The Leftovers: 10 Things That Make Sense Only If You Read The Books

Damon Lindelof’s HBO drama series, The Leftovers, was one of the most acclaimed television series of the past decade. As breathtakingly original as the show was, however, the idea was not solely Lindelof’s.

The story of two percent of the world’s population mysteriously disappearing was based on a 2011 novel about the same apocalyptic theme. Written by Tom Perrotta, the novel was acclaimed, but the show was perhaps even more praised. And there are plenty of references to the book that only make sense to the literary-minded show watchers.

10 The Tone Of Season One

Despite the acclaim that The Leftovers received, it was not a hit right out of the gate. Many critics were quick to praise the second and third seasons, while putting down the first as being humorless and too dour.

However, the serious tone of season one comes directly from the book. Perrotta’s novel serves as the basis for season one and no further arcs and it was a book that was very grounded in reality. New director Mimi Leder aided Lindelof’s touch of fantastical elements and more lightheartedness, on occasion, which came in contrast to the book’s tone.

9 Kevin Garvey’s Occupation

The character who had the biggest shift from the book to the series was definitely Kevin Garvey. The HBO version of Kevin, as played by Justin Theroux, is a much more flawed character, as opposed to the book’s idealistic politician.

That’s right, in the books, Kevin was a mayor and in the show, he is a sheriff. It’s a small difference, as both jobs are positions of power. However, they definitely help the show make more sense when evaluating Kevin’s struggle with being a responsible figure to whom people look in a crisis.

8 Kevin Garvey’s Hobby

While Kevin’s job was changed when translating the book to the small screen, his hobby was kept the same. The viewers of The Leftovers see Kevin as a runner from the first episode, but readers of the book know just how talented and committed he is to running.

One of the first details regarding Garvey in the book’s prologue sees him bragging about being able to run six miles in less than one hour. Not all character details had to be changed.

7 Remembering Tragedy

Flashbacks are not a new trope, especially when a story starts in media res after a fantastical tragedy. However, the way the show employs them into the episodes comes directly from the book.

The book’s flashbacks were ways of getting into the minds of the show’s characters and how they reacted to the tragedy. But on the show, the flashbacks are much quicker and leave only inferences behind. It is not easy to remember a tragedy and The Leftovers implemented it in deft, well-timed ways.

6 G.R. Violence

One of the instigators for these flashbacks across both mediums is the G.R., a religious organization that sprung out from the disappearance and specialized in nihilism and inducing memory for the survivors. However, any reason for feeling uneasy with the G.R. comes directly from the book.

They are meant to be a discomforting presence in the novel and, in the series, they often act with outright violence. Maybe this is the “HBO” of it all or maybe it’s the natural conclusion of what Perrotta was establishing.

5 The Roles Of Matt And Nora

In the book by Perrotta, Matt and Nora were not as big as they were on the show. Nora has a sizable role to play in the novel, but she is arguably the fulcrum of the entire drama series. As for Matt, he is barely even relevant in the book, but he was shot to the forefront of the HBO version.

This is partly because of how great Christopher Eccleston’s and Carrie Coon’s performances were respectively. But it is also because Matt and Nora helped showcase a world outside of the Garveys and how it affected everyone. The book mainly focuses on just Kevin, Laurie, Jill, and Tom!

4 Nora’s Call For Attention

Throughout The Leftovers, Nora is seen frequently doing whatever she can to process the disappearance. She conducts surveys from time to time and she also acts out for attention, like when she intentionally shattered a coffee cup.

But Nora’s desperation to get through the entire tragedy stems from the book. However, Perrotta depicted her troubled mindset in a much more original manner. She uses SpongeBob SquarePants as both a healing mechanism and a memory of her loved ones. Maybe HBO just couldn’t get the rights to clips from the cartoon, but it does illustrate her reactions even further.

3 Holy Wayne’s Characterization

The New Age movement is one of the crucial spiritual elements of the story of The Leftovers. It is led by Holy Wayne, a cult leader who commits a number of heinous crimes. But why does Holy Wayne take on the role he does in the show, as a fit British man?

For one, it helped provide a bit of diversity to a cast that could have been predominantly suburban, American, and boring. For another, it helped explain why people would be more inclined to follow a man in the shape of Holy Wayne, rather than the doughy form he takes on in the book.

2 Departure 3.0

Every now and then, The Leftovers contained a fun Easter egg for the original book. It was a fun way of referencing the source material of the show for the fans who had loved the story all along.

One of these references comes subtly in the season two episode, “Off Ramp”. Look closely at Peter Benedetto’s workspace and the cover for the book “Departure 3.0”. The book sees smoke coming out of a pair of shoes, which also happens to be the original cover art for the real world book, too.

1 Troops In Yemen

The best stories always contain some sort of commentary on the real world and how people spend their lives in it. By commenting on American involvement in other countries, The Leftovers added some interesting details about the larger societal context.

In the book, a war in Yemen was escalated by the presence of American soldiers. This is nodded to in the television series’ pilot when a news ticker reports that multiple troops have been killed in Yemen. The book is nine years old, but it is still startlingly relevant.

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