HBO DRAMA SERIES "THE LEFTOVERS" RETURNS FOR ITS SECOND SEASON OCT. 4; SERIES CREATED BY DAMON LINDELOF AND TOM PERROTTA; LINDELOF SERVES AS SHOWRUNNER

More than three years ago, 2% of the world's population inexplicably vanished. 140 million people, gone in an instant. No country, no state, no city was spared - except for one small town in eastern Texas. Population: 9261. Departures: Zero.

This is the setting for a tale of two families: the Garveys, whose lives were forever changed by The Departure, and have since moved to this special place, and the Murphys, a local family who seem to have been spared from an event that shook the rest of the world.

Created by Damon Lindelof (Emmy(R) winner for "Lost") and acclaimed novelist Tom Perrotta (Academy Award(R) nominee for "Little Children"; "Election"), the ten-episode second season of THE LEFTOVERS is currently in production in Austin, Texas and surrounding areas. Lindelof serves as showrunner for the series, which returns SUNDAY, OCT. 4 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO.

The cast of season two includes Justin Theroux, Amy Brenneman, Christopher Eccleston, Liv Tyler, Carrie Coon, Ann Dowd, Margaret Qualley, Chris Zylka, Regina King, Kevin Carroll, Jovan Adepo and Janel Moloney.

After last season's elaborate Memorial Day initiative by the Guilty Remnant plunged Mapleton into chaos, season two of THE LEFTOVERS finds many searching for a fresh start. Kevin Garvey (Justin Theroux) has retired from his post as chief of police of Mapleton and is moving his new family to Texas. With him is Nora Durst (Carrie Coon), who's discovered new purpose in caring for the baby she found on Kevin's doorstep and welcomes leaving behind Mapleton and the incredible tragedy she suffered there. Equally eager to leave the town she grew up in and the friends she made there is Kevin's daughter, Jill (Margaret Qualley).

Upon their arrival in Jarden, Texas, the newly formed Garvey family meet their neighbors, the Murphys: John (Kevin Carroll) and Erika (Regina King) and their teenage twins, Evie (Jasmin Savoy Brown) and Michael (Jovan Adepo). Attracted to this special town and hoping for miracles for his whole family, Matt Jamison (Christopher Eccleston) has moved with his wife, Mary (Janel Moloney), who still suffers from consequences of the terrible car accident on October 14.

Meanwhile, Kevin's ex-wife, Laurie Garvey (Amy Brenneman), has left the Guilty Remnant and reunited with her son, Tom (Chris Zylka), who may have finally discovered a cause to help replace the pain in his heart. And while Meg (Liv Tyler) remains in the Guilty Remnant, it may not be the same cult she originally joined.

The first season of THE LEFTOVERS was based on Tom Perrotta's bestselling novel of the same name. In the second season, the show expands on the novel's original concept of The Rapture, continuing to explore the ways ordinary people react to inexplicable events.

THE LEFTOVERS is produced for HBO by White Rabbit in association with Warner Bros. Television; created by Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta; executive produced by Damon Lindelof, Tom Perrotta, Mimi Leder, Tom Spezialy and Peter Berg; co-executive producers, Gene Kelly, Jacqueline Hoyt, Albert Berger and Ron Yerxa. Lindelof serves as showrunner.