The Leftovers is your next binge-watch after Lost

If you’ve just binge-watched LOST but are still itching to dive into creator Damon Lindelof’s strange, mysterious sci-fi world, check out his hit TV series, The Leftovers, which premiered in 2014 and ran for three seasons. The HBO series is based on the novels by show co-creator Tom Perrotta and follows a mysterious event called “Sudden Departure,” in which 2% of the world’s population suddenly disappears from the face of the earth without a trace. The Leftovers follows Police Chief Kevin Garvey, played by Justin Theroux, as he tries to hold his family and the town of Mapleton, New York together in the aftermath of the incident.

Set three years after the Departure, the world of the film is in many ways the same, yet very different. There has been a surge in spirituality and religious belief, with cults such as the Guilty Remnant emerging. Kevin’s wife Laurie, played by Amy Brenneman, abandons her family to join the Guilty Remnant. Chris Zylka and a young Margaret Qualley play the Garvey children Tommy and Jill. The cast also includes Liv Tyler, who joins the Guilty Remnant but takes a more radical approach to their nihilistic philosophy. Nora Durst, played by Carrie Coon, has lost her husband and two children in the Departure. Nora’s brother Matt, played by former Doctor Who star Christopher Eccleston, is the town’s troubled priest.

Though the show has ended, much like LOST, it remains a cult favorite among audiences, praised for its impactful storylines and unique mysteries. If you haven’t checked out the series yet, here’s why now is the perfect time to check out The Leftovers.

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Focus on stories, not puzzle boxes

The mystery remains

When Lost was on the air, much of the public enthusiasm for the show was centered around finding answers and explanations for the show’s many mysteries. Most were eventually explained, but some were disappointed by the answers or upset by plot points that were left ambiguous. With The Leftovers, co-creator Damon Lindelof didn’t want to fall into the same trap, so he purposely left the central question about his sudden departure unanswered.

The idea of ​​keeping the main premise a mystery in a fantasy sci-fi show like “The Leftovers” may alienate some viewers, but the reward of that journey is a deeper exploration of the show’s characters and their never-ending search for the meaning of their own universe. The characters experience real heartbreak, tragedy, and more, but many also find peace and understanding in the world around them and in their relationships with others. As a subtle prompting to the show’s viewers, the second season replaced the first season’s heavy, religious opening theme music with a song by country artist Iris DeMent aptly titled “Let The Mystery Be.”

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Trippy TV

Things get weird

Damon Lindelof’s show wouldn’t work without going to some fun, weird places, and The Leftovers has a leg up on even Lost in that regard. That sense of adventure was apparent in Season 1, particularly in the third episode, “Two Ships and a Helicopter,” which finds Reverend Matt Jamieson going through a series of trials reminiscent of the Book of Job in the Bible.

In the season two episode “International Assassin,” Kevin Garvey awakens in a world of the undead and goes on a very strange and trippy journey heavily influenced by the works of David Lynch, such as Twin Peaks and Mulholland Drive. The dreamlike logic of the episode, in which Kevin discovers he is an assassin tasked with assassinating a US presidential candidate, speaks to his estranged father through a television screen, and visits a magical ancient well, makes it a fan-favorite.

Season 3 will see even more weirdness as some of the characters encounter alternate dream worlds and are confronted with prophecies that the world will soon end. Fans of Lost episodes like “The Constant” will be enthralled by The Leftovers’ approach to the more mystical aspects of the story.

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A rewarding journey

There’s light at the end of the tunnel

Photo: HBO

When the first season launched, I gave up after just four episodes. I found the themes of people losing loved ones and being adrift after their world has been turned upside down too dark and heavy. The violent scenes were also too much for me to bear. Many others felt the same way at the time. But as the series entered its second season, the critical tides began to turn, and I decided to give it another watch. As it turned out, the first four episodes were just a warm-hearted, optimistic vision of life after loss.

As the show progresses, real themes really emerge. Of course, like real life, there is darkness and hardship in the world of the show, but like life, there is also a lot of hope to be found. Characters have moments of catharsis and enlightenment, and they form deep bonds with one another that are built on the hardships they face together. There is love to be found in the world of The Leftovers, and you’ll need a box of tissues nearby as you shed tears during many of the show’s most moving scenes. Like life, The Leftovers is a sometimes difficult, but ultimately rewarding journey.

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