The Leftovers S03E05 | Matt and David Burton (God)

The Leftovers Season 3 Episode 5 It's a Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt World (HBO)
One of the best shows on television

[@Martin-yo6sh]

This is not a scene were matt confronts a person who calls himself god. This is a scene were matt confronts his own beliefs

[@go2damoon555]

I think David Burton for sure represents the belief of religion in any measure because Kevin’s idea of the afterlife is where he can be whoever he wants

[@steve3659]

duh

[@collinenglish5203]

I very rarely comment on things like this, but it just struck me the brilliance of this final interaction. Matt's favorite book of the bible was Job (Kevin reads Job 23 in season 1). There are a stunning number of parallels between Matt and Job (including how both had their wives leave them - see Matt's commentary on that in season 2). Long story short, Job in the bible loses everything and spends the book asking God why he would take everything from him. God' responds in the final chapters with summarily the God equivalent of "because I can". The parallel between that moment in the bible and this interaction are truly a masterful display of storytelling.

[@lorralu]

This series hold so much more than we see at first. Never seen such brilliance before, I just love how they did it.

[@Sorennn94]

“But if I go to the east, he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him. 9 When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him. 10 But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. 11 My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside. 12 I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread. 13 “But he stands alone, and who can oppose him? He does whatever he pleases. 14 He carries out his decree against me, and many such plans he still has in store. 15 That is why I am terrified before him; when I think of all this, I fear him. 16 God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me. 17 Yet I am not silenced by the darkness, by the thick darkness that covers my face.

[@supremeworld87]

Lindelof seems to have a thing for the book of job he did a similar thing in Lost when Ben finally met Jacob

[@opticaller]

brilliant

[@EpicBeard815]

That's the guy I was telling you about.

[@outo511]

The best line in the entire series

[@kuldeepatri3356]

Why........... For You !!! Best show ever.

[@Matheus-mr4tl]

my god, this is one of the best scenes ever made, this give me goosebumps. The peak of audiovisual art.

[@ju-df2ou]

Honestly this scene and the scene with Kevin Sr and that woman in Australia in S3 are two of the best scenes in this show

[@CesarGarcia-nd5xz]

I love how that episode ended XD

[@Sorennn94]

“But if I go to the east, he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him. 9 When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him. 10 But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. 11 My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside. 12 I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread. 13 “But he stands alone, and who can oppose him? He does whatever he pleases. 14 He carries out his decree against me, and many such plans he still has in store. 15 That is why I am terrified before him; when I think of all this, I fear him. 16 God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me. 17 Yet I am not silenced by the darkness, by the thick darkness that covers my face.

[@Chinaski83]

Thank you for posting this, such a great show.

[@anorak78]

David Burton died and rose for this and this purpose alone. That is why they're in front of the lion and why God said you wanted My Attention. I really think that was God speaking thru DB

[@suzushiEitan]

This series made more religous. I dont know why. Maybe it affirmed in me that there is such a thing called "love" exactly because we eventually lose everything

[@moonlightfitz]

Incredible acting.

[@yunyejin]

For a long time I was mad with Christopher Eccleston for only doing one season of Doctor until I watched The Leftovers

[@darnellwilliams9917]

Matt means so well, but he can be so simple and it always lands him in some ish, it kinda makes you 🤦🏼 but somehow he always prevails

[@noaholeander6182]

soooo so good

[@soseN08]

LOST spoiler alert I find this scene really similar to Ben confronting Jacob in LOST when he's about to stab him to death. Ben says to Jacob that he sacrificed his life for him and the island but Jacob makes him realize he only did it for himself. Although for Matt it was a matter of as Patty states "holding onto something" and trying to make his life mean something, for Ben it was his greed, seeking for power and attention that lead to this.

[@snuke37]

Good catch.

[@comixproviderftw_02]

Ben Linus: WHAT ABOUT ME?! Jacob: What about you?

[@LibertyPrime0256]

@1:10 Great framing for the scene. The cross image doesn't come into view until the Christ topic comes up.

[@milk_cow_blues]

A God will never be eaten by a lion. Also, I don’t think this series actually show an indifferent God. I can’t think of that after watching episodes like No Room At The Inn and Two Boats And An Helicopter, where you can see divine justice and paranormal activities on Matt’s life. But well, as other says, this show is up to open interpretations. The Leftlovers is truly a masterpiece.

[@ekajeladze]

you're right. This scene has nothing to do with whether God is indifferent or not. It's about what Matt truly believes in and tries to escape until this very moment.

[@NeverSaySandwich1]

This encounter could be God making Matt confront his beliefs and trust in God. To let go of his pride and ego

[@richardwhitelaw4217]

What Chris Eccleston in "Shallow Grave"- what a great movie!!!

[@jordangallegos4606]

Fucking Gold

[@lobsterdfw1]

The episodes focusing on Matt were awesome!

[@BENYJOSE1]

His episode in the first season was the best one.

[@thewhatness]

"Two Boats and a Helicopter" was when I knew I was all-in with this series.

[@archlectoryarvi2873]

@@BENYJOSE1 that episode was the reason I kept watching. Glad I did.

[@BENYJOSE1]

@@archlectoryarvi2873 honestly, I would have been fine if I stopped watching after Season 1. Doesn't change the fact that Matt was awesome...

[@Allexstrasza]

@@BENYJOSE1 Season 2 and Season 3 is much better though. Hell, the last season, every new episode I watched when they were out was my new favourite. It was incredible.

[@pedrocolmenares1928]

One thing that I'm noticing is that there is a parallel between this storyline and Nora's trip to Australia. Both her and Matt are presented with something that is extremely important to them (Nora's chance to see her family again, and Matt's faith), and while they initially seem angry and offended and want to confront these people (David Burton and the scientists) because they're lying, in reality they just want to end their suffering. Nora doesn't want to catch these people who are "scamming" and posibly killing others, she just wants to be reunited with her kids, and Matt doesn't just want for David to admit that he threw the man overboard, he wants a chance to face the God he's devoted his entire life to, and make sense of the chaos that is his life, and the world in general. Truly an amazing show.

[@binarystateofmind2971]

This is a year late, but that was a fantastic observation

[@StevieSpielz1991]

Second that. Awesome observation.

[@SparkDeDog]

Third that wonderful observation

[@ourdictatorship]

Yes, "Jesus had an identical twin brother." This scene is an outline of Kevin and what's coming with him. There's a very Lost-Locke type feel to this scene, too.

[@JewishCore]

I love the parallel between "God" saying Jesus had an identical twin brother, and Kevin also having an identical twin brother in the episode where he was on the "other side". This show has so many nuances and subtle little hints at the rest of the story, its amazing.

[@dashxlife]

Oh shittttttt mind blown. I gotta re watch it

[@diddymuck]

"it's never twins, Watson!"

[@comixproviderftw_02]

🎶The Kevins!🎶

[@noaholeander6182]

hadn't even thought about this, wow

[@victorsefan]

well david burton himself had a twin brother that died in the rock climbing accident. He just took his identity and pretends to be his twin brother

[@aframs-cctaf-rams-cct6424]

One of the best scenes from the greatest show in television

[@x-man9473]

The Leftovers is definitely one of the greatest tv shows in history.

[@William_Sk]

Definitely one of the best shows! Slightly behind The Sopranos and Mad Men

[@snuke37]

Christopher Eccleston's acting in this scene is absolutely effing brilliant. He goes through such a range in such a short period and it's perfect.

[@CheezeTank]

Thank you!!! I wasn’t sure if it was Chris Eccleston or not due to the beard and American accent. Thanks for clarifying. Cheers.

[@benriffle104]

I love how David Burton has an answer for every question Matt has. There's no hesitation, no stuttering, no change in his voice when he's answering. It really makes you really question if he is indeed God. The Leftovers did such a great job of making the supernatural believeable.

[@mycommentpwnz]

He's definitely not "God." As I interpreted it, when the "departure" transpired, the veil between life & death clearly became THINNER. This allowed people to go to the "beyond," and then subsequently come back. Sometimes, depending on what they did in the afterlife, they came back empowered. He is more akin to a Demon or an Angel.

[@jaythor92]

@@mycommentpwnz This show has nothing to do with a veiled existence. An unexplainable event happened that made 2% of people vanish. How do you think you would react if your mother, or daughter, or someone you cared deeply about just suddenly vanished. You wouldn't know how to grieve. There is no one you can go to for help, no one understands that type of sudden unexplainable loss. People like David created stories for themselves to cope with that loss. It was easier for him to go through life pretending to be god. To be hated and loved. These rituals people created for themselves are the only thing that gives themselves and other similar people a reason to keep going. They created a new form of a grieving process that extends to daily life. It shatters how we perceive society and social norms.

[@sophiamilas6259]

I believe David was God. The actor who portrayed this character clearly took the dive and embodied the essence and commanding presence of God. It's so obvious.

[@jaythor92]

@@sophiamilas6259 It simply just goes against the entire premise of the show for David to be God. In the same way Kevin wasn't some sort of messiah. David played the role of "God" to either take advantage of The Sudden Departure or to fulfill a role of sudden loss himself.

[@williammccormick2802]

In a show of profound conversations, this one stands alone.

[@brysoncline6113]

The show wasn't thaat deep

[@williammccormick2802]

@@brysoncline6113 Leftovers is maybe one of the deepest shows ever. You're just not that deep a person.

[@Piotrboukaieff]

The irony is in the season 1 to comfort Kevin, Matt made him read the text of Job 23:8-17 and the reality is.... Matt is exactly like Job at this moment of the show.

[@Sorennn94]

Erwan Lefrais here it is below (it stunned me when I first read it ,so please read this carefully) “But if I go to the east, he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him. 9 When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him. 10 But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. 11 My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside. 12 I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread. 13 “But he stands alone, and who can oppose him? He does whatever he pleases. 14 He carries out his decree against me, and many such plans he still has in store. 15 That is why I am terrified before him; when I think of all this, I fear him. 16 God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me. 17 Yet I am not silenced by the darkness, by the thick darkness that covers my face.

[@diptonsauce1985]

insanely masterful writing

[@russellbudell4389]

Kevin reading that passage was scary real.

[@TheStuYo]

Fucking spot on. Love this comment.

[@Sorennn94]

Matt was probably the best character together with Kevin in the series

[@rjfink]

Nora

[@gregoryparisot6374]

@@rjfink Nora too.

[@alooncnej4696]

Laurie Patty and Nora too

[@thewhatness]

Matt and Nora are the cream of the crop.

[@sorjonen8358]

Nora? no, no even close, she is good for the story, but she barely has any character develoment until the end, she is running away all the series, which proves a point, but the others are better and deeper.

[@nebula0024]

I am not known to be a religious person, but this scene *really* resonated with me. Of all the depictions of God, I felt this one was the most genuine I've ever seen.

[@angelgu323]

LOL this isn't a depiction of GOD its a depiction of someone who thinks he is GOD and a rock star

[@caiofalconieri3183]

@@angelgu323 That would be an edgy and falsely intellectual depiction of god. The point here is justly how those people became so crazy that believed in this random, stupid and narcisist guy claiming to be God

[@R4Y2k]

@@angelgu323 Well, some people believe there's a guy watching from above who thinks he's god AND a rock star. Doesn't make it any less ridiculous, does it?

[@Travisjoe31]

For someone that supposedly knows the book of Job inside and out would know this wasn't God

[@AtomekKotalke]

It’s a mockery. If you see God like this then what does it say about the person that thinks that could be how God is like.

[@NeverSaySandwich1]

Matt episodes hit so differently

[@deanphillips2859]

"Because I could", is such a phenomenal answer to that question. Followed up by the absolute desecration of Matt's entire belief structure

[@sophiamilas6259]

Yup. 🎯

[@haseebarshad9519]

This scene is Gold. Bloody brilliant!

[@marcelo2169]

I love how the guy saying it's God, got eaten by a Lion, one of the many representations of God.

[@JoeMatarese1]

The actor who played Matthew was just amazing. Because of his sad eyes, his smile is so powerful.

[@JLWarren]

That’s why Christopher Eccleston is my favorite of the Doctors.

[@jonthegeologist616]

I will say it once and ill say it again The Leftovers is the only show that truly gets Cosmic-horror right Here we are presented with a God who can do something horrible to us not because it hates or loves us, but simply because it could do it

[@sirfluffles926]

one of the best scenes in TV history, so good.

[@weareleftovers8229]

one of the best shows and on of the best scenes ever !!

[@ojenvahedi]

Best. Scene. Ever. Period. All time. Done. Nothing else. Only this.

[@sammatmatthew]

Christopher Eccleston one of my favorite actor

[@comixproviderftw_02]

Doctor Who aside, he’s underrated.

[@neilclark4226]

3:16 absolutely brilliant. The realization of truth captured in the eyes of one man

[@samporterbridges1739]

I’m Australian... take it from me, the actor who plays Jesus has BY FAR the best Australian accent I’ve ever heard, coming from an American actor

[@BatmanHQYT]

Craziest thing is, Bill Camp is American.

[@OvertheHIL524]

@@BatmanHQYTisn't that what OP said? 😂

[@redarmy102]

Just that slight change in his expression when Matt asks is that why you are killing me makes this scene even better. Just that fleeting look of regret.

[@workoutfanatic7873]

the writing on this show, oml

[@randomhero36]

Because *I'm* the authority

[@whitealroker]

One of the best scenes of TV of all time and might not be in my top five for season 3. That’s how good season 3 was.

[@lobsterdfw1]

Matt truly believes after two minutes this is actually God who he is talking with

[@Evangelionlovr]

lobsterdfw1 because he took credit for the departure. Matt has always been looking for answers to the departure he thought he could find the explanation in faith but he was wrong.

[@squidlytv]

I don't think he DOES believe that he is God. Rather he is using him as a means of venting his frustration at God.

[@jaythor92]

@@squidlytv He is choosing to believe it is God. The whole show is about people making their decisions to come to terms with what happened (The Departure). Matt put all his chips in his faith, and used his wife as a means to show that his faith was unwavering. Accepting that he is God was his way to come to terms with his suffering and to come back to reality. Accepting that the sudden departure was an act of God and not the result of being faithful/unfaithful to said God.

[@haoxus9413]

I actually think he is a god. Not the god, but was a god made in charge of the other side. He's in a similar situation as Kevin, but he didn't choose to kill his other half. This is the one went back to reality, and Kevin worked with he other half.

[@DisappointedDog]

From start to finish, this episode is the best one of leftovers; Very entertaining.

[@Sorennn94]

The expression on his face he takes in the end it’s EXACTLY the same as the one of the drawing which saw in his sleep !

[@bluefilmsltd]

I love that incredibly subtle moment towards the end where after Matt says, 'is that why you are killing me?' and 'God' briefly looks down momentarily. It's like the mask slips off and he has a moment of genuine remorse. Great scene, though wish you uploaded the whole thing.

[@apc3938]

Looks nothing like a moment of genuine remorse.

[@bluefilmsltd]

What does it look like then? @@apc3938

[@apc3938]

@@bluefilmsltd anything but a straight face with eyes looking downward for half a second in a pretentious supposedly "incredibly subtle slip". A burrowing or curling of the eyebrows in a sympathetic manner would do. If you've watched Westworld, look at the ending scene to ep 8 of season 2 of and observe the actresses facial expression at the very end for an example of something similar.

[@bluefilmsltd]

Interesting, i'll check that clip out of Westworld. I still feel that moment feels like a slip on 'God's' side.@@apc3938

[@Martin-88]

It wonder if it's intentional how there are crosses in the background at 0:58 when Matt mentions Jesus?

[@ahmadfardeendihan6333]

After 3:00 till the end there's violin music playing, Can anyone please name that theme for me? Or at give the link to the original theme?

[@nersesarslanian6751]

November by Max Richter.

[@gadaleantudor]

This is the best religious dialogue in the history of television.

[@bobsacamano4284]

Christopher Eccleston is an amazing actor both are in this scene but goddamn is he good

[@pancheeetee]

"and yet you only won the bronze" what does this mean? what is the context? I don't know much about bible' stuff

[@evangelionl0vr857]

It’s not from the Bible. Before this dude started claiming to be God he was an Olympic athlete. They talk about it several times in the show.

[@estevaolibardi]

It is interesting to interpret the ending, with the lion devouring David. Christ is also called the lion of the tribe of judah, in my view, this shows us that David Burton was a fake. His words despite confronting Matt, they are lies, which do not come from a prophet, and not even God. And this ending proves to Matt that all of his faith and life was always right. Could the lion have been another animal in this episode? Certainly not!

[@g.pancera2302]

"is that why you're killing me?" CHILLS

[@comixproviderftw_02]

Matt’s reaction to David saying Jesus wasn’t his son, rotted in the cave and had a twin brother was priceless.

[@alexg963]

I love how they embodied the idea of God in this scene. With David Burton, but (I’m almost sure was the intention) also with the lion representing the wrath of God. Whenever Matt steps out of line, you hear the lion roar, and Matt has to take a step back and remember who he’s talking to.

[@hnnsy]

Mary's word vs Mine 😂

[@spartacus1155]

I had to come to these comments to make sure this show wasn't being blasphemous. and yet again this show goes over my head lol, that dude got what was coming to him by getting eatin by a lion

[@evangelionl0vr857]

The show goes out of its way to not make a hard stance one way or another on religion just like it doesn’t ever explain the sudden departure. Every time something happens that seems like it could be a miracle or divine intervention, there is also a logical explanation to it. The writers wanted people to get whatever they got out of it without being pushed in a certain direction. By the way the actor who played Matt was a very outspoken atheist before doing the show and afterwards in an interview he was asked about his faith and he said “now I’m not so sure”

[@marcbird3784]

Best acting I ever saa

[@tracyfoster9041]

Years later and this gives me the chills as Christian. We always are told to do good on earth and believe in Jesus follow the ten commandments believe he died for our sins and rose on the third day etc etc and then when this jewel dropped at the end I was blown away because majority of not all Christians are genuinely following christ words and genuinely doing good deeds it's almost like we do good so we can get into heaven so it's more of a tradeoff or a bargain in sense. It genuinely made me question do I do what I do cause he's watching or am I genuinely like that at times it's cause he watching but at times I am a loving caring giving person so I will do good deeds

[@OvertheHIL524]

It's a show my guy.

[@catsadilla324]

I think this is meant to make Matt reinforce his belief that he has always been skeptical of God's goodwill. That God had always been indifferent to him and his wife's suffering. After all, his wife was a vegetable, and his parents died agonizingly in a fire, and his sister's entire family got wiped out, and he's been angry at God for a long time.

[@tridil]

I dream of this scene sometimes

[@miz5993]

Does anyone know the name of the soundtrack?

[@merlingrainger4198]

November by Max Richter :)

[@miz5993]

Thank you so much, I was searching for it for so long

[@merlingrainger4198]

@@miz5993 you're welcome :)

[@guillaumelecam6257]

We ll never know if he was god

[@jayg339]

most of this show is up to interpretation, so it is different for everyone. That being said, I do think this is actually God in this scene(and a fascinating portrayal of God at that).

[@guillaumelecam6257]

@@jayg339 i think the same ;) And i think he saved Matt making him realize nothing have sense and he didnt needed all things he sacrified for him . He let him think that he had to let go a lot of things he Cannot control . And for me when David is eaten by a lion it means that the god in the series has somehow leave his body and mind to another.

[@milk_cow_blues]

A God will never be eaten by a lion. Also, I don’t think this series actually show an indifferent God. I can’t think of that after watching episodes like No Room At The Inn and Two Boats And An Helicopter, where you can see divine justice and paranormal activities on Matt’s life. But well, as other says, this show is up to open interpretations.

[@guillaumelecam6257]

@@milk_cow_blues i suppose he wasnt god anymore when he was eaten;)

[@milk_cow_blues]

@@guillaumelecam6257 A God never stops being a God.

[@jonhuffines5624]

I don't believe in a monotheistic God but if they did exist and I got a conversation with them I can guarantee I'd say in reply: "You're going to have to do better than that."

[@esukyd2328]

FOR YOU!!!!!!

[@micahjohansson7573]

Rewatching the series feels like a slap in the face. The writing is masterful. When the lion roars was a nice touch and the depiction of God is cold. The departure happened, and still God is just like, "what is this guy doing here?". And he is quite right, Matt never did anything for God, he did it out of vanity and for himself.

[@gabrielgamez2033]

While it is true that God can do as He pleases, it does not mean that He would do something contrary to His nature, which is Holy, good, just, etc. God doesn't need to give us reasons for anything He does, but He does, you just need to search His Word to find it.

[@mr.atomictitan9938]

If thats isn't a slap in the face I don't know what is

[@DanChalifouxable]

Anyone know the music in this scene

[@outo511]

Max Richter - November

[@bryanATO]

Matt is Job

[@comixproviderftw_02]

Basically his arc in a nutshell

[@alexs1504]

That really reminded me of Ben and Jacob in Lost

[@idanlewenhoff2295]

when that music hits

[@virga1]

Just STUNNING.

[@AfshinEmamalinia-ut3kl]

Don't fuk yourself up . God is telling him that 🙏

[@armandocardona4478]

Pretty heretical dialogue but interesting as hell (pun intended).

[@xbigsoup]

You know, I used to think this show was so stupid. I could never really understand the point they were trying to make, and thought it was insulting to be frank. But after rewatching this scene, it all makes so much sense now. It wasn't about whether or not what happened to them was real, it was about whether any of it meant anything to God. When I first saw this scene I immediately dismissed this guy, I was like "there's no way he's God, he acts without impunity." Now I realize, that was the point. Maybe he did it just to do it.

[@teddymelchionda123]

Might be best scene in TV show ever

[@ourdictatorship]

"Jesus had an identical twin brother." Absolutely brilliant foreshadowing/outlining of the plot around Kevin.

[@twitcherus3257]

this still freezes me 3 years after

[@sudevsen]

hahaha- *WHAT*

[@SO_SIGHTY]

Your profile picture made it better.

[@Logichood]

I know I'm late here with a comment, but was just listening to a podcast on the leftovers re this episode. And, damn, this show and this episode were such a gift to TV. This dialogue is just brilliant. Thanks for including it on your channel.

[@herrmannelig5091]

This man must be god. We did everything for him but he doesn't care. He will ask us when we die: Why? For him yes but like I said, he doesn't care.

[@scarletred4003]

Best scene of this crazy show ❤ The hypocrisy of faith. The madness of reason. The death of God.

[@tekiradige]

What an epic scene.

[@streetcat1510]

Great acting from Brit Christopher Ecceleston.

[@aframs-cctaf-rams-cct6424]

I’ve demoted the leftovers to #2. Amazon’s Patriot finally caught up.

[@theearthisntflatpleasestop9899]

Pure pseudo-intellectual.

[@OliverHenaineOficial]

So sad that this is the perspective that Damon Lindenlof has about God, life, purpose. A sad series written by a confused man :( Funny, because I loved Lost, at the end it was full of hope beyond this world.

[@apc3938]

How is the series sad and the writer confused? People on youtube seem to have some profound insight

[@absm2448]

It's true though. The earliest humans needed answers, so they created the gods. Depending where you were in the world, your god had a different appearance/"backstory". Hence why different religions have different depictions of their gods.

[@DWQJVB]

Most wonderful series ever

[@squidlytv]

See Lindelof didn't put his apperance of God into the show. This was for the story of Matt and his character. Matt found his purpose in God and this is where his character must reevaluate his life because he is now dying. This is not God but rather a character for Matt to vent to in Gods place.

[@Ray03595]

i mean, this is exactly how a god would respond. "I did this thing because I could." It's the human race that is trying to find meaning to unanswerable questions, or simple answers.