The Purge (2018): Season 1

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 13 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 27 Ratings

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3.6

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3.6	Your Score
3.6	User Score Generally unfavorable reviews based on 27 Ratings

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Season Details & Credits

USA | Season Premiere Date: September 4, 2018

Summary: The TV series based on the movie franchise is set in a small town in a totalitarian America where every year there is a 12-hour period when any crime is legal, including murder.

The premiere and finale episodes will also air on SYFY.

Genre(s): Drama, Action & Adventure, Horror, Suspense

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Season 1 Episodes

tbd
S1:E10. A Nation Reborn
Air Date: November 6, 2018
tbd
S1:E9. I Will Participate
Air Date: October 30, 2018
tbd
S1:E8. The Giving Time Is Here
Air Date: October 23, 2018

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

Alex McLevy

Sep 5, 2018

The Purge has an admirable commitment to old-fashioned storytelling, establishing some relatable characters and then simply setting them loose in an exciting, larger-than-life scenario. Read full review

Malcolm Venable

Aug 28, 2018

The Purge works, but it works only if you take its warped commentary at face value. Read full review

Michael Ordoña

Sep 4, 2018

The series isn’t exactly a thrill ride, at least so far, and isn’t likely to scare many viewers. Instead, it settles into a creepy, occasionally absurdly funny dystopian drama with some chase scenes and twists, which is a pretty smart way for the franchise to evolve. Read full review

Brian Lowry

Sep 3, 2018

The USA series brings an anthological element to the concept -- think "Tales From the Purge" -- that has its moments, without quite making this "Purge" binge-worthy. Read full review

IndieWire Ben Travers

Aug 31, 2018

At best, The Purge is a generic, broadly appealing thriller with enough obvious socio-political commentary to act as a welcome guide to the better, more incisive movies. At worst, it’s yet another example of filmmakers treating TV like a garbage dump for rejected movie ideas unworthy of fleshing out for the big screen. Read full review

Robert Lloyd

Sep 4, 2018

In a generous mood one might take all this state-encouraged violence as a metaphor for the way the poor have been systemically kept down by government inaction. But such occasional resonances feel more accidental and inconsistent, or at least beside the sanguinary point. The series rarely rises above the level of cliché. The production is nothing to speak of. Read full review

Glenn Garvin

Sep 22, 2018

The Purge remains essentially a snuff film. Call me crazy, but it just may turn out that 10 hours of gory slaughter unconstrained by even the vaguest intellectual or moral framework is going to be irredeemable crap no matter how many pretty sociopolitical ribbons you put on it. Call it, I dunno, grade-Z nihilism. Read full review

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3.6

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User Reviews

VictoriaV16

Sep 16, 2018

The show has a lot of potential and I am looking forward to see where it goes. There are slow parts but the story-lines are still unfolding. The three-way sexual tension at the party is just plain stupid and is really one of the slowest, boring parts of the story-lines.

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

akshatmahajan

Oct 19, 2020

I enjoyed season 1. It didn't say a thing new about The Purge that anyone who hasn't watched the movies didn't already know. It involves a select group of people but it also has short opening stories that show how normalized violence has become. But what makes it better than movies was thatI enjoyed season 1. It didn't say a thing new about The Purge that anyone who hasn't watched the movies didn't already know. It involves a select group of people but it also has short opening stories that show how normalized violence has become. But what makes it better than movies was that it was detailed.

Low reviews for season 1 are wrong. Was the season perfect? No. It had its problems but it didn't deserved so much negativity. Only giving negative reviews because show had same story as the movie is wrong.

Overall, I would recommend anyone to watch this series instead of Purge movie series as this is more detailed.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

bersi84

Nov 18, 2018

The Purge - Season 1 tries to lift off where the three movies before started a hype. The atmosphere and the mocking around the purging patriotism is on point, also the drama around the individual persons did not go too bad but after the first half of season 1 it seems the fire went suddenlyThe Purge - Season 1 tries to lift off where the three movies before started a hype. The atmosphere and the mocking around the purging patriotism is on point, also the drama around the individual persons did not go too bad but after the first half of season 1 it seems the fire went suddenly out and spiraled into pointless halting.

The second half feels worn out, lengthy without anything happening of significance. The flashbacks does not seem to add more depths into character shaping and the bloody action deteriorates into meaningless blabbery.

After all I am not really sure what to think of that first try they took. I think the series format can be fitting although the movies seem better to describe not even a whole day in a year whereas the series drives into meaningless efforts. Although back in the day the series 24 demonstrated that it can be done well with the correct concept.

What I personally want to see in season 2 (after all I m not even sure its confirmed yet): keep the pacing. Stop generating stupid dialogues and story where it does not have to be. Live by the atmosphere and keep the action high. With these points I can see the series becoming worthwhile for fans of the movies.

Cheers!… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

marc5477

Dec 3, 2018

Just a shock value show that tries to throw a few moral decisions in between to make it seem less silly. The problem is the situations are beyond unintelligible. Lets go to work during Purge night because we want a promotion. Lets go join a cult to help us kill ourselves. Everyone is aJust a shock value show that tries to throw a few moral decisions in between to make it seem less silly. The problem is the situations are beyond unintelligible. Lets go to work during Purge night because we want a promotion. Lets go join a cult to help us kill ourselves. Everyone is a turnip in this show even the so called smart lady. Then you have the obligatory dipstick heroes with the IQ of a iguana who can do no wrong and can dodge bullets like its the Matrix. I'm very tired of movies and shows catering to dipsticks. I actually hated the brother and sister the entire season and I could not understand why they were the focus. They were boring and linear and did I mention brain dead? Skip it. I would be surprised if it makes it to season 2.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Negatic

Sep 7, 2018

i waited half an hour for something to happen, guess what nothing happened
absolutely horrid acting too

4 of 5 users found this helpful41

Broyax

Apr 2, 2019

Après les films... la série ! on n'arrête pas le progrès... Bon, les films sont nazes et la série est naze également : on peut reconnaître une sorte de dévouement épatant dans l'uniformité de la nulle nullité bien répartie et bien nulle à chier !

En fait, rien de nouveau sous le soleilAprès les films... la série ! on n'arrête pas le progrès... Bon, les films sont nazes et la série est naze également : on peut reconnaître une sorte de dévouement épatant dans l'uniformité de la nulle nullité bien répartie et bien nulle à chier !

En fait, rien de nouveau sous le soleil ici, si ce n'est qu'on exploite toujours aussi mal cette géniale idée de base (au départ) de la purge annuelle : ça ferait un bon slogan publicitaire d'ailleurs... "tu viens avec nous ? on va purger !" ou bien "je ne serais pas contre une bonne petite purge !" histoire de se détendre !

On aurait pu en faire des trucs à partir de cette brillante idée mais non, tout est ici au premier degré et dramatique sans jamais en maîtriser le moindre ressort. D'ailleurs, la violence est en général étonnamment édulcorée et la sauvagerie des instincts (en liberté pour une nuit) très affadie.

Mais le plus gros souci concerne l'écriture très pauvre et stéréotypée ; le rythme est aussi extrêmement lent avec des épisodes qui rament comme des crevards. C'est mou du genou et bavard alors que c'est censé être... le bordel ? Une série à purger donc, dans la poubelle.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

LamontRaymond

Sep 7, 2018

this sucker is off to a ROUGH start. Not sure I'll be able to finish this one out.

4 of 5 users found this helpful41

Seasons & Episodes

44

Series Overview
Season 2

tbd
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: October 15, 2019
Season 1

44
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: September 4, 2018
- tbd
  S1:E10. A Nation Reborn
  Air Date: November 6, 2018
- tbd
  S1:E9. I Will Participate
  Air Date: October 30, 2018
- tbd
  S1:E8. The Giving Time Is Here
  Air Date: October 23, 2018
- tbd
  S1:E7. Lovely Dark and Deep
  Air Date: October 16, 2018
- tbd
  S1:E6. The Forgotten
  Air Date: October 9, 2018
- tbd
  S1:E5. Rise Up
  Air Date: October 2, 2018
- tbd
  S1:E4. Release the Beast
  Air Date: September 25, 2018
- tbd
  S1:E3. The Urge to Purge
  Air Date: September 18, 2018
- tbd
  S1:E2. Take What's Yours
  Air Date: September 11, 2018
- tbd
  S1:E1. What Is America?
  Air Date: September 4, 2018