Both relentlessly compelling and confusing, the sci-fi-fantasy TV show fantasy TV show that's almost perfect, only starting to flag in the later seasons when the story sagged under the weight of the many mysteries that had been building since the beginning. While the sense of place and purpose that made Lost so vivid in the early seasons doesn't disappear, its clarity appears again in other series that drew inspiration from Lost.
The series finale has been hotly debated in the years since the series went off the air, proving to be just as compelling today as it was in 2010. This is a difficult fault to overlook, as a finale can make or break the longevity and reputation of a series. There are so many parts of Lost that make it so rewatchable today, so it's unsurprising that the themes and conversations that drew audiences into the series' world have been narrowed and made more clear by fantastic projects that have appeared in the years since Lost ended.
The Leftovers Is A More Refined Version Of Lost From The Same Creator
The Leftovers Takes The Basic Premise Of Lost To The Next Level
The Leftovers is one of the best TV shows to replace Lost, even proving itself to be a more complete and coherent series by the final season. Damon Lindelof, who co-created Lost, is the mind behind The Leftovers, so it isn't surprising that the projects have a lot in common. However, The Leftovers was a refined and more focused take on the same survival story that grapples with guilt, loss, and tragedy. While Lost is the show that's credited with perfecting the mystery-box structure and bringing it to the mainstream of television, The Leftovers learned from Lost's mistakes.
Lindelof has had a hand in many iconic series, not just Lost and The Leftovers, but the latter might be his more well-crafted work so far. As time has progressed, the strength of The Leftovers' storytelling and the clarity of its themes have only become more potent for modern viewers and in the contemporary cultural context. Led by Justin Theroux and Carrie Coon in two of their most incredible performances to date, The Leftovers follows the characters struggling to adapt to the new world order after 2% of the population disappears with no explanation.
The Leftovers Only Needed 3 Seasons To Tell An Incredible Story
Despite Its Short Run, The Leftovers Achieves Everything It Set Out To Do
Whereas Lost ran for six seasons and started losing focus because of its long run, The Leftovers was made stronger because it had such a short time to get its point across. Running for just three seasons with only eight to ten episodes in each installment, The Leftovers doesn't waste a moment of its story, pushing the narrative and getting tighter as the seasons progress. Kevin and Nora serve as primary protagonists for all three seasons as the story tracks their emotional arcs and ability to rebuild their sense of family, place, and faith in the wake of unimaginable loss.
8 Years After The Leftovers' Ending, I'm Still Impressed It Pulled Off One Thing That Hurt Other Mystery Shows
The Leftovers opened with as many questions as other mystery box shows, but the HBO series’ ending pulled off something most of them couldn’t.
Though The Leftovers doesn't deal with quite as large an ensemble as Lost, it still tackles many overlapping storylines and differing perspectives, which take time to develop throughout the episodes. However, The Leftovers doesn't let any of the other plotlines fall away as it slowly entwines each thread together, making for the thematic portrait that the series was always heading toward. While the darkness and grief that runs through the DNA of The Leftovers can be difficult to stomach at first, the show begins to demonstrate its hope and joy by the final season.
Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
The Leftovers (2014–2017) |
91% |
90% |
The Leftovers' Ending Was More Satisfying Than Lost's Divisive Finale
Lost's Final Episode Is One Of Its Most Controversial Installments
Unfortunately, as the show stretched onward, Lost started to lose the thread of what kept the story on track and delivered a series finale that was largely disappointing. The Lost series finale raised more questions than answers, leaving viewers uncertain what they were supposed to come away feeling and having learned from the long-running show. However, the opposite is true for The Leftovers. After an incredibly tight run, The Leftovers ended on a high note, giving Kevin and Nora their due and finding the sense of peace the audience and characters had been looking for since the beginning.
It's hard to imagine a more successful narrative to leave the audience with than this finale.
Lost might have cultivated a more positive legacy if the series had stuck the landing of the series finale more effectively. The Leftovers is a rare show that gains momentum as it progresses, with season 3 arguably the most dynamic and interesting installment of the series. The series finale, "The Book of Nora," was the perfect ending for The Leftovers. Both emotionally resonant and open-ended enough to drive home the essential themes of the show, it's hard to imagine a more successful narrative to leave the audience with than this finale.
- Showrunner
- Damon Lindelof, Carlton Cuse
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