The Leftovers series finale: Damon Lindelof spent weeks on ending alone
The Leftovers series finale is airing on HBO this weekend, and according to showrunner Damon Lindelof, a lot was put into the ending. That shouldn’t be a surprise, given that this is a guy thanks to Lost that is well aware of his association with endings. Hopefully, this one works out better for him, but it’s hard to say for certain until it airs.
The one thing you should know is that, per Lindelof’s comments to Entertainment Weekly, two weeks alone were spent on cultivating the last scene on the show. This was a process that he and the other writers really deliberated to ensure that they came to a play that they were happy with what they’d done:
“There was a lot of spirited conversation, a lot of emotion at the table. It was my feeling that we would not stop until all the writers agreed we had the right ending and the most authentic ending. We put blinders on, and then we did not deviate.”
Lindelof added that he finds the ending to be “immensely satisfying,” but he cited his own history in saying that he’s not the right person to gauge whether or not viewers of the show will feel the same way. A big part of the issue that he faces is that of expectation, and everyone out there having their own idea for how the show should end. There are probably some people out there who feel as though it should give some sort of answers on the Departure, but signs point to that not happening in the slightest. Instead, what is most likely the thing to consider about the finale is the message Kevin Garvey seemed to take away from the events of this past episode: He is someone who finds a way to run away from his problems. He should fight for them, and he should fight for Nora.
At the end, this may be a story about people, and how they overcome the tragedy they’ve been dealt in order to fight their way forward. This may be immensely challenging in these circumstances, but often through tests we all tend to find ourselves.
What do you think the ending for The Leftovers series finale could be, and is this something that you even want to think about in advance? Be sure to share below!