A Televised Opportunity to Wallow

"I think I'm supposed to stay broken, maybe we all are." — Laurie, "The Leftovers"

"The Leftovers" is HBO's high-concept new show. It's clear the network wants it to succeed, but it's also clear that the jury is still out. HBO has, historically, renewed shows on the eve of their premier, or just after the first episode. It's an early sign of confidence, and usually helps push viewers to the show. Even if it doesn't really continue — like "Luck," which was renewed for a second season and cancelled before that season aired.

This is a precarious time for HBO. "Game of Thrones" is incredible, and is humming along toward season five. But if you look at the rest of the network's lineup, it's in flux. "True Blood," currently dominating Sunday night cable ratings, is ending in a few weeks. "The Newsroom," HBO's high-profile dalliance with Aaron Sorkin, has had two middling seasons in the ratings, has been critically savaged at times, and will end in the fall. "Boardwalk Empire," the network's heir-apparent to "The Sopranos," will end after five seasons this fall. So HBO needs some new blood.

On paper, "The Leftovers" seems like a perfect choice. It's a unique premise. It's based on a novel with a cult following, and it's being run by Damon Lindelof, one of the producers of "LOST." It seems like a tailor-made hit, but it's not.

On Sunday night, "True Blood" posted a 1.9 rating in the 18-49 demographic while "The Leftovers" posted a .8 in the demographic, shedding nearly two million viewers from its lead-in. That's not a great sign. And it's one of the reasons HBO hasn't pushed its chips in with this show.

But there's another reason — "The Leftovers" is painful to watch. It's like an ode to woe and depression, with little redeeming quality to either at this point.

In fairness, I thought the third episode was fascinating in its own way — and wrote about it at length last week. And I thought Sunday's episode showed some signs of coalescing into something more interesting than the first two episodes. But, still, it's hard to get past how depressing the show is.

In each episode, just when you think the characters have reached their lowest point, the show swings around and smacks them — and the viewers by extension — in the face again. In his show on Sunday night, John Oliver landed his best joke at the expense of just how depressing a watch "The Leftovers" has become. And by all reports, that won't improve this week. Many critics who've seen the series' fifth episode note that it might be the most depressing yet.

So what does that mean for the show? It's nearly half-way through its first season, and to this point it's hard to tell if all this exploration of grief and suffering is moving toward something bigger, or if the painful wallowing in grief each week is the point. And if its the latter, it's hard to imagine sticking with this exercise in patience and grief past a first season.