The Leftovers (TV series)
| The Leftovers | |
|---|---|
 Season 1 intertitle | |
| Genre |
Fantasy Mystery Psychological thriller Drama |
| Created by | |
| Based on |
The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta |
| Starring |
|
| Theme music composer | Max Richter (season 1) |
| Opening theme | "Let the Mystery Be" by Iris DeMent (season 2) |
| Composer(s) | Max Richter |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 20 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) |
|
| Producer(s) |
Nan Bernstein Freed (season 1) Patrick Markey (season 2) Alma Kuttruff (season 2) |
| Location(s) |
Westchester County, New York (season 1) Nyack, New York (season 1) Austin, Texas (seasons 2–3) Melbourne, Victoria (season 3) |
| Cinematography |
Todd McMullen Michael Slovis (season 1) Michael Grady John Grillo (season 1) |
| Running time | 51–72 minutes |
| Production company(s) |
|
| Distributor | Warner Bros. Television Distribution |
| Release | |
| Original network | HBO |
| Original release | June 29, 2014 – present |
| External links | |
| Website | |
The Leftovers is an American television drama series created by Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta, airing on HBO. It is based on Perrotta's novel of the same name.[1] The pilot was written by Lindelof and Perrotta, and directed by Peter Berg.[2] The series stars an ensemble cast featuring Justin Theroux, Amy Brenneman, Christopher Eccleston, Liv Tyler, Chris Zylka, Margaret Qualley, Carrie Coon, and Ann Dowd. The series premiered on HBO on June 29, 2014[3] and was renewed for a second season, which premiered on October 4, 2015; and concluded December 6, 2015.[4][5] On December 10, 2015, HBO renewed the show for a third and final season,[6] which is scheduled to premiere in 2017.[7]
Premise
The Leftovers takes place three years after a global event called the "Sudden Departure", the inexplicable, simultaneous disappearance of 140 million people, 2% of the world's population, on October 14, 2011.[8] Following that event, mainstream religions declined, and a number of cults emerged, most notably the Guilty Remnant.[9]
The story focuses primarily on the Garvey family and their acquaintances in the fictional town of Mapleton, New York. Kevin Garvey is the Chief of Police. His wife Laurie has joined the Guilty Remnant. Their son Tommy has left home for college, and their daughter Jill is acting out.[1] The second season moves the main characters to the fictional town of Jarden, Texas.
Cast and characters
Main cast
- Justin Theroux as Kevin Garvey, Jr., Mapleton's Chief of Police and a father of two, who is trying to maintain some semblance of normality in this new world. The breakup of his family puts more and more of a strain on him.
- Amy Brenneman as Laurie Garvey, Kevin's wife, and Tom and Jill's mother, who left her entire life behind to join a mysterious cult called the Guilty Remnant.
- Christopher Eccleston as Matt Jamison, a former reverend and current editor of a self-published tabloid that outs sinners. He struggles with his inability to accept that he, a good Christian, was not taken in the Sudden Departure while many sinners were.
- Liv Tyler as Megan "Meg" Abbott, a woman about to get married when she becomes the target of the Guilty Remnant.
- Chris Zylka as Tommy Garvey, Laurie's son (whom Kevin has raised as his own), who has recently dropped out of college and taken refuge with a mysterious guru called "Holy Wayne".
- Margaret Qualley as Jill Garvey, Kevin's teenage daughter, a straight-A student who has a difficult relationship with her father.
- Carrie Coon as Nora Durst, a wife and mother who lost her husband, son, and daughter in the Sudden Departure. She is Matt's sister.
- Emily Meade as Aimee, Jill's free-spirited high school friend, who seems unfazed by the rapture. (season 1)
- Amanda Warren as Lucy Warburton, Mapleton's take-no-prisoners mayor. (season 1)
- Ann Dowd as Patti Levin, the leader of the local chapter of the Guilty Remnant. (seasons 1–2)
- Michael Gaston as Dean, a man who seems to understand that times have changed and addresses it head-on—often violently. (season 1)
- Max and Charlie Carver as Adam and Scott Frost, happy-go-lucky identical twin brothers. (season 1)
- Annie Q. as Christine, one of Holy Wayne's many "groupies", and whose role apparently has a special and mysterious meaning. She is also Tommy's friend. (season 1)
- Janel Moloney as Mary Jamison, Matt's wife, who was paralyzed by a car crash during the Sudden Departure. (seasons 2–3, recurring season 1)
- Regina King as Erika Murphy, a doctor who runs an urgent-care facility. The Murphys are the Garveys' neighbors in Jarden, Texas. (seasons 2–3)
- Kevin Carroll as John Murphy, Erika's husband and head of the town’s volunteer fire department. (seasons 2–3)
- Jovan Adepo as Michael Murphy, Erika and John's teenage son. (seasons 2–3)
- Jasmin Savoy Brown as Evangeline "Evie" Murphy, Erika and John's teenage daughter, Michael Murphy's twin. (season 3, recurring season 2)
- Scott Glenn as Kevin Garvey, Sr., Mapleton's former chief of police who has been committed to a mental health institute. (season 3, recurring seasons 1–2)
Recurring cast
- Paterson Joseph as Henry "Holy Wayne" Gilchrest, Jr., a post-Sudden Departure savior who "heals" people of their burdens.
- Marceline Hugot as Gladys, a member of the Guilty Remnant.
- Wayne Duvall as Detective Louis Vitello. (season 1)
- Sebastian Arcelus as Doug Durst, Nora's husband who departed with their two children. (season 1)
- Steven Williams as Virgil, Evie and Michael's grandfather. (season 2)
- Darius McCrary as Isaac Rayney, a fortune teller. (season 2)
- Turk Pipkin as Pillar Man, a mysterious figure residing atop the pillar in Jarden Square. (season 2)
- Lindsay Duncan (season 3)[7]
Development and production
HBO acquired rights for series development with Perrotta attached as writer/executive producer and Ron Yerxa and Albert Berger as executive producers in August 2011, shortly before the book came out.[10]
In June 2012, Damon Lindelof was announced to be developing the series alongside Perrotta, and serves as the series' showrunner.[1]
The pilot was ordered in February 2013.[11] On September 16, 2013, HBO announced that they were taking The Leftovers to series, ordering a 10-episode first season.[12] The Leftovers is the first HBO series to be acquired from an outside studio, Warner Bros. Television, and not solely produced in-house by HBO (though parent company Time Warner owns both).[13]
The first season covers the entirety of the book; the second season is completely original material.[14] In April 2015, it was reported that the setting for the second season would shift from Mapleton, New York to a small town in Texas.[15] The series shifted filming locations from New York to Austin, Texas, with nearby Lockhart serving as the mainstreet of fictional Jarden, Texas, when principal photography commenced in late April.[16][17] For the second season, which features several changes, including cast, location, and storylines; Lindelof cited The Wire and Friday Night Lights as influences.[18][19]
The final season began principal photography in early May 2016, in Austin.[20] In June 2016, the production moved to Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, where it will film the remainder of the series, and complete post-production. On the move to Melbourne, Lindelof said, "We're immensely grateful for the opportunity to try something that looks and feels different from the preceding seasons and we absolutely cannot wait to bring our story to its conclusion down under."[21][22] It was also confirmed that the season would have a shortened 8-episode run.[23]
Casting
In June 2013, casting announcements began. Justin Theroux, Liv Tyler, Christopher Eccleston, Ann Dowd, Amanda Warren, Michael Gaston, and Carrie Coon were announced to star in the pilot.[24][25][26]
For the second season, eight of the 14 main cast members from season one returned,[5] while Emily Meade, Amanda Warren, Annie Q., Max Carver, Charlie Carver and Michael Gaston did not.[27] In April 2015, casting began for a Black American family comprising a father, ex-convict John Murphy; his hearing impaired doctor wife, Erika; and their teenage children Evie, an outgoing athlete, and Michael, a pious Christian.[15] The roles of John, Erika, and Michael are portrayed by Kevin Carroll, Regina King and Jovan Adepo, respectively, all as series regulars.[28][29] Darius McCrary was cast in a recurring role as Isaac Rayney, John's friend and a palm reader.[29] Steven Williams was cast in a recurring role, playing Virgil, a confidant of Kevin's.[30] Janel Moloney, who had a recurring role in the first season as Mary Jamison, was promoted to a regular cast member in season two.[5]
For the third season, it was confirmed in May 2016 that the entire main cast from the second season would return, with the exception of Dowd, and that Scott Glenn and Jasmin Savoy-Brown had been promoted to series regulars.[23]
Episodes
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | ||||
| 1 | 10 | June 29, 2014 | September 7, 2014 | ||
| 2 | 10 | October 4, 2015 | December 6, 2015 | ||
Reception
Critical response
| Season | Critical response | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic | ||
| 1 | 81% (60 reviews) | 65 (42 reviews) | |
| 2 | 93% (32 reviews) | 80 (22 reviews) | |
Season one of The Leftovers received mostly positive reviews from critics. Metacritic scored season one 65 out of 100, based on 42 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[31] Rotten Tomatoes scored the season 81%, based on 60 reviews, with an average rating of 7.7/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Its dour tone and self-seriousness may make for somber viewing, but The Leftovers is an artfully crafted, thought-provoking drama that aims high and often hits its mark."[32] IGN reviewer Matt Fowler gave consistently high scores to all the season one episodes, including two perfect 10 scores for "Two Boats and a Helicopter" and the season finale "The Prodigal Son Returns."[33] He then gave the entire first season a review score of 9.4 out of 10, particularly praising the character-centric episodes, Max Richter's score and the performances, particularly Carrie Coon's.[34]
Season two received critical acclaim. On Metacritic, it has a score of 80 out of 100 based on 22 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[35] Rotten Tomatoes gave the second season a rating of 93% with an average score of 8.7 out of 10 based on 32 critic reviews, with the critical consensus "The Leftovers continues to be unpredictable and provocative in season two with its new location, though the inexplicable circumstances will still frustrate many viewers."[36] Alan Sepinwall of HitFix gave it an "A" grade and wrote that "The Leftovers is still TV's best drama as season 2 begins"; it has "tighter focus, but same powerful, immersive experience".[37] In his five out of five star review, Todd VanDerWerff of Vox wrote: "It's a show that wants to provoke a reaction in you, whether it's admiration, hatred, or just bafflement. It's HBO's best drama—and thus must-see TV."[38]
Accolades
Critics' top ten lists
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Home media
The first season was released on Blu-ray and DVD in region 1 on October 6, 2015. The set contains two audio commentaries and four behind-the-scenes featurettes.[50] The second season was released on Blu-ray and DVD on February 9, 2016.[51]
References
- 1 2 3 Adalian, Josef (June 28, 2012). "Damon Lindelof Talks to Vulture About His New HBO Project: Tom Perrotta's The Leftovers". Vulture. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
- ↑ Goldberg, Lesley (April 12, 2013). "Peter Berg to Direct, Produce Damon Lindelof's HBO Pilot 'The Leftovers'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
- ↑ Kondolojy, Amanda (April 25, 2014). "'The Leftovers' Premiere Date Shifted to June 29". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
- ↑ Snierson, Dan (August 13, 2014). "HBO renews 'The Leftovers'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
- 1 2 3 Fowler, Matt (July 30, 2015). "The Leftovers: Season 2 Premiere Date and Story Details". IGN. Retrieved July 31, 2015.
- ↑ Ausiello, Michael (December 10, 2015). "The Leftovers Renewed for Third and 'Wildly Ambiguous' Final Season". TVLine. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
- 1 2 Sanberg, Bryn (June 23, 2016). "'The Leftovers' Adds Lindsay Duncan, Final Season to Air in 2017". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 23, 2016.
- ↑ Tanner Stransky (June 30, 2014). "Co-Creator Tom Perrotta Answers: Why October 14?". HBO. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
- ↑ Kirsch, Adam (August 5, 2014). "Finally, a TV Show That Truly Takes Religion Seriously". New Republic. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
- ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (February 8, 2013). "Damon Lindelof & Tom Perrotta's 'Leftovers' Gets Pilot Order At HBO". Deadline.com. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
- ↑ Goldberg, Lesley (February 8, 2014). "Damon Lindelof's 'The Leftovers' Scores Pilot Order at HBO". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
- ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (September 16, 2013). "Damon Lindelof's 'The Leftovers' Gets Series Order At HBO". Deadline.com. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
- ↑ Goldberg, Lesley; Rose, Lacey (September 16, 2013). "Damon Lindelof's 'The Leftovers' Ordered to Series at HBO". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
- ↑ Ausiello, Michael (September 8, 2014). "The Leftovers' Carrie Coon Talks Silent Finale Surprise, Liv Tyler's Punishment and Season 2 'Terror'". TVLine. Retrieved September 9, 2014.
- 1 2 Ausiello, Michael (April 1, 2015). "Ask Ausiello: Spoilers on Leftovers, Masters of Sex, Flash, Bones, Castle, Grimm, Empire and More". TVLine. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
- ↑ Ausiello, Michael (April 10, 2015). "It's Official: HBO's The Leftovers Will Mess With Texas in Season 2". TVLine. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
- ↑ Lascala, Marisa (October 4, 2015). "Is 'The Leftovers' Miracle Town of Jarden Texas Real?". Bustle. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
- ↑ Cabin, Chris (May 12, 2015). "THE LEFTOVERS Season 2: Damon Lindelof Teases New Direction, THE WIRE's Influence". Collider. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
- ↑ Ausiello, Michael (October 2, 2015). "Damon Lindelof on How FNL (and Not Twin Peaks) Inspired The Leftovers' Radical Season 2 Overhaul". TVLine. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
- ↑ Brenneman, Amy (April 12, 2015). "We start shooting @TheLeftoversHBO next month! Yes, I am in the final season. Gonna be E-Pic!". Twitter. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
- ↑ Sandberg, Bryn Elise (April 27, 2016). "'The Leftovers' Is Moving to Australia in Season 3 (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 28, 2016.
- ↑ Knox, David (June 5, 2016). "HBO series The Leftovers to film in Melbourne". TV Tonight. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
- 1 2 Ausiello, Michael (May 6, 2016). "The Leftovers' Final Season Cast Revealed: Who's In? Who's Out?". TVLine. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
- ↑ Goldberg, Lesley (June 10, 2013). "Christopher Eccleston, Carrie Coon Among 4 Cast in Damon Lindelof's 'The Leftovers'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
- ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (June 18, 2013). "Michael Gaston Cast In HBO's 'Leftovers', Amanda Walsh Leads Fox's 'WTF America'". Deadline.com. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
- ↑ Marechal, AJ (June 4, 2013). "Justin Theroux to Star in Damon Lindelof's HBO Pilot 'The Leftovers'". Variety. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
- ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (December 6, 2014). "'Leftovers' Shakes Up Supporting Cast For Season 2 As Series Moves To New Locale". Deadline.com. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
- ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (April 20, 2015). "Regina King Joins 'Leftovers' As Regular". Deadline.com. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
- 1 2 Ausiello, Michael (May 1, 2015). "The Leftovers Season 2: Family Matters Alum Among 3 New Additions". TVLine. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
- ↑ Petski, Denise (May 21, 2015). "Steven Williams Joins 'The Leftovers'; Gabriela De La Garza In 'Narcos'". Deadline.com. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
- ↑ "The Leftovers : Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
- ↑ "The Leftovers: Season 1 (2014)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
- ↑ "The Leftovers". IGN. Retrieved September 11, 2014.
- ↑ Fowler, Matt (September 11, 2014). "The Leftovers: Season 1 Review". IGN. Retrieved September 23, 2014.
- ↑ "The Leftovers : Season 2". Metacritic. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
- ↑ "The Leftovers: Season 2". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
- ↑ Sepinwall, Alan (September 30, 2015). "Review: 'The Leftovers' is still TV's best drama as season 2 begins". HitFix. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
- ↑ VanDerWerff, Todd (October 2, 2015). "The Leftovers season 2 is more accessible without giving up what makes the show great". Vox. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
- ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (June 9, 2014). "Critics' Choice TV Awards Name Top New Series, Sets Ryan Murphy For Icon Honor". Deadline.com. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
- ↑ Gelman, Vlada (December 4, 2014). "Good Wife, True Detective, Thrones, Louie Among 2015 WGA Nominees". TVLine. Retrieved December 5, 2014.
- ↑ Pond, Steve (December 1, 2014). "'Birdman' Leads Satellite Awards Nominations". The Wrap. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
- ↑ Li, Shirley (May 6, 2014). "The Critics' Choice TV Awards 2015: And the nominees are...". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
- ↑ McNary, Dave (February 13, 2016). "WGA Honors 'Big Short,' 'Spotlight,' 'Mad Men' at 68th Awards". Variety. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
- ↑ Montgomery, Daniel (July 26, 2016). "Gold Derby TV Awards: 'Veep,' 'Game of Thrones,' 'Fargo' & 'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt' top nominations". Gold Derby. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
- ↑ Mitovich, Matt Webb (January 17, 2016). "Critics' Choice Awards: TV Winners Include Fargo, Mr. Robot, Master of None, Rachel Bloom and Carrie Coon". TVLine. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
- ↑ "Satellite Awards (2015)". International Press Academy. December 1, 2015. Retrieved December 2, 2015.
- ↑ Prudom, Laura (June 22, 2016). "'Mr. Robot,' 'The People v. O.J. Simpson' Lead TCA Awards Nominations". Variety. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
- ↑ "Top Television Shows of 2014". HitFix. 2014. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
- ↑ "Top Television Shows of 2015". HitFix. 2015. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
- ↑ Lambert, David (June 23, 2015). "The Leftovers – Press Release Announces 'The Complete 1st Season' for DVD, Blu-ray". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
- ↑ Lambert, David (December 9, 2015). "The Leftovers – Warner's Press Release Announces 'The Complete 2nd Season'". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
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