The Boys, an Amazon Prime Video series based on the comic by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, premiered on July 26th, 2019. The show offers a darker take on the superhero genre, exploring what happens when superheroes abuse their powers for personal gain. It follows Hughie (Jack Quaid), an electronics salesman whose life is turned upside down by a tragic event, prompting him to join a group determined to take down corrupt superheroes and dismantle the corrupt and powerful corporation, Vought. This group, called the “The Boys,” includes Mother’s Milk (Laz Alonso), Frenchie (Tomer Capone), and William Butcher (Karl Urban).
Having recently finished all four seasons, I found that the show dives deeply into its characters—especially the main antagonist, Homelander. His disturbing past and increasing instability are explored in extreme depth. The show’s violence, mature content, and psychological depth make it intense and gripping, earning its TV-MA rating. Each character has unique motivations, and the pacing builds naturally to compelling and suspenseful climaxes. In my opinion, season 2 was the weakest, while season 4 has been the strongest so far with the tensions increasing with each season. The stakes are clear for each season, and unlike other shows, the characters never seem invincible. A weaker point is in some scenes they are able to travel throughout the world with ease. We see more in particular in season 2 where they use disguise once which makes the stakes feel decreased at some points. What sets The Boys apart is how it reflects real-world themes, portraying a society where the line between hero and villain is disturbing.
