Anytime HBO launches a new series these days, it's a big deal. The network's original programming has become an emblem of quality on the small screen, with most of its new shows pulling in big ratings and rave reviews over the last few years. Series like "True Detective," "Silicon Valley," "The Newsroom" and, of course, "Game of Thrones" have enjoyed plenty of time in the spotlight.
HBO's latest high-profile series is "The Leftovers," which premiered on June 29, 2014. It's already enjoying plenty of watercooler conversations, leaving those without an HBO subscription feeling left out. No need to fret, because Yahoo Screen has posted the entire pilot episode online for free viewing. It's an obvious marketing ploy to entice newcomers to subscribe to HBO, but you might as well enjoy it while you can.
Yahoo Screen will stream the premiere episode of "The Leftovers" on-demand until July 6, 2014. The show has premiered to positive reviews across the board, with everyone from Screenrant to Rolling Stone calling it "smart" and "spellbinding."
"The Leftovers" is set three years after a mysterious event known as "The Sudden Departure," wherein 2% of the world's population vanished in an instant and never returned. Those still here are left to try to pick up the pieces and move on, but there are too many scars from too many losses, and people just can't cope. The series is set in the fictional New York suburb of Mapleton, where the local sheriff and his family have reacted in different ways to the Departure. What happens to this small town when it's dangling by a thread?
Damon Lindelof, of "Lost" and the "Star Trek" reboot, adapted Tom Perrotta's novel to the small screen and serves as showrunner. Don't worry about Lindelof stringing viewers along again with another TV show based around a central mystery like "Lost." Instead he has stated on the record that just like Perrotta's novel, the TV show will never explain what happened to the missing 2% of mankind. The "Sudden Departure" event is merely the backstory for the character drama the series is focused on.
"The Leftovers" airs on Sunday nights (with repeats throughout the week) at 10:pm EST. It stars Justin Theroux, Amy Brenneman, Liv Tyler, Christopher Eccleston, Chris Zylka, Margaret Qualley, Carrie Coon, Emily Meade, Amanda Warren, Ann Dowd, Michael Gaston, Max Carver, Charlie Carver and Annie Q.
