The Leftovers (Season 1)

[number8]

Well, that was... interesting. Spent much more time with symbolism than I expected for a first episode.

I guess because it's HBO they could afford to be much more guarded about what the show is about and not throw out an obvious hook on the pilot. I imagine people would be fucking baffled if this was on a network, or even basic cable, since it's almost self-contained in a way, without any apparent threads to follow to the next episode.

Pretty compelling performances, though. Another proof that Peter Berg is better off doing intense real people drama than action movies.

The bit about Shaq and Busey made me laugh.

[Watashi]

The book is so mediocre. Hopefully Lindelof spices it up a bit.

[Lucky]

I just woke up on the couch after falling asleep during this pilot. Will finish tomorrow.

[EyesWideOpen]

I liked this. I'm interested to see where it goes.

[Irish]

This was exceptionally well done. Great acting, good structure. Loved the tone, loved the scene level dialogue, very natural. Terrific attention to detail.

But: Two cults is a bit much, and the "white smoke" group is silly in a John-Irving-World-According-to-Garp sort of way.

Even though I enjoyed this, holy shit am I burned out on post apoc stories. Seriously. It's been over ten years of this shit with a whole bunch of series on a whole bunch of networks. When are they gonna say enough is enough? Not everything can be the Walking Dead, FFS.

This is aside from the cultural/ philosophical problem a show like this represents. We've spent billions of dollars, detained, tortured, murdered, and killed a whole slew of people in the last 13 years. Can we really claim, at this point, that we're the injured party, the scrappy underdog, the emotionally damaged, the ones perpetually looking for answers? That doesn't sound quite right to me.

Finally, I fear that Lindelof will get in over his head again. This is another series whose premise rests on a huge mystery. One way or the other, they'll have to solve the mystery and move on sooner rather than later. Or find a way to reposition the show completely. Otherwise, it'll become something about insurmountable grief, week after week, and nobody will want to watch that (cf: Denis Leary's firefighter show).

Anyway, helluva start.

[Ezee E]

I'll await 4-5 episodes before checking this out.

[number8]

This is aside from the cultural/ philosophical problem a show like this represents. We've spent billions of dollars, detained, tortured, murdered, and killed a whole slew of people in the last 13 years. Can we really claim, at this point, that we're the injured party, the scrappy underdog, the emotionally damaged, the ones perpetually looking for answers? That doesn't sound quite right to me.

I actually thought the bit with the deer and the dogs was precisely addressing this.

Finally, I fear that Lindelof will get in over his head again. This is another series whose premise rests on a huge mystery. One way or the other, they'll have to solve the mystery and move on sooner rather than later. Or find a way to reposition the show completely.

I've got a feeling they'll never explain it, since they're mining too many character moments based on what they think happened (hence the competing cults; hell, they'll probably add another at some point).

Otherwise, it'll become something about insurmountable grief, week after week, and nobody will want to watch that (cf: Denis Leary's firefighter show).

I don't disagree, but Rescue Me is an odd example to use for that, since it was decidedly a comedy with goofy main characters people liked, which is why it lasted 7 seasons.

[Dukefrukem]

Finally, I fear that Lindelof will get in over his head again. This is another series whose premise rests on a huge mystery. One way or the other, they'll have to solve the mystery and move on sooner rather than later. Or find a way to reposition the show completely. Otherwise, it'll become something about insurmountable grief, week after week, and nobody will want to watch that (cf: Denis Leary's firefighter show).

Precisely why I decided not to watch this. It's going to end exactly like Lost and it's going to piss me off all over again. Why would anyone want to subject themselves to the inevitable?

I will ONLY watch this is MC absolutely raves about it.

So everyone choose their words wisely.

[MadMan]

I saw an episode of this while on vacation last week thanks to having HBO at my hotel. What I saw I liked although the show is a bit weird. Also for some reason I didn't recognize Liv Tyler right away. Also I noticed this show has Scott Glenn and the 9th Doctor. Cool.

[EyesWideOpen]

That was easily the most promising episode so far.

[Henry Gale]

That was easily the most promising episode so far.

Yeah, just watched the first three together and there's such a significant jump in quality and intrigue with this third Christopher Eccleston-centric episode than the opening two in my mind.

I almost wish this is the structural direction the series follows from here. Very LOST-y in terms of more or less just following one character for an hour after you're introduced to everyone out of the gate. Simply following such a concise and layered arc with Eccleston was so much more compelling to watch gestate and develop compared to the rushing between everyone else a few minutes at a time in the Pilot and second episode.

Plus, Eccleston is the perfect person to carry an episode in this universe, both because of his character being written the way it is, -- so at odds with everyone else in different ways -- but also simply due to his strengths as an actor (despite how awkward his accent work might be at times). You can completely grasp everything you need in those moments without dialogue or obviously scripted action from him.

[number8]

It's such a big stylistic jump that it was jarring at first, but a television show is probably better served with this tone than the jagged Peter Berg style repeated hour after hour (even FNL broke off from it eventually to a more fluid style). And yes, it really played like a Lost episode, and I mean that in the best way possible, of course. Eccleston is such a compelling guy to watch throughout.

[Lucky]

The most recent episode was a clear peak so far, yes.

I also want to commend the show's original score and its Raphaelesque opening credits sequence.

[EyesWideOpen]

That was another pretty good episode. Loved the part with the picture frames.

[Thirdmango]

alright, you all make this sound more promising. The first episode was interesting but I almost felt like it wouldn't have the ability to go anywhere.

[number8]

That opening scene was hard to watch. Obviously the point, but man.

I have absolutely no idea where this show is going, and I kinda love that.

[Lucky]

That opening scene was hard to watch. Obviously the point, but man.

I have absolutely no idea where this show is going, and I kinda love that.

Yeesh, no kidding. Trying not to sound too sadistic, but it oddly comforts me knowing I can still be shocked by fictional violence.

[number8]

I also want to know the story behind ATFEC. One of those letters is not like the others. What happened to the FBI?

[EyesWideOpen]

That opening scene was hard to watch. Obviously the point, but man.

I have absolutely no idea where this show is going, and I kinda love that.

Same here. My wife actually is dropping out after this episode because she doesn't see it going anywhere but I'm digging it.

[number8]

Holy fuck what an episode.

[EyesWideOpen]

That was one of the best episodes of television I've seen all year.

[Gittes]

I haven't watched last night's episode ("Solace for Tired Feet") yet, but I just wanted to chime in and note that Carrie Coons is a fascinating actress. She has a very peculiar but captivating screen presence. She's also easily the most interesting performer on the show.

As for the show more generally, which I only started watching recently, I expected something far worse given what I had been reading about people giving up after a few episodes and/or disliking it save for two episodes. Although, I'm not a big fan of the storyline involving Christine and Tom Garvey, as those characters are kind of grating and their performances aren't helping.

[EyesWideOpen]

Someone dying is not comparable to people vanishing in thin air. So saying that you know how people would respond when that happens is ridiculous.

[Lazlo]

Someone dying is not comparable to people vanishing in thin air. So saying that you know how people would respond when that happens is ridiculous.

Knowing why doesn't make it any easier to lose a son, daughter, brother, sister, mother, father, friend. Unexpected loss might as well be vanishing into thin air.

[Gittes]

Knowing why doesn't make it any easier to lose a son, daughter, brother, sister, mother, father, friend. Unexpected loss might as well be vanishing into thin air.

Again, you seem to be eliding the way in which this show is about more than the general idea of unexpected loss. It obviously invites such comparisons and there's plenty of room here for broader considerations about the themes. In terms of the specificity of the text, however, it's dealing with a very particular epistemological crisis. The world no longer seems to yield to human understanding and control. The ensuing horror wouldn't be quite the same if the catalyst was familiar.