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The Leftovers

The Leftovers

We're still here.

2014–2017Ended3 seasons28 episodes~60 min/epTV-MAMidcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

When 2% of the world's population abruptly disappears without explanation, the world struggles to understand just what they're supposed to do about it. This is the story of the people who didn't make the cut.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Leftovers?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Leftovers streaming on HBO Max.

Subscription

Highlights

What stands out about The Leftovers?

The Leftovers earns 12 badges, led by Universally Loved and Top 10% of shows.

Show 4 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Content
  • Cast

Reception

Is The Leftovers worth watching?

The Leftovers' Midcredits score is the 91st percentile of all shows, from 137K ratings across 2 sources. 87% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

91st percentile

Better received than 91% of shows

92nd percentile among Drama90th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)89th
Approval (how many liked it)88th

Acclaim

Universally Loved: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

81 /100

89th percentile of all shows

91st percentile among Drama89th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

87% liked it

88th percentile of all shows

88th percentile among Drama86th percentile among 2010s
87% rated it 7–1013% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

98th percentile

136K ratings across platforms

98th percentile among Drama98th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 8% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The show is a slow, emotionally heavy character study about grief and ambiguity, not a puzzle-box mystery that provides clear answers.

Fans praised

  • Masterful exploration of grief, loss, and the human condition
  • Phenomenal acting across the cast, especially Theroux and Coon
  • Haunting, emotionally resonant score by Max Richter

Detractors panned

  • Refuses to answer its central mysteries, leaving plot threads dangling
  • Misleadingly marketed as sci-fi but is a slow psychological drama
  • Pretentious and self-indulgent, mistaking ambiguity for depth

What stands out

Sound and music95

Haunting Max Richter score is universally praised as emotionally devastating

Emotional impact93

Devastatingly moving; cathartic exploration of loss that resonates deeply with many viewers

Acting92

Phenomenal, powerhouse performances from Theroux and Coon; strong ensemble including Eccleston, Dowd

Atmosphere90

Immersive, melancholy tone; bleak world-building captures grief

OriginalityDivisive88

Unique approach to post-apocalyptic grief; some call it derivative of Lost

CharactersDivisive83

Deeply fleshed-out, psychologically complex but some find them unlikable or self-absorbed

Plot and storyDivisive35

Prioritizes character over narrative progression; many find it pointless or incoherent

Pacing30

Slow, deliberate, occasionally tedious; fans see it as necessary for immersion

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 18 points higher than women.

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Under-30s

Under-30s scored it 18 points higher than over-30s.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Critics vs users 4 points apart
  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Episodes

3 seasons

Season 3 · 2017 · 8 episodes · 8.3 average across 8 rated episodes

  • S3E1

    The Book of Kevin

    Apr 16, 201761 minTMDB rating 8.1
  • S3E2

    Don't Be Ridiculous

    Apr 23, 201759 minTMDB rating 8.4
  • S3E3

    Crazy Whitefella Thinking

    Apr 30, 201758 minTMDB rating 8.0
  • S3E4

    G'Day Melbourne

    May 7, 201756 minTMDB rating 8.6
  • S3E5

    It's a Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt World

    May 14, 201756 minTMDB rating 7.8
  • S3E6

    Certified

    May 21, 201759 minTMDB rating 8.4
  • S3E7

    The Most Powerful Man in the World (and His Identical Twin Brother)

    May 28, 201761 minTMDB rating 8.5
  • S3E8

    The Book of Nora

    Jun 4, 201773 minTMDB rating 8.7FinaleSeason best

Watch experience

What is The Leftovers like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, dark and intense — an even-paced watch that leaves you haunted.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
MelancholicTenseContemplative
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.SerializedOne continuous story
ToneThe series treats its grief-stricken characters with unwavering seriousness, never winking at its premise. It is earnest, dark, and emotionally weighty.
The rideThe series maintains a sustained melancholic and tense atmosphere from start to finish, with moments of surreal release.
StructureThe show tells a continuous story across three seasons with a beginning, middle, and end. No notable structural devices are employed.
Episode formatThe series is a continuous serialized drama, with each episode advancing the overarching narrative of grief and mystery.
Season formatEach season continues the same characters and overarching story, with season 2 moving to a new setting but maintaining the arc.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Haunting · 9% of showsBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe show's profound exploration of grief and loss lingers long after the credits roll, leaving a bittersweet ache.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).RebirthHealing
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7% (this title): Redemption 1% · Healing 3% (this title) · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Healing: Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).

7% of shows fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe series follows a community coping with an unexplained mass disappearance. Rather than investigating the event, the story focuses on the characters' emotional recovery and search for meaning, fitting a rebirth arc of healing from grief.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfPurposeSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% (this title) · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27% (this title): Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Self

PurposeFamily bonds
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe show explores how individuals seek meaning and purpose after a collective trauma, often through faith, family, or self-destruction.
StanceThe show observes its characters' struggles with grief and belief without judgment, refusing easy answers.

The world

ContemporarySuburbanRuralInstitutionalRealistic
AmbientOrchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Max Richter
SettingThe fictional town of Mapleton, New York, three years after the Sudden Departure, with a cult presence and lingering grief.
MusicMax Richter's minimalist piano and string score 'The Leftovers' is a recurring emotional anchor.

Content guide

Is The Leftovers okay for kids?

TV-MA

The Leftovers is rated TV-MA. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (81/100), sexual content at intense (75/100), language at severe (87/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (77/100) and frightening material at intense (67/100). Overall it is heavier than 90% of TV-MA shows.

Ratings in 32 other countries
  • UK18
  • Canada14+
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • France12
  • Ireland18
  • New Zealand16
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil16
  • Belgium16
  • Czechia18+
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK16
  • Hungary16
  • IndiaA
  • ItalyT
  • MexicoC
  • MY18
  • Netherlands16
  • Norway15
  • PhilippinesPG
  • Poland16
  • Portugal12AP
  • ROAP
  • Russia18+
  • SingaporeM18
  • South Africa18
  • Spain18
  • SwedenFrån 15 år
  • Switzerland16
  • THน 18+
  • Türkiye18+
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 95% of all showsHeavier than 90% of TV-MA shows
Violence & Gore
Severe
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 70%
Sex & Nudity
Intense
heavy for a TV-MA show
heavier than 87%
Profanity
Severe
heavy for a TV-MA show
heavier than 86%
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a TV-MA show
heavier than 84%
Frightening / Intense
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 66%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Heavy almost across the board: language, violence, drug and alcohol content, sexual content, and frightening material.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does The Leftovers have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Leftovers?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Justin Theroux
as Kevin Garvey
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Amy Brenneman
as Laurie Garvey
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Christopher Eccleston
as Matt Jamison
Chris Zylka
as Tom Garvey
Rising: A short career with a standing when this show came out above the median working actor today.
Carrie Coon
as Nora Durst
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Liv Tyler
as Meg Abbott
Established: A standing when this show came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Margaret Qualley
as Jill Garvey
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Ann Dowd
as Patti Levin
Emmy nominee: Primetime Emmy nomination — Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Kevin Carroll
as John Murphy
Jovan Adepo
as Michael Murphy
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

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