‘The Leftovers’ episode 8 review: Patti’s big admission (and a shocking death)

We have to admit that around 40 minutes into tonight’s “The Leftovers,” we were coming very close to saying that this show just wasn’t worth it anymore. It was starting to become like the TV version of one of those deep-fried treats you get at a state fair: You really think that you want it and that it’ll be amazing, only to later realizing that it’s disappointing, soulless, and it never makes you feel very good afterwards.

Thank goodness the last twenty minutes was there tonight, since Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta finally gave us a few answers about something! We’re never going to know why the departure happened, but at least tonight we understand more of why the Guilty Remnant exists. Patti basically admitted that the group was responsible for the death of one of their own in Gladys; they are a messed-up organization full of people ready and willing to be martyrs because they feel like life doesn’t matter at all. This makes sense that they would be behind that brutal killing when you think about it. These people smoke the day away like they are ready for cancer.

This is why Laurie joined up with the group: It gives her something that she can “believe” in right now when she believes in nothing else. This is despair, and it got even worse for Garvey watching Patti slit her own throat. He had brought her out there during a blackout, and it felt like she had all the leverage in the world; had she escaped, his entire career would be over.

Even still, Kevin may be past the point of no return, and accusations about him and Amy are not going to help matters. By the end of this his own daughter arrived at the door of the Guilty Remnant, who were all preparing some sort of terrible tableau for an event coming up continue to be the living version of internet trolls.

All of this was shocking, but none of it alleviates the biggest problem with “The Leftovers”: It’s far too depressing. We cannot think of another scripted show that we feel so dark after watching, and we cover quite a few of them here at the site. Rather than fried food, maybe the best comparison for the show right now is a dish that you know you’re supposed to like, but you just can’t quite figure it out. Grade: B-.