Getting ready for "Judgment Night" - everything you need to know about the world of the new series

Since 2013, four full-length films have already been released, and now the story is moving to small screens. The USA Network channel begins to release a series of the same name, the events of which unfold in the same world. All the films were practically unrelated to each other in terms of plot, and the new project will also have its own line. Therefore, it is not necessary to study everything before watching. But it is useful to learn how the fantastic world of “Doomsday” works and how it all began.

What is the essence of "Doomsday"?

All films take place in the fictional world of the US of the future, where the government, which calls itself the "New Founding Fathers," has come up with a way to bring the country out of crisis. Every year they arrange "Doomsday" or, literally translated, "purge" - the time when any crime is legal.

Everything is very simple. Throughout the year, Americans live as usual: work, visit shopping centers and visit each other. If someone gets sick, an ambulance will come, if they are robbed, the police, although crimes in this world are very rare.

However, every year on March 21 at 19 o'clock in all cities sirens sound, and on radio and television announces the beginning of "Judgment Night". From that moment on, at 12 o'clock, any violence and even murder becomes absolutely legal, only without the use of weapons of mass destruction. The police, ambulance and all other government services are not working that night.

Any office worker, janitor, or student can grab a baseball bat, gun or submachine gun, go out into the street and kill anyone he doesn't like. Even a bully from the next house, even just a random passer-by. This is called “releasing the beast,” and thus the state allows citizens to get rid of the accumulated negativity in order to continue to live in peace for a whole year. People are not obliged to participate in violence, many simply lock themselves in their homes, and those who have the opportunity buy themselves the latest security systems - these are sold by the protagonist of the first film.

However, a significant part of the population considers it their duty to take part in the "cleansing", because according to official information, it was she who brought the state out of the economic crisis and again made the United States a prosperous country.

How does violence help the economy?

This question really remains a mystery at first. In the first film, the events are focused on only one family, and all the action takes place in their house. It is shown only that wealthy citizens piously believe in the correctness of the method, although they themselves do not want to participate in what is happening. The main character locks himself in the house with his family, but they are besieged by strangers, and then by their own neighbors. And their only task is to live until the morning.

The authors immediately throw the viewer into a world where everyone is convinced of the benefits of Doomsday Night, but how it can help ordinary people is not clear. The explanation comes in the second part of the franchise, subtitled Anarchy. This film is already more like an action movie than a chamber thriller. Here a group of unfamiliar people find themselves on the street on "Doomsday", and they have to face hooligans, madmen and even trained soldiers.

And then it turns out that the violence is not at all as chaotic and uncontrollable as the government positions it. In addition to street gangs, maniacs and office workers simply driven to extremes, trucks with professional mercenaries ply around the cities during Doomsday. They track the groups of townspeople who pose the greatest danger and shoot them.

But their work is not limited only to this. Mercenaries are sent to poor neighborhoods, where they exterminate members of the lower strata of the population. This is how the state relieves itself of social benefits, growth and other problems associated with the numerous residents of the ghetto. Officially, this massacre cannot be carried out, which is why “Doomsday” was invented, which creates a visible effect of universal equality. But in fact, as shown in the first film, most wealthy people have the opportunity to hide in their homes, and the number of the poor is artificially reduced.

How did ordinary people get involved in this?

From the very beginning, in the films about "Doomsday", the authors talk about the innate tendency of a person to be violent. In ordinary life, people are used to hiding it, but if they are given the opportunity to “release the beast,” they will gladly take up arms.

In fact, everything is not so simple. In the prequel “Doomsday. The Beginning”tells the story of the first“cleansing”in more detail. It turns out that after the economic collapse of the state, the New Founding Fathers party hired scientists to withdraw the country from. One of them proposed to conduct such an experiment.

However, even the inhabitants of the poor neighborhoods, accustomed to violence, were practically not interested in the strange idea, and many even wanted to leave the city. After all, it is one thing to say that you want to kill someone, and it is quite another thing to really take up arms, even if there is no punishment for it. Therefore, the government offered people compensation: a certain amount only for the fact that they stay at home, and much more if they take part in the massacre.

At the same time, the emphasis was placed on the inhabitants of the poor neighborhoods. First, because the experiment is actually designed for them. Secondly, for them money is a more serious motivation. But still, most people perceived this only as the need to lock themselves in their own homes.

The experiment was on the verge of failure, and then the official in charge of statistics decided to use mercenaries. They had to involve street gangs in shootouts to prove the method worked, and, as mentioned earlier, to clear out the poor neighborhoods. The deception worked, the next morning the government reported on the success of the experiment, the economy gradually went uphill, and “Doomsday” began to be held every year.

And over time, everyone supported the idea?

For many, of course, "Doomsday" really turned into an opportunity to throw out all the hidden cruelty. So that no one recognizes them, people put on bright masks and costumes, dress up like on Halloween, and girls even buy machines with rhinestones. Particularly cruel, but not very courageous groups of wealthy people find victims for money. For example, a poor elderly person may agree to be tortured to pay off their daughters' debts. Well, for someone - as for the main character of the second part - "cleansing" becomes an opportunity for legitimate revenge.

Of course, not everyone turned into murderers. But in a world where there are no laws and violence reigns 12 hours a year, everyone had to adapt. Those who cannot afford a security system are armed to defend their homes or shops.

In the third film with the subtitle "Election Year" it has already been shown that some part of the inhabitants is trying to help those who have suffered from the street lawlessness. One of the heroines drives through the streets in an armored minibus and tries to provide first aid to the wounded or takes them to an underground hospital.

In addition, a whole resistance movement has formed, which is trying to destroy the established order. However, they find themselves in an impasse - a coup can only be accomplished with the use of the same violence. The main plot of the third film, which ends the franchise, follows a woman presidential candidate who promises to ban Doomsday. She is supported by more and more voters, but the "New Founding Fathers" decide to use the last "purge" to get rid of the unwanted rival.

At first glance, the film ends with a happy ending: the heroine still wins the elections and cancels the annual violence. However, in the finale it is shown that such a decision causes a new wave of protests and clashes. And this can lead to even more bloodshed.

What will the series be about?

As noted earlier, all of the Doomsday films are separate stories set in the same world. Therefore, the plot of the series is unlikely to be directly related to any of the parts. And the action will probably unfold before the events of the third film, since the "purge" is still legal.

According to the description, the series will tell the story of a former Marine who receives a strange letter from his sister and comes to her just before the start of "Doomsday". Now he must protect his relatives from the violence reigning around. The series kicks off on September 4 and will continue to air weekly on Tuesdays on the USA Network. A total of 10 episodes are planned. According to the authors, they will be a completely new chapter in the 12-hour violence story.