The Leftovers, “Orange Sticker” (2.4) - TV Review

“There are no Miracles in Miracle”

If the last episode, “Off Ramp,” we took a detour from the rapid-pace this season has had, Orange Sticker sped right back onto the highway.

The episode swings back into Miracle, Texas with the earthquake from “A Matter of Geography” to show Nora Durst’s (Carrie Coon) point of view. If it was even possible for Coon to out-act herself from season one, it was accomplished in a thirty-second phone call with emergency services where Nora spurts: “Did it happen again? The people, are they gone!?” The phone conversation was subtly dramatic in a way that only The Leftovers can do – a lesser show (or actress, for that matter) may have played the potentially Emmy-Baiting scene up, though Coon is an architectural master so far and played it with unimpeachable precision.

Aside from the impeccable performances – all around, really – “Orange Sticker” raises one major question while answering a plethora of smaller ones. The question revolves around whether Patti is to be trusted, or rather, is even real. She reveals that Evie and her friends completely disappeared, which raises major concerns – other than the whole “people vanishing into thin air – about the rules of departure protocol and the geography theory from the second episode. And, if the geographical theory was true, then we must also assume Kevin is immune and if that is true… well it brings us down a tin-foil-paved path that I don’t think the show is truly interested in leading us.

Aside from that question, this episode answered many other questions that have plagued us since season one. Such that, Patti was Lorie Garvey’s patient that Laurie previously mentioned, what Nora did in The Bureau of Sudden Departures (and, consequently her attitude towards the departure itself), how Miracle got its name and how it became under government control, some essential insight into John Murphy and –most importantly – we get the first theory of what may have happened in the Departure when Nora off-handedly mentions that “the flood has come and the arc has already sailed.”

The other major story-line in this episode was John Murphy’s Hugh Jackman in Prisoners¬-esque quest to find his daughter, which culminates in a showdown with Preacher Isaac whom Murphy previously booted from Miracle via Fahrenheit 451-style house-incineration. Throwing Kevin and John in a truck together was a brilliant move – both alpha males that are used to being in leading power roles (police chief and fire captain respectively). In fact, Lindelof could simply throw Nora, Kevin, John and Erika into a room together and it would be compelling in-itself.

Overall, “Orange Sticker” was a welcome back to Miracle that still continues to elegantly walk the tight-rope between science fiction and reality that is elevated by brilliant performances from virtually everyone. Lindelof has regained my trust and barring red buttons or smoke monsters I will continue to say that The Leftovers is currently the best show airing on television.