The Leftovers (TV Series) Two Boats and a Helicopter (2014) User Reviews

A truly remarkable episode of TV

[dkwestbrook · 10/10 · 23 July 2018]

The first two episodes of this show left me with the impression that the series had potential that it didn't quite reach in those two episodes. But rest assured that by this episode, that potential has not only been reached, it's been exceeded. "Two Boats and a Helicopter"

This is just a fantastic hour of television, plain and simple. The decision to focus on only one character - Matt Jamison - was an effective one, especially compared to the somewhat overstuffed first two episodes. The writing of this episode was outstanding, and it seems that the series is finally beginning to make sense out of the themes of religion and grief. This episode managed to weave together conflicting emotions - it's at one moment hilarious and the next heartbreakingly tragic. In addition, the directing was fantastic - it was the first time that this series has impressed me with its direction. The cinematography in the casino scene was especially outstanding. And not to mention the acting - Christopher Eccleston hasn't been this good in a leading role since Doctor Who nearly 15 years ago.

This episode decided to slow things down and shift the focus. Rather than focusing on Kevin Garvey and the town as a whole, this episode focused on just one element. And it's so much richer for it.

Wow

[wheelzosteel420-119-195143 · 10/10 · 16 July 2014]

This was a ridiculously amazing hour of television. I don't really do reviews, in fact this is my first time posting a review on IMDb and I have been using it for years. This episode is just so good I had to post something about it. I watch most of the prestige dramas, Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, The Wire..etc. All great shows, but I have not been compelled to write a review up until this point. Thats how good this episode is. I think this series is about to receive a lot of attention. Christopher Eccleston gives a fantastic performance portraying a man fighting for everything he loves and believes in, its Emmy worthy. Give The Leftovers a chance, you will be rewarded with some of the most entertaining television Sunday night has to offer and thats really saying something.

One of the finest hours of television ever.

[lamoidfl-81570 · 10/10 · 11 July 2016]

This episode, "Two boats and a helicopter," is one of the single best hours of television I have ever seen. I am the grandson of two ministers. One was Methodist. The other, Presbyterian. Both of their churches were in the northeast of the USA.

Christopher Eccleston brilliantly, perfectly, captured the painful, ambiguous emotions that surely would fill the mind of an intelligent and sensitive pastor under the situation depicted. The story is masterfully written, directed, and edited. The acting by the rest of the cast is superb. Like the rest of the series, the episode is compellingly enigmatic and intellectually interesting. The result is very believable, at once beautiful and moving.

A brutal lesson- life's not fair

[TheDonaldofDoom · 19 January 2018]

Christopher Eccleston carries this one, an intense episode focussing on his tragic character, a pastor who isn't asking for much but won't even get that. Cutting out the rest of the cast and focussing on just him is a fantastic choice as it makes the whole thing that much more poignant. Essentially, this is a lesson that life's not fair. You can try all you want, but sometimes everything is just stacked against you for no good reason.

Matt Jamison is a flawed person, but one who is also kind, loving and cares deeply about his faith. Few people go to the church now yet it is still important to him to be there for them. It gives him purpose. For someone like Matt, purpose is what keeps you going when times are hard. His financial situation isn't good, but he has the willpower not to give up as he still has purpose. That's why the church is so important to him.

And it's what makes the end all the more moving. Matt isn't perfect-his actions at the casino and with his sister can tell you that-but he doesn't deserve this. The kicker is that he lost his church because he helped the Guilty Remnants when one of them got hit by a stone. If he hadn't helped them, he wouldn't have got hit by the stone himself and he wouldn't have been three days late. In other words, the cult was able to take over his church because he helped them.

This is a masterpiece, filled with meaning and with Christopher Eccleston putting so much emotion into his performance.

Most underrated episode of all time on this show

[mohabecks · 10/10 · 5 May 2022]

Everything was perfect in this episode from beginning to the end and everything happened in an incredibly dramatic way as if it was the perfect finest episode of another great series. WOW.

Character study

[benjaminchristopher · 10/10 · 7 March 2023]

This episode shows us the life of Reverend Matt, so far whom we've only seen snippets of as this oddball religious preacher who seems to be eccentric and not liked by much of the public. Through his eyes we see his struggles, his work and his true intent.

He believes that when the 2% vanished, it was not that of that Rapture but something else. He believes that of it was the rapture, then why take people such as murderers, rapists, gamblers or Judges that take bribes? It doesn't make sense and it isn't fair. His theories and truth spreading creates big upsets weekly in this town as he gets attacked regularly by people he is publicly "shaming" or truth bombing.

Matt, whilst at the casino investigating another wrong doer whom vanished as part of the 2%, sees birds on a roulette table.

In recent events, someone is trying to buy the church and with a shrinking congregation with little money and donations coming in, Matt cannot come up with any money on time to counter the offer to the bank.

Going home to his comatose wife, upset and in desperate need to help the church, his wife and her carer, Matt seeks money that has been stashed away for years and driving back sees birds again, on top of some traffic lights, believing this as some sort of divine intervention. Going back to the roulette table and putting his money on Red, 3x over winning enough money to save the church, pay his debts and care for his wife.

Matt, on his way out of the casino gets attacked by a man who saw him win all that money and steals the envelope. In a fit of desperation Matt turns back and jumps on the bloke and nearly kills him taking back what is his.

Driving on the way to the bank with his money, Matt witnesses two by passers getting hit by rocks (the guilty remnant group), Matt being the good man he is helps these and whilst doing so gets hit by a rock himself. After which going through dream like memories of his past, seeing how his wife got hurt, how he found faith etc.

Waking up in the hospital shortly after, rushing down to the bank to place his offer to keep the church he finds out he is too late, if not being the day of the deal closing, in fact 3 days after. Matt stops by the church to see who has bought this, finding out it is the Guilty Remnant group- the same group who have been following him, judging, blaming and the group of which Matt tried to help earlier who got hurt by the rock.

I wouldn't usually write a synopsis of the episode during a review, but I felt I needed to, just to remind myself what this character has gone through. What this episode does superbly is follow one character around, one which we barely know and have seen across the other two episodes and see his story play out in brilliant fashion and writing.

There's some silly things I could bring up why I thought the situations just wouldn't happen but why these didn't bother me is because I was so invested in Matts character. When he was gambling his money and winning you really do route for him and if that's the case the show has done it's job for me.

A lesson learned for Matt here and a theme of the episode is that life, in fact is not fair. Showing things coming round in full circle.

There's a very twin peaks like feel to this, the dream sequences almost invoking that entirely! Damon lindelof of Lost who's scent is all over this, which is no surprise as Lost was one of my favourite shows growing up.

I am late to this and I'm almost glad as I can see this play out over a matter of weeks rather than years. The show does seem to take itself very seriously at times and it's very sour in tone with little to no comic relief, which is my main qualm. But I hope we get odd episodes of gold like this one.

Great Tension

[chaosborders · 8/10 · 17 April 2020]

I thought the end was dumb, but it had some of the greatest moments of genuine tension and uncertainty that I've seen in a show of late.

The Ford Fusion locks when you start it

[BruceWayne3 · 6/10 · 18 July 2021]

I hate cheesy writing Like when you start a car but a bad guy can just open the door and grab you.

Come on.

Great Acting And Amazing Storytelling

[nomis94 · 21 November 2015]

Wow, this episode is intense throughout - without any explosions or car chases or gun fights. Matt Jamison is a great character and his story is fascinating. He has to deal with his paralysed wife and you can really feel that he loves her more than anything.

The acting is incredibly good and the writing, wow, I can't even describe it in words! Pure perfection.

This episode proves that "The Leftovers" has some great characters in store. Matt Jamison is one of them and he will also play a key role in future episodes.

My vote is 10. What an awesome episode!