TV: The Leftovers (HBO)

[broken iris]

A- for the pilot. Love the concept, possibly the most intriguing on TV right now.

[epilogue]

I read that Lindelof is still upset about the reaction to the Lost finale and that this show would shy away from the supernatural and focus more on the impact of losing so many people and how that affects the people still on Earth.

Interesting.

Never met the man. But in the interview's I've seen Damon seems at peace with it. He and Carlton always knew it would be divisive. The only thing that seems to trouble him is how frequently people misinterpret the finale. Which is valid.

The book focuses on the people and their reactions and life in the face of an unknowable event, a "natural disaster" of sorts. Damon said that's what attracted him to the story. The show should follow suit. But the show was always going to be about that regardless of any hangups fans or Damon have/had about LOST.

[bada]

I'll stick with it but the pilot was barely a C for me.

[tommymtcom]

I never really watched lost, but my sister did and she would tell me about it a lot and the impression I got was that the show runners never had a set idea about where it was going. Really that is what put me off of watching it. If I'm going to invest my time in a show it's nice to know that there will be a satisfying resolution. That is why I hardly ever watch shows on broadcast TV - they are usually open-ended and run until everyone hates them, which I hope to god doesn't happen to Hannibal.

[Chris_H_2]

Saw the first episode, and will catch No. 2 tonight. My wife's takeaway after the first episode: "Well, it's no John from Cincinnati."

[bada]

the impression I got was that the show runners never had a set idea about where it was going.

I'm getting the same impression with this new show except at least I wanted answers to the Lost questions. I'm not sure I even care this time. I just watched the second episode and I'm hanging on by a thread.

[epilogue]

I never really watched lost, but my sister did and she would tell me about it a lot and the impression I got was that the show runners never had a set idea about where it was going. Really that is what put me off of watching it. If I'm going to invest my time in a show it's nice to know that there will be a satisfying resolution. That is why I hardly ever watch shows on broadcast TV - they are usually open-ended and run until everyone hates them, which I hope to god doesn't happen to Hannibal.

The problem with LOST was the network.

The show runners did have a clear ending in mind (from about the 9th episode of S1 when Carlton joined the team), but they couldn't get an end date from ABC. Of course, the network wanted to milk that cash cow. So there is a lot of wheel spinning and a fair amount of red herring-ing going on, but that's because they had to fill a season order with no end date. Damon and JJ both envisioned a 5 year arc for the show from the beginning.

Once the end date was established, they were able to tell the story they wanted to tell.

[bada]

I didn't really have a problem with the end of LOST. Probably because by the time it ended I forgot 90% of the red herrings.

[epilogue]

I loved LOST. It was about as perfect as network tv can be. Absolutely one of my all time favorite shows.

[ABNorman]

I was going through an extremely rough time at the point the Lost Finale aired. At the end of it, I lay on my bedroom floor with my dog at my side and just bawled for about half an hour. Not at the show, just at everything that was going on in my life. It was a very cathartic moment - I also loved Lost.

Still got to see the second episode of THIS, though.

[broken iris]

Episode 2 wasn't bad.

[Biff Pocoroba]

Episode 2 wasn't bad.

Wasn't bad but it didn't necessarily keep my attention either. I'm going to give it a couple more episodes though. This week's is supposed to be particularly good according to the early reviewers.

[lowlight79]

I had no issue with the way lost ended. I just don't want to invest in another lindelof show at this time. I am sure down the road I will check this out.

[Chris_H_2]

so . . . um . . . yeah . . .

[15showsandcounting]

so . . . um . . . yeah . . .

Yeah. Only intriguing part was the preview of future episodes.

[bada]

I read that they'll never explain what happened to all the people.

[Norah]

I read that they'll never explain what happened to all the people.

I say this without having watched any of the show: but is that really a problem? From what I understood the show isn't really about what happened to the people that disappeared, but what happens to the people that remain in the aftermath.

[bada]

I read that they'll never explain what happened to all the people.

I say this without having watched any of the show: but is that really a problem? From what I understood the show isn't really about what happened to the people that disappeared, but what happens to the people that remain in the aftermath.

If the characters are interesting maybe but I think in most cases when creators say the central mystery is a red herring or not important it betrays a level of cowardliness. It's just a way to avoid criticism of the resolution and put it back on critics that they are too unsophisticated to enjoy a show that doesn't spell everything out. Sometimes unhappy ending are just as cheap as happy endings.

[epilogue]

The disappearance isn't the point, it's just a catalyst. This isn't a show about a mystery, it's a show about a tragedy. Think of it more as a natural disaster. This is about how people react to an unknowable event. The book handles this really well, and I expect the show will do the same.

I don't think it's cheap at all. It's not an issue of creativity or lack thereof, or of avoidance. It's not the story they are telling.

The book doesn't give an explanation and I hope the show doesn't either.

[Norah]

Is it coincidence that the first letter in bada is B?