'The Leftovers': What We Know So Far About Season 3

By Dustin Rowles | The Leftovers | May 7, 2016 |

By Dustin Rowles | The Leftovers | May 7, 2016 |

Season two of The Leftovers was tied with Better Call Saul for my favorite season of television in 2015. It was brilliant storytelling, and one of the few seasons of TV with a huge twist ending that wasn’t spoiled by the Internet and managed to be hugely satisfying.

Ratings, however, were marginal, but Damon Lindelof’s series did manage to eke out a third and final season. We now know it will take place in Australia, and for those who watch the series closely, Australia makes perfect sense. For that reason, it also makes sense that Scott Glenn, who played the father of Justin Theroux’s Kevin Garvey, will be elevated to a series regular.

I don’t know how they can narratively justify it, but not only are the Garveys going to Australia, but so are the Murphys — Regina King, Kevin Carroll, Jovan Adepo, and Jasmin Savoy-Brown. Otherwise, all the other regulars will return — Justin Theroux, Carrie Coon, Amy Brenneman, Christopher Eccleston, Liv Tyler, Margaret Qualley, Chris Zylka, and Janel Moloney — save for one: Ann Dowd. There are no current plans for her in season three, though she might return in a guest-role capacity.

Based on the returning cast and location, the third season will also almost certainly deal extensively with the Guilty Remnant, the least liked element of The Leftovers season one and the narrative heroes of season two.

No premiere date has been set for the final eight episodes of The Leftovers, but I would anticipate an October return, or possibly early next year.