The Leftovers is your next binge watch after Lost

Key Takeaways

• Leftovers creator Damon Lindelof's much-hyped follow-up to an event where 2% of the world's population mysteriously disappears.
• The program becomes very interesting and complex, with triple episodes, like a dream.
• Ultimately, The Leftovers is a show about hope.

So you've finished your big Lost watch, and you're still feeling good about living in the strange, mystical realm of creator Damon Lindelof's fantasy. Look no further than his big follow-up to television, The Leftovers, which premiered in 2014 and ran for three seasons. Based on the novel by Tom Perrotta, who created this show, the HBO series tells the story of a mysterious event called “Sudden Departure,” where 2% of the world's population suddenly disappeared from the face of the planet without help. follow up. The Leftovers follows police chief Kevin Garvey, played by Justin Theroux, as he struggles to reunite his family with his hometown of Mapleton, New York after the fallout.

Set three years after Abrupt Departure, the world is the same in many ways, but also very different. There has been a huge rise in spirituality and religious beliefs, including the development of cults like the Guilty Remnant, which Kevin's wife Laurie, played by Amy Brenneman, leaves her family to join. Chris Zylka and a young Margaret Qualley play Garvey's children Tommy and Jill. The cast also includes Liv Tyler, who joins the Guilty Remnant, but takes a hard line in their philosophy of disobedience. Carrie Coon plays Nora Durst, whose husband and two children are all lost in a sudden departure. His brother, Matt, played by former Doctor Who star Christopher Eccleston, is a troubled priest in town.

The show may be over, but like Lost, it maintains a cult-like following among viewers, who appreciate its impactful storytelling and unique mystery. If you haven't entered this series yet, that's why now is the perfect time to check out the rest:

Focus on the story, not the puzzle box

Let it be a mystery

When Lost was on the air, the biggest obsession with the show was about learning the answers and explanations for the show's many mysteries. Although many mysteries were finally explained, some people were disappointed by those answers, or annoyed by plot points that remained unclear. With The Leftovers, co-creator Damon Lindelof didn't want to fall into the same trap, instead deliberately leaving central questions about The Leftovers unanswered.

The reward for continuing the journey is the show's deep exploration of its characters.

The idea of ​​having a fantasy sci-fi show like The Leftovers that keeps its main premise a mystery may leave some viewers, but the reward for continuing the journey is the deep exploration of its characters and their endless search for meaning in the universe. The characters experience real grief, tragedy and more, but many find peace and understanding in the world around them and their relationships with other people. In a smart order to the show's audience, the second season replaced the original's heavy, religiously inspired opening with country singer Iris DeMent's aptly titled “Let The Mystery Be”.

Trippy TV

Things get weird

It wouldn't be a Damon Lindelof show without going to some fun, unusual places, and The Leftovers even surpasses Lost in that department. The eloquence was present in the first season, especially in the third episode, “Two Boats and a Helicopter,” which follows Pastor Matt Jamison as he goes through a series of trials reminiscent of the biblical Job.

The second season episode, “International Assassin,” awakens Kevin Garvey from the afterlife, taking him on a strange and difficult journey inspired by the work of David Lynch, including Twin Peaks and Mulholland Drive. The dreamlike concept of the episode, in which Kevin discovers that he is an assassin bent on killing the US president-elect, talks to his estranged father through a TV screen, and visits an ancient magical well, is a fan favorite. .

The weirdness goes even further in the third season, as several characters encounter other fantasy worlds, and face a prophecy that the world is about to end. Fans of Lost episodes like “The Constant” may find a lot to like in The Leftovers' approach to the more mysterious aspects of its story.

A rewarding journey

There is light at the end of the tunnel

When the first season started, I could only watch four episodes before dropping out. A story of missing people following the loss of many loved ones and the world turning darker and heavier. Some of the violence was also too upsetting for me to take. Many others felt the same way at the time. However, as the series entered its second season, the mood began to change, and I was convinced to continue again. As it turns out, those first four episodes were just a set up for a heartfelt and hopeful look at life after loss.

There is love to be found in the world of Leftovers.

As the series progresses, the real themes really emerge. Sure, there's darkness and hardship in the world of the show, just like there is in real life, but just like in life, there's a lot of hope to be found. The characters reach moments of catharsis and epiphany, forming deep bonds with each other built on the struggles they face together. There's love to be found in the world of The Leftovers, and you'll probably need a box of tissues by your side as you wade through the show's many tender moments. Like life, Leftovers is sometimes a difficult, but ultimately rewarding journey.