# The Leftovers - book and upcoming HBO series **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 7, 2014, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-leftovers-book-and-upcoming-hbo-series/690298 "2014-06-07T22:47:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-leftovers-book-and-upcoming-hbo-series/690298/101 "2014-07-31T19:02:51Z")
> [@Sr\_Siete](#): > > But you really think that your average Italian peasant was particularly invested in Galileo and his fate? They didn’t. People kept on living after 9/11. And after WWII. And after the Black Death. We move on. We adapt to anything. > > You make a movie about 2003 and wouldn’t be an accurate portrayal if it had everyone talking about the twin towers constantly. I don’t think that a possible supernatural explanation would make such a difference. I view your perspective in this thread as inscrutable as you view the cultists. I understand all the words you’ve been using in your last several posts, but pretty much none of them make a lick of sense to me. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-leftovers-book-and-upcoming-hbo-series/690298/102 "2014-08-13T00:38:54Z")
After watching the most recent episode, I finally understand that the daughter’s friend – who seems to be unable to wear both a bra and a shirt at the same time – actually lives with them. Do we know why? Was there any explanation given in show, or maybe did something happen and she moved in during the show? I have to say I felt a little slow on the uptake not realizing she lived there until now. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-leftovers-book-and-upcoming-hbo-series/690298/103 "2014-08-13T13:53:18Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > After watching the most recent episode, I finally understand that the daughter’s friend – who seems to be unable to wear both a bra and a shirt at the same time – actually lives with them. Do we know why? Was there any explanation given in show, or maybe did something happen and she moved in during the show? > > I have to say I felt a little slow on the uptake not realizing she lived there until now. No, I’m the same as you, I was trying to remember if there was anything in previous episodes saying that she lived there. I don’t ever remember any explanation, I had just figured she was always over there since the girls are best friends. Anyway, I thought these last two episodes were pretty good, the Nora episode especially. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-leftovers-book-and-upcoming-hbo-series/690298/104 "2014-08-13T14:01:45Z")
I vaguely remember a minor scene in which they explained why the friend was living there. It might have involved a parent who is one of the disappeared. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-leftovers-book-and-upcoming-hbo-series/690298/105 "2014-08-13T19:42:14Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I vaguely remember a minor scene in which they explained why the friend was living there. It might have involved a parent who is one of the disappeared. I seem to remember that, too. Of course it scarcely matters, since the real reason she’s there is to titillate viewers with The Possibilities. Oooooooooooo! ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-leftovers-book-and-upcoming-hbo-series/690298/106 "2014-08-13T23:19:11Z")
FYI, today HBO renewed this show for a second season. The show got about 7.4 million viewers per episode, on average. Apparently that’s about as good as Boardwalk Empire. Plot-wise, I’m not sure where they’ll go in the second season. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2014, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-leftovers-book-and-upcoming-hbo-series/690298/107 "2014-08-13T23:36:01Z")
The exchange that made me realize I should stop watching: ::wife walks in:: “What is this?” Me: “It’s about millions of people who suddenly vanish, and the mystery around what happened to them - the Rapture, or whatever. And how everyone goes about their lives wondering where they went / why they left.” Wife: “Sounds like _Lost_.” Me: “Actually, it’s by the same guy.” Wife: “So…_Loss_.” Me: ::changes channel:: ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-leftovers-book-and-upcoming-hbo-series/690298/108 "2014-08-18T17:17:05Z")
I quite enjoyed this past episode, but either I’m getting old (probably) or the show is doing a terrible job of telling us characters’ name (possibly) because before it started I read the description in my cable guide as follows: **Kevin thinks he may be losing his mind.** (That must be the sheriff, right?) **Meg loses control in a confrontation with Matt.** (Who the fuck is Meg? And Matt?!) **Jill confronts Aimee about her relationship with Kevin.** (Okay, so if Kevin is the sheriff, that must mean Jill and Aimee are the ex-wife and the chick who lost her whole family.) **Nora stands up to Laurie.** (Nora? Nora? Who the fuck is Nora? And Laurie? I know a Lorie from The Walking Dead…) That was seriously my thought process reading the description. Going into this episode, I didn’t have the first clue what any character’s name was in the entire show. I now finally know their names, but only because I’m so obsessed with reading cable guide descriptions. I now know that: Matt is the preacher Meg is Liv Tyler Kevin is the sheriff Jill is his daughter Laurie is his ex-wife Nora lost her whole family Aimee is Jill’s friend who was mysteriously living with them On another note, this episode had a lengthy exposition dump about the motivations of the cult, Sr Siete. So if you’re really curious about it, tune in for this episode. The whole explanation sounded like bullshit to me, but I never considered their motivation a mystery in the first place. You might find the explanation satisfying. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-leftovers-book-and-upcoming-hbo-series/690298/109 "2014-08-18T17:23:25Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > **Kevin thinks he may be losing his mind.** (That must be the sheriff, right?) **Meg loses control in a confrontation with Matt.** (Who the fuck is Meg? And Matt?!) **Jill confronts Aimee about her relationship with Kevin.** (Okay, so if Kevin is the sheriff, that must mean Jill and Aimee are the ex-wife and the chick who lost her whole family.) **Nora stands up to Laurie.** (Nora? Nora? Who the fuck is Nora? And Laurie? I know a Lorie from The Walking Dead…) Are you not paying enough attention even to hear the characters address each other by name? Or is this the first episode you’ve watched? BTW, I think it’s still not clear if the guy shooting the dogs exists outside of Kevin’s mind. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-leftovers-book-and-upcoming-hbo-series/690298/110 "2014-08-18T17:43:26Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > BTW, I think it’s still not clear if the guy shooting the dogs exists outside of Kevin’s mind. I’m pretty sure he does. When he stopped by the house, he spoke to Jill, who did respond. ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-leftovers-book-and-upcoming-hbo-series/690298/111 "2014-08-18T17:58:42Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > On another note, this episode had a lengthy exposition dump about the motivations of the cult, Sr Siete. So if you’re really curious about it, tune in for this episode. The whole explanation sounded like bullshit to me, but I never considered their motivation a mystery in the first place. You might find the explanation satisfying. Probably never going to bother, but thanks. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-leftovers-book-and-upcoming-hbo-series/690298/112 "2014-08-18T18:41:15Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Are you not paying enough attention even to hear the characters address each other by name? Or is this the first episode you’ve watched? I think I’m just getting old, but in fairness, outside of Kevin and Nora, there haven’t been a lot of names being thrown around. Half the time Jill was addressed as Garvey, for example. And Meg hasn’t been around people who say names in a while. I flat-out do not remember anyone saying the name “Matt.” ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-leftovers-book-and-upcoming-hbo-series/690298/113 "2014-08-18T19:20:02Z")
I was thinking about the comparisons to _Lost_. The big mistake made by the producers of _Lost_ was in the unsatisfying ending and explanation of all the mysteries we were presented. So this show’s approach seems to be to leave the big mystery (Why did all those people disappear? Where did they go?) unexplained. The [AV Club mentioned](http://www.avclub.com/tvclub/leftovers-cairo-208241) that a writer for Vanity Fair suggested the show is really about clinical depression, which sounds about right to me. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-leftovers-book-and-upcoming-hbo-series/690298/114 "2014-08-18T22:05:52Z")
> [@interface2x](#): > > I’m pretty sure he does. When he stopped by the house, he spoke to Jill, who did respond. And he seemed real enough to Patti, though she was puzzled by his complete lack of documentation. ---
**Author:** ![Vashbul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Vashbul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vashbul)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-leftovers-book-and-upcoming-hbo-series/690298/115 "2014-08-27T19:41:38Z")
Sunday’s episode was a flashback, and partially answered the question “how did the Leftovers experience the capital-E Event of three years ago?”. I say partially because we didn’t actually see anyone disappear, but we do know now that there were witnesses - it didn’t just happen to people who were out of sight, as with the young mother in the first episode, who drops something and looks away, and when she looks back her child’s gone. But Tom and Jill are holding hands at the Science fair, and we cut away, but then we return to see their reaction when one of the participants of the “circuit” has vanished. Will the show ever give us an objective, camera’s eye view of the Big E? I’m guessing it won’t or it would have done so last night. I’m willing to believe it was something that you couldn’t see but had to experience - that is, one minute Tom and Jill see their classmate, then there’s a moment when they experience two realities at once, where the person is both there and not there, as if your left and right eye were seeing two different images and your brain tries to reconcile this paradox. Then at some point, you are aware that someone who was there in front of you is not anymore, though you can’t pinpoint an exact moment when they left. Make sense? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-leftovers-book-and-upcoming-hbo-series/690298/116 "2014-08-27T19:49:29Z")
Does everything that they were wearing and everything in their pockets disappear too or is there a pile of clothes, keys and cell phones where people used to be? ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-leftovers-book-and-upcoming-hbo-series/690298/117 "2014-08-27T21:19:46Z")
That was a pretty intense episode. I can now better understand how radically that must fuck you up to witness that. I think of Jill & Tom standing in a circle with their teacher, and how freaky it must be to witness him vanish. Then I think of Nora, and how soul-crushing it would be to turn around and your whole family is gone. But the ultimate has to be Kevin. How do you not go insane when the person you’re actively having sex with disappears right out from under you? Based on the season so far, he was not able to avoid going insane. It also helped to make the dogs going insane idea more plausible, as well as nicely explain just how and why the entire Garvey family is so fucked up. > [@Vashbul](#): > > I’m willing to believe it was something that you couldn’t see but had to experience - that is, one minute Tom and Jill see their classmate, then there’s a moment when they experience two realities at once, where the person is both there and not there, as if your left and right eye were seeing two different images and your brain tries to reconcile this paradox. Then at some point, you are aware that someone who was there in front of you is not anymore, though you can’t pinpoint an exact moment when they left. I rather like this description. > [@hajario](#): > > Does everything that they were wearing and everything in their pockets disappear too or is there a pile of clothes, keys and cell phones where people used to be? No piles of clothes or jewelry. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-leftovers-book-and-upcoming-hbo-series/690298/118 "2014-08-29T16:06:35Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > That was a pretty intense episode. I can now better understand how radically that must fuck you up to witness that. I think of Jill & Tom standing in a circle with their teacher, and how freaky it must be to witness him vanish. Then I think of Nora, and how soul-crushing it would be to turn around and your whole family is gone. But the ultimate has to be Kevin. How do you not go insane when the person you’re actively having sex with disappears right out from under you? Based on the season so far, he was not able to avoid going insane. > > It also helped to make the dogs going insane idea more plausible, as well as nicely explain just how and why the entire Garvey family is so fucked up. After rewatching the fantastic last 15 minutes of last week’s episode, I’m embarrassed to have forgotten to mention possibly the biggest mindfuck of all:When Laurie’s fetus disappears in the middle of an ultrasound. Also, I noticed on rewatch that it was a fellow student who disappeared, not the teacher. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-leftovers-book-and-upcoming-hbo-series/690298/119 "2014-08-29T17:29:11Z")
2 weeks until the finale? Why??? ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-leftovers-book-and-upcoming-hbo-series/690298/120 "2014-08-29T17:37:33Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > 2 weeks until the finale? Why??? This is a holiday weekend in the US. (Labor Day) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-leftovers-book-and-upcoming-hbo-series/690298.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-leftovers-book-and-upcoming-hbo-series/690298.md?page=7)