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Announcements Mar 24, 2026 at 11:55 PM

The Leftovers made me a better person in terms of how I view others and their beliefs.

Posted by okay_then_

This has been my favourite show since I first saw it during COVID, where it really helped me to cope with the stress and loneliness of life at the time. I'm a huge media nerd who's watched nearly every "acclaimed" series under the sun, but I honestly don't think anything's impacted me as much as The Leftovers has. I've rewatched it several times and probably think about the characters and their stories several times a week. Max Richter's score is constantly rotating through my playlist. Now idk if anyone else can relate, but I was an epic listnookor when I was a teenager. I loved bacon, praised Gaben, and hated religion. If someone believed in a higher power or practiced any form of spirituality, it's because they were stupid, evil, or both. "Religion must be abandoned if humanity wants to move forward." It was a super arrogant and closed-minded attitude that I unfortunately carried with me into adulthood. It sounds so stupid but I truly only focused on all the negatives of religion, and never once considered there could be any actual positives. The Leftovers totally shifted my view on that. Like, I'm still an atheist who champions secular politics, but the way this show depicts faith, and all those who struggle with it, really helped me appreciate that side of human culture more. This show depicts every struggle with such tenderness and humanity, it's pretty much impossible not to empathize with each character. There's something really beautiful about the constant search for meaning, and how people find hope in the face of inexplicable existential despair. Even if it may not seem logical to someone else, if a person's sense of belief can bring them any sort of inner peace (without it impacting the inner peace of others), then I'm all for it. Why should anyone care what someone else hopes for? At that point the only evil/stupid person in the room is the guy standing there judging everyone. I know it sounds dumb, but I can really appreciate the role that faith plays in bringing comfort into people's lives now, something I'd never truly considered before watching The Leftovers. Just goes to show the importance of storytelling in shifting our perspectives and humanizing others. This show helped me grow.
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atchn01 Mar 25, 2026 +172
One thing I took away from Sopranos is the “Am I reacting this way because it is useful or because it makes me feel better?” I really thing it changed how I live.
172
Agent-Blasto-007 Mar 25, 2026 +33
The Leftovers is all about "How do you deal with *other* people's grief", which is an important & unfortunate skill to learn as people in your life start passing away or tragic events occur (especially as you're often grieving yourself at the time). The show hit entirely differently for me after my father passed away. On my first watch, I loathed the "Guilty Remnant" but on rewatch I realized that was me...everyone in my life was just moving and I was mired in this "what's the f****** point" malaise.
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SoftandSpicy Mar 25, 2026 +5
That's an amazing point of view. Thank you
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LA_Muckraker Mar 25, 2026 +137
I watched *Watchmen* (the TV series made by the same creator) again recently and I, again, just stepped back and thought: this must be one of the most well crafted shows and narratives of all time. I know why it doesn't get the acclaim it deserves, but that show should be mandatory viewing. Especially in today's political climate. After *The Leftovers*, he could have made anything he wanted - so to do *Watchmen* and to do it so f****** well. Just such an incredible creator.
137
okay_then_ Mar 25, 2026 +43
It was actually the Watchmen series that convinced me to finally check The Leftovers out. I was like, "how tf did this guy make a Watchmen sequel that actually rivals the graphic novel?" I don't usually care about superheroes but with Lindelof's involvement in Lanterns I'll have to check it out. Also (after a quick IMDB check) what the heck is Mrs. Davis and how on Earth did I miss it? Gonna have to add it to the list.
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randomname284 Mar 25, 2026 +29
Just FYI - Lindelof wasn't the showrunner for Mrs Davis (which he was for The Leftovers, Watchmen and Lost). Still a good show and very much worth watching, but maybe temper your expectations that it will be at the same level as his other shows. It's also VERY weird/quirky, much more so than Leftovers ever was at its 'weirdest'.
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SoftandSpicy Mar 25, 2026 +7
So much fun though. And it really is funny and quirky about religion and away that made me happy. It's like the leftovers in that it's subversive and loving of the spirit at the same time
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Drakengard Mar 25, 2026 +4
Yeah, I couldn't get into Mrs Davis. It is quirky but it was missing something for me that Lindelof's showrunner projects didn't. But it's not that far off from his usual work, either, so there's a part of me that feels like I should go back and give it another go.
4
IcyTransportation961 Mar 25, 2026 +6
Its definitely worth a go through
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callingallwaves Mar 25, 2026 +5
Mrs. Davis is so much wacky fun, and to be a dork I always feel like Damon Lindelof's work is always in a conversation with his prior work. Will always try anything this guy makes, because I will be thinking about it way after I'm done watching.
5
TeddysBigStick Mar 25, 2026 +6
The one problem with Watchmen is that the show never forced Sister Night or any of the other cops to address how evil they were. The show set it all up with the black site and the torture and the nixonville slums and the nieghborhoods of rich people whose wealth was entirely unearned from reparations based on generations passed but then never actually did it.
6
LA_Muckraker Mar 25, 2026 +19
We didn't need to be told how evil the police were behaving. When Laurie shows up and asks the 7th K if "his rights are being abused" and then says she "doesn't give a f***", is pretty in the face as you see the police sorta freeze like: is the FBI gonna punish us? The leader of the police had a KKK robe in his closet. The guy who created the DOPA act did it on order of the Cyclopse. I think it was pretty clear how evil the police were for their behaviors in everything.
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SoftandSpicy Mar 25, 2026 -1
I felt for the first time I could finally conceive of what time travel might be
-1
jbishow Mar 25, 2026 +12
Did I ever tell you that I was on Jeopardy?
12
ThrustersOnFull Mar 25, 2026 +32
>I'm still an atheist who champions secular politics, but the way this show depicts faith, and all those who struggle with it, really helped me appreciate that side of human culture more. This describes how I feel about Sorrentino's *Pope* shows, especially the first one. Or maybe it's just that Jude Law is *that* compellingly hot.
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BugblatterBeastTrall Mar 25, 2026 +30
I actually had the opposite experience. Watching this helped me realize I was in a cult. I'm not sure you were wrong. Leah Remini helped too.
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toontje18 Mar 25, 2026 +12
2 opposite ends of the spectrum, and the show moved you towards each other. The show moved both of you towards realization.
12
SoftandSpicy Mar 25, 2026 +3
Scientology?
3
BugblatterBeastTrall Mar 25, 2026 +6
JW
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callingallwaves Mar 25, 2026 +27
Hell yeah, always love to see someone find The Leftovers and Damon Lindelof's later shows. Here's a non-Lindelof suggestion: Station 11. Yes, there's a pandemic but it's more about making a life after tragedy and how art and stories make life worth living. One of the characters says survival is insufficient, and that really stuck with me especially watching it in the middle of a covid surge.
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Lvl99Dogspotter Mar 25, 2026 +5
God, I loved Station 11! Usually I tap out of post-apocalyptic media because it tends to lean too nihilistic and "we have to be tough to survive" for my tastes, but Station 11 was so tender and compassionate and full of hope. There were a couple of narrative beats that didn't totally work for me, but it was just such a lovely show.
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Ralphwiggum911 Mar 25, 2026 +2
Thirded on station 11. Highly recommend
2
GarfieldDaCat Mar 25, 2026 +1
"This strange and awful time was the happiest of my life" What a show. I discovered it about 6 months ago and watched all 10 episodes in a weekend. Never watched another show like it
1
Lima_Bean_Jean Mar 26, 2026 +1
Loved that show too! I need to rewatch them both.
1
Boatinater Mar 26, 2026 +1
The “‘I was scared all the time.’ ‘I wasn’t.’” exchange really got me
1
thief-777 Mar 25, 2026
"I don't want to live the wrong life and then die."
0
toontje18 Mar 25, 2026 -2
We can't go driving, in an automobile There aint no motorcycles, poppin' up on their wheels We can't go flying, to a tropical land But come on darling grab my hand Cause we can go wandering under the moon (Ba-da-ba-ba-da-da-da-da-da-da) The stars are brighter now after the doom (Ba-da-ba-ba-da-da-da-da-da-da) Phones and tablets they won't, be back soon So we can go wandering under the moon There ain't no movies, on a silver screen There ain't no television, playing scene after scene There ain't no metro, with a rock and roll band But come on darling grab my hand Cause we can go wandering under the moon (Ba-da-ba-ba-da-da-da-da-da-da) The stars are brighter now after the doom (Ba-da-ba-ba-da-da-da-da-da-da) Cellphones and tablets they won't, be back soon So we can go wandering under the moon Cause we can go wandering under the moon The stars are brighter now after the doom Them phones and tablets they won't, be back soon So we can go wandering under the moon
-2
GromByzlnyk Mar 25, 2026 +14
Who's empathizing with Holy Wayne?
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okay_then_ Mar 25, 2026 +21
I mean he sucked as a person but I still felt pity >!for him sobbing that he might be a fraud while bleeding to death in the bathroom!<
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GromByzlnyk Mar 25, 2026 +9
I think he got what he deserved for the life he lead. Only in that moment did he reflect on his selfish life.
9
RoderickThe13 Mar 25, 2026 +23
I totally relate. It also changed me from an atheist that would scoff at the mere mention of God to one who appreciates the good parts of religion. And it's interesting that the show manages to do that without being preachy at all, and telling a story that's much more about the characters than anything else.
23
cabernet7 Mar 25, 2026 +11
It's a very atheist/agnostic friendly show, and it also allowed me to rethink the way I view religion in general.
11
aversethule Mar 25, 2026 +3
My opinion is that it is because the show is not about religion as much as philosophy. It's a treatise on Absurdism (note the Camus book in the first episode).
3
notcabron Mar 25, 2026 -6
Yeah. Religion sucks balls, but it compels otherwise selfish people to do unselfish things often enough to be almost worth it. And it takes genuinely good people and makes them better in their communities.
-6
mcarterphoto Mar 25, 2026 +6
I'd say my top three greatest-series-TV shows ever are (1) Sopranos, (2) Deadwood (a very close #2 - imagine if it had as many seasons as The Sopranos) and (3) The Leftovers. Season one is pretty grim, but season 2 really paid off, didn't it? A beautiful, strange show.
6
okay_then_ Mar 25, 2026 +8
Recommending the show is always tricky because I think most people agree it's seasons 2&3 that give The Leftovers "Greatest of All Time everyone should watch this" status, but you gotta get through the more dread-inducing season 1 first. I think it's fantastic all the way through but that initial grim tone can be a bit too much for some people. I have a theory that if they'd used the the Let the Mystery Be title sequence from the start, then the show would have reached a wider audience. The oppressive choral church fresco suits the vibes of season 1 but it's probably a lot less accessible than the folk music/candid-photos-of-loved-ones vibe they eventually went with. It helps set a more "life is bittersweet" tone rather than an "EXISTENCE IS HORROR READ YOUR BIBLE" tone.
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mcarterphoto Mar 25, 2026 +3
Yeah, I've rewatched a lot of my favorites shows after a decade goes by, but the Leftovers starts off so grim, I dunno. I thought season 2/ep 1. was just draw-dropping though (IIRC anyway, where the prehistoric lady in the same area survives the cave-in?)
3
how_do_i_meow Mar 25, 2026 +7
I too watched the leftovers during COVID and it also changed the way I think. Especially since I was working in the ER during COVID and witnessing multiple deaths each shift I found this show helped me to kinda shift my perspective a bit and find a bit of peace in a weird way. It's weird though I don't think I can ever re watch it. It was so heavy and made me think so much about life that I dont know if I can handle that again
7
Virtual-Nose7777 Mar 26, 2026 +2
Sounds like you have become more comfortable with "ignorance is bliss". Life beaten you down?
2
Seagoon_Memoirs Mar 25, 2026 +11
I wish religious people felt the same way about atheists. It's still a dangerous world for atheists.
11
Ovv_Topik Mar 25, 2026 +7
Where other than fundamentalist Islamic states, is the world a 'dangerous' place for atheists?
7
Seagoon_Memoirs Mar 25, 2026 -5
It's not just governments that hate atheists there are personal hatreds as well
-5
Darthhomer12 Mar 25, 2026 -2
Jesus, lose the persecution complex.. Nobody is going to hurt you.
-2
BrodyCole Mar 25, 2026 +3
I’m so envious of you lot who enjoyed it and kinda dislike myself for how much I f****** hated that show. To each their own tho 🤙
3
aversethule Mar 25, 2026 +2
What's the difference between a pimple and a priest?
2
cronedog Mar 25, 2026 +1
I loved season 1 but thought each season thereafter kept getting worse.
1
OneReportersOpinion Mar 25, 2026
Max Richter’s Sleep and Memoryhouse have become essential listening to me on nights I feel stressed.
0
Rounder057 Mar 25, 2026 +1
This show saved my life
1
SoftandSpicy Mar 25, 2026 +1
I love how season 2 episodes ended with beautiful covers of songs. And homeward bound
1
Apprehensive_War173 Mar 25, 2026 +1
yeah I get this. It didn’t change what I believe, but it definitely made me more understanding of why other people believe what they do.
1
CarrieDurst Mar 25, 2026
I agree, as long as a religious belief isn't queerphobic or sexist no harm in it. So glad they made Matt a good person, book him is a POS and TV Him is my GOAT character
0
SoftandSpicy Mar 25, 2026
It was a rough to get there though. He was a POS in the first season
0
CarrieDurst Mar 25, 2026 +2
My favorite episode is his season 1 episode
2
DrinkBuzzCola Mar 25, 2026
I liked that show till it made me anxious, and I gave up on it. Seemed like every character I got to know and like had some kind of mental breakdown till it got to where I couldn't enjoy it anymore. Glad to hear had a positive impact on you though.
0
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