Gladys (The Leftovers)
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Episode 5
- "Kiss on My List"
by Hall & Oates - "What a Fool Believes"
by The Doobie Brothers - "Warrior"
by Terry Divine-King & Winston Francis
| "Gladys" | |
|---|---|
| The Leftovers episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 5 |
| Directed by | Mimi Leder |
| Written by | |
| Featured music |
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| Cinematography by | Todd McMullen |
| Editing by | Henk Van Eeghen |
| Production code | 4X5705 |
| Original air date | July 27, 2014 |
| Running time | 55 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"Gladys" is the fifth 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 series creators Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta, and directed by Mimi Leder. It was first broadcast on HBO in the United States on July 27, 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, unknown assailants kill Gladys, a loyal member of the Guilty Remnant. Kevin investigates the murder, despite the police's indifference to her death.
According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 1.59 million household viewers and gained a 0.8 ratings share among adults aged 18–49. The episode received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised the performances and character development. Gladys' death scene drew polarized reactions, with some deeming it appropriate for the series' tone while others criticized its violent nature.
Hostility between the GR and Mapleton residents has increased after the former broke into their houses to remove photos of their departed familiars. One night, a member of the GR, Gladys (Marceline Hugot), is taken by assailants to the woods. Taping her to a tree, she is brutally struck by thrown stones. She breaks her vow of silence, begging them to stop. The assailants ignore her and keep throwing stones, killing her. The GR searches for her that night, with Laurie (Amy Brenneman) running into Dean (Michael Gaston) killing dogs, before finding Gladys' body.
Kevin (Justin Theroux) is visited by Patti (Ann Dowd), who informs him of her death. The police show no respect to Gladys' death, some mocking her death while others refuse to cooperate and warn GR that their presence is a threat. With very little support among the department, Kevin is forced to investigate on his own. To complicate matters, Detective Louis Vitello (Wayne Duvall) informs ATFEC for investigation. After Laurie leaves a hospital due to a panic attack, Patti takes her to a motel room. The next day, Laurie is instructed to meet her at a diner wearing non-white clothes. Patti surprises Laurie by speaking, inviting her to do the same for the day.
On a suggestion of Lucy (Amanda Warren), Kevin announces a curfew, which angers some of the citizens. The board rejects the petition for a curfew, unwilling to ruin their lives for GR. Kevin decides to visit the GR, suggesting they should use whistles, although they are not interested in his idea. Back at the diner, Patti tells Laurie that they are in the same place where she dined with Gladys, who wanted comfort after her son died. Even when she motivated her to speak, Gladys did not speak, just like Laurie. As they leave, Patti orders a doggy-bag and writes 'Neil' on it, which she leaves filled with something in front of a house.
Kevin decides to visit the morgue to check Gladys' body, bringing along Matt (Christopher Eccleston), who knew her and wants to pray for her. At the morgue, Kevin discovers that ATFEC already retrieved the body, which prevents Kevin from investigating any further. He contacts the agent in charge, who claims that the case is now in the hands of the ATFEC. The agent also offers Kevin a chance in wiping out the GR in Mapleton, which Kevin refuses. A distraught Kevin informs Jill (Margaret Qualley) about his incoming divorce. While Meg (Liv Tyler) is ready to become a permanent member of GR, Laurie interrupts Matt's vigil for Gladys outside with her new whistle. At an ATFEC processing center, agents burn many corpses from a truck, including Gladys'.
Production
Development
In June 2014, the episode's title was revealed as "Gladys" and it was announced that series creators Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta had written the episode while Mimi Leder had directed it. This was Lindelof's fifth writing credit, Perrotta's second writing credit, and Leder's first directing credit.[1]
