'The Leftovers' Renewed for Season 2; Writer Says Show Ignores 'Theological Implications' of the Rapture
"The Leftovers," a show inspired by the Left Behind series' theology will be renewed for a second season by HBO.
Deadline reports that HBO requested another season for the show that functions as a character study of people left behind after 2 percent of the world's population miraculously disappears in a rapture like event on Oct. 4.
There was a bit of speculation over whether or not the series would be renewed as it took HBO a considerable amount of time to come to the decision. The show's pilot, which aired in June of this year drew 1.8 million viewers. Even with its slow-burn storytelling, "The Leftovers" still continues to bring in a significant audience, according to the report.
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'The Leftovers' takes the rapture event seen in the Left Behind books and movies and removes the religious aspect from it. To the characters who live in the town of Mapleton, New York, there is no real explanation for why many of their friends and family members disappeared and no real silver lining. This concept has caused critics to blast the show for its depressing feel.
The series revolves around the town's Police Chief Kevin Garvey and his family which consists of his wife Laurie, daughter Jill and step-son Tom. His wife left him to join a mysterious cult that dresses in white and chain smokes called The Guilty Remnant. His step-son ran off to the West Coast to follow a false messiah known as Holy Wayne and his daughter Jill continues to live with him.
Phil Cooke, a Christian writer, and television producer recently discussed how "The Leftovers" uses the rapture to tell the story of these characters.
"It's based on the concept of the rapture, but if you watch the series, [the writers] are more concerned about the interactions of people after it happens than the theological implications," said Cooke to CP.
"What the show really concerns itself with is; so what do people do, how do they respond when they discover [that 2 percent of the world's population mysteriously disappeared?"
Cooke believes the show could influence both believers and non-believers to read the Bible in order to better understand this rapture-like event.
