• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

So Many Shows!

Find more to love about your TV shows with So Many Shows! TV Reviews, Interviews, Recaps, Radio, Podcasts, and more!

  • Articles
  • Reviews
  • Podcasts
  • Interviews
  • TV Talk!
  • About Us
  • Partners
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Reviews / The Purge Episode 1: What Is America?

The Purge Episode 1: What Is America?

September 4, 2018 by Roo Black 1 Comment

Take a moment to share:

The Purge Episode 1


Episode 1 of The Purge aired September 4th, on USA Network.

Off to a brutal start, as the clock counts down to commencement of Purge night, we follow some of the major players in the story.

JANE

Jane is a finance professional, and she’s working on Purge night in order to close an important deal. She is joined by her team, including Alison and Mark, who seem to be competing for her attention and for a VP position.

At one point the team are interrupted via a live feed on the tv—David Ryker, managing partner and boss at Jane’s investment firm, has stopped in to remind everyone why they’re working so hard (money) and promises bonuses for everyone. He reminds Jane that he’s always listening and watching, and we get the feeling that there’s some tension between the two.

Throughout the night, Jane keeps checking her phone, and she seems really nervous, not just about Purge night, but something else. Later, just as the Purge is commencing, Jane meets a woman in the garage and gives her a wad of cash—she’s hiring her for something, not sure what yet, but I’m guessing it’s a Purging of her own and maybe it involves David Ryker.

THE PURGE — “What Is America?” Episode 101 — Pictured: Amanda Warren as Jane — (Photo by: Patti Perret/USA Network)

JENNA and RICK

Jenna and Rick are anti-Purgers, but tonight they are venturing out to attend a Purge party in hopes of securing a big investment for a charity that they run. Throughout their trip to the Stanton mansion where the party is being held, we see flashbacks, Jenna being intimate with another woman.

Once at the mansion, Jenna and Rick mingle nervously with the pro-Purge elite. After lockdown, Jenna isn’t feeling well and goes to the restroom. In the hallway, she looks at a photo of Albert Stanton and his wife, Ellie, the hosts for the party. With them is the woman from the flashbacks-looks like maybe she’s their daughter. The woman makes an appearance later, and as Rick and Jenna look on we get another hot little flashback, this time Rick and Jenna both with the woman.

THE PURGE — “What Is America?” Episode 101 — Pictured: (l-r) Colin Woodell as Rick, Hannah Anderson as Jenna — (Photo by: Patti Perret/USA Network)

MIGUEL and PENELOPE

Penelope is a young girl who has joined up with some weird Purge-worshiping cult. She has pledged herself to be sacrificed in what Good Leader Tavis calls “The Giving.” Penelope has written a disturbing letter to her brother, Miguel, a marine, who comes back on Purge night to save her.

THE PURGE — “What Is America?” Episode 101 — Pictured: Gabriel Chavarria as Miguel — (Photo by: Patti Perret/USA Network)

While Miguel frantically searches for his sister amid the utter chaos in the streets—also kicking ass, saving another young girl, and comforting a young boy who is afraid of Purge night–Penelope boards a bus with other members of the cult. Penelope encourages another girl who is obviously terrified, and we see little glimpses of Penelope, when nobody is looking, and we know that she’s terrified, too, but she’s trying to keep her faith. Once the Purge officially kicks off, the bus stops and the first sacrifice is made. In a sick game of duck, duck, goose, Good Leader Tavis selects Arthur for The Giving. He gets off the bus where four masked ax wielding Purgers wait. As Penelope looks on in terror, the Purgers chop Arthur up. Like I said, brutal.

THE PURGE — “What Is America?” Episode 101 — Pictured: Jessica Garza as Penelope — (Photo by: Patti Perret/USA Network)

I liked this first episode. It has a sort of slow build, but there’s lots of tension and a super creepy atmosphere, and then BAM, that final, horrific, ax scene at the end.

Miguel is my favorite character so far. He loves his sister, he’s a badass, and at the same time he has a very gentle side to him.

What about you? How are you doing on Purge Night? Are you liking the story? Any characters you particularly like? For those of you have seen the movies, how is the tv show comparing? Is it living up to your expectations so far? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

The Purge returns September 11, 10/9 C, on USA Network. Will you be prepared?

Like Us!   Follow Us!

 

 

Before you go:

‘Making It’ Our Own Podcast #7: Discuss Episode 5 and Interview with Jo Gick

Disenchantment Episodes 1-3 – Podcast

Yellowstone – “Not Just A Western”

An Update on Colony

 

 

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)

Related

  • Tweet

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: NBC Universal, The Purge, USA Network

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to SMS!

RECENT ITEMS

The Lincoln Lawyer: Podcast episode for S1E2 with showrunner Ted Humphrey

The Lincoln Lawyer: Investigating case file S1E7 ‘Lemming Number Seven’

Bosch: Legacy – Investigating season 1 episode 10 ‘Always/All Ways’

Bosch: Legacy – Investigating season 1 episode 9 ‘Cat Got a Name?’

Bosch Legacy: Everybody Counts Podcast on S1E2 ‘Pumped’

The Lincoln Lawyer: Investigating case file S1E6 ‘Bent’

The Lincoln Lawyer: Investigating case file S1E5 ‘Twelve Lemmings in a Box’

Bosch: Legacy – Investigating season 1 episode 8 ‘Bloodline’

Bosch: Legacy – Investigating season 1 episode 7 ‘One of Your Own’

The Lincoln Lawyer: Interview with Christopher Gorham who plays Trevor Elliott

The Lincoln Lawyer: Investigating case file S1E4 ‘Chaos Theory’

Lincoln Law Pod on The Lincoln Lawyer S1E1, interview with Becki Newton

The Lincoln Lawyer: Investigating case file S1E3 ‘Momentum’

Bosch: Legacy – Investigating season 1 episode 6 ‘Chain of Authenticity’

Bosch: Legacy – Investigating season 1 episode 5 ‘Plan B’

The Lincoln Lawyer: Investigating case file S1E2 ‘The Magic Bullet’

The Lincoln Lawyer: Investigating case file S1E1 ‘He Rides Again’

Review: The Lincoln Lawyer wins with momentum

Bosch: Legacy – Everybody Counts podcast S1E1 with cast interview

Bosch: Legacy – Investigating season 1 episode 4 ‘Horseshoes and Hand Grenades’

Get Social

  • View somanyshows’s profile on Facebook
  • View so_many_shows’s profile on Twitter
  • View so_many_shows’s profile on Instagram
  • View UCTz3jfVlM_nT0GmfjBg_hjQ’s profile on YouTube

Share Us with friends

Translate

Recent Podcasts

The Lincoln Lawyer: Interview with Christopher Gorham who plays Trevor Elliott

Lincoln Law Pod on The Lincoln Lawyer S1E1, interview with Becki Newton

Bosch: Legacy – Everybody Counts podcast S1E1 with cast interview

Bosch: Legacy teaser discussion with Everybody Counts Podcast

Sweet Magnolias: Interview with Harlan actor Frank Oakley III

More Podcasts...

Listen to podcasts:

So Many Shows Podcast

Archives

Footer

Visit and like us on facebook!

Visit and like us on facebook!

Follow us on Twitter

My Tweets
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies to store information
on your computer. Some are essential to make our site work. Others help us improve your
user experience or to allow us to track behavior and user patterns. Our Policy

Youtube!

Copyright © 2022 · Metro Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

 

Loading Comments...