The Leftovers

George · Jul 12, 2017, 10:40 AM

Greg and I are at the last episode of Season One of The Leftovers, and enjoying it a lot. It's a bit more dystopian than I care for. Admittedly, I have a very low tolerance for such things, and predictably, I'm enjoying the more human interest themes a lot more. I find it difficult to watch more than one episode at a time, however, as the proceedings are rather grim and they pack a lot into each 50-minute episode.

Any other fans out there? I know the series just ended last month.

Chris L · Jul 12, 2017, 11:11 AM

We're just about at the end of Season Two. All I'll tell you is that the second season is like a different show, though with the same characters. And we've heard that the third season is different from the second. Keep watching and see how you feel about how the show goes from where you are. I could have taken it or left it in the first season, but the second season eventually becomes gripping. And weird.

artscallion · Jul 12, 2017, 01:23 PM

The third season gets even weirder. I enjoyed all three seasons for different reasons, though I enjoyed the more human drama of the first season the most.
I felt the same way about this as I did about The Walking Dead; the moment I was about to give up because it was becoming too formulaic or too weird, or too gratuitous, they would air an episode that left me dumbstruck by its perfection.

Chris L · Jul 12, 2017, 03:19 PM

I would have enjoyed Season One more if I hadn't read the book and known essentially what was coming. It became interesting to me the farther it got from the book, which starts happening late in Season One. And Season Two strikes out into entirely new territory.

George · Jul 13, 2017, 08:23 AM

The Metacritic scores rate the three seasons, respectively, at 65, 80, and a whopping 98. I'm excited to start Season 2, having just watched the Season 1 finale last night. Gripping, yes.

Carrie Coon is so appealing. She did some great work in the recent season of Fargo, which deserves a thread of its own.

Chris L · Jul 13, 2017, 02:36 PM

Quote from: George on Jul 13, 2017, 08:23 AMCarrie Coon is so appealing. She did some great work in the recent season of Fargo, which deserves a thread of its own.

I love Carrie Coon -- and three months ago I didn't even know who she was (though in retrospect I realize I'd seen her as Nick's sister in Gone Girl). May she continue being offered parts and only choosing the good ones.

Quote from: artscallion on Jul 12, 2017, 01:23 PMI felt the same way about this as I did about The Walking Dead; the moment I was about to give up because it was becoming too formulaic or too weird, or too gratuitous, they would air an episode that left me dumbstruck by its perfection.

Yes, The Walking Dead can do amazing standalone episodes, usually the ones where they focus on a single character or a single pair of characters. And then they go back to torturing everybody, something they did way too much of last season. Amy's ready to hang it up and stop watching. I haven't decided.

mrssondheim · Jul 13, 2017, 04:02 PM

About to watch the pilot episode. Love Justin Theroux, so it is a win thus far!

Chris L · Jul 13, 2017, 04:04 PM

Quote from: mamarose on Jul 13, 2017, 04:02 PMAbout to watch the pilot episode. Love Justin Theroux, so it is a win thus far!

Is he the actor who plays Kevin? His part just keeps getting bigger as the show goes on.

(We're about to start Season Three.)

mrssondheim · Jul 13, 2017, 08:05 PM

Quote from: Chris L on Jul 13, 2017, 04:04 PM
Quote from: mamarose on Jul 13, 2017, 04:02 PMAbout to watch the pilot episode. Love Justin Theroux, so it is a win thus far!

Is he the actor who plays Kevin? His part just keeps getting bigger as the show goes on.

(We're about to start Season Three.)

Yes! I really like episode 1. Let's see how this goes!

George · Jul 14, 2017, 08:37 AM

Quote from: Chris L on Jul 13, 2017, 02:36 PMI love Carrie Coon -- and three months ago I didn't even know who she was (though in retrospect I realize I'd seen her as Nick's sister in Gone Girl). May she continue being offered parts and only choosing the good ones.

She's married to Tracy Letts!

Chris L · Jul 14, 2017, 11:20 AM

Quote from: George on Jul 14, 2017, 08:37 AMShe's married to Tracy Letts!

I'll be damned!

George · Jul 14, 2017, 11:34 AM

Quote from: Chris L on Jul 14, 2017, 11:20 AM
Quote from: George on Jul 14, 2017, 08:37 AMShe's married to Tracy Letts!

I'll be damned!

Apparently they met when she played Honey in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" at Steppenwolf in Chicago and the subsequent productions/transfers. She did lots of theatre work in Madison, WI, and, later, Chicago.

Chris L · Jul 14, 2017, 12:03 PM

Quote from: George on Jul 14, 2017, 11:34 AMApparently they met when she played Honey in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" at Steppenwolf in Chicago and the subsequent productions/transfers. She did lots of theatre work in Madison, WI, and, later, Chicago.

So, pride and joy of Illinois, I guess that makes her something of a local girl. No wonder you're so captivated by her. (I'm captivated by her too and have spent less than a week of my life in Chicago, so obviously it's catching.)

Actually, I would imagine that she and Letts make a charming couple. He should write a play for her (if he hasn't already). She'd be perfect as one of the middle-aged sisters in August, Osage County.

Hmm, according to Wikipedia she's going to be playing the late Washington Post editor/writer Meg Greenfield in Stephen Spielberg's upcoming film about the Pentagon Papers. Having grown up reading the Post and doubtlessly Greenfield's byline-free editorials, that interests me.

AmyG · Jul 14, 2017, 12:29 PM

Quote from: Chris L on Jul 14, 2017, 12:03 PMHmm, according to Wikipedia she's going to be playing the late Washington Post editor/writer Meg Greenfield in Stephen Spielberg's upcoming film about the Pentagon Papers. Having grown up reading the Post and doubtlessly Greenfield's byline-free editorials, that interests me.

Ooh, maybe my brother will be a character in it since he was the best friend of Daniel Ellsberg's son.

AmyG · Jul 14, 2017, 12:32 PM

And I love that Carrie Coon and Tracy Letts are married. They are both so talented.