So I had a nice rebirth following this show which is co-created by Damon Lindelof of Lost and many other projects, based off a book. I just had to share here how it slapped me back into consciousness.
The Leftovers is quite frankly a depressing shitfest of a really great show! Its buildups lead to great catharsis and the finales of both seasons have been very satisfying so if you plan on watching it, prepare to get really angry at times but be assured that it’s all leading to something worthwile. The creators fully admit it’s filled with loads of religious symbolism. I binged it in 3 days and avoided spoilers as much as possible in this post. The premise:
The Leftovers takes place three years after a global event called the “Sudden Departure”, the inexplicable, simultaneous disappearance of 140 million people, 2% of the world’s population, on October 14, 2011. Following that event, mainstream religions declined, and a number of cults emerged, most notably the Guilty Remnant.
The story focuses primarily on the Garvey family and their acquaintances in the fictional town of Mapleton, New York. Kevin Garvey is the Chief of Police. His wife Laurie has joined the Guilty Remnant. Their son Tommy has left home for college, and their daughter Jill is acting out.
Now first of all, this Sudden Departure is and will not be explained! When the series was pissing me off I felt like the writers went to the
writingprompts subreddit and gave 0 fucks to explain it, but it really works and I’ll tell you why:
My angry depressed self reacted to this show’s characters early on with “So what? People have disappeared, why would this break so many people? Just move on.” My sentence wasn’t finished in my head when I realized I only said this because I have been single for more than ten years because “the one” dumped me out of nowhere. That realization hit hard, and the show became gripping. Watch the embedded trailer here to understand this post better.
There is no reason given for the Sudden Departure, just as the reason given by my last ex was about as meaningful as that. “We never go out” was about the only reason given after two years and that was the first time I heard that complaint. I broke completely that afternoon. I had just come from work, I was singing along to music in my car happy because I knew she would be waiting for me, little did I know why. I threatened to kill myself then and there and I was depressed for about half of the decade that followed. Truth be told I had started to show cracks months earlier, working in IT was not how I envisioned it, with a terrible atmosphere at work and I was already depressed for a good few months. I’m sure that had something to do with the breakup aswell.
So these characters need to deal with loved ones disappearing without a reason, just like me. Some join a cult dressed in white, they stop talking and they stand outside vulnerable peoples homes just staring and smoking cigarettes. Their purpose simply to remind people of the Sudden Departure and the meaninglessness of it all. Like annoying faceless triggers they get screamed at for no other reason than being there. Since I started hating people in general for a good while, I found the metaphor really strong. It also struck a cord because I had embraced the 2012 bs for a long while because a part of me just wanted it all to end, thankfully by the time that december came I was in another job I enjoyed quite a bit more because I made 3 good new friends there. I don’t wanna spoil the series in any way but the experience of both seasons killed my depressed self and made me reborn with hope again.
So then last night after the final episode, I went to bed. I had to pick up my folks from the airport that morning very early so I had not slept the night before and already slept from about nine till five in the afternoon, it was around five in the morning when I went to bed and I dreamt my mother had disappointed me by leaving me alone, I fell off a high narrow flight of stairs and was convulsing heavily in front of a big metal door. A group of people in hazmat suits looked at me like I was done for and joked if I wanted to stay or come along, I could barely move! Sweating and barely able to breathe in the fetal position, full of the worst pain I knew just like I felt in real life for nearly two weeks a few months ago when I was suffering from terrible congestion and lost 7 kilograms related to my Late Stage Lyme.
I looked up, and as they opened the door – not helping me in anyway but stepping beside me – I dragged myself inside with my final strength. They laughed and cheered. They didn’t owe me anything but opened the door, I had to drag myself through it. It was an elevator and we went up to a Sushi restaurant where I felt a lot better right away. It was a fun dinner, discussing among other random dream things Vin Diesel and the Japanese language. Afterwards I found myself in my old room where I grew up, a pretty girl that looked like Kittens had insects crawling around her feet. I wasn’t disgusted but took her to the bathroom where we shared a bath and some other fun activities.
I woke up feeling as happy as I did after my favorite mushroom trip, but it was really cold. I went to check the thermostat in the living room. It said it was 06.06 which was odd because it was close to noon, no wonder it was cold, the night setting was still on. I looked at the date and it was 24 december 2012. Not 21 but close enough to give me a big really smile. Just like the characters in the series I didn’t understand what was going on but was laughing.
I went back to bed to wake up after only a few hours of sleep and listened to my sleep playlist on my phone which I started by shuffling it, it’s like every damn song was talking to me. What follows is a ridiculous long list of lyrics I’m gonna share:
Been chasin’ all my fears
For another brighter than you
I gave in long ago to make it to the show,
But it’s not easy when you’re alone
Little Bear – Guillemots
(as I copy paste it now, it starts to play in my
Kodi Media Center Party Mode playlist which is random and contains 6054 songs at the moment)
Little bear, little bear you’re getting out of hand
I think I’m going to lose you now
Oh little bear, little bear you know me too well anyway
I’m going beneath the stars
I’m going under the soil again
And I won’t be back in a long time so get out
Get out of this old house
I wouldn’t want to cause you anything
That might break your lovely face
In a thousand shattered china pieces
In this bracken world of broken pieces
I’ll Catch You – Get Up Kids
can you sleep as the sound hits your ears one at a time?
unabridged for so many years
that i should stare at receivers to receive her isn’t fair
don’t worry i’ll catch you
your arms in mine, anytime
i wouldn’t trade anything
you’re still my everything
to my surprise, before my eyes, you arrive
don’t worry I’ll catch you
i’m still breaking old habits, habits when you pulled the wool over me
i can see everything, everything remembering “jinx removing”
don’t worry i’ll catch you [x2]
no need for reminding… you’re still all that matters to me
Can I confess these things
And I couldn’t spill my heart
I walk out in stormy weather
Hope my words keep us together
Steady walking but bound to trip
Should release but just tighten my grip
It will have all been fun
Princes – Oscar & the Wolf
So run for the golden, for the money
We’ll never return and be free
But every time I come around there’s too many little things they know about us
And I don’t wanna be your friend, baby
I don’t want you, baby, you pretend
And I don’t wanna make it better
I don’t want you to make me mad
Got my girls spending overtime
Don’t try to wake me in the morning
Deep in the cell of my heart
I will feel so glad to go
Deep in the cell of my heart
Anime – Seirei is this song from the anime Seirei No Moribito:
it’s about planting and growing using rice fields as a metaphor
Soma – The Smashing Pumpkins
With secrets I can’t keep
Close your eyes and sleep
And took my shelter in that pain
Is your broken heart, your heart
To anyone caught in our ruse of fools
One last kiss from me…yeah
Didn’t want to lose you once again
Didn’t want to be your friend
Fulfilled a promise made of tin
To anyone, lost, anyone but you
So let the sadness come again
On that you can depend on me, yeah
Until the bitter, bitter end of the world, yeah
Touch – Daft Punk feat. Paul Williams
Touch, where do you lead?
If love is the answer you’re home [8x]
You’ve given me too much to feel
You’ve almost convinced me I’m real
3 Libras – A Perfect Circle
Difficult not to feel a little bit disappointed, and passed over
But I threw you the obvious, just to see if there’s more behind the
Eyes of a fallen angel, eyes of a tragedy.
Here I am expecting just a little bit too much from the wounded
But I see, see through it all, see through, see you.
Soothe – the Smashing Pumpkins
Hungry, hungry again (I always thought he said “Hold me” until now!)
When will it start to sway
When will it start to almost break you
And I don’t wish you away, away, away
Bonus: My folks’ cat Mono that I take care off while they’re gone for almost half the year:
Lost in the Dream – The War on Drugs
Or just the silence of a moment
We stroked our arms and we wore them thin
You got it all like a memory
Now it’s living under your skin
Love’s the key to the games that we play
Love’s the key to the things that we see
But you don’t mind moving
It’s the key to the dark…
Love’s a game; it’s always the same
Worlds I’ve never been to
Then I went to the bathroom and started the kodi playlist using the Musicpump app on my phone to stream from my Kodi on my desktop pc. And I heard these songs:
Not With Haste – Mumford and Sons
And we will be who we are
And they’ll heal our scars
I didn’t know love, could be so cruel
But that don’t right the wrong
That’s been done, oh, oh, oh, oh, yes.
(Sang) I’m sorry, (spoken) I’m sorry
(Sang) So sorry, (spoken) so sorry
(Spoken) please accept my apology
and I was too blind to see. (sorry)
Bonus: The t-shirt I got from mom from Thailand:
Digging the Grave – Faith No More
It would be wrong to ask you why
Because I know what goes inside
Is only half of what comes out
Isn’t that what it’s about ?
To remind us we’re not blind
Digging the grave, I got it made
Let something in, or throw something out ?
You left the door open wide
I know you have a reason why
That knot is better left untied
I just went and undid mine
It takes the sun out of the day
And the feeling goes away
Today is gonna be the day
That they’re gonna give it back to you
By now you should’ve somehow
Realized what you gotta do
I don’t believe that anybody
Feels the way I do about you now
Backbeat the word is on the street
That the fire in your heart is out
I’m sure you’ve heard it all before
But you never really had a doubt
I don’t believe that anybody feels
The way I do about you now
And all the roads we have to walk are winding
And all the lights that lead the way are blinding
Who’s that girl – Madonna
When you see her, say a prayer and kiss your heart goodbye
She’s trouble, in a word get closer to the fire
Run faster, her laughter burns you up inside
You’re spinning round and round
You can’t get up, you try but you can’t
You try to avoid her, fate is in your hands
She’s smiling, an invitation to the dance
Her heart is on the street, tu corazon es suyo
Now you’re falling at her feet
You try to get away but you can’t
Light up my life, so blind I can’t see
Light up my life, no one can help me now
Run faster, her laughter burns you up inside
He’s spinning round and round
You can’t get up, you try but you can’t
Living on a Prayer – Bon Jovi
We’ve gotta hold on ready or not
You live for the fight when it’s all that you’ve got
I fully realize it’s probably not as easy for someone else to see the subjective connections I’m seeing but anyway those are a few good songs to share nonetheless! I’m ready to go on with my life again. As they say in the show…