Life, loss and ‘The Leftovers

mass vanishing of innocent and righteous persons prior to the end times—“The Leftovers” is an aptly bleak that tackles the sudden, inexplicable disappearance of millions.

 Still reeling from the loss, denizens of one town react differently to the unprecedented occurrence that continues to baffle scientists, and even the religious. It’s not all-out chaos, as things seem normal, only somber and much quieter. Life goes on for the abandoned, most of them silently questioning the still-unanswered mystery. Some deal with feelings of unworthiness; but there are those who carry on, unruffled. A priest (Christopher Eccleston) dispels the belief that The Departure took only the virtuous and sinless; he gathers and spreads proof that some of the vilest, most hateful people were included in the “cosmic” culling.

“The Leftovers” has a tone similar to some fantasy and sci-fi drama series about encompassing cataclysms or “miracles”—“FlashForward,” “Resurrection” and “Revolution” easily come to mind—but it certainly is more dour and less optimistic,  its small-town setting giving it a strange, “Twin Peaks” vibe.

It has quirky, “Lost” touches, as well; by the third episode, it is easy to sympathize with the characters. Not that it isn’t easy from the get-go, it’s well-acted enough to inspire emotional rapport—there’s just a deeper understanding of their dysfunctions once the massive, soul-searching backstories unfold.

The focus on Eccleston’s religious character, for example, reveals his various frailties, illustrating in detail his life prior to, and after The Departure. He exposes the fact that the despicable were among the disappeared, exemplifying the serious conflict within his being. While he is perplexed at the randomness of the calamity, he gives voice to those who want to remember that a clear demarcation still exists between good and evil.

it’s easy to get into “The Leftovers” despite its predictable, world-weary tone and unrelenting moodiness. The post-apocalyptic drama’s melancholy musings offer a fresh look at societal upheaval, and answers more relatable human mysteries while doing so.