I may want the real world to be all sunshine and rainbows, but I'm more than happy to tune into a dystopian nightmare on the small screen. If you're a horror fan like moi, then you should be particularly elated by the news that a TV show based on The Purge is in the works — and now, Entertainment Weekly is cluing us into exactly what the series will be about.
Though many fans are used to seeing bloodbaths on the big screen, there has been a surge of horror shows taking over our TVs in recent years. From The Walking Dead to anthology series Channel Zero, you no longer have to wait for the next Get Out to get your frightening fix. Now, The Purge is plucking its high-concept horror franchise from the box office straight into your living room — just with a twist.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
During the NBC Upfronts on Monday, EW reports that the franchise's producer and Blumhouse CEO Jason Blum explained how the new series would work. While these bloody flicks focus on the one night of the year when all crime (including murder) becomes temporarily legal under the political party New Founding Fathers of America, the new series will explore how that "awful law" — and that one night of brutality — affects the rest of the year.
The concept of the TV series is a reminder that The Purge — which was created by writer-director James DeMonaco — is inherently political. The franchise may love creative kills and insanely creepy masks (the mark of any truly terrifying horror flick) but it's also an exploration of classism, totalitarianism, and plenty of other relevant issues. In an essay for The Guardian, Blum wrote:
"I think a 21st-century horror film really benefits from being political. I don’t think it has to be political, but I think it really benefits. John Carpenter started a great tradition of politically themed genre movies. The world is a scary place at the moment, so it’s very fertile ground."
It certainly sounds like The Purge TV series will explore more than just the many ways to give its audience nightmares — but don't worry, it's still terrifying. I can't wait to be kept awake at night when the new show finds its home at USA and SyFy.