The Leftovers (HBO) TV Show • Page 58

'Guest' is a top 5 episode of the entire series for me, so on the strength of it alone i feel like season 1 is worth the rewatch.

Screw it, i'm ranking those 5 eps, just off the top of the head:

1.) International Assassin
2.) The Book of Nora
3.) It's a Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt World
4.) Don't Be Ridiculous
5.) Guest

 

I adored The Garveys at Their Best. Up to that point I have much preferred the episodes that focused on only one character, so this one upending that and being so well done was really satisfying.

I saw where they were going with Laurie’s story once it became clear that we would see the appointment itself, and from then on I just held my hand over my mouth in fear. We definitely entered a new level of supernatural with that revelation, but it also brought in something incredibly human and realistic that I haven’t ever seen portrayed in fiction (that I can think of). I know multiple people who have miscarried while planning or at least contemplating abortion, and those feelings are so complicated that they can seem almost hopeless to navigate if you don’t have people in your life who will meet you where you are in the process and support you however they manifest.

 

I actaully love Season 1, and I think most people that liked the show and stuck with it did too, but then season 2 and 3 ended up blowing it out of the water by comparison and making Season 1 not look as good haha.

And really out of the 3 seasons it's definitely the one season that's in the darkest place emotionally over all I think...they really leaned into the general sense of nihilism that everyone felt and there wasn't a lot of happiness for the characters at all

 

I agree with that 100%.

 

Carrie Coon makes the point that the show really finds its voice once they start injecting humor into the script.

 

Season 1 isn’t bad, it’s just dragged down by stuff from the book that doesn’t translate well to screen. But it has Guest and Two Boats which are amazing.

 

Is it spoilery to ask which elements are book specific and may have been forced in? I haven’t watched the season finale yet.

 

Pretty much all the stuff with the teens

 

Ah ok. I didn’t mind those parts so much. Although I did get serious Patrick Hockstetter vibes from the fridge in the woods, so I was almost about to nope out of that scene.

 

This show is like if I had a fever dream back when I was binging Lost nonstop. This finale is CUCKOO BANANAS.

 

To keep this as spoiler free as possible, you'll know it when you get to it if you haven't gotten there yet: The kitchen scene is soul crushing.

Matt and Kevin in that episode is great too.


Also I forgot my favorite line from season 1 that happened much earlier in the season: "I say fuck too."

 

I was screaming no over and over again hoping she would hear me. I told these people to handle the cult back when they first broke in! Now look what happened! Horrific.

And yeah that line was somehow totally on the nose but also perfect and I laughed way too long at it. I know enough ministers that it was a very believable moment for his character.

I do worry because Matt has been John Lockeing it hard this episode.

 

What is this season premiere??

 

Getting to know the Murphy's!

 

remember how this is the best show ever, ah yes i do recall

 

This is the most Lindelof thing I’ve ever seen.

I have no idea what that beginning sequence was but it was certainly mood whiplash after that super light and beautiful new intro. That was as much of a shock as anything else.

 

the first season mostly sucks but 2 and 3 are fucking groundbreaking incredible

 

Ah yes that opening scene is great.

 

Finally someone is signing! Obviously it’s a totally different context to the paper wasters not speaking but I’m so glad to see i!

 

I have absolutely no idea where this story is going. It’s definitely not as impossibly bleak as S1 but we are still firmly in super dark and worrisome territory. This town is just as bonkers as Mapleton, but they do their rituals from the opposite perspective.

I’m really impressed that they managed to make me care more about Evie in 40 minutes than they did most of the cast through like 6 episodes of S1. I really hope she isn’t dead or poofed. If this was a different show I would assume she has to be fine, but here I have no clue.

 

BUT IN JARDEN TOWN THE SUN SHONE BRIGHT, A MIRACLE

 

haha buckle up

I wish I could watch this again for the first time.

 

I don’t think I’ll be wishing to watch S1 again for the first time. So much of that was tooooo painful. But I’m sure I will revisit the show down the road and be happier knowing what I have to get through.

 

I’m definitely going to bust out laughing every time I think of it being the River Jarden. Except now the water is gone so way to kill my pun fun.

 

I liked season 1 on first viewing but have found rewatches to be better

Show really hits it’s stride in S2 tho