Is The Leftovers appropriate for children?

**The Leftovers** is a mature drama exploring a mysterious global disappearance through intense character stories. It contains strong language and violence, moderate sexual content, and disturbing themes about grief and loss that may be psychologically heavy for younger viewers. This is best suited for older teens and adults only.

What age is The Leftovers suitable for?

Our verdict for The Leftovers is: Not recommended. See the age grid on this page for specific recommendations by age group.

Is The Leftovers safe for children? | ScreenWise Parent Guide

Content breakdown

🔫

Violence

Strong

🗣️

Language / Profanity

Strong

🔞

Sexual Content

Moderate

👻

Horror / Scary

Moderate

About this TV show

Type

TV Show

Released

2014

Rating

TV-MA

Genre

Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Drama

Synopsis

When 2% of the world's population abruptly disappears without explanation, the world struggles to understand just what they're supposed to do about it. This is the story of the people who didn't make the cut.

Cast

Justin Theroux

Kevin Garvey

Amy Brenneman

Laurie Garvey

Christopher Eccleston

Matt Jamison

Chris Zylka

Tom Garvey

Full cast on IMDb ›

Stimulus level

High stimulus

This is a dark, adult drama with intense storytelling, frequent scene cuts, dramatic music, and emotionally heavy content — completely inappropriate for infants and toddlers and designed for mature audiences.

Stimulus rating reflects pacing, visual complexity, and sensory intensity — factors associated with attention development in children under 3. Learn more

Age suitability

Under 6

Not yet

Ages 6–8

Not recommended

Ages 9–12

Not recommended

Ages 13+

Not recommended

Where to watch

🎬 Find on Amazon

Affiliate links support ScreenWise at no extra cost to you.

Parents also checked

Ratings based on MPAA/TV classification and TMDB metadata. Updated March 2026.
Every child is different — always preview content for your family's specific needs.