Studies show that people have become more violent since the Purge began, especially youths that were born after Amendment 28. Also, the NFFA might be fudging the supposedly low crime rate numbers.
Or so the late Professor thought. Esme (Paola Nunez) discovers that only one of the test subjects is still among the living, but that turns out to be a false lead after a quick house call—the girl’s long dead, sliced up in her bathtub. However, local law enforcement appears to be interested in the case, and asks that Esme give a ring, should she have more info. Later, when she checks in on the case, she’s told (by a mysterious speaker) that the death was ruled a suicide. They appear to have personal knowledge of Esme, as well. Consider yourself warned, lady.
Marcus is still obsessing over who tried to whack him (jeez, move on, guy). He stops by his ex’s Remembrance Day party. She seems on the up and up, but seeing her triggers past Purge memories for Marcus. He attacks the owner of a pickup that resembles the suspect’s vehicle, but it’s a case of mistaken identity. Poor guy’s running in circles.
Meanwhile, Michelle (Rochelle Aytes) secretly flashes an expression that looks like Marcus is getting too close to the truth. She’s the spouse, so of course, she’s a suspect. Doesn’t that nullify a red herring if it’s such a binary choice? She either did it or didn’t.
Ryan (Max Martini) visits Tommy in prison. He needs someone to help with the job, and Tommy sends him to a jittery fella, who’s more than a bit weasely. But he promises to get the job done for the heist gang. Just so he’s understood, Ryan warns it’ll be death if the job goes haywire in any way. Welcome to the team!
Ben’s really turned into an impatient killer, and still wants revenge for being left behind. He pauses when he notices his prey’s holding a Grief Box. Also, he’s drunk and crying which just kills the mood. He apologizes profusely to Ben, explaining that his brother was purged. He seems genuinely sorry, but I’m thinking the apology is too late. Nothing changes for our damaged boy who’s last seen pursuing an anti-purge college student. He dons the “god” mask just as the credits roll.
I’ve been trying to decide what it is about The Purge’s presentation that bores me. I realized early on that it’s not a show I really need to “look” at to follow along. Yes, it’s low budget, and I’m not interested in picking on the show for that reason, but this show fails on a visual level, even with all the daylight of this season. It’s a talking head show, with the camera never leaving its subject for very long; shots are tight, with dull, barely present locations adding nothing.
Of course, many of television’s lauded series are dialogue-centric (The Wire, for one), so maybe I just don’t care what’s being said? Marcus thinks aloud, Ben pretends to be chill, Esme types. It’s lifeless, or just missing a personality. Compared to American Horror Story’s faults, at least it has that.
Now that the world of The Purge is wide open—very different from the first film—you’d think there would such sights to show us.
