I would have to agree with our awards guru Gregory Ellwood that “The Leftovers” is going to down as a “legendary show,” but it’s something made more remarkable because of the high wire act Damon Lindelof and the team of writers walk, particularly in the final season. The last eight episodes are astonishing, taking bold risks and creative leaps by playing with the format, and leaning into the weirder impulses of the narrative. And perhaps the oddest element — and also, one of the most rewarding — was the connection made to ’80s sitcom favorite, “Perfect Strangers.”
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As explained by Lindelof in a new video for Vulture, what started as an offhand joke in season one — it’s casually mentioned that the cast of “Perfect Strangers” were among those who vanished during The Sudden Departure. However, that evolves into a cameo by Larry Appleton actor Mark Linn-Baker in season two, who then becomes part of Nora’s powerful storyline in season three, when he brings her a wild-sounding opportunity to travel through space and time, and see her former family in the other place where they went. It’s weird, genius stuff, and it totally works. Hear Lindelof explain it all below.