At a glance

Producers of HBO show aim to reward viewers

“The Leftovers” is shown at 9 p.m. Sundays on HBO.

When “The Leftovers” made its debut in 2014, the pilot depicted an unexplained global incident called the “Sudden Departure,” with 2 percent of the world’s population disappearing without a trace.

Then the HBO series immediately jumped ahead three years.

From the outset, the show, which returned Sunday for its third and final season, has always centered on what will happen to those who did not disappear ( not those who did).

Based on the Tom Perrotta novel of the same name, the events of the first season centered on the fictional town of Mapleton, New York, and the family and acquaintances of Kevin Garvey ( Justin Theroux) as they struggled to make sense of life post- Departure.

Sustaining the storyline, say co- creators and producers Mimi Leder, Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta, was at the forefront of their minds. So, when as they began working on the third season, the team agreed that it would be the series’ last.

“You don’t want to wear out your welcome,” Leder said. “These characters can exist for how long?”

The producers discussed the biblical journey of Job, whose faith was tested repeatedly by God, often in relation to their characters, who struggle to live and search for meaning in a world where giving up is increasingly seductive.

“Without the reward, there is no purpose for suffering,” Lindelof said.

“That’s ultimately the game we’re playing with our viewers.

“The question is: ‘You have now suffered for three seasons, 28 episodes. Do you feel rewarded?’ “

Lindelof hopes that viewers will feel just that.