HBO Renews ‘The Leftovers’ For Season 2
At HBO, shows are sometimes given a new season the day after they premiere. The network looks at reviews, buzz, and ratings, and can immediately decide to get behind the creator’s vision for at least one more year. That’s the best-case scenario. Other shows, ones which don’t hit a home run right off, might take a few weeks. ForThe Leftovers, co-created by the always-controversialDamon Lindelofand authorTom Perrotta, it took seven weeks.
No matter, though, as HBO has just renewedThe Leftoversfor a second season. It’s a move that’s sure to please fans of the show and leave non-fans scratching their heads. I put myself in the first category and we can discussThe Leftoversseason 2, and watch a “Catch Up” trailer, below.
Varietywas among the places to run the news. Here’s a quote from HBO:
“Overwhelming response” is an understatement. More than most shows that play on HBO,The Leftovershas elicited incredibly polarized reactions. Many people watched an episode or two and gave up, frustrated by the mounting mysteries and incredibly slow pace. Others have embraced that “provocative” storytelling and are going along for the ride.
While I do understand why some people gave up on the show, I don’t understand the hate.The Leftoversisn’t for everyone. Not by a long shot. This isn’tGame of ThronesorTrue Bloodwhere every episode is packed with huge, memorable scenes. It’s a small show about characters, where full episodes might concentrate on a character who was previously only glimpsed in an earlier installment. The mystery behind the disappearance of 2% of the population isn’t the point. Lindelof and Perrotta have said, and the show proves, it’s about what that does to people. How would you react to this unfathomable event? That notion is what keeps me tuning in every week, and will keep me interested next year too.
The seventh episode of the first season aired Sunday and three more remain. Here’s a “Catch Up” trailer viaThe Playlistif you’d like to see some highlights of the first two-thirds of the first season. After that, tell us what you think ofThe Leftovers:
