The Film
Never have I encountered a show that's incredibly depressing, yet so addictive. However, the first season of HBO's The Leftovers left me catching my breath and going through withdrawals. It's that good. Thankfully, The Leftovers: The Complete Second Season Blu-ray is here to satisfy that monkey on your back.
And yes, this season is even more binge-worthy than the first. Season One was all about life in Mapleton, New York, in the aftermath of the Sudden Departure, when 2 percent of the world's population vanished into thin air. When we last saw the Garvey family, Kevin (Justin Theroux) was returning home from pulling daughter Jill (Margaret Qualley) from the fiery hell left for the Guilty Remnant. There waiting for them was Nora (Carrie Coon), Holy Wayne's abandoned baby, and the possibility of a new life.
Since Mapleton is bursting with all sorts of bad memories, Season Two finds the new family seeking refuge in the town of Jarden, Texas, which also goes by the name of "Miracle." That's because it's truly a miracle that no one in this little town was ever affected by the Departure. That little fact has turned the town into a tourist trap for some, a sanctuary for others, and an absolute need for many -- like the Garveys.
The beauty of having a new location for this second season is that it comes with a lot of interesting new characters. Oh, not to worry, though. Kevin, Jill, Nora, Tommy (Chris Zylka), and Laurie (Amy Brenneman) get ample screen time in these 10 episodes. Even Patti (Ann Dowd), Meg (Liv Tyler), and the rest of the Guilty Remnant seem to travel quite well. Also, thank goodness Matt (Christopher Eccleston) is still a huge presence. However, with new surroundings come new neighbors, and you can't get much more interesting than the Murphys. John (Kevin Carroll) is a fireman with a psychotic streak. Erika (the extremely underrated Regina King) is a doctor, who cleans up John's messes and tries to resurrect dead birds by burying them in the woods -- and that's the least of her secrets. Michael (Jovan Adepo) is the son, who is deeply religious, kind, and a perfect match for Jill. And Evie is the daughter with epilepsy and a bit of a wild side (to say it lightly).
The Leftovers: The Complete Second Season is wonderfully acted, with more weirdness than ever before. Remember, this is a product of Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta, so you know there's going to be a lot of moments that will leave you scratching your head. That said, it's also interesting, moving, and just as addicting as the last season. Bonus points for repeated use of The Pixies' "Where Is My Mind?"
The Picture
If you purchased the first season of The Leftovers, you should know what you're getting into with the 1.78:1 image on this set. It's not as stellar as a blockbuster movie, but this is definitely a nice bump up from the broadcast version. The town of Miracle does offer a few bright colors, so there's a bit more pop over last season. Those scenes in the woods have some lush greens and the "festival" that's going on outside of the town's borders does have a colorful bunch of characters (in more ways than one). It has the occasional blip of blurriness, but that's more about the way the show was filmed versus the actual Blu-ray. There is plenty of detail though, with close-ups delivering some of the best, most detailed moments. Overall, I really can't imagine this set looking any better than this.
The Sound
As mentioned above, The Leftovers: The Complete Second Season uses The Pixies' "Where Is My Mind?" repeatedly -- and it's awesome. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track delivers clear dialogue throughout, but it's really the music that's most memorable and mesmerizing here. Besides The Pixies, Iris DeMent's "Let the Mystery Be" is perky and detailed. Despite that new theme song, Max Richter's hauntingly beautiful score from last season appears throughout these 10 episodes. Music is certainly a highlight here, but there are plenty of other atmospheric sounds, including dogs barking, birds chirping, and the rumble of cars. There are also quite a few room-shaking moments, most notably the season's many earthquakes, the sound Erika experiences while chasing the pie man in episode 6, and the rumble of Kevin's "resurrection" in episodes 8 and 9.
The Extras
Final Thoughts
If you have HBO in any capacity, it may be hard to convince yourself to buy this set. After all, there are absolutely no special features. It deserves something about the cast, the craziness, the new characters, or even a season 3 preview; give me something! That said, it's easy to justify this purchase. The Blu-ray does give the experience a little bump over the broadcast and The Leftovers: The Complete Second Season is another addictive season of television.
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