If you would like to read my review of the last episode, click here.
Synopsis: Convinced it is Kevin’s destiny to be in Miracle for the coming seventh anniversary of the Departure, Matt Jamison impulsively heads to Australia in an effort to bring Kevin home. Unfortunately, God gets in the way. (HBO)
Writers: Lila Byock and Damon Lindelof
Director: Nicole Kassell
Rating: TV-MA
Running Time: 55mins
Another new episode means another new song. Although I wouldn’t quite call it a song as it was rather some sort of french whispering. I’m not really sure why so much French but it didn’t matter as it was just another great episode from what has been a great season so far.
Unsurprisingly, based on the episode title, this was more of a Matt-centric episode but it also served as a means to bring more of the cast to Australia where Kevin Jr, Kevin Sr, and Nora already where. But first, we learned at the end of the last episode that all the flights out of Australia were grounded because of an explosion. This episode started off with a sequence that showed how that explosion came to be. Evidently, it was a member of the French navy who stripped off all his clothes and blew up his own submarine. Why you may ask? It’s the Leftovers.
Matt was getting worried about Kevin so he had to save him and bring him back to Miracle by the seventh anniversary. He devised a plan to hitch a ride on a cargo plane to Australia, since those were still allowed, to get to Kevin. He thought he was bringing Michael and John but, unbeknownst to him, John brought Laurie along which upset Matt because he believed that she did not have a proper grasp of the situation while Laurie blamed him for what happened. John wasn’t willing to go without Laurie so they all went together.
Matt strongly believed that what he was doing was right and was not dissuaded despite he and Laurie’s arguing. We also learned that Matt was sick and that he was keeping it a secret from the others. Matt desperately needed to get to Melbourne but their plane couldn’t land there for whatever reason so they were rerouted to Tasmania. Their only way to get to Melbourne was by ferry but the next ferry was already fully booked by a group of sex-crazed lion worshippers. Why you may ask? Again, it’s the Leftovers.
Of course they managed to get on, meaning that Matt had to tell the dirtiest joke he knew to prove their worth which was admittedly pretty funny. Now the four of them had to bide their time on an 11-hour ferry ride while people were screwing each other in the background. This did not prove to be a distraction as there was still a lot going on between these four characters.
Matt had to come to terms that they would probably not be back in Miracle in time for the seventh anniversary. That place was of great significance to him for the good things that had happened to him but they weren’t exactly good for everyone. At this point, Matt was told about a man who was claiming to be God whose real name was David Burton (Bill Camp who has been on the show before apparently). Or at least that’s what people thought after he came back to life from the brink of death. He also has had questionable encounters with people who have gone missing but they never had any evidence against him. This offended Matt and he was transfixed on him for most of the episode.
While he and Laurie were arguing, she let it slip that Kevin had seen Evie which didn’t turn out that badly with John understanding why Laurie didn’t tell him. Matt also saw Burton throw another man overboard but everyone was too busy screwing to pay attention. He wanted the man to pay for what he did and when no one was helping, he tried to save him. Matt then got himself in trouble with the lion-worshippers, calling them out for their weirdness, but got himself out of it.
Matt then confronted Burton, knocked him out, and tied him up. It was left unclear whether or not Burton was really God and maybe that was their intention. He could have been saying whatever Matt wanted to hear to stay alive but he definitely sounded convincing. He wanted Burton to admit to what he did and he did to Matt but refused to admit it to the authorities because he was the authority. He presented an alternate story of Jesus, putting himself in his position. He claimed responsibility for everything, including the departure. He did it because he could which wasn’t good enough for Matt. Burton told him that everything Matt has done was not for God but rather for himself. He was not watching or judging Matt. Matt told him about how he was dying and he offered to save him just as he did before. Matt untied him then he snapped his fingers, claiming to have saved him again.
Once they arrived in Melbourne, Matt came to terms with his current predicament and seemed to be over his mission with Kevin. The police were at the port to arrest Burton but as he tried to escape, he was killed by the lion worshippers’ lion.
Overall, this was another amazing episode, offering Matt’s compelling journey of self-discovery through God, including an encounter with someone who may or may not be God. The series has always had excellent music and that was still the case here, . Last but certainly not least, it is also worth mentioning the amazing performances by Amy Brenneman, Christopher Eccleston and Bill Camp. I don’t know what’s going to happen on the seventh anniversary but it’s going to be good.
Score: 9.5/10
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The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.