the network's history, and that includes True Blood. At least that show knows who it's audience is and what it is trying to do. Not so with Lindelof's production. You might infamously know Damon Linedelof from television headscratchers of the past like Lost and puzzling films such as quasi-prequel Prometheus. Don't get me wrong. Lost is one of my favorite television shows ever and I'm one of the few proponents of Prometheus left in the world. Lindelof is a terrible writer when it comes to plot but he is underrated when it comes to writing solid characters, a strength by which I think lets him slide by in the industry. Unfortunately, in this show plot seems to be the primary motivator and the good character bits which are present don't necessarily save it.
The Leftovers is primarily about religion and faith and how it affects people in their daily lives and attitudes. This is framed around a supernatural event that occurs in which a certain percentage of the population disappear off the face of the earth with no trace, except the memory of the people who knew them. In Christian eschatology, this is referred to as The Rapture which is generally how most people in the world of The Leftovers see it. The primary action happens in a small town called Mapleton which may as well be Main Street, USA. The town sheriff Kevin Garvey, being the stereotypical white dude, is your main protagonist and we also follow his family who have all been affected by the event. His daughter Jill is a depressed teenager, his son Tom has left to join a mysterious cult, his dad claims to see and talk to dead people, and his wife has joined another cult known as The Guilty Remnant. This particular cult is presented as the main antagonist in a way because of the way they deal with The Rapture's aftermath. They wear all white, chain smoke, never talk, and pull passive-aggressive demonstrations on the residents of town in order to remind them of their lost loved ones. There are some other side characters too like the mayor (a black boss lady trope), a pastor (perhaps my favorite character), and a potential love interest for the sheriff.
This is of course an oversimplification. That's because the over-complicated story never really goes anywhere and doesn't even stick the landing. There is far too much going on for it to all work in one season's worth of content. There is The Guilty Remnant, another cult started by a mysterious figure named Wayne, weird metaphorical dreams involving deer, a plot involving evil dogs, as well as the mystery of the rapture itself. These are loosely all tied together but none of it is explained. It is incredibly frustrating and it shows just how far Lindelof has not come in terms of storytelling. And yet, there are three episodes that really shine because they focus on specific characters. Episode 3 "Two Boats and A Helicopter" focuses on the pastor (played by the Ninth Doctor himself, Chris Eccleston) as he attempts to raise money for his failing church. It's an amazing stand-alone morality tale in a world where people no longer have faith. Episode 6 "Guest" focuses on Nora, the previously mentioned love interest, and takes the audience on a strange journey into a convention built around an awful and inexplicable tragedy. It's the biggest use of world-building in the entire series, considering that most of its action takes place outside of Mapleton. Then there is Episode 9 "The Garveys at Their Best" which is a flashback episode which shows the events that transpire up until the rapture event. Episode 9 is almost needed if only to show how the characters get to the point they are, because no explanation is offered early on. It's a shame that these three almost filler episodes have great character focus and the rest merely serve as garbled messes.
But the real question is if the show is still worth watching. I would say yes if you don't care about the central mystery and are truly interested in the lives of these characters. However if you're looking for a concise exploration into the dual nature of faith and morality, you're watching the wrong show. And if you just want the answers, you'll be waiting for a long, long time.
Afterthoughts
- I'm not sure I even understand the point of Liv Tyler's character except to have her as a communication go-between the sheriff and his wife
- There is a lot of brutal violence perpetrated against women in this show. It's pretty bad, even for HBO.
- There is also quite a bit of white savior shenanigans going on. Both Kevin and Tom are guilty of this
- Race seems kind of poorly used here too. Cult leader Holy Wayne seems like a subverison on the "magical negro" trope and than turns out to be exactly that. There is also an Asian woman who is treated like a mystical object in Tom's care
- A friend pointed out that it's strange that homosexuality is represented in the opening credits sequence, yet all of the major characters are straight
- The show is beautifully shot and there are ample scenes with little to no dialogue, which I find quite praiseworthy
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