Episode Six “Lovely Dark and Deep”
Written by Nick Betancourt & Krystal Houghton Ziv
Directed by Nicole Weyr
[All images courtesy Patti Perret/USA Network]
For a full recap of episodes of The Purge on USA (and all his other cool recaps), check out Father Son Holy Gore!
Now, on to the All American Carnage of The Purge, Episode Seven – “Lovely Dark and Deep”!
WARNING! Converging Plot Threads (and Spoilers) Ahead!
*Jenna (Hannah Anderson) & Rick Betancourt (Colin Woodell) Rick and Jenna bicker over raising the Sandin Security gate to save Lila (Lili Simmons). Neither of them sees a figure sneaking into the house before the gate shuts. The Rick-Jenna-Lila triangle continues inside Chez Betancourt, with Jenna expending all of her concern on Lila; from gently cleaning Lila’s wounds, to offering to let her stay as long as she needs, before giving Lila a goodnight kiss on the forehead.
Lila repays the hospitality later in the evening when she brutally stabs the gun wielding home invader. The now deceased intruder? None other than the Betancourt’s passive-aggressive neighbor Ross (Joe Chrest). Turns out he’d had enough of Jenna and Rick chopping down his maple tree, parking in front of his house, AND (horrors) not inviting Ross and his wife over for dinner.
*Miguel (Gabriel Chavarra) & Penelope Guerrero (Jessica Garza) are the only characters who spend any time in the woods, which may be “dark and deep” but are not at all “lovely”. They spend their time fleeing from Bygones, stealthily running past some Fight Club wannabes, and bickering about the past before escaping from a Purge Night snare trap.
*Jane Barbour (Amanda Warren), tied up as an unwilling exhibit in the Most Sexist Party Room Ever, endures verbal, emotional and sexual harassment from David Ryker (William Baldwin) in the present.
Her past, in the form of flashbacks of her childhood, provide no respite. Lorraine Barbour (Deneen Tyler) loves her daughter and works tirelessly to provide for their family of two. But where Jane sees brains and hard work as the pathways to success, Lorraine believes her daughter must “play the game” and use her looks. Attractiveness is an asset Jane must use to “play their game” and win. That’s why Jane asked a nurse (several episodes back) to relay the message “I forgive you” to her hospitalized mother. As part of that game, Jane’s mother corralled her daughter into a humiliating (if successful) run on the teenage beauty pageant circuit for the scholarship money.
Back in the present, David doesn’t get to enjoy his lecherous activities for too long. The Joe the Sandwich Guy (Lee Tergesen) story joins Jane’s. He cuts the power, then bursts into the party room, shotgun blazing. He cuts the ropes binding Jane’s wrists and buys time for Jane to free the other imprisoned women. Surprisingly enough, Anya (Alyshia Ochse) follows Jane’s prompt to assist her. After they are all unbound, Jane shoots David in the head.
Earlier, Jane persuaded Anya to take her Matron Saints contact card. As Joe’s van drives away from the scene, the Matron Saints van pulls up to David Ryker’s house.
Notes on “Rise Up”
*Is Lila lying? She seems genuinely shell-shocked, but …
*I hope this is heading for a twist, because the Lila/Jenna/Rick triangle is the least compelling storyline on this show.
*All of Jenna’s concern and worry are directed towards Lila and her unborn baby. At this point I wouldn’t blame Rick if he separates from Jenna, works out a custody arrangement regarding their baby, and leaves Jenna and Lila to their own devices.
*There is a whole area of legal practice devoted to “Neighbor Law”
*Did Ross know there are entire books to deal with issues like neighbors cutting down a tree on the property line, or finding out if you can do anything about people parking in front of your house on a public street.
*Turns out Fight Clubs actually exist outside of movies and television.
*Snare traps aren’t usually set up for humans.
*Hmm. I didn’t see anyone eating pancakes at Pete the Cop’s hideout, but I bet that’s where Miguel and Penny end up.
*Ziplines can put you at risk for anything from broken bones caused by falls to flesh eating bacteria, but not being burned alive.
*Robert Frost’s 1922 poem,”Stopping by Woods On a Snowy Evening” is the source of this episode’s title.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,But I have promises to keep,And miles to go before I sleep,And miles to go before I sleep.
*Jane’s family hails from the island of Barbados.
*Her high school, named after the third President Thomas Jefferson, is one of many, many schools named after the oft-controversial Founding Father.
*”If this is about scholarships, why am I wearing a bikini?” Ironic that America under the NFFA features pageants with the swimsuit competition that both the Miss Teen USA and Miss America pageants eliminated in real life.
*I loved the contrast between Jane’s academic accomplishments (Captain of the Math team, VP of Student Counsel, Excelling in science and calculus) read over the PA, and her refusal to smile on the runway.
*Did Lorraine Barbour have a part in Jane forgoing a science or math centered career path for a more lucrative job in finance?
*A plaque on the wall of Jane’s home reads “I can do things through Christ who strengthens me”. This quotes Paul’s letter to the Philippians, Chapter 4, verse 13.
*David Ryker was the Worst Boss Ever, but he knew his Renaissance artists (comparing the terror in Jane’s eyes to the work of Caravaggio).
Next Week: Episode Eight “Giving Time Is Here” (which makes me think of the Peanuts Christmas song “Christmas Time Is Here“).
The Purge airs Tuesdays on USA at 10/9c.
More official images, information, and other goodies can be found here.
For more of my deep dives into Bates Motel, The Exorcist, and Channel Zero, check here at F&S and at SciFi4Me.com.
Until next week citizens, “Just remember all the good The Purge does.”
Channel Zero Archive 