Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

The Leftovers: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie Review

"Everybody's Gone to the Rapture." That's one theory, at least.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman October 10, 2015

Where were they when the world stopped turning? And what have they been up to since? HBO's The Leftovers, based on the novel of the same name by Tom Perrotta, explores a small corner of the world as it exists three years following a mysterious event that suddenly, and without warning, took 2% of the world's population in a rapture-like event. The end of times -- or, here something like the end times, a global event but one physically affecting a mathematically fractional number of the population -- is no stranger to modern entertainment. While those other shows that deal in zombies and pandemics and nuclear war are fine, it's refreshing to watch a show that's less concerned with survival and mystery -- or that always shuffle priorities around -- and more concerned with the human psyche. That the event isn't spectacular in magnitude or flashy in how it happens further helps create a sense of uneasiness, increasingly fragile interpersonal relationships, and a degradation of the individual spirit in some form or fashion, be it quick and immediate or slow burning and not particularly obvious. In The Leftovers, there are no shortage of physical scars that result from "The Sudden Departure," but it's the show's ability to so keenly explore the emotional scars and the wearing away of the soul that's its most intriguing element and what makes the show stand apart from its peers.

Don't trust the dogs.

In the three years following "The Sudden Departure," the people of Mapleton, New York have tried to move on. There's a semblance of normalcy to everyday life, but things are different. Some of the differences are overt while some of them are hidden away in the very depths of those who where fortunate -- or is it unfortunate? -- enough to be left behind. Mayor Lucy Warburton (Amanda Warren) is arranging a parade to celebrate the "heroes" lost on that day. Local pastor Matt Jamison (Christopher Eccleston), whose flock has shrunk considerably in a world careening towards a post-God existence, struggles with the notion that, if it was indeed the "Biblical Rapture," the wrong people -- sinners, in his book -- were taken in his place. Why should they be celebrated? Local Chief of Police Kevin Garvey (Justin Theroux) fears the parade will be interrupted by a cult-like group called "The Guilty Remnant" that has given up talking, taken up smoking, and collectively lives an ambivalent, but in their own way vocal, life. One of the group's members is Garvey's own wife, Laurie (Amy Brenneman), who is close to the group's leader, Patti (Ann Dowd). Garvey's daughter Jill (Margaret Qualley) has fallen in with the wrong crowd, while his son Tommy (Chris Zylka) has become involved with a dangerous "healer" named Wayne (Paterson Joseph) who uses his talents to woo women to his side, including Christine (Annie Q). Other residents include Nora (Carrie Coon), the woman who lost her entire family to "The Sudden Departure;" Meg (Liv Tyler), a woman who is drawn into the Guilty Remnant; and Dean (Michael Gaston), a man who has chosen to face the new world bluntly, often with a gun in his hand.

The Leftovers is what Under the Dome should have been, or, perhaps better said, how it should have felt. Both shows, centered in small, idyllic American towns, deal with the inward struggle when the outward human condition is upset, when the unexplainable becomes reality, when the gradual change proves more dangerous and upsetting than the immediate change that set everything in motion. But where Dome largely left behind the mental, emotional, and even spiritual complexities of Stephen King's source book in favor of a more approachable, showy, and outwardly spectacular program, The Leftovers digs deeply into the core psyche of living in the aftermath of tragedy, an aftermath made all the worse by, three years later, no solid explanation for what happened. The show's sense of wide-berth pain met with the intimacy of a tight, and in many ways tightly wound, group of people make it far less approachable but significantly more relatable. It's dark and tragic, difficult to watch for a number of reasons, chiefly because it's so vague and open ended and because the pain runs so deep that it's like watching heartache, doubt, uncertainty, and fear all play out in slow motion. In The Leftovers, people are broken -- they're a mess -- and even if families weren't directly affected by the disappearance, they're perhaps even more damaged by it in the slow-burn time that's come in its wake.

It's that core foundational depth that makes The Leftovers spectacular, in its own way. Audiences accustomed to the more overly sobering dark worlds and violence of shows like The Walking Dead or the procedural threads of general television may feel a little lost and lonely and out of touch with The Leftovers. It's a show that demands incredible patience and broad acceptance. The payoff isn't spectacular, at least not in the sense of the classic big, extravagant climax and denouement. There are major turning points in season one, yes, but they're not what the show is about. It's instead about the deeply personal stories, discovering the characters, knowing them, feeling them. It's about not looking at the world or even trying to understand it, but instead feeling it. Indeed, the show asks audiences to give it their souls, to appreciate the agony that lingers below, not revel in the oddities that ride along its surface. There's a deep sense of mystery and, with that, a greater awe that comes with The Leftovers. There's a tremendous relay value here and a very different experience to be had on a second watch. After seeing it through the first time, those who choose to reenter the world will do so with eyes open to plenty of new context that doesn't offer any answers but that does allow for a more thoughtful examination of how people live in the world, and why, and, perhaps much more important, how they all died that day, not in the physical sense, of course, but in a greater cosmic one that many of them, even three years later, cannot fully grasp. And those who do, well, they're the odd ones out. Or are they?

Below is a list of all season one episodes. Summaries are provided courtesy of the insert included in the Blu-ray packaging. Spoilers follow.

Disc One:

• Pilot: Three years after 2% of the world's population mysteriously vanished, the residents of Mapleton weigh the pros and cons of a tribute to the departed, while Police Chief Kevin Garvey attempts to keep order in the community and at home.
• Penguin One, Us Zero: Kevin sees a therapist after he has some unsettling encounters. Meg makes a decision about her future. Tom and Christine are left in a dicey situation. Jill and Aimee want to know what Nora is doing.
• Two Boats and a Helicopter: As Reverend Jamison struggles with referring to the departed as "heroes," he faces death threats and diminishing attendance at his services, and he may even lose his church.
• B.J. and the A.C.: Kevin deals with a holiday display snafu, a detainee from another police station at work, and surprise visitors at home. Tom and Christine meet trouble on the road and at the hospital.
• Gladys: A shocking hate crime tests Laurie's resolve. Kevin considers a controversial-but-attractive offer from the bureau to help rid Mapleton of its problems.

Disc Two:

• Guest: Nora attents a NY conference, where someone is impersonating her on her panel. She wanders the hotel as a "guest," experiencing several encounters before she returns home to take up Kevin's interesting offer.
• Solace for Tired Feet: Kevin learns his father has escaped the psychiatric hospital. Jill's attempt to break an endurance record nearly kills her. Tom questions his devotion to Holy Wayne.
• Cairo: Kevin's grip on reality is slipping after he falls into a difficult situation with Patti. Meg loses her cool when she is involved in another encounter with Matt.
• The Garveys at Their Best: This moving flashback recounts times leading up to and during the Departure. Kevin pursues a pesky deer, Patti reveals a secret to Lori, Tom makes a connection with his past, and Nora goes on a job interview.
• The Prodigal Son Returns: The season finale finds Mapleton descending into chaos: Kevin seeks help in another town, Holy Wayne receives his final wish, and Tom must adjust to a new life while Nora mulls over a difficult situation.

The Leftovers: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Leftovers: The Complete First Season sees another high quality Warner/HBO television transfer brought to Blu-ray. The 1080p, 1.78:1-framed image suffers from a fair bit of noise and mild banding in its lower light shots but is otherwise deeply satisfying. This is a healthy, vibrant, solidly defined image all around. The basics expectedly excel, with the transfer revealing the finer points of skin and clothing textures while showcasing broader elements around town, inside homes, and other bits with effortless definition and consistent clarity. Textured bricks are particularly attractive and tactile. Colors are healthy and true, with a natural, real-world palette that never pushes pale or warm (beyond lower light interiors). Primaries pop and naturally duller shades blend in perfectly. Black levels are deep and never prone to crush. Flesh tones appear accurate to the actors' natural complexions.

The Leftovers: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack included with The Leftovers: The Complete First Season hits all the right notes. Music is varied and well defined. Lighter notes gracefully emanate from the speakers -- the front sides in particular -- with ease and effortless definition. Heavier notes, which are defined by a healthy, thumping bass line that moderately rattles the theater, are equally precise, even with the added weight. There is no shortage of chances for the track to shine by way of its easily immersive ambient effects. Natural external details linger and draw the listener into the moment, while other, mildly more aggressive elements like chants and crowd din, the sounds of a casino floor, a ringing school bell, loudspeaker announcements, tires on a gravel roadway, or reverberation through a nearly empty church nicely shape various places and moments. Heavier elements impress, too. Gunfire -- including a rather involved shootout to start episode two -- are nicely dynamic and punchy, spread around the stage and only lacking that true, lifelike, ear-piercing final push. Dialogue is the main element here and it flows with an easy center-focused placement, consistently well defined articulation, and prioritization above other elements.

The Leftovers: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Leftovers: The Complete First Season contains supplements on both Blu-ray discs. A voucher for a UV digital copy (expiration date 10/6/18) is included with purchase.

Disc One:

• Making The Leftovers (1080i, 28:56): This piece begins with Scott Glenn offering an interesting factoid on the Bermuda Triangle (other cast appear throughout to discuss famous disappearances). It continues with a look at core story details, character arcs, theories behind the disappearance, the way characters cope in the aftermath, the source novel, and more.
• Audio Commentary: Pilot episode commentary with Creators Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta.

Disc Two:

• I Remember: A Season One Conversation with Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta (1080p, 15:11): The creators discuss their collaboration, building the series from the book, the qualities each brought to the show, key moments from the season, core character qualities and their roles in the show, and more.
• Living Reminders: The Guilty Remnant (1080p, 8:50): A closer look at the mysterious cult that forms in the aftermath of "The Sudden Departure."
• Audio Commentary: Finale episode commentary with Creators Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta and Director Mimi Leder.
• Beyond the Book: Season Two (1080p, 4:15): An examination of the core story elements that ended season one and where the show will go in season two.

The Leftovers: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Leftovers is a very peculiar show, but its peculiarities make it all the more intriguing, its depth all the more profound, its pains all the more haunting. The show doesn't concern itself so much with the outward driving forces and consequences but rather the lingering, internal, festering wounds that over the years have grown to devour the souls of those left behind, some of whom know exactly what's happened to them in the aftermath, some who have no idea that they've changed, and some who refuse to accept it. It's in how they all respond that gives the show its push and it's in how they all die, in some way inside, that makes it special as they live out a life in which they wonder what happened and why and what the future holds. It's a painful journey but one well worth taking in one of the most subtly gut-wrenching yet great shows on television. Warner Brothers' Blu-ray release of The Leftovers: The Complete First Season features strong video and audio. Several good extras are included. Highly recommended.