Damon Lindelof, the co-creator of The Leftovers, has just lately spoken in regards to the present’s reasonably divisive season 1. Regardless of its important acclaim, The Leftovers ended after 3 seasons in 2017, however has since been launched to many new viewers. HBO’s The Leftovers is an adaptation of co-creator Tom Perrotta’s 2011 novel of the identical identify, and focuses on a world occasion that causes 2% of the world’s inhabitants to all of a sudden vanish, in addition to the family members of those that disappear. Whereas The Leftovers season 1 was nicely obtained, one frequent criticism is that it was reasonably bleak.
Whereas in attendance at a reunion panel for The Leftovers at ATX TV Pageant (through EW), Lindelof commented on The Leftovers season 1 and the present’s world response, stating, “One of many issues that made it so particular was that it wasn’t for everybody.” He continued with, “A lot of the work that all of us do and are requested to do is to make it as accessible to as many individuals as doable.” Lindelof additionally acknowledges how a few of season 1’s subject material might be “challenging” to observe for sure audiences:
[The Leftovers wasn’t] purposely making an attempt to exclude individuals … The primary season, in some ways, is like, ‘Cease f—ing watching!
Lindelof defined why some scenes are significantly delicate by referencing the season 1 episode “Gladys,” by which the titular character is violently stoned to loss of life by a bunch of assailants. He additionally outlined the parallels between Justin Theroux’s Kevin Garvey witnessing a canine being shot in The Leftovers pilot and the canine face licking scene from Misplaced (which Lindelof can be the co-creator of).
What This Means For The Leftovers’ New Viewers
The Leftovers May Not Be For Everybody, However It is Value Attempting
Eight years after The Leftovers’ ending, it’s value noting that the present’s hardest-to-watch scenes exist for a motive. Lindelof defined how “it was a present about overcoming struggling,” and this in the end pushes the themes and narrative of The Leftovers even additional.
Lindelof understands that The Leftovers generally is a tough look ahead to some individuals, particularly season 1. In a approach, it’s nice that the co-creator can acknowledge why sure elements of his present aren’t as accessible as they could possibly be. It’s vital that TV reveals can function broad an viewers as doable, however realistically, there’s typically some form of hole within the demographic. Nonetheless, this doesn’t imply that new viewers shouldn’t try The Leftovers. If something, Lindelof’s feedback can put together audiences for what to anticipate whereas additionally avoiding any main spoilers.
The Leftovers’ Co-Creator Acknowledges Season 1 Is not For Everybody
In the end, Lindelof does one thing that only a few TV showrunners or creators don’t – Acknowledge potential flaws or shortcomings. Lindelof is clearly obsessed with his work and understands the story that The Leftovers was making an attempt to inform.
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He additionally explains that the crew and forged of The Leftovers are purposefully making an attempt to create one thing that makes audiences suppose, even when it makes them slightly uncomfortable within the course of. The Leftovers is taken into account good by some purely as a result of it isn’t good, and Lindelof is aware of this, which makes his feedback much more fascinating.
Supply: EW
The Leftovers
10/10
- Launch Date
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2014 – 2017-00-00
- Showrunner
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Damon Lindelof
- Writers
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Damon Lindelof, Tom Perrotta