The new drama, The Leftovers, premieres on Sunday night at 9pm on HBO. It is based on Tom Perrotta’s science fiction novel of the same name. The premise of the series is about millions of people around the world who disappear without any warning on October 14, 2011. Called the Fourteenth, it is a mystery that even Congress can’t figure out. The show focuses on a group of people in the town of Mapleton and how they deal with the aftermath.

The series has received generally positive reviews. It has a strong cast and solid storytelling. However, The Leftovers is also being called bleak, despairing and overwhelming. It has allegorical themes to it, adding to the grim tone of the drama. There are no answers given to the questions surrounding the disappearances, so there is no real sense of satisfaction. It is spooky, but not supernatural. Rather, the drama is steeped in realism, with characters and situations that people can identify with. Everyone is affected by the Fourteenth in their own way.

The Leftovers is a new show, so viewers can see the drama unfold as the season progresses. The cast give compelling performances of characters trying to understand how 2 percent of the world’s population could vanish from thin air. The book it is based on is critically acclaimed. There were changes made when adapting it to a television drama, so fans will judge how well The Leftovers plays out.

The series is an intelligent show that takes it time. The characters are trying to get back to normal living, but things will never be the same. Its gloomy overtone is always present, which may explain the mixed reviews for the show. Viewers will be the judge if the Leftovers has potential to be a long-running show on HBO.