The Leftovers - Season 1, Episode 04: B.J. and the A.C.
Trailer
Tragedy struck when a global disaster caused 140 million of the population to vanish in an inexpiable manner. Now, a group of people living in Mapleton, New York deal with the tragic event and wonder what happened three years ago.
But whatever decisions and alterations happened behind the scenes, the finished product is another strong episode - not as intense as last week's (or, for that matter, next week's), but an effective holiday portrait of the shattered Garvey family.
It is not inherently a bad episode, but girl, it is very heavy-handed. I found myself cringing through a lot of it, even though there were moments that managed to speak to me.
Baby Jesus has gone missing on The Leftovers. Well, not the Baby Jesus but the doll used in Mapleton's Nativity scene. And that isn't even the worst thing that happens as the beleaguered suburb celebrates Christmas
I really want to like The Leftovers. It's not perfect, but it's generally smart, stylish without being slick, and has a hell of a cast. One thing it's not, though, is subtle.
Overall, I liked this episode as much as some people are going to be offended by it. It raised the stakes, established the conflict that is now inevitable, and set the course for the rest of the show. Merry Christmas.
