WhenThe Leftoverspremiered on HBO in 2014, it felt like a natural evolution ofLost. That’s no coincidence -the mind behind both shows is Damon Lindelof, whose work onLostchanged the way audiences engaged with serialized television. WhileLostfamously combined sci-fi mysteries with character-driven storytelling,The Leftoverstook that same formula and refined it into something deeper, darker, and more emotionally resonant. Co-created by Lindelof and Tom Perrotta (who also wrote the novel it’s based on),The Leftoversran for three critically acclaimed seasons before ending on its own terms in 2017.
WhileLostmay have defined an era of TVand launched a thousand fan theories,The Leftoversarguably perfected the very type of storytelling Lindelof helped pioneer. It’s one of HBO’s most compelling dramas, but it’s also one of the most underrated. Despite its 91% score onRotten Tomatoesand the high praise it continues to receive, it never reached the cultural heights ofLost. Still, for fans ofLostlooking for a similar - and arguably better - experience,The Leftoversis the show they’ve been missing out on.
The Leftovers Is A Spiritual Successor To Lost From Damon Lindelof
The Emotional Weight And Mystery Of Lost Gets Pushed It Into Profounder Territory
The Leftoversbegins with aglobal event called the “Sudden Departure,”in which2% of the world’s population vanishes without explanation. UnlikeLost, which leaned into its island-based survival plot and sprawling mythos,The Leftoversfocuses on how people live with unanswered questions - not just what happened, but how to keep going when there may never be an answer. The series follows Kevin Garvey (Justin Theroux), a small-town police chief dealing with personal unraveling and community breakdown in the wake of the disappearance.
Both shows explore grief, faith, and human connection, butThe Leftoversdoes so in a more meditative, grounded way.
Tonally,The Leftoversfeels like the natural continuation ofLost.Both shows explore grief, faith, and human connection, butThe Leftoversdoes so in a more meditative, grounded way. The spiritual themes Lindelof began inLost- particularly in its later seasons - are fully realized here. There’s an ongoing exploration of belief versus skepticism, much like the dynamic between Jack (Matthew Fox) and Locke (Terry O’Quinn) inLost, butThe Leftoversdives deeper into existential despair and hope.
Stylistically, the shows share haunting music (withThe Leftoversscore by Max Richter being particularly powerful), complex nonlinear storytelling, and ensemble casts grappling with moral ambiguity. Characters inthe cast ofThe Leftoverslike Nora Durst (Carrie Coon), Matt Jamison (Christopher Eccleston), and Laurie Garvey (Amy Brenneman) each offer different lenses through which viewers examine suffering and belief, just like the varied perspectives offered inLost.Damon Lindelof brought his storytelling evolution full circle withThe Leftovers, creating a spiritual companion toLostthat trades mystery boxes for emotional devastation. While the mysteries remain, they’re not the point - the people are.
The Leftovers Does A Lot Of Things Better Than Lost, Including The Ending
The Leftovers Succeeds Where Lost Stumbled, Especially When It Comes To Closure
The ending ofLostremains one of the most divisive in television history. While many praised its emotional impact, others criticized it for unresolved plotlines and ambiguous explanations.The Leftovers, on the other hand, delivered one of the most satisfying conclusions to a TV series ever - and it did so without betraying the mystery or emotional journey at its heart.
Lindelof himself acknowledged the criticisms ofLost’s finale, and he clearly applied what he learned when crafting the end ofThe Leftovers. The series finale, “The Book of Nora,” doesn’t tie every loose end, but it delivers emotional clarity and thematic resolution. It honors the ambiguity of the series while giving its characters - and the audience - a moment of genuine catharsis. Nora’s final story, in particular, isa masterclass in storytelling restraint and emotional power.
Beyond the ending,The LeftoversoutpacesLostin how it uses surrealism, symbolism, and character introspection.Lostsometimes buckled under the weight of its own mythology, butThe Leftoversembraces its mysteries as metaphors. It’s not about explaining the Sudden Departure - it’s about what it means to live in a world where such things can happen.
Character arcs are also more cohesive inThe Leftovers.Kevin’s psychological descent and rebirth, Nora’s search for meaning, and even side characters like Patti Levin (Ann Dowd) or Holy Wayne (Paterson Joseph) feel essential and well-developed. UnlikeLost, where characters were sometimes lost in the shuffle of a massive ensemble and convoluted twists,The Leftoverskeeps its cast focused and its arcs tight. WhileLostbroke ground,The Leftoversperfected the art of emotionally intelligent mystery storytelling - and ended on a high note few shows ever reach.
The Leftovers Was Not As Big As Lost, But It May Be The Better Show
Lost’s Successor Didn’t Dominate Pop Culture, But Its Brilliance Is Undeniable
There’s no denying thatLostwas a phenomenon. When it premiered on ABC in 2004, it revolutionized serialized TV and became a global watercooler hit. From its polar bears and smoke monsters to its mysterious numbers and Dharma Initiative,Lostwas the show everyone was talking about.The Leftovers, by contrast, flew well below the mainstream radar. Despite airing on HBO and being critically adored, it never captured the zeitgeist the wayLostdid.
However, in many ways,The Leftoversis the better show. Its 91% Rotten Tomatoes score reflects the critical consensus, but its limited popularity suggests it never quite found the wide audience it deserved. This is particularly surprising given the pedigree involved - not just Lindelof, but powerhouse performances from Justin Theroux, Carrie Coon, and others, as well as beautifully directed episodes and a haunting score.
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PerhapsThe Leftoverswas too bleak, too intimate, or too abstract for mass consumption. However, that’s also what makes it brilliant. It dared to sit in discomfort and ambiguity without needing to wow audiences with constant twists.Its storytelling was brave, personal, and often gut-wrenching. UnlikeLost, which occasionally veered into spectacle over substance,The Leftoverskept its focus razor-sharp. It’s time to stop callingThe Leftoversunderrated and start calling it what it is: one of the best television dramas of the modern era, possibly even better than the show that made Damon Lindelof a household name in the first place.
The Leftovers
Cast
The Leftovers is a three-season drama that follows a group of people as they deal with the effects of the sudden disappearance of 2% of the word’s population. It was created by Lost co-producer Damon Lindelof and Election writer Tom Perrotta, with famous actors such as Christopher Eccleston, Liv Tyler, Margaret Qualley, and Justin Theroux in the ensemble cast.
Lost
Lost is a mystery drama series created for TV that follows a group of survivors of a plane crash and tells its story between the past, present, and future via flashbacks. When Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 crashes and lands on a mysterious island in the pacific ocean, the castaways discover their new temporary home may have a mind of its own, as strange supernatural events keep them locked to the island. From an unknown black smoke creature to dangerous islanders, the passengers must work together to survive the island’s seemingly deadly intentions.
