The Purge went all in for its season 2 premiere. Fans of the films who missed last season and are expecting a watered-down adaption for TV are in for a surprise because all the mayhem is intact on USA Network.

Remember when Hostel was the talk of the town in movie theaters across the nation, and one was mandatory ID’ed twice before heading in? Times have sure changed because The Purge’s season 2 premiere keeps the franchise’s trademark unrelenting-chaos free and center stage. Honestly, The Purge’s season 2 opener is a symbol of how much the television landscape is changing because five and especially 10 years ago, it would be unimaginable to have a show like this on USA Network.

Without giving away any spoilers the season 2 premiere alludes to some of the darkest acts human beings are capable of, both toward others and even ourselves — uncensored, no cutting away to leave things to the imagination really. Even simple “me first” overtones of society like taking a selfie have a selfish, unemphatic feel to them.

There are multiple storylines running throughout the episode, but the strongest action-wise involves a bank robbery. While spoilers won’t be shared as mentioned before, fans of that genre or the opening scene of The Dark Knight will find lots to enjoy in the bank scene. There’s always this heightened tension and suspense behind a cinematic bank robbery. Will they or won’t they get away with it? No matter how many times one has watched the scenario play out on television and film, it somehow retains almost the same freshness as the first time it was viewed.

The whole concept of money as a driving, calculated force in going out on Purge night instead of revenge and sadism is a fascinating aspect of the franchise. It makes The Purge have a multilayered approach in its narrative.

Of course, if one is looking for “classic” purging, there’s plenty of that — from the return of a certain mask and the brutal scene that follows to a “who’s looking to Purge me?” scenario. That brutal scene referenced by the way is not for the squeamish and is guaranteed to make one wonder how they got it on a network that’s not HBO or a network already known for pushing boundaries like AMC.

Again, times have changed and USA Network is keeping up with the Joneses’ and not being left behind in the wake of demand for realistic television without censorship. Certainly, the season 2 premiere shows USA Network seemingly not holding back creatively on the narrative whatsoever, letting their baby be as bad as they wanna be.

The masked, brutal scene is uneasy feeling and really defines the whole prey dichotomy of The Purge concept: purge or be purged, so to speak. Vulnerability has an intense impact on the scenario that plays out, and it’s why nobody who watches it will forget anytime soon. Meanwhile, vulnerability and being unarmed when technological security means are circumvented play another major factor this episode — it’s the fight or flight response to an impromptu purging when one thought they were safe. Mayhem ensues as the character being actively pursued is in a bewildered, confused state at what is happening. No one is safe even when they think they are during the purge.

The NFFA, New Founding Fathers of America, get more attention this episode, showing how the other side works during Purge night. They actively surveil the activities to make certain everyone is playing by the rules set by the purge — acting like a voyeur, an impartial bystander watching and nothing more. Their rationale is to only get involved if purging happens after the horn; everything else adhering to the code set is fair game. Despite this, you’ll see hints of internal emotional conflict on the face of NFFA Surveillance Officer/employee Esme Carmona played by actress Paola Núñez.

Those returning from The Purge season 1 will of course, discover the season 1 cast not in the season 2 premiere, not even in a cameo/flashback or flash-forward really. It’s a bit jarring at first, although the series promised to show what happens in the days in-between each Purge night and more of the origins of the event. Whether any season 1 characters will make a surprise appearance at some point in season 2 is currently unknown. A callback would be welcome, though, as there’s so much unexplored territory left with those who made it past The Purge’s season 1 finale last year.

The Purge as a franchise has always relied on the concept itself more than any central figure, although William “Billy” Baldwin’s powerhouse performance as David Ryker in season 1 could single-handedly carry any show to the top. There’s just something about the purge that opens the door for endless possibilities of what could happen.

Be sure to check out FanSided’s interview with Dominic Fumusa, who played the memorable Pete the Cop in season 1 of The Purge.