308 - The Book of Nora

A_Ron_Hubbard

Director: Mimi Leder
Story by : Tom Spezialy & Damon Lindelof
Teleplay by : Tom Perrotta & Damon Lindelof

hisdudeness915

I don't want it to be over!!!!!

Garthgou81

Its happening guys. Its really happening. 

Alkaid13

It's the Season 2 Opening Song! The cycle is complete!

Michelle

It's the end of an era.

George

That intro music is by far my favorite. I jumped up when it started.

Such a fitting song for the finale.

Alkaid13

Damn, nasty header.

Alkaid13

So in conclusion, weird science maybe worked? Or Nora just made that all up or hallucinated it. Either way I'm fine.

kingbee67

I'll give it a pass.

KingKobra

Excellent finale IMO, but I have a huge feeling this will deeply divide folks.

Alkaid13

That was a very low key ending but in a way rather beautiful. Not sure what Lindeloff thought might be controversial about it.

chuck1991

Alkaid13 said:

That was a very low key ending but in a way rather beautiful. Not sure what Lindeloff thought might be controversial about it.

The mystery was quasi-explained.

darwinfeeshy

I'm very satisfied with the conclusion. I'm glad we got answers about the departed going to an alternate reality/Earth where it's only them.

But I gotta say, fuck Nora "my life is a pity party" Durst. 

Fuck. Her.

You'd think seeing her kids alive, happy, and well would give her some closure about the whole situation?? Nope. Instead, she just keeps being miserable and even wants to go BACK to the original reality.

Then, when she gets back to the original reality, you'd think that she would reconnect with people and hopefully live a better life now that she knows her family is ok, right? Nope. She lives in isolated misery in bumfuck Australia. WTF Nora?


Also, I think it's stupid that they totally faked us out with Lori's suicide. They did that in order to keep us on our toes throughout this episode (cause I was confused as hell when Nora called Lori).

And why did Kevin think it was a good idea to lie to/confuse Nora? What the hell? Oh, it's only because the show runners wanted to keep us on our toes for this episode.

These two things made the experience of watching the episode interesting, but they make no sense in hindsight.

All that aside, great episode and series. Leftovers is now firmly one of the best TV series. They stuck the landing. 9/10 would recommend.

Cory

I thought they were never going to explain it, though?

sommadis

I was really surprised to see Laurie! I just had to sit for a few minutes after it ended because I didn't know what to do with myself. It answered everything and nothing at the same time. Ultimately, I'm just glad to see Kevin and Nora together again.

Michelle

I think Lindelof just did what Lindelof is best at, which is not a bad thing. I loved this finale, but there are questions I'm left to ponder. I'll wait to see what everyone else has to say first though. I may find my answers in that.

voodoorat

That sure was unexpected, almost all of it.

GredalBee

I think that was pretty much the perfect finale except for that horse shit with Laurie.  My argument for 2 weeks was that I didn't think she was suicidal and none of that felt right, so I guess this proves me correct, but that's not the point.  Me and @JaimieT wrote a goddamn novel with our thoughts on the subject and they're just going to rope-a-dope her suicide like that? To quote Kevin Sr., that makes no goddamn sense.

I guess "alternatively" you could say Kevin died from that heart attack and they're reconnecting on the next plane.  Laurie *should* be dead, so every character in the finale could be in the afterlife.  Maybe.  But unless I'm missing something from the final scene, I think that's real earth and she really came back.  I don't know, just a really glaring flaw in what was otherwise perfection.

Thomas

Worst episode ever.  50 minutes of nothing, followed by 20 minutes of a small twist.  Ok, so we departed from them, they departed from us, and?  No answers to Kevin being a jesus-figure, or anything else.  Terrible episode.

KingKobra

Cory said:

I thought they were never going to explain it, though?

That will be part of the discussion;) was she telling the truth or was it all made up. Matt obviously never said one way or another.

BTW here's an interview with the director.

http://uproxx.com/sepinwall/the-leftovers-finale-recap-mimi-leder-interview/

darwinfeeshy

Thomas said:

Worst episode ever.  50 minutes of nothing, followed by 20 minutes of a small twist.  Ok, so we departed from them, they departed from us, and?  No answers to Kevin being a jesus-figure, or anything else.  Terrible episode.

Oh yeah, I forgot about that. What's up with Kevin being supernatural???

27timechampsPLUSarodsucks

Alkaid13 said:

That was a very low key ending but in a way rather beautiful.

I agree totally. Before we got the final scene with Kevin and Nora, I constantly kept thinking to myself " Am I ok with this? Is this really ok with me?"

I was hoping that Kevin was doing exactly what he revealed in the final scene. But until that point I was a tad bit worried. But overall I am very happy with it. I'm glad they gave us some sort of Nora explanation... if it really happened or not... who knows... but I love that "end of series" cliffhanger crap! Especially when it's done properly and well.

IMO Great ending to an almost perfect series. Cherish now the feeling of greatness because it could be a very long time before a silly ole TV show makes us feel like we did while watching The Leftovers.

Hunkulese

What a phenomenal finale. I was almost a blubbering idiot just watching the previously on. I'm really happy they focused they entire episode on just Kevin and Nora. I'm glad we got to see Laurie because I maintained my point of view that her suicide didn't make sense.

I'm pretty confident that Nora made up the story. The story was far too perfect and not really all that plausible. Plus she clearly panics and screams something that starts with "s" before the fluid covered her.

My interpretation was that it just took her a really really long time to work through all her issues. Not sure if she came to the realization that if her family was alive that they were the lucky ones wherever they were before or after she stopped the procedure, but she probably would have went over the scenario she laid out for Kevin over and over in her head for years.

And really who cares about anything else that happened in the episode? My God, that dance.

johnnytruant

I was loving this through Otis Redding and the goat, but I was really hoping for a Nora is dead/hotel twist. Nora going through and coming back was good, and I'm glad that Kevin found his way back to her, but I feel like you could have told that story without undercutting the impact of episode 6. Kevin revealing he had lied really took me out of it because of this implication.

KingKobra

darwinfeeshy said:

Thomas said:

Worst episode ever.  50 minutes of nothing, followed by 20 minutes of a small twist.  Ok, so we departed from them, they departed from us, and?  No answers to Kevin being a jesus-figure, or anything else.  Terrible episode.

Oh yeah, I forgot about that. What's up with Kevin being supernatural???

One where you'll just have to let the mystery be

Michael

Hunkulese said:

What a phenomenal finale. I was almost a blubbering idiot just watching the previously on. I'm really happy they focused they entire episode on just Kevin and Nora. I'm glad we got to see Laurie because I maintained my point of view that her suicide didn't make sense.

I'm pretty confident that Nora made up the story. The story was far too perfect and not really all that plausible. Plus she clearly panics and screams something that starts with "s" before the fluid covered her.

My interpretation was that it just took her a really really long time to work through all her issues. Not sure if she came to the realization that if her family was alive that they were the lucky ones wherever they were before or after she stopped the procedure, but she probably would have went over the scenario she laid out for Kevin over and over in her head for years.

Hunkulese said:

What a phenomenal finale. I was almost a blubbering idiot just watching the previously on. I'm really happy they focused they entire episode on just Kevin and Nora. I'm glad we got to see Laurie because I maintained my point of view that her suicide didn't make sense.

I'm pretty confident that Nora made up the story. The story was far too perfect and not really all that plausible. Plus she clearly panics and screams something that starts with "s" before the fluid covered her.

My interpretation was that it just took her a really really long time to work through all her issues. Not sure if she came to the realization that if her family was alive that they were the lucky ones wherever they were before or after she stopped the procedure, but she probably would have went over the scenario she laid out for Kevin over and over in her head for years.

I think she told the truth. Matt returned saying she died.
I also think she felt guilty of the way she treated Kevin and everybody about losing her whole family that she wouldn't dare seek them out after she returned. She just wanted to isolate herself from everyone.
I think the Kevin/Jesus got resolved last episode when that part of it got obliviated by Bombs. So, he can't go back. And that was confirmed with him telling us about the pace maker he had put in.

darwinfeeshy

KingKobra said:

darwinfeeshy said:

Thomas said:

Worst episode ever.  50 minutes of nothing, followed by 20 minutes of a small twist.  Ok, so we departed from them, they departed from us, and?  No answers to Kevin being a jesus-figure, or anything else.  Terrible episode.

Oh yeah, I forgot about that. What's up with Kevin being supernatural???

One where you'll just have to let the mystery be

Not even Jesus Kevin can escape the evil clutches of heart disease.

Dummy

Now that I've seen the whole season, I'm just not sure I see a reason for it to be made. Nora, Tommy and John were the only ones I saw with significant growth from the previous seasons, and Tommy had such a small role that I don't find it important. The story didn't really go anywhere, on purpose. Finding out that the people went somewhere is a pretty big deal, but of course it was edited ambiguous enough to believe that it was all in somebody's head. If it was in someone's head, this episode might not even needed to exist at all. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed myself a lot while watching this episode. That dance to Otis Redding absolutely touched me, and the acting was Emmy worthy as always. Idk, I enjoyed the show as I always do, but this season isn't leaving me with the same feelings as the others. I'm going to need to rewatch it before I can have a full opinion. 

Lannitik

Would NOT recommend this show after the end. 

pavlovsbell

I loved it, and now my eyes are puffy and red from all the crying.

Michael

darwinfeeshy said:

Thomas said:

Worst episode ever.  50 minutes of nothing, followed by 20 minutes of a small twist.  Ok, so we departed from them, they departed from us, and?  No answers to Kevin being a jesus-figure, or anything else.  Terrible episode.

Oh yeah, I forgot about that. What's up with Kevin being supernatural???

I feel they resolved that last episode with the bombing. It destroyed that universe so he can no longer return. And now, he mortal and needing a pace maker.