'The Purge' Season 2 Episode 2 uses Esme and Drew's past to symbolize the need for reform in their new America
This article contains spoilers for season 2, episode 2: 'Everything is Fine'.
After the ever so teasing cliffhanger that The Purge's season 2, episode 1 ended on, we finally have some answers regarding what unfolds after the deadly developments of a night of legalized crime. The second episode offers a glimpse into the lives of the main characters resuming in the aftermath of purging, and getting purged. But as Esme continues on her path to find out what exactly happened to her beloved consort - Drew Adams - what the episode subtly lays down is the general public like Drew's inherent thoughts about their new America and the need for reform.
The first episode, that was set within the timeline of this annual Purge, showed Drew get gunned down by masked men with heavy-duty weapons. It was obvious through Drew's general demeanor that she was hiding from people she knew were coming for her. She seemed to have followed a certain path within her apartment before she was left out in the open and at the gunmen's disposal - all of which Esme witnessed live, through the national surveillance cameras. We have known that Drew meant a lot to her, specifically, as someone who helped Esme out through some really dark times, but it is episode 2 that lays down the details of their history somewhat, as Esme continues to investigate Drew's apartment for possible leads.
Esme, who has been told off by her senior to not pursue the case any further, doesn't listen; she justifies her interest in the case citing that when her sister was purged, Drew was the only one who stood by Esme. And even though nobody at her workplace understands her sentiments, through the recording, she retrieved from the cameras, Esme is able to figure out some of the paths Drew took within her apartment, before heading out. So Esme, the legendary stealthy and snoopy badass that she is, goes over to Drew's place and sneaks inside. Apart from Esme's expert ways of cracking every single noise from the sound clip - including the staircase steps creaking and the door squeaking, the scene's entire screenplay paints the most impeccably tense aura for a viewer: a visual treat, if you will. Sadly, even as Esme comes across a folder containing a tape recorder and some brain scans inside a trunk, which is what Drew was trying to hide expectedly, the answers for her suspicious purging come much later.
Drew, as it turns out, was a professor at the same university that Ben attended. One of her closest students was Darren - Marcus' son. This kid Darren, who was completing his thesis under Drew, plans a memorial vigil for her on the following night after she was murdered. In his eulogy for Drew, Darren talks about her kind spirit and soul full of conviction that always wanted to do the right thing, and never shied away from speaking out about injustices. Darren also talks about the number of times Drew got into trouble for speaking negatively about the government and in the contemporary climate, she sounds like somewhat of a rebellious revolutionary - hinting at the probability of her getting killed for being so vocal.
The twist in the tale is however far from over. Even though Esme attends the vigil organized by Darren, later when she comes home, darker secrets flood in, the moment she plays Drew's tape recorder. The recording reveals the date to be July 5, and it sounds like a therapy-related interaction between a psychiatrist, and her 'test subject 83' - who can be expected to be Drew. The therapist asks her subject about how they have been sleeping, but the subject talks about how thoughts about violence have kept her from processing pretty much anything else. But while it is possible that Drew was the subject, she might have been the therapist too in this scenario. The fact that the person being interviewed was referred to as a 'test subject' who gets horrifying urges of violence from time to time, really makes us wonder what the repercussion of the test - expectedly the trial for Purge - must have been like for the common people. And perhaps vocalizing her grievances against the system is what got Drew killed for?
'The Purge' season 2 airs on Tuesdays at 9 pm only on USA Network.
