The Leftovers - Season 2- Page 3

[Auggie27]

Posted: 12/2/15 at 10:51am

I was intrigued that the interview discusses this new aggressive, more radical faction of the GR as though they are still very much connected to the orthodoxy, such as it is.  I had read the Tyler group as a self-defined, self-sustaining new sub-denomination, more at odds. When she insists on speaking, they do go along with her. Maybe I'm right. It may not be clear yet how much contention exists between the two components.  I understand the GR fatigue among fans; yet it's a central element of the novel, this idea of a cult forming to cope with an unfathomable apocalyptic occurrence.  One could argue of course that it's a metaphor for all religion. Therein lies some of the edgy appeal of the show; otherwise, it's just too random in a sci-fy sense, too cut off from 2015 for my taste.  It now seems to have more to say about where we are, even if unintentionally.  On that score, I will again say: I probably overreacted to the Kevin/Patti episode.  I'm still curious how that truly unsettling prologue to the season in primordial Miracle folds in, if at all.  I had expected more.  It was scary and brilliantly done.   

Updated On: 12/2/15 at 10:51 AM

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 12/4/15 at 2:08am

For some reason I got a little disappointed when Kevin was not featured in an episode or if he showed up for a short period of time. I guess because he is the protagonist, everything is revolving around him and I like tuning in each week to follow the progress of lead characters. The acting as far as the supporting actors go is very strong but I do hope Ann Dowd has permanently been deleted from the story.

 

On a side note I think The Affair has had a very solid 2nd season and the writers came up with creative ideas to keep it interesting.

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 12/4/15 at 2:08am

For some reason I got a little disappointed when Kevin was not featured in an episode or if he showed up for a short period of time. I guess because he is the protagonist, everything is revolving around him and I like tuning in each week to follow the progress of lead characters. The acting as far as the supporting actors go is very strong but I do hope Ann Dowd has permanently been deleted from the story.

 

On a side note I think The Affair has had a very solid 2nd season and the writers came up with creative ideas to keep it interesting.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 12/8/15 at 1:13am

I don't know what it is about this show, but it has the most visceral effect on me that I have never experienced watching a TV series before. Last season left me shattered over and over before finally - gently - sweeping them into a dustpan to be reassembled later. Then season two comes along and decides to just dump it all out on the floor and kick the pieces around a bit before putting it all back again.

 

I can understand why it's a hard audience sell. The deliberate ambiguity and narrative chaos doesn't sit well with most and I get that. But dammit if this isn't the most difficult, soul-dissecting piece of television excellence I have ever seen. If HBO doesn't renew for a third season, I'll have to make peace with it, of course. But as far as I'm concerned, this entire series so far has been the most satisfying and fulfilling I have had the pleasure to experience. This is truly a masterpiece of television.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 12/8/15 at 1:27pm

NO MAJOR SPOILERS.  Finally got to the finale, two days later.  Very satisfying on about three levels, which surprised me, since the season has whipped me around, and I was very vocal about the afterlife episode that disappointed me.  The nod to that piece of the story here worked and helped me wrap my brains around that older episode. The convention seemed out of sync with the overall reality based tone and feel of the show, but I get why it's been used (though it remains my least favorite aspect).  Mostly, I was startled by something we haven't discussed as much: the relevance of the original novel's rich metaphors in late 2015.  Without actual parallels to parse, the series remains eerily timely, a very layered timeliness.  I'll leave it there. 

Updated On: 12/8/15 at 01:27 PM

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 12/9/15 at 10:21am

I agree it has a visceral effect I think because it is so much about loss and grief. I have found it quite intense.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 12/10/15 at 4:07pm

I was very happy with the finale, and like Auggie, the return to episode 8's elements this time oddly worked better for me, and made me appreciate that episode more.

 

I was surprised at how moving I found the final moment of the episode with the core cast reunited so incredibly moving.

 

Not ONE Golden Globe nom--but the noms are typically bizarre as always.  But, it's back for a third (and final) season.  I think I'm fine with that--the writers will know they just have the one year in advance (HBO has had an issue with sometimes cancelling shows without giving their writers any warning) and 3 years seems like a good run for this material.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 12/10/15 at 5:42pm

Ah, I didn't absorb that the third year was a done deal.  I think they can wind up the show with a satisfying finish with one more.  I'm not sure the premise -- which isn't about clues and emotional suspense driving the story until a denouement/reveal -- would sustain indefinitely.  I could be wrong, but since the creators invest in plumbing the material otherwise, we might lose patience with the dystopian darkness.  The show is decidedly grim, and even though the finale wasn't what some of us expected (Jonestown, maybe?) it was almost darker for its subtler turns.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 12/10/15 at 5:53pm

I agree that I think it doesn't lend itself to a long running series.

 

The announcement of a renewal was just made today, so...

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 12/10/15 at 7:34pm

Thank you, Eric, you just made my day! (And it's been a week when good news was in short supply.)

 

Auggie, I know we disagreed about "International Assassin", but I love your final response to the season and I hope you won't mind if I just say, "Auggie said it before I got a chance to do so."

[Auggie27]

Posted: 12/14/15 at 8:39am

SPOILERS. Perhaps the final bump for a while. I re-watched the finale and found it even more complex and satisfying.  The acting was quite wonderful, Regina King and Kevin Carroll remarkable (King on the bridge, raw; Carroll's discovery of Kevin, especially the humor, heartrending).  The show made the NY Times 10 Best list for TV, to my great surprise. And the WGA nominated the now infamous (1st) hotel episode, to my greater surprise (and  I'm a voting member).  The show is gaining street cred as it looks to its third act.  Maybe it will even score some Emmy noms next summer.  The unsung hero is Theroux, who with Coon has lead one of the most tortured families in television history. His singing of "Homeward Bound" was an understated but pivotal reveal of this man's desperation.    

[broadway86]

Posted: 12/14/15 at 2:45pm

The Leftovers, Hannibal, and Fargo have completely outdone everything else on television, in terms of acting, screenwriting, direction, and sheer audacity. The first season of this one was excellent, but season 2 exceeded every single expectation I had.