User Reviews

I am from England and I just so happen to be visiting some friends in the USA where this show has just come out and is presently on episode 4.

I have just watched all four episodes and came to IMDb to see what people have to say about it. I am really surprised that the reviews are so negative by so many people!

This show will do really well in Britain (that's England, Scotland and Wales - the UK includes Northern Ireland too) because British drama is often gritty, solemn, and very very dark. And so is this show.

No one in 'The Leftovers' is happy. Everyone is mourning the loss of their loved ones in the aftermath of a a global event in which 2% of the world's population inexplicably disappeared. They are also dealing with the pain caused by the subsequent suffering of people around them, and its consequences.

This show has top notch acting by all concerned and is driven by the development of the characters, and the unfolding of events that now follow the rapture.

Nothing is explained in the beginning and the viewer is supposed to attempt to piece together what is going to unfold as the season goes on and the events slowly start to make sense to us.

It seems to me that here in the US, many people do not like thinking when watching the television. That might sound harsh, but it is truly beyond me how a show like this can get so many poor reviews when a show like 'Teen Wolf' (which I also saw for the first time a few days ago) is praised to the hilt.

The episode of 'Teen Wolf' I watched cut between 4 separate scenes like a Latin American soap opera that consisted of a guy pointing a gun at two Mexicans who were trying to get him to say some words out loud, and a lacrosse game with an angry werewolf and some very shocking acting.

'The Leftovers', on the other hand, is fantastic captivating storytelling; rather than a show whose purpose is to dumb down a nation, it requires people to use their brains and think about the darker side of the reality we actually live in today.

As a side note, the British actor Christopher Eccleston loves this kind of material. Check out the original British version of 'Cracker' or 'The Second Coming' (in which he plays the return of the son of God) to see what I mean. British cinema is no different. Christopher Eccleston stars in both 'Shallow Grave' and 'Jude' - two excellent dark and depressing films that show the depths of human suffering that the values of society perpetuate.

In episode 3 of 'The Leftovers', his character the priest attempts to save his church with an idea that seems to come from supernatural inspiration. The underlying question in the episode is whether or not he is on a path of good or evil in the way he chooses to do so.

'The Leftovers' is intelligent and it is thought-provoking. The writing is excellent, and the quality of this show, to my mind, is indisputable.

Nevertheless, I don't think that the content of this show is for everyone. Episode 3 in particular was so sinister that it was tough viewing. And not everyone wants to deliberately delve into a world of misery once a week. Just don't watch something like 'Teen Wolf' instead!

I started this show because of the interesting premise (and partly because of Damon Lindelof). I love to watch movies and series with complicated storylines. The plot synopsis made me think it's a similar kind of show. A story about the sudden departure of 2% of the world's population; a mystery drama. But I soon realized that it's not about The Departed, it's about The Leftovers, as the name suggests. It isn't about getting answers to the "why"s or "how"s, it's about the lives of the people who have to survive without knowing what happened to the people they love, losing their loved ones, but not getting any closure.

And I'm so glad that this is what the show is about. I have never been so emotionally invested in a show and it's characters like this, ever before. It's the compelling storytelling, and the great acting, that makes it so good. Yes, we do not get satisfactory answers to all the questions raised, a lot of things don't seem logical; but it's not the kind of show to logically nitpicked. It's a show whose magic needs to be experienced to be fully appreciated.

This show has made me immensely sad. But I've never felt so happy to experience grief. This show is a genuine masterpiece. Not perfect, but it's the imperfection that makes it one of the best things ever put in television.

I guess everyone on this site is an academy award winner. The writing is not terrible, and the story line is not cliché'd. There is a ton of potential with this series and I am excited to see what comes next. The characters are compelling, there is a lot of mystery surrounding what has happened and what is happening in the future. Weird groups start to form and prophets arise as people are seeking answers as to why 140 million people just disappear.

As for all the trolls bashing this series, I'd imagine they would say Boardwalk Empire and Breaking Bad are cliché'd as well. I felt compelled to defend this series and that's the only reason I am writing this review. Watch it, judge for yourself, not by what some self righteous wanna be writer has to say about it.

The Leftovers is not only one of the most underrated TV shows of all-time but it's one of the best tv shows of all-time! It takes place three years after the disappearance of 2% of the world population and follows the lives of people in a small town near New York and how they cope with fall out of the event and try to figure out what happen to their loved ones. I have to admit that it's not for everyone, if your looking for a fast pace show with a lot of action the this isn't for you. This is one of the best written & acted shows of all-time. All you have to do is read through the reviews to see how loved this show really is. If you haven't seen this amazing show yet then do yourself a favor and go watch this as soon as possible!

Never before have I written a review on IMDb. Not a single one. Have been using this site since I was a young teenager (I am 25 now) and although I have been moved by and enthralled with television series and films in the past, never before has one compelled me this much to feel the need to formally post a review. That being said, The Leftovers made me write a review because it is one of the most criminally underrated, under watched and overlooked shows on television today (in America, at least). It is an absolute shame because this show is a true artistic and philosophical marvel. It forces you to truly think and truly feel while you are experiencing it, and that is something too few television shows and films do today. Nowadays, too many want a movie over a film; a show over a series. This masterpiece of a season, season 2, will be looked back upon one day as one of the greatest television seasons of any show all time. It is that rare new gem hidden amongst the knockoffs and hand me downs. Light years ahead of any competition.

Without giving any spoilers, I will tell you that this show is like absolutely none you've ever experienced before, even with any possible similarities it has to other shows one could possibly compare it to (maybe Twilight Zone, Lost, Twin Peaks or Black Mirrors). The Leftovers has completely its own style and tone through amazing production value and direction. Not to mention, the writing and acting are both phenomenal and mind blowing. The depth and range of the characters and the actors playing them are beyond remarkable. The way it is shot, edited and the way they incorporate both the show's AMAZING score (beautifully haunting beyond measure) and outside songs into it make it into one totally cohesive and extremely powerful piece of art. This show is special beyond any comparison and moves you upon its own merit.

The Leftovers deals with mystery, philosophy, spirituality, loss, pain, love, hate, truth and fiction and what it means to truly understand and deal with all of these things. Not to mention the supernatural and unexplainable elements of life, nature and humanity themselves. And it is a true marvel to watch.

Please watch this show and you will not be disappointed! ( Well, unless you have awful taste and don't know what art is or you just don't like things that make you think and feel and question ;P ) Great things ahead for this series! Love love love what Lindelof Perrotta Leder and co are doing. Truly special to see every Sunday! 10/10

Well... Where do I start? I'm Cem, I live in a small town Babaeski, 200 miles west to Istanbul, Turkey. Forgive me for my english language, I'm still improving. I don't like writing reviews but I had to do it and it had to be this.

On a hot and sunny summer day, I started watching... this. Experience. Just like watching any other TV show, I grabbed my beer and chips, I leaned back and pressed the start button.

Then I couldn't stop. That beer was never finished. Chips gone stale. My mind just gone nuts, trying to comprehend the new reality, the new angle of vision of how I perceive life and death. The existence. Some episodes hit me so hard that I had to lock my room in case anyone enter and see me in tears. Never in my life have I cried with my chin trembling; even in most of the funerals I attended I ever gave a flinch.

I have made mistakes by recommending this masterpiece to everyone I know. Some of them hardly watched the first episode and got bored immediately.

Then I understood.

I understood that only those who can question their existence, their purpose; only those who seek a path to walk can apprehend what is going on in the story. So this show became my -sort of- bible, a sacred altar that hidden deep in my basement. I could only show this altar to those who are worthy. And not many people around me are worthy enough, I realized.

Surrounded by vast fields and lands, populated with a small-talk, small-do people, I felt alone. Got depressed about it. Got drunk, cried, started taking anti-depressants, recovered, found a dull job, watched TV again, went out with friends, got drunk, forgot all about it, forgot all about the show; at least I thought so.

Sometimes, when I'm happy, when everyone's happy and laughing and joking, I remember Nora. I remember Kevin. I remember Matt. My never-seen-in-my-life friends. Then that famous piano solo plays in my mind; like an echo coming from deep. I have an urge to reach them and hug them and tell them it's ok, you got this, everything will be all right. We are just specks of dust in this vast universe and we'll die as soon as we're born. We will not have all the answers we seek in this life. In this vast and scary universe, we only got each other. We only got who are still here. We only got who are left.

I have a beautiful girlfriend now; best imaginable. I'll marry her. She will always be with me till death. But that emptiness will always walk with me. I will not even mention this gap in my heart. This thought. This black stain that haunts me and keeps me up at night. We are in a scary universe and we are alone. Nobody will hold my hand when I die. Nobody will keep holding my hand when I walk the inevitable, cold, misty road. I'll be scared. God, what will I do when that time comes? A speck of dust like me, what importance I have anyway. I live and I die. I'll become a tombstone in this world, catching somebody's eyes in a year or so, for a moment, and forgotten eternally.

This is heavy. I don't know if this knowledge; this realisation, this "upper consciousness" is a blessing or a curse. Now that I'm "aware", I value every second of my life. Never I got bored since I realized how little time we got left. No matter how dull is my job, I have cared for everyone and everything that needed my attention and my help. I gave more than I take for myself granted. I 'll continue to help and bring joy to everyone I can reach.

But that black stain, that scary monster waiting in the shadows, the void stare in the mirror, the echoing solo coming from underground, two begging eyes, the hopeless me will be kept as a secret till I die.

The Leftovers is one of my favorite shows of all-time. Everything about this show is great but the writing and acting is what really makes this show so special. All you have to do is read through the reviews to see how loved this show really is. Every review has one thing in common and that's they almost all mention how underrated this show is. It doesn't get mentioned when people name the best show ever but it absolutely belongs among them. It may be a little slow for some people but it does pick up. This isn't a show where you can just have it on in the background while you do other things. You need to sit and pay attention and if you do that then I promise you'll enjoy it.

I watched the first two seasons and liked it, but I didn't really get it. I was intrigued, but very confused. And then my 35 year old husband dropped dead suddenly when I was pregnant with our 2nd daughter. I saw the 3rd season after that massive loss and suddenly it all made so much sense.

Profound grief is what you need to understand and appreciate this show. Those of us on this side will get it, but if you don't know what we do, if you've never lost someone suddenly long before you expect them to go, it probably won't make much sense to you.

I rarely watch a show again, but now I plan to watch it all again.

I still want to find TV series that will impress me more than Leftovers, but nothing is closer to this show . I envy all of you who haven't watch it yet

The Leftovers has gotten so many one star and nine or ten star votes, but it really isn't such a great flop nor a great success either. It is mediocre, but still interesting and entertaining enough to watch, if you are into this sort of thing, and have some spare time. That said, it's not a great loss if you don't watch it either. We've seen all this before. Just like Lost, this series leaves the viewer unsatisfied, as her questions are answered only with more questions. After introducing an absurd sci-fi mystery, it turns out to be more of a bland psychological drama instead, and the pace is quite slow, yet without the tension needed to fully maintain interest.

I wonder why people write reviews after seeing just the first episode? I sat through both the first and the second season before reading any reviews here, and I must say that most reviews based on only one or two episodes are utterly useless for people who are trying to decide if they should start watching the show or not.

Love everything about The Leftovers the writing, soundtrack, acting, and the goosebumps vibe I get from it is sensational! Justin Theroux and Ann Dowd are riveting throughout, it's mind boggling Emmys weren't received more. The Leftovers will always remain in my top favorite shows and the creators really did something special. I really like the guilty remnants, everything with the Garvey family, and anyone else the story plays out so well!

Seriously I have to wonder about some these shining reviews because it's as if I've been watching a totally different series.

The acting & production value are 1st rate but there is no plot,no answers , no explanations & who was the guy on the top of the platform ? How many times does one character need to die, plus what exactly was the point of periodically pointing out that some people pretended that their loved ones disappeared or "did they"

Seriously this is pretentious nonsense.

When Lost was on, I wanted to like it, but the contrivances used to extend the mystery and conflict well past the point of tolerance were a turn off. In The Leftovers the aspects of Lost I didn't like are put to much better use because there's never any resolution promised for the events that transpire and it's more a character study of how broken people deal with extraordinary circumstances which they have no control over. Each season feels unique in how it gives us a view into a world that is shaken to its foundation. Not every aspect of the show works for me as I was never fond of the Guilty Remnant cult or Liv Tyler's character in relation to it, but given how they're a cult and they're not the focal point I was more forgiving of this plot point than The Others in Lost. At its core The Leftovers is a show about broken people trying to fix themselves in a world that is almost as broken as they are and it exceeds what it sets out to do.

The greatest drama series of all time, and I doubt anything I'm going to see down the line for the rest of my life will ever unseat "The Leftovers."

You go into this show, having read the brief description, thinking it's going to be just another, run-of-the-mill Twilight Zone-ish fantasy/sci-fi thing of which countless many have been churned out before. Then the actual story dawns on you like the apocalyptic thunderbolt it promises to deliver.

2% of the population anywhere on earth have vanished into thin air, and the remaining 98% are left behind to pick up the pieces. It doesn't sound like such a big deal, but the Sudden Departure touches everyone, even those who haven't lost anyone.

Cults, messianic figure leaders, delusional patients, inexplicable event after inexplicable event, absurd concepts - the absurdity sometimes reminds you of a Stephen King story, but here it's actually fun to watch.

The apocalypse. It's riveting.

It's a story about mental illness and suicide. Loss and grief. Pain and suffering. But above all, it's a story of love. Love, compassion, friendship and brotherhood - and faith.

Deeply felt, raw, unsullied faith.

It goes without saying that Justin Theroux (Chief Kevin Garvey) and Carrie Coon (Nora Durst) provided us with an absolutely divine performance, and a romance that was as complicated as it was seismically intense, that will be seared on everyone's mind for eternity. Just watching Justin cry those handsome eyes of his out, his sweet voice breaking with every tear - it's beyond words. I couldn't give him justice.

But my favorite episode was season 2, episode 5. Reverend Matt Jamison, magnificently played by Christopher Eccleston, leaves no stone unturned to protect his paralyzed, locked-in wife Mary, and the lengths he went to, that was just something else. I've never seen a performance so solid, so profoundly heartrending, of a love that is so strong, of a selfless heart that knows no bounds when it comes to sacrifice.

At the end of the day, closure is a luxury we can't afford, not even at the end of the world.

I am so disappointed to see the negative reviews on here. Damn it! I hope HBO isn't reading them, because I'm already hoping for season 2.

I have watched 5 episodes so far, and I am captivated by it all. The writing, the acting, the lack of easy answers.

The writers are screwing with our heads, making us squirm at every turn. Pushing us way past our comfort level. We have two choices when that happens, we can turn away or look. It is horribly confronting and painful to watch at times.

It is the saddest town in The world. No one catches a break in Mapleton. Nothing is working right. The question most of them do not want to ask is "Why". There are no heroes here. Or rather , there are no heroes that aren't complete villains as well. There is no black and white. Endless shades of grey and no easy answers. it's messy and complex and just like real life.

And just when I think I can't watch another second, it is so sad and painful, the writers give us a moment so beautiful and loving, so full of grace, I think I will cry.

The show isn't about where they went. The show is about our breaking point. We all have one, and this show makes us squirm and takes our breath away and confronts us with magic and nihilism and ask ourselves "what is MY breaking point"?

It's perfectly done.

Hands. Down. The. Best. TV. Series. Ever.

Nothing comes close to a TV series which had the balls to take on such a universal subject and to then go on and do it justice. The acting, the writing. The music. All nothing short of brilliant.

Never have I cared more about a cast of characters than I have with The Leftovers.

It's about as perfectly written as you could ever wish for. The plot is a secondary piece to this masterful puzzle, it revolves entirely around the immaculate character building, and the exceptional acting from all involved.

I can honestly say I have never been so emotionally invested in any characters as I have been with Kevin and Nora. Truly benchmark performances by Justin and Carrie.

It doesn't get the attention of other HBO shows, and its understandable, the subject isn't for everyone, but if you are thinking about watching, just do it. Sink in and get invested, it's easy, because it's outrageously executed.

If you enjoyed the mysteriousness of Lost (and who didn't) you will really enjoy The Leftovers. You can immediately recognize Damon Laurence Lindelof's work by viewing the 1st couple of episodes. What this series does so well is to create a different and very strange world that captures you from the start. The connection it creates with the viewer gives a sense of 'What if I was left' and leaves some questions as to how you would react or feel given the strange yet possible situation. I really enjoy the fact that the series takes it's time to reveal certain secrets or elements, which gives it so much more depth and keeps you wanting more. On the one side I'm so excited to see what happens next, but on the other side I don't want the series to reveal too much information early on, so don't mind being kept somewhat in the dark. The acting is suburb and Justin Theroux really does a superb job as lead actor. I definitely give it a 10 star for keeping me at the edge of my seat.

The acting is phenomenal, the directing too, the soundtrack maybe the best of all, at times veiled and interesting, but the series is just pointless, almost everyone wants to die, everyone is confused, lost, scared, it's overdone with drama and hallucinations, sometimes you don't even know exactly what's going on , in the end you don't even care anymore.

The show's writers set out to do the audience what they did with the characters--to cause confusion and pile on questions.

This show demands you pay attention to the details and to try and sort out the irrelevant; to try and pick up clues that you think may lead to answers as to why 2% of the earth's population has disappeared.

Is the sheriff insane? Has the rest of the world gone mad? Is this divine intervention or something alien at work?

Do you want all the answers handed to you per episode? Go watch 24 or NCIS. If you want to think about what happened in The Leftovers and accept that the clues will come trickling in over time and then please watch this show. The former writer of Lost Damon Lindelof is not going to do his audience any favors except when the payoff comes.

Just binged all 28 episodes and couldn't tell you what I just watched. This show gives little answers and frustrates the viewer to no end. The rave reviews here are amazing. Clearly, I'm not smart enough to understand that nothing is going on about nothing even though something happened and it goes nowhere into something fast, but slow.

People just want straight answers. They want everything to be explained to them. They want the mystery to have some sense of purpose and meaning.

I am - conveniently - talking about both the protagonists of the story AND the viewers of the Leftovers.

This is by far THE most profound, perplexed, underrated drama I have seen in the last decade.

It was ignored by the average audience and many people hated it because it didn't abide by the rules of the mainstream storytelling.

But for me, I was drawn into that world because it was the first show to reflect with so surgically the human need for answers.

Pure masterpiece.

Just wanted to briefly review. A few years after I have watched this. Although slow in parts and a little laggy in the first season, This is absolutely the best and most moving TV show and story I have ever watched or experienced. Please watch if you are considering. Don't want to spoil anything: but a masterful exploration of grief and the finale is easily the best of any TV show!