''The Leftovers'' is an American

supernatural Supernatural refers to phenomena or entities that are beyond the laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin (above, beyond, or outside of) + (nature) Though the corollary term "nature", has had multiple meanings si ...

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...

television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...

created by

Damon Lindelof Damon Laurence Lindelof (born April 24, 1973) is an American screenwriter, comic book writer, and producer. Among his accolades, he received three Primetime Emmy Awards, from twelve nominations. In 2010, ''Time'' magazine named him one of the ...

and

Tom Perrotta Tom or TOM may refer to: * Tom (given name), a diminutive of Thomas or Tomás or an independent Aramaic given name (and a list of people with the name) Characters * Tom Anderson, a character in '' Beavis and Butt-Head'' * Tom Beck, a character ...

, that aired on

HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...

from June 29, 2014, to June 4, 2017. Based on Perrotta's 2011 novel of the same name, the series begins three years after the "Sudden Departure", a global event that resulted in 2% of the world's population disappearing. The lives of police chief Kevin Garvey (

Justin Theroux Justin Paul Theroux (; born August 10, 1971) is an American actor and filmmaker. He gained recognition for his work with director David Lynch in the mystery film ''Mulholland Drive'' (2001) and the thriller film ''Inland Empire'' (2006). He also ...

) and his family, along with grieving widow Nora Durst (

Carrie Coon Carrie Alexandra Coon (born January 24, 1981) is an American actress. In television, she is known for her starring roles as grieving mother Nora Durst in the HBO drama series '' The Leftovers'' (2014–2017) and as Gloria Burgle in the third s ...

) and her brother, Reverend Matt Jamison (

Christopher Eccleston Christopher Eccleston (; born 16 February 1964) is an English actor. A two-time BAFTA Award nominee, he is best known for his television and film work, which includes his role as the ninth incarnation of the Doctor in the BBC sci-fi series '' ...

), are the focal points of the series as they struggle to adjust to life after the Departure. The pilot was written by Lindelof and Perrotta and directed by

Peter Berg Peter Berg (born March 11, 1964) is an American director, producer, writer, and actor. His directorial film works include the black comedy ''Very Bad Things'' (1998), the action comedy ''The Rundown'' (2003), the sports drama '' Friday Night Lig ...

. The series stars an ensemble cast led by Theroux and features Amy Brenneman,

Liv Tyler Liv Rundgren Tyler (born Liv Rundgren; July 1, 1977) is an American actress, producer, singer and former model. She began a modeling career at age 14. She later decided to focus on acting and made her film debut in ''Silent Fall'' (1994); she ...

Chris Zylka Chris Zylka (born Christopher Michael Settlemire; born May 9, 1985) is an American actor and model, known for his roles in the films ''Shark Night'' (2011), ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (2012), Doyce Plunk in the TV series ''Zeke and Luther'' (2009� ...

Margaret Qualley Sarah Margaret Qualley (born October 23, 1994) is an American actress and model. A daughter of actress Andie MacDowell, she trained as a ballerina in her youth. She made her acting debut with a minor role in the 2013 drama film ''Palo Alto'', a ...

Ann Dowd Ann Dowd (born January 30, 1956) is an American actress. She has played supporting roles in numerous films, including ''Green Card'' (1990), ''Lorenzo's Oil'' (1992), ''Philadelphia'' (1993), '' Garden State'' (2004), '' The Manchurian Candidate' ...

Regina King Regina Rene King (born January 15, 1971) is an American actress and director. She is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and four Primetime Emmy Awards. In 2019, ''Time'' magazine named her one ...

Jovan Adepo Jovan Adepo (born September 6, 1988) is a British-American actor. He is known for his role as Cory Maxson in the film adaptation of ''Fences'' (2016), and also had starring roles in the 2018 film ''Overlord'' and as Lionel Jefferson in CBS' '' ...

, Kevin Carroll,

Janel Moloney Janel Moloney is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Donna Moss on the television series ''The West Wing'', a role for which she received nominations for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series ...

, and

Scott Glenn Theodore Scott Glenn (born January 26) is an American actor. His roles have included Pfc Glenn Kelly in ''Nashville'' (1975), Wes Hightower in ''Urban Cowboy'' (1980), astronaut Alan Shepard in '' The Right Stuff'' (1983), Emmett in '' Silverado'' ...

. The series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on October 4, 2015, and concluded December 6, 2015. On December 10, 2015, at Lindelof's request to be able to conclude the series, HBO renewed it for a third and final season, which premiered on April 16, 2017, and concluded on June 4, 2017. Over the course of the series, 28 episodes aired over three seasons. The first season received mostly positive reviews. However, the second and third seasons were highly acclaimed, with many critics referring to ''The Leftovers'' as one of the greatest television series of all time, with particular praise for its writing, directing, acting (particularly Theroux’s and Coon's) and thematic depth. The musical score composed by Max Richter also attracted critical praise. Despite receiving average

Nielsen ratings Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rat ...

throughout its run, the series has developed a

cult following A cult following refers to a group of fans who are highly dedicated to some person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The lattermost is often called a cult classic. ...

. The series has been compared favorably to ''

Lost Lost may refer to getting lost, or to: Geography *Lost, Aberdeenshire, a hamlet in Scotland * Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, or LOST, a hiking and cycling trail in Florida, US History *Abbreviation of lost work, any work which is known to have bee ...

'', a previous series co-created by Lindelof.

Premise

''The Leftovers'' starts 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. Following that event, mainstream religions declined, and a number of

cult In modern English, ''cult'' is usually a pejorative term for a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals, or its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal. This ...

s emerged, most notably the Guilty Remnant, a group of white-clothed, chain-smoking

nihilists Nihilism (; ) is a philosophy, or family of views within philosophy, that rejects generally accepted or fundamental aspects of human existence, such as objective truth, knowledge, morality, values, or meaning. The term was popularized by Ivan ...

, and a cult led by Holy Wayne, a man who views himself as the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The first season revolves around the Garvey family and their acquaintances in a fictionalized version of the town of Mapleton, New York. Kevin Garvey Jr. is the

chief of police Chief may refer to: Title or rank Military and law enforcement * Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force * Chief of police, the head of a police department * Chief of the boa ...

. His wife, Laurie, has joined the Guilty Remnant. Their son, Tommy, has left home to become a follower of Holy Wayne, and their daughter, Jill, is

acting out In the psychology of defense mechanisms and self-control, acting out is the performance of an action considered bad or anti-social. In general usage, the action performed is destructive to self or to others. The term is used in this way in sexual ...

. Meanwhile, grieving widow Nora Durst and her brother, Reverend Matt Jamison, struggle to deal with their respective traumas while adjusting to life post-Departure. It also follows Meg Abbott, a woman who is slowly seduced by the Mapleton faction of the Guilty Remnant, led by Patti Levin. These characters' lives intertwine and collide as they find themselves in the middle of an ongoing conflict between the Guilty Remnant and the townspeople of Mapleton. In the second season, the location shifts from Mapleton to the fictional town of Jarden,

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

, where not a single citizen was lost in the Sudden Departure. The Murphy family becomes a key focal point of the season. The patriarch, John, is the chief firefighter of the town, also acting as a vigilante deterrent of people exploiting Jarden’s “miracle.” His wife, Erika, is a doctor. Their son, Michael, is an aspiring pastor and their daughter, Evie, is a high school student with

epilepsy Epilepsy is a group of non-communicable neurological disorders characterized by recurrent epileptic seizures. Epileptic seizures can vary from brief and nearly undetectable periods to long periods of vigorous shaking due to abnormal electrical ...

. The Garvey family, Nora, and Matt move to Jarden at a time which coincides with an incident that leads to the disappearance of three young girls, followed by mass panic and chaos that threatens the town's safety and forces the Garvey and Murphy families to confront their inner demons. The third and final season unfolds three years later, in 2018, starting 14 days before the seventh anniversary of the Sudden Departure. The setting of the third season moves between Jarden and

Victoria, Australia Victoria is a state in southeastern Australia. It is the second-smallest state with a land area of , the second most populated state (after New South Wales) with a population of over 6.5 million, and the most densely populated state in Au ...

, as most of the lead characters—particularly the Garvey and Murphy families—undergo emotional journeys that make them reflect upon their lives, their beliefs, and the events they have encountered in the previous two seasons. Kevin's father, the mentally ill former chief of police of Mapleton, is also a main focus in the final season as he embarks on a spiritual journey to fulfill a cryptic purpose, and eventually crosses paths with the other members of the Murphy and Garvey families.

Cast and characters

Main

as Kevin Garvey, initially Mapleton's chief of police and a father of two, who is trying to maintain a semblance of normalcy after the Sudden Departure. * Amy Brenneman as Lorelei "Laurie" Garvey, Kevin's wife, who left her life behind to join a mysterious cult called the Guilty Remnant. *

as Matt Jamison, a Reverend and editor of a self-published tabloid that outs sinners. He later relocates to Jarden, Texas and takes over its church. *

as Megan "Meg" Abbott, a woman who becomes involved with the Guilty Remnant and comes to lead its more radical faction. *

as Tom "Tommy" Garvey, Laurie's son (whom Kevin has raised as his own), who takes refuge with a mysterious

guru Guru ( sa, गुरु, IAST: ''guru;'' Pali'': garu'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: traditionally, the guru is a reverentia ...

called "Holy Wayne", before starting an alternative cult with Laurie. *

as Jill Garvey, Kevin and Laurie's teenage daughter, a straight-A student who has a difficult relationship with her father. *

as Nora Durst, a wife and mother who lost her husband, son and daughter in the Sudden Departure. She is Matt's sister, and later becomes Kevin's partner and the adoptive mother of Lily, an infant fathered by Holy Wayne. *

Emily Meade Emily Meade (born January 10, 1989) is an American film and television actress. She has appeared in films such as '' Twelve'' (2010), '' My Soul to Take'' (2010), ''Gimme Shelter'' (2013), ''That Awkward Moment'' (2014), ''Money Monster'' (2016), ...

as Aimee (season 1), Jill's free-spirited high school friend, who lives with the Garveys in Mapleton. *

Amanda Warren Amanda Warren (born July 17, 1982) is an American actress. She is known for her role as Lucy Warburton on the HBO drama series '' The Leftovers'' and as Betty on the AppleTV+ comedy series '' Dickinson''. Early life Amanda Warren was born on ...

as Lucy Warburton (season 1), Mapleton's mayor who struggles to appease the local community amidst frequent clashes with the Guilty Remnant. She was in a relationship with Kevin's father prior to the Sudden Departure and continues to visit him while he is in psychiatric care. *

as Patricia "Patti" Levin, the leader of the Mapleton chapter of the Guilty Remnant, who continues to haunt Kevin following her death. *

Michael Gaston Michael Gaston is an American film and television actor. He played agent Quinn on the show ''Prison Break'', Gray Anderson on the CBS drama series ''Jericho'', and appeared in the first episode of ''The Sopranos'' as Alex Mahaffey, a compulsive g ...

as Dean (season 1; guest season 3), a mysterious man who hunts dogs across Mapleton, and accompanies Kevin during his various sleepwalking nights. *

Max Carver Max Carver (born Robert Maxwell Martensen Jr; August 1, 1988) is an American actor. He is known for his role as Preston Scavo in the ABC television series ''Desperate Housewives'', as Aiden on the MTV teen-horror drama ''Teen Wolf'', and in the ...

as Adam Frost (season 1), a friend of Jill and Aimee. *

Charlie Carver Charles Carver Martensen (born July 31, 1988) is an American actor and screenwriter. His best known roles include Porter Scavo on the ABC television series '' Desperate Housewives'', Ethan on the MTV television series ''Teen Wolf'', Scott Fros ...

as Scott Frost (season 1), Adam's identical twin brother. *

Annie Q. Annie Q. is an American actress, known professionally as Annie Q. Riegel as of 2022. She is best known for her portrayal of Christine in the HBO television series '' The Leftovers'' and Sophie Hicks in the Netflix comedy-drama ''Alex Strangelove ...

as Christine (season 1; guest season 3), one of Holy Wayne's former "groupies" who bears one of his children and is subsequently placed under Tommy's protection. *

as Mary Jamison (seasons 2–3; recurring season 1), Matt's wife, who was rendered catatonic by a car crash during the Sudden Departure. *

as Erika Murphy (seasons 2–3), a doctor who runs an urgent-care facility. The Murphys are the Garveys' neighbors in Jarden. * Kevin Carroll as John Murphy (seasons 2–3), Erika's husband and head of Jarden's volunteer fire department. He subsequently marries Laurie, and operates as a fraudulent medium. *

as Michael Murphy (seasons 2–3), Erika and John's devout teenage son. *

as Kevin Garvey, Sr. (season 3; recurring season 1; guest season 2), Kevin's father and Mapleton's former chief of police, who relocates to Australia following his release from a mental health institute.

Recurring

Paterson Joseph Paterson D. Joseph (born 22 June 1964) is a British actor. He appeared in the Royal Shakespeare Company productions of ''King Lear'' and ''Love's Labour's Lost'' in 1990. On television he is best known for his roles in ''Casualty (TV series), Cas ...

as Henry "Holy Wayne" Gilchrest, Jr. (season 1; guest season 2), a post-Sudden Departure savior who "heals" people of their burdens. *

Natalie Gold Natalie Gold is an American actress who has appeared in film, television, and stage productions, including on Broadway. She is best known for playing Rava Roy on the TV show '' Succession'' and Julia Harwell on the TV show ''Rubicon'', as well as ...

as Sam's Mother (season 1; guest season 3), a woman who lost her baby son in the Sudden Departure. * Marceline Hugot as Gladys (season 1; guest season 2), a member of the Guilty Remnant. *Frank Harts as Officer Dennis Luckey (season 1), Kevin's deputy in Mapleton. *Wayne Duvall as Detective Louis Vitello (season 1), a belligerent officer in the Mapleton police force who frequently clashes with Kevin. *

Jasmin Savoy Brown Jasmin Savoy Brown (born March 21, 1994) is an American actress. She has appeared in the HBO mystery drama series '' The Leftovers'' (2015–2017), the ABC legal drama series '' For the People'' (2018–2019), and the Showtime psychological d ...

as Evangeline "Evie" Murphy (seasons 2–3), Erika and John's teenage daughter and Michael's twin sister. *

Darius McCrary Darius Creston McCrary (born May 1, 1976) is an American actor, rapper, singer and producer. McCrary is known for his role as Edward "Eddie" Winslow, the oldest child of Carl and Harriette Winslow on the ABC/CBS television sitcom '' Family Mat ...

as Isaac Rayney (season 2), a fortune teller in Jarden who is old friends with John. *

Steven Williams Steven Williams (born January 7, 1949) is an American actor in films and television. He is known for his roles as Captain Adam Fuller on ''21 Jump Street'', Lt. Jefferson Burnett on '' The Equalizer'', Det. August Brooks on '' L.A. Heat'', X on ...

as Virgil (season 2), Evie and Michael's estranged grandfather. He serves as Kevin’s guide during his first visit to the afterworld. *

Turk Pipkin Turk Pipkin (born July 2, 1953) is an author, actor, comedian and director. He is also the co-founder of The Nobelity Project, a non-profit organisation which seeks to find solutions to global problems, and which advocates for basic rights for chi ...

as Edward/Pillar Man (season 2; guest season 3), a mysterious figure residing atop the pillar in Jarden Square. *Kenneth Wayne Bradley as Ranger Bob (season 2) *

Lindsay Duncan Lindsay Vere Duncan (born 7 November 1950) is a Scottish actress. On stage, she has won two Olivier Awards (for ''Les Liaisons Dangereuses'' and ''Private Lives'') and a Tony Award (for ''Private Lives''). She has starred in several plays by H ...

as Grace Playford (season 3), a former missionary who lost her entire family and crosses paths with Kevin Sr. *

Damien Garvey Damien Garvey is an Australian actor and former musician known for his film and television roles. Early life Garvey graduated from Padua College in 1982. Career Garvey had guest roles in several drama series in his early part of his act ...

as Kevin Yarborough (season 3), an Australian police chief. *

Katja Herbers Katja Mira Herbers (born 19 October 1980) is a Dutch actress. She is best known for portraying Dr. Helen Prins on the WGN America drama series ''Manhattan'' (2014–2015), Emily Grace in the HBO science fiction drama series ''Westworld'' (2018� ...

as Dr. Eden (season 3), one of the scientists experimenting with a machine purported to reunite its test subjects with the Departed. *

Victoria Haralabidou Victoria Haralabidou ( el, Βικτώρια Χαραλαμπίδου, born 23 October 1971), is a Greek-Australian actress. She was born in Saint Petersburg, USSR. When she was 15 years old, her family moved to Athens, Greece. In 2005, she mov ...

as Dr. Bekker (season 3), one of the scientists experimenting with a machine purported to reunite its test subjects with the Departed.

Guests

Brad Leland Brad Leland (born September 15, 1954) is an American film and television actor best known for his role as Buddy Garrity in the NBC/DirecTV series '' Friday Night Lights''. He has appeared in over 100 feature films and television shows and numerou ...

as Congressman Witten (season 1), a newly recruited follower of Holy Wayne's cult. *David Turner as Anthony (season 1) *

Victor Williams Victor L. Williams (born September 19, 1970) is an American actor best known as Doug Heffernan's (Kevin James) best friend Deacon Palmer on ''The King of Queens.'' He has also appeared on several other hit TV shows, including '' Homicide: Life ...

as Ron Jensen (season 1) * Sebastian Arcelus as Doug Durst (season 1), Nora's husband who departed with their two children. *

Billy Magnussen William Gregory Magnussen (born April 20, 1985) is an American actor. He has been featured in the films ''Into the Woods'' (2014), ''Birth of the Dragon'' (2016), '' Game Night'' (2018), and '' Aladdin'' (2019), and has had supporting television ...

as Marcus (season 1), an employee at a business that creates lifelike mannequins of the Departed, who Nora meets at a conference in New York City. *

Tom Noonan Tom Noonan (born April 12, 1951) is an American actor, director, and screenwriter, best known for his roles as Francis Dolarhyde in '' Manhunter'' (1986), Frankenstein's Monster in ''The Monster Squad'' (1987), Cain in '' RoboCop 2'' (1990), T ...

as Casper (season 1), one of Holy Wayne's followers who Nora encounters in New York City. *

Bill Heck Bill Heck is an American actor who has appeared on Broadway and in television shows, such as '' The Leftovers'' and '' The Old Man'', and films, including in the role of Billy Knapp in the Coen Brothers' western ''The Ballad of Buster Scruggs''. ...

as Darren (seasons 1–2), Meg's ex-fiancee. *

Dominic Burgess Dominic Burgess (born 29 July 1982) is an English actor. He is known for his appearances in several television adverts and series such as '' Raising Hope'', ''Doctor Who'', ''It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia'', and '' Feud: Bette and Joan''. E ...

as Dr. Brian Goodheart (season 2), an Australian scientist who illegally collects water from a reservoir in Jarden. He is one of the first people accused of being involved in the disappearance of three teenage girls due to his appearance and proximity to them on the day. *

Mark Linn-Baker Mark Linn-Baker (born June 17, 1954) is an American actor and director who played Benjy Stone in the film ''My Favorite Year'' and Larry Appleton in the television sitcom '' Perfect Strangers''. Early life and education Mark Linn-Baker was bo ...

as himself (seasons 2–3), an actor who faked his Departure after his co-stars from '' Perfect Strangers'' disappeared during the incident without him. * Brad Greenquist as an adoption agent (season 2) who officiates Kevin and Nora's adoption of Lily. *

Charlayne Woodard Charlaine "Charlayne" Woodard (born December 29, 1953) is an American playwright and actress. She is a two-time Obie Award winner as well as a Tony Award and Drama Desk nominee. She was a series regular on the hit FX TV series Pose. She played ...

as Lois Makepeace (season 2) *

Roger Narayan Raj Narayan is an Indian actor who works in predominantly Kannada and English-language films. He is known for playing one of the leads in ''U Turn'' (2016). Career Roger Narayan studied engineering at BITS Pilani before deciding to pursue his p ...

as Bhagat (season 2) * Heather Kafka as Susan (season 2), a former member of the Guilty Remnant who joins Laurie's therapy group for ex-GR members. *

Mark Harelik Marcus Frank Harelik (born June 5, 1951) is an American television, film, and stage actor, and playwright. Early life Harelik was born in Hamilton, Texas. In 1909, Harelik's Russian Jewish grandfather, Haskell Harelik—upon whom Harelik's ...

as Peter (season 2), a publisher interested in Laurie's book. * Alon Moni Aboutboul as Viktor (season 2) *Sam Littlefield as Almer (season 2) * Brett Butler as Sandy (seasons 2–3), the wife of Edward the pillar resident who lives in a shantytown outside Jarden. *

Joel Murray Joel Murray (born April 17, 1963) is an American comedy actor. He is well known for his roles in the television series ''Mad Men'', ''Grand'', '' Love & War'', ''Dharma & Greg'', '' Still Standing'', and '' Shameless''. He has also appeared in f ...

as George Brevity (seasons 2–3), an agent of the Department of Sudden Departures who befriends Nora in Jarden. *

Sonya Walger Sonya Walger (born 6 June 1974) is a British actress who also holds American citizenship. She had starring roles in the short-lived sitcoms ''The Mind of the Married Man'' (2001–2002) and ''Coupling'' (2003) before landing her role as Penny W ...

as Dr. Allison Herbert (season 2) *

Bill Camp Bill Camp (born 1963/1964) is an American actor. He has played supporting roles in many films such as ''Lincoln'' (2012), ''Compliance'' (2012), '' 12 Years a Slave'' (2013), '' Love & Mercy'' (2015), ''Loving'' (2016), ''Molly's Game'' (2017), ...

as David Burton (seasons 2–3), an Australian former sportscaster who seemingly returned from the dead and now claims to be God. He appears to Kevin during his visits to the afterlife, and later meets Matt on the ferry between Tasmania and Melbourne. *

Gary Basaraba Gary Basaraba (born March 16, 1959) is a Canadian actor. He appeared as Sergeant Richard Santoro on Steven Bochco's ''Brooklyn South'' and Officer Ray Hechler on the critically acclaimed but short-lived ''Boomtown''. He has worked for Martin ...

as Neil (season 2), Patti's husband *

Betty Buckley Betty Lynn Buckley (born July 3, 1947) is an American actress and singer. Buckley is the winner of a Tony Award, and was nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and an Olivier Award. In 2012, she was inducted into the American T ...

as Jane (season 2), Meg's mother, who died one day before the Sudden Departure. * Adina Porter as a G.R. Leader (season 2) who disagrees with Meg's increasingly violent activism on behalf of the cult. *

Lasarus Ratuere Lasarus Ratuere (born 30 June 1985) is an Australian actor. He is known for his portrayal of Ishikawa, a member of Section 9, in the DreamWorks and Paramount Pictures feature film adaptation ''Ghost in the Shell''. Biography Ratuere was born ...

as Officer Bardo (season 3) *

Jason Douglas Jason Douglas is an American film, television and voice actor, known as Tobin on AMC's '' The Walking Dead'', as the voice of Beerus in the anime film '' Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods ''and the series Dragon Ball Super, and Krieg in the video ...

as Jed (season 3) *

Alexandra Schepisi Alexandra Schepisi ( ) is an Australian actress. Early life Schepisi was born and raised in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. She is the daughter of filmmaker Fred Schepisi and Australian Casting director Rhonda (nee Finlayson) Schepisi]. She ob ...

as The Woman (season 3) *

David Gulpilil David Dhalatnghu Gulpilil (1 July 1953 – 29 November 2021), known professionally as David Gulpilil and posthumously (at his family's request, to avoid naming the dead) as David Dalaithngu for three days, was an Indigenous Australian actor ...

as Christopher Sunday (season 3), a native elder living in the Australian outback who Kevin Sr. pursues for mystical knowledge. * Benito Martinez as Arturo (season 3), a loyal member of Matt's congregation in Jarden.

Development and production

acquired rights for series development with Perrotta attached as writer/executive producer and

Ron Yerxa Ron Yerxa (born May 18, 1947) is an American film producer. He is known for the films '' Little Miss Sunshine'', '' Mr. Russo'', ''Hamlet 2'' and '' Cold Mountain''. Yerxa and fellow producer Albert Berger founded the production company, Bona F ...

and

Albert Berger Albert Berger is an American film producer. Biography He attended Tufts University and the MFA program in film at the Columbia University School of the Arts. He is an executive producer of the HBO series '' The Leftovers''. He and Ron Yerxa are ...

as executive producers in August 2011, shortly before the book came out.

had reportedly been a fan of Perrotta's earlier novels and had first learned of the book from a positive review by

Stephen King Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, crime, science-fiction, and fantasy novels. Described as the "King of Horror", a play on his surname and a reference to his high s ...

in ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' in August 2011. In June 2012, Lindelof announced he would be developing the series alongside Perrotta. He served as the series'

showrunner A showrunner (or colloquially a helmer) is the top-level executive producer of a television series production who has creative and management authority through combining the responsibilities of employer and, in comedy or dramas, typically also th ...

. In February 2013, HBO ordered a pilot and, in September, ordered a 10-episode first season. ''The Leftovers'' is the first series HBO acquired from an outside studio that it did not produce in-house. The first season covers the entirety of the book; the second and third seasons are completely original material. 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. The series shifted filming locations from New York to

Austin, Texas Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the county seat, seat and largest city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and Williamson County, Texas, Williamson co ...

, with nearby

Lockhart Lockhart may refer to: *Lockhart (surname) Places Australia *Lockhart, New South Wales *Lockhart River, Queensland *Lockhart River, Western Australia United States *Lockhart, Alabama *Lockhart, Florida *Lockhart, Minnesota *Lockhart, Sout ...

serving as the main street of fictional Jarden, Texas, when

principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as actor ...

commenced in late April. For the second season, which features several changes, including cast, location, and storylines; Lindelof cited ''

The Wire ''The Wire'' is an American Crime film, crime drama Television show, television series created and primarily written by author and former police reporter David Simon. The series was broadcast by the cable network HBO in the United States. ''The ...

'' and '' Friday Night Lights'' as influences. The final season began

in early May 2016, in Austin. In June 2016, the production moved to

Melbourne, Victoria Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung–Taungurung language, Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the St ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, where it filmed the remainder of the series and completed 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." It was also confirmed that the season would have a shortened 8-episode run.

Casting

In June 2013, casting announcements began.

, and

were announced to star in the pilot. For the second season, eight of the 14 main cast members from season one returned, while

, Amanda Warren, Annie Q.,

and Michael Gaston did not. In April 2015, casting began for a family comprising ex-convict John Murphy; his hearing-impaired doctor wife, Erika; and their teenage children Evie, an outgoing athlete, and Michael, a pious Christian. The roles of John, Erika, and Michael are portrayed by Kevin Carroll,

and

, respectively, all as series regulars.

was cast in a recurring role as Isaac Rayney, John's friend and a palm reader.

was cast in a recurring role, playing Virgil, a confidant of Kevin's.

, who had a recurring role in the first season as Mary Jamison, was promoted to a regular cast member in season two. 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

and

had been promoted to series regulars. Glenn is credited as part of the main cast for the five season 3 episodes in which he appears; Brown ultimately remained as a recurring guest star, appearing in three episodes of the season.

joined the cast on December 6, 2016, also as a recurring guest star. Duncan appears in five episodes of the season. Several cast members did not continue in a regular capacity during season 3, but retain main cast credit for the episodes in which they feature. Liv Tyler appears in one scene in the first episode, and returns for one subsequent appearance in episode 7. Ann Dowd also returns to the main cast in episode 7 only.

appears in the season's first episode only, with one subsequent voice cameo. Regina King appears in episode 2 only, and Janel Moloney features in two episodes.

appears for the final time in episode 2, making only one subsequent voice cameo, but retains his credit as a main cast member for the entire season. Additionally, season 1 main cast members Michael Gaston and Annie Q. return as guest stars.

Opening credits and theme music

The main title from the first season uses "The Leftovers (Main Title Theme)", an original piece of music by composer Max Richter, accompanied by images like a fresco in the style of the

Sistine Chapel The Sistine Chapel (; la, Sacellum Sixtinum; it, Cappella Sistina ) is a chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the pope in Vatican City. Originally known as the ''Cappella Magna'' ('Great Chapel'), the chapel takes its name ...

. The second season uses " Let the Mystery Be" by

Iris DeMent Iris Luella DeMent (born January 5, 1961) is an American two-time Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and musician . DeMent's musical style includes elements of folk, country and gospel. Early life DeMent was born in Paragould, Arkansas, the 14t ...

. In addition, the opening changes to one that shows images of pictures and people who were departed missing from them and in their place is various images of earth-related phenomena like

rain Rain is water droplets that have condensed from atmospheric water vapor and then fall under gravity. Rain is a major component of the water cycle and is responsible for depositing most of the fresh water on the Earth. It provides water f ...

clouds In meteorology, a cloud is an aerosol consisting of a visible mass of miniature liquid droplets, frozen crystals, or other particles suspended in the atmosphere of a planetary body or similar space. Water or various other chemicals may com ...

aurora borealis An aurora (plural: auroras or aurorae), also commonly known as the polar lights, is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic). Auroras display dynamic patterns of br ...

and

lightning Lightning is a naturally occurring electrostatic discharge during which two electric charge, electrically charged regions, both in the atmosphere or with one on the land, ground, temporarily neutralize themselves, causing the instantaneous ...

. Season 3 retains the opening from Season 2 but with a different theme song for each episode, including reprises of the Season 1 main title theme and "Let the Mystery Be" in episodes seven and eight respectively. This is because Damon Lindelof wants to "thematically introduce the episode to come" with different title music for each episode. Season 3 #None #"Nothing's Gonna Stop Me Now" (theme from '' Perfect Strangers'') by

David Pomeranz David Pomeranz (born February 9, 1951) is an American singer, composer, lyricist, and writer for musical theatre. He is also an ambassador for Operation Smile. Solo career Born and raised on Long Island, Pomeranz expressed interest in music fro ...

Personal Jesus "Personal Jesus" is a song by English electronic music band Depeche Mode. It was released as the lead single from their seventh studio album, '' Violator'' (1990), in 1989. It reached No. 13 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 28 on the ''Billbo ...

" by

Richard Cheese Richard Cheese & Lounge Against The Machine (or simply Richard Cheese) is a cover band and comedy music, comedy act, performing popular songs in a lounge music, lounge/swing style. Lounge singer Richard Cheese is a character created and portraye ...

#" This Love Is Over" by Ray LaMontagne and the Pariah Dogs #"

Ashrei Ashrei ( he, אַשְׁרֵי) is a prayer that is recited at least three times daily in Jewish prayers, twice during Shacharit (morning service) and once during Mincha (afternoon service). The prayer is composed primarily of Psalm 145 in its ent ...

" by

Benzion Miller Benzion Miller ( he, בֶּן צִיּוֹן מילר, yi, בֶּן־צִיּוֹן מי(ל)לעֶר, 8 December 1947) is a Hazzan, cantor, Shechita, schochet and mohel, much like his father, Aaron Daniel Miller. He was born in a Displaced persons ...

#" 1-800 Suicide" by Gravediggaz #"The Leftovers (Main Title Theme)" by Max Richter #" Let the Mystery Be" by

Episodes

Reception

Critical response

Season 1

Season one of ''The Leftovers'' received mostly positive reviews from critics.

Metacritic Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...

scored season one 65 out of 100, based on 42 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...

scored the season 82%, based on 182 reviews, with an average rating of 7.65/10. 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."

IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...

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." 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

's.

Season 2

Season two received critical acclaim. On Metacritic, it has a score of 80 out of 100 based on 22 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Rotten Tomatoes gave the second season a rating of 94% with an average score of 8.8 out of 10 based on 164 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."

Alan Sepinwall Alan Sepinwall (born October 19, 1973) is an American television reviewer and writer. He spent 14 years as a columnist with ''The Star-Ledger'' in Newark until leaving the newspaper in 2010 to work for the entertainment news website HitFix. He th ...

HitFix HitFix, or HitFix.com, was an entertainment news website that launched in December 2008 specializing in breaking entertainment news, insider information, and reviews and critiques of film, music, and television. In mid-2010 HitFix crossed the 1,00 ...

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". In her five out of five star review, Emily St. James 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."

Season 3

The third season has received unanimous acclaim from critics. On Metacritic, it has a score of 98 out of 100 based on 17 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 99% rating with an average score of 9.35 out of 10 based on 189 reviews with the critical consensus "With reliably ambitious storytelling and outstanding performances from its cast, Season 3 of ''The Leftovers'' approaches the series' conclusion as thoughtfully, purposefully, and confidently as it began." Maureen Ryan of ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' wrote the final season "is spectacular, in every sense of that word." ''The Leftovers'' was ranked as the best TV series of 2017 according to Metacritic. Alan Sepinwall placed season three first on his list of the best TV shows of 2017, an accolade he had awarded to both previous seasons in their respective years. He said "this has been my show of the year — of the decade, maybe, depending on how we count things like ''Mad Men'' and ''Breaking Bad'' that debuted in the '00s"; he went on to say "the eight-episode final season was a miracle". According to Metacritic's aggregate of critics' decade-end lists, ''The Leftovers'' was the highest ranked show of the 2010s.

Critics' top ten lists

Accolades

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. The second season was released on Blu-ray and DVD on February 9, 2016. The third season's DVD format was released on October 10, 2017 while the Blu-ray format was released by the

Warner Archive Collection The Warner Archive Collection is a home video division for releasing classic and cult films from Warner Bros.' library. It started as a manufactured-on-demand (MOD) DVD series by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on March 23, 2009, with the inte ...

Notes

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Leftovers (Tv Series), The 2014 American television series debuts 2017 American television series endings 2010s American drama television series 2010s American mystery television series 2010s American supernatural television series Christianity in popular culture Dystopian television series English-language television shows HBO original programming Television about mental health Magic realism television series New religious movements in popular culture Television series about dysfunctional families Television series about missing people Religious drama television series Serial drama television series Television shows based on American novels Television series about parallel universes Television series by Home Box Office Television shows filmed in New York (state) Television shows filmed in Texas Television shows set in Australia Television shows set in New York (state) Television shows set in Texas Television shows about death Television series created by Damon Lindelof