tv reviews

“You had a clean shot at him, right? With Soldier Boy? You didn’t take it. Was your eye on the ball?“ The highly anticipated fourth season of The Boys has finally debuted on Prime Video today, and it kicks off with a bang, releasing the first three episodes at once. The show continues its tradition of blending dark humor, biting satire, and (head-)explosive action. As the show edges closer to its conclusion, with a confirmed final fifth season, its penultimate season opening set the stage for what promises to be an intense ride. Season 4 opens with a gripping 16-minute intro that sets the tone for the rest of the season. New VP-elect Victoria Neuman delivers victory speeches on election night, the perfect opportunity for The Boys to attempt to take her down. With Neuman’s daughter Zoe’s newly developed powers – snakes shooting out of her face (after being injected with Compound-V last season) – and Butcher being a liability for the team due to his terminal illness, their mission quickly fails, making Neuman seem more indestructable than ever. However, this isn’t the only thing the team struggles with this season. The episode carefully lays out each character’s subplots: Billy Butcher (Karl Urban), haunted by hallucinations of his dead wife and the constant reminder of his limited time, becomes increasingly desperate and reckless, to Mother’s Milk’s dismay. At his wits end, M.M. ends up kicking him off the team, despite Hughie’s pleas to let him stay. New character Joe Kessler (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) serves as a reminder to keep his eyes on what really matters: saving the world. Yet Butcher desperately wants to save Ryan from Homelander’s influence and keep people from turning him into a weapon, and he tries everything in his power to convince him to leave his biological father. Speak of the devil, Homelander suffers from a midlife crisis, getting older and dealing with the with the pushback from the masses after committing a murder (from which he unsurprisingly gets proven innocent) is getting on his last nerve. Nobody in the Seven challenges him anymore and his son Ryan is struggling with the morality of Vought and the Supes. In his manic panic, Homelander seeks out Sister Sage (Susan Heyward), whose superpower is being the smartest person in the world. She comes up with a plan for his new success story and eventually joins the Seven. It is not clear what her true motives are, however she seems to be manipulating everyone at Vought. A truly intriguing new addition to the story, there must be more to her willingness to work alongside Homelander. Meanwhile, Annie January (Starlight) is still trying to reclaim her identity, but when questions of leadership for the Starlighters arise, she faces an internal conflict that ultimately makes her decide to make her comeback. Fan-favorite duo Frenchie and Kimiko both face their pasts to move forward. Frenchie starts a rushed romance with Colin, a fellow Narcotics Anonymous member, and struggles with revealing that he killed Colin’s family in his past. Hopefully the show will allow for more room for this arc, as it unfortunately seems very rushed and shallow. Kimiko decides the best way to deal with her traumatic past is to confront it head-on, leading to some of the episode’s most intense and iconic moments. Hughie grapples with guilt and anger after his father suffers a stroke, compounded by the appearance of his estranged mother, who adds little energy to the show thus far. The show’s humor remains sharp and unapologetic: The Deep continues to be a source of comic relief, with Tilda Swinton’s cameo as his octopus girlfriend, Ambrosius, being particularly hilarious. Noir’s Vessel has found a new host who finally talks (although he shouldn’t) and delivers a few hilarious one-liners. By now, it shouldn’t even be a surprise to see an auto-erotic depiction of the human centipede on our screens, but Kripke’s creativity surely remains intact. The ability of The Boys to draw parallels to real-world events is as strong as ever. From the January 6th Capitol storming to satirical takes on the Amber Heard-Johnny Depp trial, the series doesn’t shy away from controversy. New addition to the Seven, “Firecracker”, serves as a caricature of alt-right conspiracists. The self-aware nature of the show allows it to walk this fine line effectively. Antony Starr’s acting performances remain some of the strongest on television today. His delivery and micro-expressions continue to captivate. Season 4 of The Boys continues to deliver its unique blend of dark humor, social commentary, and high-octane action, making it a must-watch for fans and newcomers alike. The character development and intricate storylines keep the audience engaged, while the show’s willingness to tackle controversial topics head-on ensures it remains relevant and thought-provoking. With just one season left, the groundwork laid in this season promises an explosive and satisfying conclusion to a series that has consistently pushed the boundaries of superhero storytelling. You can catch the new season of The Boys with a new episode premiering weekly on Prime Video.