Penguin One, Us Zero

The second episode of *The Leftovers*’ first season, “Penguin One, Us Zero,” aired on HBO on July 6, 2014. Series creator Damon Lindelof and supervising producer Kath Lingenfelter wrote it, while Mimi Leder directed. The story picks up three years after the Sudden Departure, which wiped out 2% of the world’s population. It centers on police chief Kevin Garvey, his family (wife Laurie, son Tom, daughter Jill, and father Kevin Sr.), grieving widow Nora Durst, her brother Reverend Matt Jamison, and the cult-like Guilty Remnant led by Patti Levin. In this episode, Kevin begins to question his sanity after dreaming about Dean, and his wife Laurie is shown as a member of the Guilty Remnant, though Meg does not appear until later episodes.

According to Nielsen, the episode drew about 1.55 million household viewers and a 0.7 rating among adults 18–49. Critics gave it positive reviews, praising the performances (especially Liv Tyler’s), the lingering questions, and Leder’s direction, though some found the pacing slow.

The plot unfolds as follows: Kevin is troubled by a dream of Dean, gets scolded by Lucy for shooting dogs the night before, and is baffled when a bagel he put in a toaster vanishes. At a coffee shop, Jill and Aimee spot Nora carrying a gun in her bag, then see her spill and break her cup. They follow her, learning she’s hugging Reverend Matt, and deduce she’s his sister. Tom meets Christine at a gas station, where Wayne praises Tom but warns that something may have “poisoned” him. Wayne offers to hug away Tom’s pain, but Tom refuses. Wayne goes on the run, telling Tom to protect the pregnant Christine and go off the grid. At the Guilty Remnant’s pledge house, Laurie mentors a new recruit, but Meg is not yet part of the story. Kevin visits his institutionalized father, questioning his sanity, and later discovers a burned bagel in his toaster.