Cairo (The Leftovers)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Episode 8
- Curtis Gwinn
- Carlito Rodriguez
- "I Been 'Buked"
by Alvin Ailey - "I've Got Dreams to Remember"
by Otis Redding - "All My Trials"
by Odetta
| "Cairo" | |
|---|---|
| The Leftovers episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 8 |
| Directed by | Michelle MacLaren |
| Written by |
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| Featured music |
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| Cinematography by | Michael Grady |
| Editing by | Henk Van Eeghen |
| Production code | 4X5708 |
| Original air date | August 17, 2014 |
| Running time | 56 minutes |
| Guest appearance | |
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"Cairo" is the eighth episode of the first season of the American supernatural drama television series The Leftovers, based on the novel of the same name by Tom Perrotta. The episode was written by supervising producer Curtis Gwinn and Carlito Rodriguez, and directed by Michelle MacLaren. It was first broadcast on HBO in the United States on August 17, 2014.
The series is set three years after the "Sudden Departure" – an event which saw 2% of the world's population (approximately 140 million people) disappear and profoundly affected the townspeople. The characters of police chief Kevin Garvey and his family (wife Laurie, son Tom, daughter Jill and father Kevin Sr.) are focal points, alongside grieving widow Nora Durst, her brother Reverend Matt Jamison, and the mysterious cult-like organization the Guilty Remnant (GR), led by Patti Levin. In the episode, Kevin finds himself in the woods with Dean, with no clue to how he got there. He discovers to his shock that he attacked and kidnapped Patti, keeping her in a cabin.
According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 1.64 million household viewers and gained a 0.8 ratings share among adults aged 18–49. The episode received extremely positive reviews from critics, who praised the performances (particularly Justin Theroux and Ann Dowd), character development, pacing and ending.
Kevin (Justin Theroux) invites Nora (Carrie Coon) to dine with him, Jill (Margaret Qualley) and Aimee (Emily Meade) at their house. As Nora explains her job at the Department of the Sudden Departure (DSD), Jill questions her about a gun she carries in her purse. Nora claims she got rid of the gun and allows Jill to check her purse, proving she doesn't carry it anymore. That night, Kevin goes to sleep and by the next morning, he finds himself in his car, without memory of how he got there. Dean (Michael Gaston) appears and takes him to a cabin in the woods, where Kevin finds Patti (Ann Dowd) unconscious and tied to a chair.
Dean claims that it was Kevin's idea to abduct her after he brutally attacked her, also revealing that they are in Cairo, New York, horrifying Kevin. As she awakens, Kevin tells her they could forget about the incident, only to be spat on by Patti, speaking to him for the first time to tell him she does not forget. She threatens to go to the authorities, which will cost Kevin his job and Jill. Back at Mapleton, Laurie (Amy Brenneman) leads the GR after Patti's absence, apologizing to Matt (Christopher Eccleston) for a previous incident. Jill and Aimee get into a fight over the dinner scene, with Jill questioning if Aimee slept with Kevin. Aimee claims to have done it and angrily leaves her. Jill and Adam (Max Carver) and Scott Frost (Charlie Carver) search Nora's house to find the gun, discovering it along with her bulletproof vest. Later, Aimee decides to move out of the Garvey house.
Back in the cabin, Dean confronts Kevin for his sudden change in behavior, as he lacks the courage he displayed the previous night. As he goes outside to call Nora, Kevin finds his police uniforms scattered throughout the woods. He returns to the cabin, discovering that Dean is slowly killing Patti by placing a bag over her head. Kevin and Dean fight over the decision, which culminates when Kevin removes the bag, saving her. Fed up, Dean decides to leave Kevin all by himself, also indicating that he met him many times before. In Mapleton, Laurie receives a shipment of Departure replicas at their church, and has the members dress them per Patti's orders. That night, Laurie is surprised to find Jill, who has asked to stay.
Despite saving her life, Patti claims her position with Kevin has not changed. She explains that the GR wants to remind everyone of what everyone wants to forget. She also confirms that Gladys' death was orchestrated by her, with Gladys agreeing to her own death, claiming that something is coming. Kevin deduces that she wants him to kill her, but he refuses, claiming that he will accept the responsibility of his actions, freeing her. However, Patti takes a shard of glass and slits her throat, dying in Kevin's arms.
Production
Development
In July 2014, the episode's title was revealed as "Cairo" and it was announced that supervising producer Curtis Gwinn and Carlito Rodriguez had written the episode while Michelle MacLaren had directed it. This was Gwinn's first writing credit, Rodriguez's first writing credit, and MacLaren's first directing credit.[1]
