If you haven't watched The Leftovers yet, then you just found out what you're going to binge-watch over the holiday break. With two seasons already made and a third underway, here's six reasons why The Leftovers is the best show you've probably never seen.
1. The story.
The Leftovers takes place in modern day, but with a certain twist - one day, 140 million people vanish into thin air. But, this show isn't about those people that went away, it's about the ones that were left behind, and how they cope with the loss. Some people lose a friend, a husband, a child, and some lose entire families. But don't let the worldwide toll of this story turn you away, The Leftovers mostly focuses on the Garvey family, and how they deal with the issues brought on by this happening, and also issues within their family. For example, the mother of the family has to run away to join a doomsday cult called the "Guilty Remnant," while the older brother is out gallivanting around with a man who calls himself "Holy Wayne." The dad of the family is a police officer of the town they live in, Mapleton, New York, and the daughter is a young girl who is simply trying to find herself. Much like Game of Thrones, the show has a background of a great, big issue, but mainly focuses on the characters, and how they feel and develop. Also, it can be surprisingly funny. And that's just the first season.
2. The characters.
Kevin Garvey: Kevin is the dad of the family, and also the leader. But, he's also dealing with a lot of issues. His family is falling apart, as well as the town he has sworn to protect. His story is arguably the most interesting, especially when he starts to do his own investigating.
Laurie Garvey: Laurie is the mom of the family, but has abandoned them to join the Guilty Remnant. But don't worry, you'll see a lot of her.
Tommy Garvey: Tommy is the eldest child of the family. He's recently dropped out of college to become a minion of "Holy Wayne," a guy who thinks he's the savior of the world. Believe it or not, Tommy has one of the biggest hearts of the series.
Jill Garvey: The baby of the family, Jill is still in high school, and has all the typical drama of being a teenage girl - while also dealing with the loss of 140 million people, of course.
There are other amazing characters, like the leader of the Guilty Remnant, who's crazy, the town priest, who's also a little crazy, and a woman named Nora, who witnessed her entire family disappear. Yeah, it'll bring you to tears. Good tears.
3. The drama.
As if you couldn't already guess, this show is full of good old-fashioned family and relationship drama. With a ton of twists, of course. It will keep you on the edge of your seat from episode to episode to yet another episode because you just can't stop watching.
4. The cast/acting.
Justin Theroux: known for writing Tropic Thunder and appearing in many movies. Oh, and marrying Jennifer Aniston.
Liv Tyler: known for playing Arwyn in Lord of the Rings.
Carrie Coon: the scene-stealing sister in Gone Girl.
The cast also includes, Christopher Eccleston, Emily Meade, Max and Charlie Carver (hot twins, need I say more?), and Regina King. The acting is great, by the way.
5. The themes.
The series obviously deals with a lot of Biblical themes, but it mostly challenges them. Was 140 million people disappearing into thin air "The Rapture?" They don't know, and neither will you, because it's the journey that's important. Other themes include: love, loss, fear, redemption and finding yourself. It all makes for good television, and every episode will leave you wondering what it was all about in the most beautiful way.
6. The visuals/audio.
If you're someone like me that loves when a television show looks and sounds good, then The Leftovers is for you. The cinematography, the lighting, the score, it's all breathtaking. A good TV show is always better when the music and visuals mirror the story.
So... why doesn't The Leftovers have the recognition it deserves? I couldn't tell you why. Maybe it's because it's on HBO, and not everyone in the world pays for that, but then again, pretty much everyone watches Game of Thrones, right? So go watch it. Seriously.
