Bastard of Boston Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Great series finale. As bold as I thought it would've been had they gone through with the Laurie suicide, I was glad to see her turn up alive. That was the primary thing I took away from the finale -- for such a dour series, I loved how the end was "happy." I was also not expecting them to pull back the curtain as much as they did. I thought Nora bailed...I was shocked when she told her story to Kevin. I was literally at the edge of the couch. "We lost some of them. But they lost all of us." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kairparavel Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 3 minutes ago, Bastard of Boston said: "We lost some of them. But they lost all of us." That was pretty powerful. I find myself satisfied with what they gave us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astromech Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Very happy. A great resolution to the series. A satisfying, bittersweet, happy ending. That would have been one major mind fuck had Kevin's initial story he told Nora been true. I laughed when Nora asked Kevin if he wanted tea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arch-MaesterPhilip Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 So to the Departed everyone else left? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nictarion Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Bittersweet is the best way I can describe that finale. I'm glad Kevin and Nora found eachother again after all those years, but the fact that they were apart so long, and that Nora didn't feel she belonged with her kids anymore was really sad. I did love Nora's smile at the end (it reminded me of the final scene of Magnolia), and I kind of wish they had ended on it. I knew it would be the birds as soon as it panned outside the house. It worked though. I'll take one more opportunity to gush about Carrie Coon, JFC what a performance she gave in this show. Best actress I've seen on TV since Edie Falco on The Sopranos. I'm really going to miss this show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leofric Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 56 minutes ago, Arch-MaesterPhilip said: So to the Departed everyone else left? Yep, from the departed's point of view 98% of the world population disappeared. That's why Nora said her husband and kids were the lucky ones, their family only lost one member, Nora. They nailed this ending, really enjoyed how it was all worked out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumHam Posted June 5, 2017 Author Share Posted June 5, 2017 1 hour ago, Bastard of Boston said: Great series finale. As bold as I thought it would've been had they gone through with the Laurie suicide, I was glad to see her turn up alive. That was the primary thing I took away from the finale -- for such a dour series, I loved how the end was "happy." I was also not expecting them to pull back the curtain as much as they did. I thought Nora bailed...I was shocked when she told her story to Kevin. I was literally at the edge of the couch. "We lost some of them. But they lost all of us." I still think she bailed. Why would the doctor wait for Nora to come ask him to build another machine? Why would he not immediately get to work bringing people back to the original world? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bastard of Boston Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 11 minutes ago, RumHam said: I still think she bailed. Why would the doctor wait for Nora to come ask him to build another machine? Why would he not immediately get to work bringing people back to the original world? I choose to believe her primarily because I want to. It's fair to believe she made it all up. As for your last question, I dunno -- the funny thing about her story was how ridiculous it was. I think that's why I believe it...because it's too unbelievable to be unbelievable. In the span of a few minutes, she told a story about an alternate empty world and her globetrotting adventures. It sounded like a whole other show. The part I quoted, I think, was the point -- whether her story was made up or not. It's the iconic glass half empty/half full question. You can either believe the Departed were the lucky ones or the Leftovers were. And, depending on who you are, your answer may be different, regardless of what side you ended up on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howdyphillip Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 20 minutes ago, Bastard of Boston said: I choose to believe her primarily because I want to. It's fair to believe she made it all up. As for your last question, I dunno -- the funny thing about her story was how ridiculous it was. I think that's why I believe it...because it's too unbelievable to be unbelievable. In the span of a few minutes, she told a story about an alternate empty world and her globetrotting adventures. It sounded like a whole other show. The part I quoted, I think, was the point -- whether her story was made up or not. It's the iconic glass half empty/half full question. You can either believe the Departed were the lucky ones or the Leftovers were. And, depending on who you are, your answer may be different, regardless of what side you ended up on. I'm on the other side of things. I loved the nun's response to the question about where the birds went this episode. She said something about the story of them delivering messages of love all over the world was a better story to the one in which we are certain that is impossible. The point is, that it really didn't matter what happened to Nora. The story itself was one that Kevin could put faith in and allow the two to come back together. Kevin's faith was what gave the story power either way. I am really going to miss this series. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PetyrPunkinhead Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Count me as another satisfied customer for The Leftovers series finale and for the series in general. The episode description on HBO reads thusly: "Series. Finale. Nothing is answered. Everything is answered. And then it ends." One of the greatest, and most accurate, episode descriptions ever. A few questions I'd like to discuss though... 1. If the scientist who invented the "machine" (basically what seems to be an interdimensional transporter) created one for Nora to get "back" why is she the only one who used this other machine? Or maybe a better question is was she the only one to use this machine. It seemed like no one "over there" really wanted to return at that point from how Nora described her conversation with the inventor of the machine. 2. Why do you think Nora put the beads on from the (scape)goat she rescued? She was taking on the sins of others, or maybe referencing her own sins? 3. Ladders and people climbing them to go on roofs was in a lot of episodes this season. Any symbolism there or just coincidence? 4 hours ago, Bastard of Boston said: Great series finale. As bold as I thought it would've been had they gone through with the Laurie suicide, I was glad to see her turn up alive. That was the primary thing I took away from the finale -- for such a dour series, I loved how the end was "happy." I was also not expecting them to pull back the curtain as much as they did. I thought Nora bailed...I was shocked when she told her story to Kevin. I was literally at the edge of the couch. "We lost some of them. But they lost all of us." Agreed. I was really glad to see Laurie still around. And Lindeloff described the ending as "a release from suffering" for the characters, and I'm glad that's what Nora & Kevin got. The story about what happened after she went "over there" was indeed riveting and well delivered. The doves returning with messages of love as the final scene was brilliant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ran Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Reading the Lindelof [url=http://uproxx.com/sepinwall/the-leftovers-finale-damon-lindelof-recap-review/]interview[/url] with Sepinwall at Uproxx.com makes me quite certain that the explanation we get from Nora is the true one -- the Departed saw everyone else disappear. I understand his desire for maintaining ambiguity, and will allow that without actually seeing what Nora describes we can never be 100% certain that what she said happened. But the basic premise, that there's a world of the 2% and a world of the 98%, sure. That said, to me I cannot envision a genuine emotional reason for her to construct this falsehood. I just don't buy that after all she'd been through being unwilling to admit that she was unable to go through with using the device would cause her to construct a lie. The turn of her relationship with Kevin could as easily have been, "I thought you would hate me (for not being able to face you after being unable to rejoin my children)," as much as "I thought you wouldn't believe me." So I'm satisfied with it. Petyr, See the interview where Lindelof already worked out why Professor Van Eeghen didn't build another machine himself. As to why no one else hunted him down and asked him as Nora claimed she did, those are other stories and we don't know anything about them. Maybe they were all satisfied with being reunited. Maybe some of them found that reunion was worse than they thought it would be and killed themselves, or ran off into the wilderness, or ... who knows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumHam Posted June 5, 2017 Author Share Posted June 5, 2017 After reading that interview I do think the "98% departed for them" was the writer's explanation of where the people went. However that doesn't mean Nora actually knew that and went there. It seems like they had this explanation since the pilot but didn't plan on revealing it to the audience. So why not use it as the basis for Nora's lie? All the stuff about the nun having sex and lying about it and "It's just a nicer story" probably wasn't totally irrelevant to everything else that happened in the finale. If Nora's story was true then I can't understand why she would keep that knowledge to herself. Also I got the impression that the LADR machine people moved around and were not based in Australia all the time. So it seems ...convenient that Nora would end up back in Australia after her adventure. Because Dr. Van Eeghen probably wouldn't have been living in Australia in the other world. I don't really buy the Van Eeghden not building another machine explanation. It's plausible sure, but the guy was a scientist I have to believe he would have wanted people to know his device worked. He wouldn't even have to return himself. Send back one departed person who wants to return to their family and you've proved it. Plus if his goal was helping people who suffered in the departure he could do that even more effectively from the second world. It'd be a lot easier to send 2% back than 98% over. As for why Nora would lie, I'm not sure if it's a lie she crafted for him then or for herself sometime after she chickened out and left the machine. She may even have actually convinced herself that's what happened. But the interview does point out that it's kinder to tell Kevin you were stuck in an alternate universe for years instead of just hiding from him. Plus she would have felt shame about not being "the bravest girl in the world" So she came up with a nicer story in which not returning to her kids was for their sake. It is interesting to think about the implications of the "from their perspective we departed" explanation though. Like I'd imagine some people departed from airplanes only to find themselves the only person left on the plane. Gary Busey probably didn't even notice anything had happened. Perfect Strangers get a Netflix continuation instead of Full House. Laurie's unborn child would have just died on that exam table. I hate to think what the 98% departed version of the Guilty Remnant looked like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astromech Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Regardless of the veracity of Nora's story, Kevin's reaction is perfect and the perfect resolution to this series. If belief is the essence of faith, Kevin ends the series with his faith in Nora realized. They seem to have finally come to terms with and moved on from the Departure. Also, it was great to have the title song "Let the Mystery Be" back again. Also found Kevin's pacemaker funny in light of bearded Kevin removing the key from shaved Kevin's heart last week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The King in Black Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Pretty much the only way the story could've ended. I loved it. I loved this bizzare show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ran Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Interestingly enough, Coon's interview with Sepinwall suggests that Nora believes everything she said is true, either because it is or (as you suggest) she has spent long enough with the lie that she genuinely believes it. I don't know. The preponderance of evidence, particularly the fact that Lindelof seemed to have spent a lot of time specifically explaining the scenario where it's all true but neither Van Eeghen (in 2% world) nor Nora (back in 98% world) have attempted to publicize the matter, just makes it seem like what it is... but does it matter? There's enough ambiguity that no one but Lindelof and his writers can really say, I suppose. So I'll just say I'm satisfied with the episode, and the series. It was a really beautiful ending, and my word but can Carrie Coon act. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumHam Posted June 5, 2017 Author Share Posted June 5, 2017 I wanna be clear that I'm also absolutely satisfied with the finale and the series as a whole. Whether Nora is lying or not it doesn't really matter, and that might be kinda the point. But I think her making it up as a kind of coping mechanism might fit better with one of the themes of the show. That people make stuff up to cope with the bad things that happen to them. That some explanation is better than accepting that life is effectively random and any attempt at control is an illusion, albeit a comforting one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martini Sigil Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 On a side note... I really liked Nora's little future house... broken door and all. I liked this show.... didn;t love it... but I was satisfied with the ending... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbunting Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 On 5/30/2017 at 11:53 AM, dbunting said: So, I will toss out my guess for the finale. Kevin realizes Nora is what he is missing in his life and decides to try to find/save her. He does this just in nick of time or the machine is a hoax that just kills people. Nora realizes she wants to live and the image we saw a couple episodes ago of an older Nora is her and Kevin walking along the Australian coast 20 years later, they only showed us Nora and not Kevin to make us wonder. Maybe his son or daughter is there with grand kids. We may see that Laurie is still alive and didn't kill herself, doubt it though. No explanation for what happened, people have simply decided to move on and get on with their lives. Well I will take partial credit for being close to the ending. Would be closer if I believed that Nora lied and never went, which I did at first believe. She sure seemed to be screaming STOP right before the scene cut. It was older Nora and Kevin was there, in Australia, did discuss his grand kids and Laurie was alive! Now if i could just predict the lottery, I may not get all six numbers but 4 would be cool! I liked the ending. I think I like it a little more today after reading others thoughts and balancing my own. I definitely like the part about, we lost 2% of them, but they lost 98% of us. Kind of a kick to the balls. the 98% have been bitching and freaking out, meanwhile the others lost basically everyone. Nora's family was one of the lucky ones since three of them went together. Now I want a six part special next season showing us the 2% world!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arch-MaesterPhilip Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 12 minutes ago, dbunting said: Well I will take partial credit for being close to the ending. Would be closer if I believed that Nora lied and never went, which I did at first believe. She sure seemed to be screaming STOP right before the scene cut. It was older Nora and Kevin was there, in Australia, did discuss his grand kids and Laurie was alive! Now if i could just predict the lottery, I may not get all six numbers but 4 would be cool! I liked the ending. I think I like it a little more today after reading others thoughts and balancing my own. I definitely like the part about, we lost 2% of them, but they lost 98% of us. Kind of a kick to the balls. the 98% have been bitching and freaking out, meanwhile the others lost basically everyone. Nora's family was one of the lucky ones since three of them went together. Now I want a six part special next season showing us the 2% world!!! From the very beginning when the departures happened or after Mark Linn-Baker went over? A Perfect Strangers reunion of sorts could be fun. It's kind of fucked up if Nora is telling the truth about the machine actually working. It would be awesome to deal with the consequences of people who disappeared to the 2% coming back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astromech Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 They could reuse the opening credits and just reverse the departed, basically only one or two people in each photo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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