Deeper into Darkness: Reflections on “The Purge” TV Series
Building upon the chilling premise established in its film counterparts, “The Purge” television series offers a more expansive exploration of the themes of humanity, morality, and violence. While perhaps lacking the tightly-wound suspense of the movies, the show’s two seasons provide ample room to dissect the nightmarish “holiday” and its impact on individuals and society.
The Core of Humanity: A Battle Between Good and Evil?
One of the central questions the series grapples with is the fundamental nature of humankind. Are we inherently good, corrupted by external forces, or are we fundamentally flawed, requiring constant societal structures to manage our darker impulses? Eastern philosophies often propose an innate goodness needing protection, while Western thought frequently suggests a need for the suppression of inherent evil. “The Purge” presents compelling narratives to consider both perspectives.
Consider the storyline of a character drawn into violence on Purge night by mere circumstance. Initially intending only to take a photograph, he is forced to kill in self-defense. This act triggers a devastating transformation. He attempts to cope by initially harming animals, but this leads to impulsive, unjustified violence when he crosses the line and murders an elderly man. It is clear that violence begets violence. The spiral continues, culminating in the death of his girlfriend. In this moment he surrenders fully to the darkness. The series seems to suggests that evil is a force that simmers within us, a force one should avoid touching so they do not unleash it. It appears “The Purge” proposes a stark vision: evil is not merely an external force, but a dormant potential within us all.
Violence: A Self-Perpetuating Cycle or an Enforcer of Order?
Does violence inevitably lead to more violence, or can it ironically pave the way to peace? The series highlights the self-perpetuating nature of violence, with each Purge night seemingly attracting more participants and fueling escalating cycles of revenge and brutality. However, the show also flirts with the unsettling idea that extreme violence, when successfully applied, can crush dissent and impose a warped form of order.
History provides examples where brutal regimes, through sheer force, have achieved a chilling stability, while transitions to more open and democratic societies often involve periods of instability, chaos, and violence. “The Purge” subtly raises the question: can enforced peace, however morally repugnant, be a more effective deterrent to violence than idealistic notions of freedom and self-governance?
The Tolerance Paradox: A Virtue or a Fatal Flaw?
The show also examines the complex nature of tolerance. Is it always a virtue, or can it become a form of self-inflicted harm? A doctor’s initial commitment to non-violence and tolerance ensures his family’s safety for a time, highlighting his admirable character, but his leniency towards a neighbor nearly results in his wife’s death.
His compassion for a young man ultimately leads to the deaths of several medical staff members. The series suggests that tolerance, while a noble ideal, can be dangerous when applied indiscriminately. Those who show no remorse or capacity for change must be stopped. Returning good for evil, the show implies, can undermine the purpose of compassion and put oneself in danger.
“The Purge” never lets the audience sit comfortably with easy answers; and instead delivers a suspenseful, engaging, if not gruesome, look into humanity’s own inner conflicts.