Ah the truest and most accurate way to judge a television show.
Television The Leftovers (TV Show)
- Thread starter Twigg
- Start date
Ah the truest and most accurate way to judge a television show.
My ways have no errors. But I've obviously not rewatched the show in the last few weeks, so my opinion on it hasn't changed.
My problem with The Leftovers was the writing. Before I explain, I should say that this post won't be the first time this week that I've criticised a Lindelof for lacking directness.
I quite like the overall concept of the show and the final few scenes definitely packed a punch. But the series could have been better at half the length, and as more of a focused character study rather than a psuedo-mystery. It seemed to stretch out its runtime for its own sake.
Just like with Lost, it's the narrative techniques I found really jarring. Too many story threads centred around revealing little tidbits of 'mystery' to hook the viewer. Then there'd be a promise of the 'mystery' meaning something important. Finally, there'd be some kind of timewarp to reveal the answer of the 'mystery'. The answer itself frequently offered nothing significant to either the characters or the viewer.
Lindelof has previous with this sort of lazy narrative progression on Lost. Just like in that show, it felt like he didn't have enough of a story to tell. So he kept relying on the same tired techniques to pad out the episodes with fake puzzles and moments that left me thinking '"so what?".
The island has a polar bear on it? Wow! Amazing! This reveal is going to be epic! Oh, someone just brought it to the island for no reason. Justin Theroux wakes up with a head injury? Wow! Amazing! This reveal is going to be epic! Oh, he'd just fallen down on his own with nobody around him.
I get that some people liked it, but also that a lot of people found it boring. Which camp you're in depends on how readily you buy into Lindelof's favourite narrative tricks. Because he uses them constantly and shamelessly, and has done for years.
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What a load of utter tripe, I want my 30 hours back.
Opinions can't be wrong, they say, but this post might make them reconsider.
Hear, hear!
I felt the same.
This place is too fecking whiny.
Almost like not liking Breaking Bad, The Sopranos or The Wire.
While everyone is entitled to like different things and whatnot, some people on here would complain about winning the lottery.
"ugggh the taxes will take most of it" "Only X amount, it was Y last week!!"
Those three had great endings that all made sense. Closure, is that too much to ask for after so much emotional investment?
For what it's worth I loved Leftovers like I loved Lost. Then it shat on my face. Again.
I liked the end of The Leftovers quite a bit. Even Lost wasn't as terrible as it could have been. And The Sopranos had the worst ending of any great series ever - truly enraging and a complete departure from the rest of the show.
All IMO of course.
Correct. In fact, I found the ending of Watchmen more underwhelming than Leftovers, which I thought was quite nicely done.
I disagree, I didn't care for the ending to the Wire at all, it did slighty improve the very shitty final season which is why I think people regard it as a "good finale". Sopranos was a cut to black that people thought was a transmission problem rather than an ending
. Breaking Bad ended pretty good, can't really argue there.I often feel like an ambigious ending is a cowardly one, they are too afraid to say one way or another, The Leftovers much like his earlier work in Lost often had an undertone of Faith/Mysticism vs Science/Reality and to come down on one side or the other would ruin it for the people that sided with the "losing" one. I choose to believe everything Nora said happened actually happened as that's narratively satisfying to me, if you chose to believe it's just her rationalising letting go, that might suit you more. Doesn't really matter if it's true or not, her whole story was about the fact that she couldn't let go of her grief/ guilt and regardless of what happened, she now does and is ready to move on.
The Leftovers succeeded in being about the people involved journey way more than the why anything happened, but ultimately never gave an answer one way or another which it what people found annoying. But having read similar works like Steven Kings "Under the Dome" even having the exact reason spelled out can be shit.
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The Leftovers had a good ending. Maybe even a great ending.
But what led up to it was a puddle-deep attempt at mature storytelling.
But what led up to it was a puddle-deep attempt at mature storytelling.
I’m watching this at the moment. I’m about halfway through the first series and wondering if it’s worth continuing? It’s just all incredibly miserable, none of the characters are in any way likeable and there’s no humour in any way. Does it get better or is it just more of the same?
It gets better, and it gets somewhat less depressing, but if you really don't like it halfway through season 1 then you won't like the rest. Season 2 and 3 are amazing, but I still really enjoyed season 1. The Leftovers is in my top 5 TV series.
Thanks. I’m pretty close to giving up I must admit. Though I did enjoy seeing Johnson from Peep Show if nothing else.
If you're in doubt, and haven't decided you're going to stop watching, try to make it an episode or two into season 2. There's a lot of great TV to be had, though it's not for everyone. Season 1 is easily the bleakest. It doesn't turn into Friends after that, but it's more bitter sweet than just bitter.
Yes. It’s an amazing show.
Recently finished this for the first time and really enjoyed it. Now, has Liv Tyler always spoken like that?
For some reason the scene that always comes to mind is when he puts his dick in the scanner.
Probably fair comment. I loved all seasons for what it is worth.
Just finished binge watching all three seasons of this. Loved it!
started out watching the first series not knowing what it it was or what to expect, just thought it was a crappy American series with not much to it but persisted with it, second series it just seemed to turn into a different beast and then the third I was a bit wtf is going on at points but couldn’t stop watching.
Not many TVs programmes get me gripped and it actually made me shiver at points, it was emotionally weird. When Laurie attacked the book guy it seemed to really get at me for some reason, maybe not expecting it. There was a few other times too that I can’t think of now that struck me cold.
Great show And although th seasons seemed enough I’m disappointed there’s not more to watch.
started out watching the first series not knowing what it it was or what to expect, just thought it was a crappy American series with not much to it but persisted with it, second series it just seemed to turn into a different beast and then the third I was a bit wtf is going on at points but couldn’t stop watching.
Not many TVs programmes get me gripped and it actually made me shiver at points, it was emotionally weird. When Laurie attacked the book guy it seemed to really get at me for some reason, maybe not expecting it. There was a few other times too that I can’t think of now that struck me cold.
Great show And although th seasons seemed enough I’m disappointed there’s not more to watch.
I've said it many times in this thread, probably, but it's honestly my favourite piece of television.
Great soundtrack too. Really does of a lot of work in helping create those moments you mentioned. Watching The Leftovers can be emotionally draining, but it's a good kind.
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I’ve watched and enjoyed great series before, favourite two probably being mad men and breaking bad but I just watched those with no real attachment and enjoyed them just as entertainment.
Leftovers was different, it shocked me when it made me shiver as no series has really got to me like that before even if other shows have been better somehow, and I enjoyed the journey of the different series, I think it’s brilliant.
great point about the soundtrack too, it definitely added to it and I loved it throughout!
I just noticed that season 3 has a 99% Fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes, with the only reviewer who rated it "Rotten" working for MTV. See if you can spot her review from these blubs:
- But this miraculous series masterfully holds ambiguity and extremely robust storytelling in the same generous bear hug.
- The Leftovers season 3 cements its status as life-changing television
- The Leftovers Season 3 sees the final season of the HBO drama go out at the height of its powers.
- The new season of “The Leftovers” is spectacular, in every sense of that word.
- Damon Lindelof, Tom Perrotta, and Mimi Leder dream up a romance for the ages in one of the greatest series finales ever imagined.
- It should feel like Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? It actually feels like The Real Housewives of New Jersey.
- Damon Lindelof's HBO series goes out on a tremendous high note.
- But this miraculous series masterfully holds ambiguity and extremely robust storytelling in the same generous bear hug.
- The Leftovers season 3 cements its status as life-changing television
- The Leftovers Season 3 sees the final season of the HBO drama go out at the height of its powers.
- The new season of “The Leftovers” is spectacular, in every sense of that word.
- Damon Lindelof, Tom Perrotta, and Mimi Leder dream up a romance for the ages in one of the greatest series finales ever imagined.
- It should feel like Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? It actually feels like The Real Housewives of New Jersey.
- Damon Lindelof's HBO series goes out on a tremendous high note.
Stands out like a sore thumb
just remembered one of the other scenes that caught me cold, when Nora walked down stairs and her dummy family were sat around the table. fecking hell. Some scenes really got to me,
This is one of the best tv shows ever made, a perfect blend of mystery , tragedy, drama and occasional dark comedy. It had everything, and none of it looked out of place. Unlike other similar shows it also got proper closure.
Interesting how people can look at the same thing and see something completely different. It had its moments sure, quite emotional in some scenes but it's ultimately just a load of complete and utter nonsense that cons you into thinking its going somewhere and consistently fails to deliver. Worse show I've ever manage to get through fully, should never be mentioned in the same breath as Lost, never mind other better shows.
It was a clear attempt to use the same formula as Lost and build on it, they just somehow managed to come up with even worse ideas than the later "make it up as you go along" lost seasons and didn't have the characters to carry it.
I think its mainly just the soundtrack that saves it somewhat, Max Richter is incredible.
It was a clear attempt to use the same formula as Lost and build on it, they just somehow managed to come up with even worse ideas than the later "make it up as you go along" lost seasons and didn't have the characters to carry it.
I think its mainly just the soundtrack that saves it somewhat, Max Richter is incredible.
I've finished a rewatch of this, my first since watching it the 1st time around. It definitely benefits from watching the 3 seasons back to back (when I first started, the second season was being released, then had to wait for season 3, which I watched week to week).
It's an absolutely extraordinary TV show - the performances are all around wonderful, Eccleston is a real bastard at times, Theroux is magnetic in his christlike performance, but for me Carrie Coon is the best thing about the show. Her measured, delicate and fragile performance is mesmerizing from beginning to end, and best conveys the underlying message of the show, of grief, of struggle with learning to let go.
I absolutely love how different the "mystery" side of it was overall ignored, unlike Lost, and how it focused on people in their life journeys, their weaknesses and flaws, and their journeys to redemption. The music was flawless throughout (Max Richter's themes of course, but the use of the piano version of Where is my mind at key moments was also pretty perfect), the production was spotless, and the writing and dialogue felt real and clever.
Add to that some absolutely insanely good episodes - International Assassin is maybe one of my favourite episodes of any show ever, with its Lynchian vibe, Axis Mundi and its trippy intro, The most powerful man in the world (and his twin brother), the episodes centered on Matt, I live here now with Kevin's gut-wrenching rendition of Homeward Bound, and of course The Book of Nora, the overall balance of the episode and the satisfying ending.
It's seriously so, so good, and I feel sorry for those who haven't seen it or didn't really connect with it.
It's an absolutely extraordinary TV show - the performances are all around wonderful, Eccleston is a real bastard at times, Theroux is magnetic in his christlike performance, but for me Carrie Coon is the best thing about the show. Her measured, delicate and fragile performance is mesmerizing from beginning to end, and best conveys the underlying message of the show, of grief, of struggle with learning to let go.
I absolutely love how different the "mystery" side of it was overall ignored, unlike Lost, and how it focused on people in their life journeys, their weaknesses and flaws, and their journeys to redemption. The music was flawless throughout (Max Richter's themes of course, but the use of the piano version of Where is my mind at key moments was also pretty perfect), the production was spotless, and the writing and dialogue felt real and clever.
Add to that some absolutely insanely good episodes - International Assassin is maybe one of my favourite episodes of any show ever, with its Lynchian vibe, Axis Mundi and its trippy intro, The most powerful man in the world (and his twin brother), the episodes centered on Matt, I live here now with Kevin's gut-wrenching rendition of Homeward Bound, and of course The Book of Nora, the overall balance of the episode and the satisfying ending.
It's seriously so, so good, and I feel sorry for those who haven't seen it or didn't really connect with it.
Did this actually get finished? Or did it get shitcanned without a proper ending
It finished with a proper (very satisfying) ending. Perfect duration, didn't overstay its welcome.
One could say, nothing was leftover
Echoing this, it is an amazing piece of TV
Does she look like your girlfriend?
Not so much, she's not part Japanese
I started watching this recently and got to the end of season 2, which had some great episodes but I found the ending disappointing. I haven't felt the need to watch the final season yet but will probably go back to it at some point.