Not the biggest fan of Damon Lindelof, but there's no doubt he's supremely skilled at plotting. With The Leftovers, Lindelof joins novelist Tom Perrotta to bring an altogether different narrative to life - one rather more character-driven. Based on the Perrotta's novel of the same name, The Leftovers has an intriguing concept - 2% of the the world's population disappears suddenly, and the show deals with the aftermath of this event.
At first glance, 2% isn't all that much. Indeed, the Spanish Flu killed more people a century ago. It's the sudden and inexplicable nature of the event that makes things different. Also, a substantially large percentage of loss would have led to complete collapse of civilisation. The Leftovers finds a balance with a situation that is devastating for the world, yet life goes on...
Indeed, the show deals with themes and issues that are just as relevant to today's world. Unprecedented times simply brings some of these inherent issues to the forefront. The role of cults and religion plays a big role, though I simply don't think there was enough material here for an entire season. Season 1 shows a ton of promise, but ultimately, never quite lives up to it. That said, we do see excellence in character development, acting, world-building and music which hints at more to come.
The second season finally lives up to the potential showed throughout season 1. The pacing is much better, with genuinely profound moments of pathos. It makes for pretty grim viewing at times, but always compelling. Still, I just think there's too much filler material here to hang with the very best TV shows.
All of that is forgotten with season 3. This one's absolutely incredible - one of the finest seasons of dramatic television history. Indeed, the last 3 or 4 episodes border on perfection.
I must mention the two stars of the show - Max Richter's music and Carrie Coon's performance - some of the very best in recent memory. The entire cast delivers strong performance, particularly in season 3. The absurdity of the situation is always at the forefront, but for most of seasons 1 and 2, the show took a very sombre tone. In season 3, there's a very particular and subtle brand of humour that elevates the show to heights we never expected after the first 2 seasons.
Most of all, though, the 8 episodes of season 3 are just right. There's no filler material and meandering subplots - something too many TV shows are guilty of. Each episode is tightly focused and is its own mini feature film. It all comes together beautifully for a spectacular finale that answers as many questions as it asks.
A must watch. It just gets better and better.