Well... that was a gruesome way to open an episode.

The Leftovers Season 1 Episode 5 wasted no time in setting up a storyline designed to make you go from hatred to horror in under a minute.

Most of the time these GR people are a-holes. Watching an old man trip and fall and lay helpless in the street as they just smoked their cigarettes and stared made me so angry. 

But stoning a woman to death? Jesus. I can't even. Every thud I heard just made me grow a little bit more nauseated. Hate crimes are not the answer. They are NEVER the answer.

Yet, the GR continues to press forward with their cause. The only person who seemed visibly affected by it all was Laurie and perhaps Patti. Patti didn't even argue with Kevin the way she normally would.

With a night at a motel, Patti breaks her silence in order to really get through to Laurie.

I understand the pull. I understand that your family and your past, I understand that going back to them feels comfortable and easy, because the alternative, what we do is very, very hard. But there can't be any doubt Laurie. Because doubt is fire. And fire is going to burn you up. Until you are but ash.

Patti [to Laurie]

• Permalink: I understand the pull. I understand that your family and your past, I understand that going...

Week after week, I still debate what it is exactly that the GR do? What point do the Guilty Remnant have? How is stealing people's memories and not helping a fallen old man helping any cause?

They want to remind people and but it seems to me that all they do is make people miserable. It seems you need to adopt a certain amount of numbness in order to become a part of this group. I call BS. 

They are just dealing with their pain in a different way. They numb themselves and say they have a higher cause but it is just another way to cope. Why do you think Liv Tyler turned there when planning a wedding wasn't helping her move on? She wanted to try another method of feeling nothing.

I'm just not so sure that Laurie is ready to feel nothing.

Reverend Matt was actually onto something when he headed to the morgue with Kevin. 

It's easier to stay silent than it is to speak truth. Killing these people is pointless because they're already dead. What I want is to bring them back to life.

Matt

• Permalink: Killing these people is pointless because they're already dead. What I want is to bring them...

Other thoughts: I kind of want to see Kevin and Nora hang out. They seem to have a spark. Also I get the weird sense that the person Kevin cheated with was the daughter's best friend. I don't know why but I just get this vibe. Also now we know the dog-hunter is a real guy and not just Kevin's imagination.

Based on your comments and the comments of other reviewers and the collective internet, it seems that most people are finding this show utterly depressing. They also don't see an end where we are going to get any answers. I turn my question to you, the viewers, and ask:

Are you going to continue watching The Leftovers?