Pure

CBC's 'Pure' depicts sheltered characters struggling to survive in a suddenly brutal world. And it is that reverent portrayal of new pastor Noah Funk and his wife Anna that elevates the series beyond its already intriguing 'Mennonite Mob' premise. The first episode is a good indicator of whether or not you will enjoy the rest of the series, which maintains the steady pacing and attention to character. The showrunner, Micheal Amo, had Mennonite grandparents, and the community certainly isn't portrayed as flat or stereotypical. However, the show's weakest link is easily Detective Bronco Novak. I mean, just look at that name. He's the archetypal drunk and rebellious cop who nevertheless manages to be competent (or incompetent) at exactly the right moment. In comparison to the nuanced performances by Ryan Robbins (Noah) and Alex Paxton-Beesley (Anna), Novak somehow seems less believable than drug smuggling Mennonites. The direction is fine, and the writing and acting is pretty good across the board, with the exception of both of the Novaks. Overall, the show is at its best when it focuses on community and questions of morality,but 'Pure' still struggles to overcome conventional plot and characters

The core characters are believable as Mennonites, but casting Rosie Perez with what I think is supposed to be a southern accent is absurd. To hire Rosie Perez for any role is foolish because they all require something she doesn't have-acting talent. Aside from the fact that she can't act, her real voice is more annoying than the fake voice Fran Dresher used to when playing The Nanny. Even in roles where she is supposed to be "pretending" to be uneducated Bronx street trash, which is something that should be as easy for her as falling down she sucks because her natural voice is so annoying it seems unrealistic. Whoever told this woman she had a future as an actor must have been playing a cruel joke on her the way someone might evilly convince a mentally handicapped person that she could be Ms. America. As far as I'm concerned the joke has gone on far too long and her trying to do a southern accent is like watching that mentally handicapped person I mentioned before enter the talent competition as a break-dancer. Hollywood, please stop hiring this woman; she ruins everything she is in the way she has in Pure because her voice is like nails on a chalkboard and hearing it takes some viewers "out of the moment" and ruins the immersive experience of the story. They could save Pure by having Detective Bronco simply call the Texas police station where an actual actor tells his character that Detective Squeakydrawl was killed in the line of duty when she tried to speak to a suspect whose head exploded at the sound of her voice and she was caught in the blast radius. If you didn't give her lines it would be the best performace of her career, but her face would still ruin the scene because she looks like a squirrel (who can't act) pretending to be human while storing nuts in its mouth. For her to be cast in anything is ridiculous, but to hire her to attempt to play something other than an uneducated Bronxite who has a weird voice and can't act even with her native New York accent is a complete farce.

Saw a preview on another show went looking for it. Found it, very much liked the first season see a 2nd season is coming:)

A good show. Maybe it can become a VERY good show. Great concept, the struggle to resist widespread evil, or maybe even at times the desire to embrace the banality of life, with fine characters, and a good cast. I found it subdued, yet powerful, and am looking forward to the next season. It will be interesting to see how much the characters can rationalize their actions, without losing their core beliefs. And finding out what their core beliefs REALLY are. Nicely done.

Watched the first season and found it an interesting premise and when they had made the claim it was based on a true story decided to research it.

Sort of wish I had not. The truth behind the story starts in the 1990s and there have been stories, encounters, arrests, and even a play based on it along the way. The incredible part is that original Mennonite kingpin died in 1994 and his reign was taken over by a family member. Needless to say their operations did and are currently running. I won't say who since this show is starting a second season.

The show has made some changes to the history of what happened of course but the main points are being followed from what I can see. I can't speak to what motivated them into going into crime though.

The second season is taking it up some notches already from what I can see. The acting was already decent to good but with Zoie Palmer and Christopher Heyerdahl being added I am very much excited to see where it goes.

The cinemaphotography is top-notch and the music good. If you want to have an idea where the season is headed lookup Abraham Harms on cbc.ca/news/canada