Any "The Leftovers" fans on Tildes?
One of my favorite subreddits was about the show "The Leftovers". I don't know anyone in real life that has watched it and seeing what people thought while watching the show / after their first watch was great.
My first watch (and rewatch). Beware, it includes spoilers! Like 99% of it is spoilers.
When I first watched season three had just came out. I was ~20 year old and quite impatient person. I binge-watched it eager to find out where the 2% all went. I finished it and didn't think much of it... or so I thought. I put it in the same "basket" with Lost and that was it.
Few weeks after finishing it I was catching myself thinking about the characters, about their story, about the feelings I had while I was watching the show... I am a huge fan of Max Richter (and cinematic music, in general) and every time youtube plays me The departure, it's like I am seeing the hopelessness in the eyes of most of the characters. It's the only show that has affected me that much so far.
I recently rewatched it, and having known the end, the entire journey through the seasons was totally new experience. I knew what happened to everyone and I was just observing all of their emotions, behavior, choice of words... I found the show somehow better than my first watch.
Of course, besides the story, the cast had a crucial part to how great this show was for me. Everyone played their role beautifully. The only character that was somehow redundant (in its current state) was Jill.
So, has anyone here seen the show and what are your thoughts about it?
It took me a while to get into it, but around episode 9 of season 1 I was completely and utterly hooked. I consider it one of my favourite shows but I do think the first season is tough to get through and my other half for example gave up before reaching episode 9.
I'm a big fan, so bear that in mind.
I liked it at the beginning, but was a bit wary about Lindelof's involvement, having been turned-off and dropping Lost somewhere near the end of the 2nd season. I don't want to focus on that though but the actual question.
I was really enjoying the peculiar, often bizarre plots and situations and episode 5, Gladys made me feel I was watching something special. It hit me really hard (pardon the pun).
Then the very next episode, Guest, became (and remains) my favourite from the whole series (and I think I'm alone among the hardcore fans in that opinion). In particular because it focusses and highlights how superb Carrie Coon is. She was good up until that but we hadn't really seen that much of her ability and range. I feel she suddenly fully stepped up to another level. I mean way up. By that point I was fully in for absolutely whatever was coming and loved every minute of it. People very often mention Max Richter's music but I think its quality and how it was used and deployed is actually underappreciated and as good as in any show.
People rave about plenty of other episodes - and there are plenty of them. Season 1 is generally ranked the lowest but it's my favourite, because I remember so vividly that blossoming feeling discovering a genuine treasure and even after several rewatches, Guest still gets me in the feels every time.
I think Guest was the episode that kept me watching because Carrie Coon was so very great in it. I was on the fence. Not because I didn’t think it was interesting, but I didn’t feel invested. Guest kept me watching and then the flashback episode came and that’s when I was emotionally invested in all characters.
Also I work to Richter’s soundtrack a lot of the time. Absolutely love it!
It's one of my favorite shows of all time. I never actually visited the subreddit for it, which I did do for most of my other favorite shows. I just feel like there is still so much to think about before I really getting a lot of other perspectives on it.
I recommended it to a lot of friends, but I think all but one didn't finish it. I can't blame them. The show is weird, and it changes in so many ways over just three seasons. I remember hearing season 2's theme for the first time and thinking: "What the heck?"
I both loved and hated it. I haven’t rewatched it becuase it was a true rollercoaster ride and I haven’t been in the correct head space to handle it. The cavewoman giving birth episode S. 3 ep. 1? Was absolutely brutal and I think of it often even years later.
That actress is one of the main characters in Alan Tudyk's show Resident Alien. I saw the latter first before I watched The Leftovers and was like...well this is a VERY different role for her...
I really liked it, but just like you, I wanted the answers at first. Then I noticed who the main series writer was, and realized that there probably won't be any explanation for the events, so it was time to focus more on the characters, because that's what they're great at. I'm glad about that, the relationships, and character's self-problems in the series were fantastic.
I should rewatch it
My actual favorite show I've ever watched, in terms of emotional experience, philosophical implication, and the characters are so flawed and real. I have a hard time recommending it to people because it's so unique and it's not exactly what I would describe as "fun to watch" outside of a few choice scenes/moments. I still think about it all the time! International Assassin is a masterpiece.
The scene at the well with Patty and Homeward Bound at the karaoke bar really struck me. I loved it.
I haven't re-watched it since its final episode but I loved the ride. I thought the first season was terrible and if it weren't for some of the people whose opinion and taste I respect and largely corresponds with mine there's no way I would've given its second season a shot. I'm glad I did.
The switch from the first season to the second season is really something I had not seen a series pull off before. It'd be a rude to ask him directly, but I wonder what happened to Lindelof's between the seasons that enabled him to do that. Maybe the reviews were so bad that it was kind of freeing for him to do whatever he wanted, because if I recall correctly, the first season was following a rather traditional formula whereas the following seasons were just bonkers.