HBO has renewed The Leftovers for a third season, but the series will be departing before we know it.
Season 3 of The Leftovers will be the show's last, the network said in a statement. The Justin Theroux drama, which picks up three years following the mysterious disappearance of 2 percent of the world's population, has been down in the ratings this year, so the production of any future episodes was not a guarantee.
In fact, The Leftovers was so on-the-bubble that creator Damon Lindelof was unsure about the series' future just a few days ago. He said he was fighting for a third season. In the statement, Lindelof expressed his appreciation for the network and said he has never before experienced so much creative support.
Lindelof went on to say that "the most exciting thing for us as storytellers would be to bring The Leftovers to a definitive end. And by ‘definitive,’ we mean ‘wildly ambiguous but hopefully mega-emotional,’ as all things related to this show are destined to be."
President of HBO Programming Michael Lombardo described The Leftovers as one of the most distinctive HBO series, and he said that the network is extremely proud of its originality. Lombardo also mentioned the passion of the viewers, made clear earlier this week when fans campaigned outside of HBO's offices in New York calling for a third season. Lindelof thanked these dedicated fanatics as well, noting that he and the Leftovers team are blessed by their unwavering support.
The Leftovers stars Theroux, Carrie Coon, Amy Brenneman, Christopher Eccleston, Margaret Qualley and Chris Zylka. The third and final season is expected to air in 2016.