With the stain of "Lost" forever on his resume, there was a decided wariness among viewers as they entered into HBO‘s "The Leftovers," the latest effort from Damon Lindelof. Rich on similar themes to the ABC hit series, I’d argue "The Leftovers" navigated that terrain much more successfully, with more complex characters and, thankfully, a healthy balance between supernatural mystery and the concerns of the main players involved. And while the show has been renewed for a second season, it looks like some changes are on the horizon.
Seemingly taking a page from "True Detective," "American Horror Story," and "Fargo" in terms of season changeups, "The Leftovers" is in the midst of what Deadline calls a "creative reboot" with the show relocating from the setting of Mapleton, New York for its second season. But don’t panic too hard, as it seems most of the key cast are still involved.
Justin Theroux, Amy Brenneman, Margaret Qualley, Chris Zylka, Carrie Coon, and Christopher Eccleston, are all locked to return, with Liv Tyler and Ann Dowd expected as well. Dowd though, really? *Spoiler* Didn’t she die? *End Spoiler* But we suppose in reboots, anything is possible. (We’d like to see Wayne again too, thanks). However, folks like the underrated Emily Meade, Amanda Warren, Michael Gaston, Max & Charlie Carver (the hilarious comic relief twins) and Annie Q don’t seem likely to be back.
There are no further story details, expect that the season will likely focus on how the quasi-Rapture had impact outside of Mapleton too, which we got small tastes of throughout the first season. It’s an interesting gambit, but we’ll see how it pays off.