Graphically Entertaining
Summary
Season 4 of The Boys is more of the same depravity with plenty of gross out moments, graphic violence and some cool fight scenes. It also has some nice character moments with the Hughie and his dad storyline the most moving of the entire series. I’m glad the next season is the last as it’s starting to get a little tired now and it’s a good idea to finish on a high rather than dragging it on.
Plot: Taking place six months after the events of the previous season, Victoria Neuman (Doumit) is closer than ever to the Oval Office and under the control of Homelander (Starr), who is consolidating his power. With only months to live, Billy Butcher (Urban) must find a way to work with The Boys, who are fed up with his lies, if they want to save the world before it’s too late.
Review: I’m glad the next season is final one for The Boys as it’s starting to get a little tiresome and repetitive; the main reason I keep going back to it is to see what levels of depravity they will show on screen. Season 4 is arguably the grossest yet with some scenes of pure degeneracy and yet, I can’t turn away from it.
The story isn’t especially engaging with new characters like Firecracker and Sage adding to the endless list of hateful Supes. The Boys is at its best when Anthony Star is on screen as Homelander and he’s even more psychotic than ever; I’ve never loved to hate a character so much. We know he’s pure evil but we love to see him do it. I do hope in the next season that he does get a spectacular death as he really has earned it. I hate everything about The Deep as he’s been an asshole right from the start; on the flip side it’s nice to see a redemption arc for A-Train.
Erin Moriarty (who plays Annie AKA Starlight) really gets to shine this season as she gets some fight scenes and gets to play an evil shapeshifter version of herself.
Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) is on his last legs and I’m sure he’s going to go out with a bang next season; he spends most of this season trying to save Ryan from Homelander however, Ryan doesn’t want to be saved. I’ll be intrigued to see how his story goes.
The acting all round is first rate and there are some genuinely emotionally moments with the scenes between Hughie and his dad (Simon Pegg) the most moving of the entire series. Jack Quaid also gets to really sink his teeth into the action getting his own knife fight at one point. As ever there are plenty of brutal fight scenes and hilariously over the top kills which is one of the reasons I keep coming back.
It isn’t remotely subtle when it comes to the politics, but it never was and it’s funny that only now people are getting offended by it.
I love seeing some of the cast members of Eric Kripke’s Supernatural like Jim Beaver playing Robert Singer (in Supernatural he played Bobby Singer) and of course Jensen Ackles as Soldier Boy. He wasn’t in this season but it looks like he’ll be back for the next one…
One thing I can say about this show is that it’s rarely predictable and just when you think you have an idea of what will happen next it does something totally out there. Did anyone ever see killer mutant sheep and chickens? Nope and yet here we are…
Overall, Season 4 of The Boys has plenty of graphic violence and shocking scenes, but it also has heart and some nice character moments. At this stage it does feel a little samey and the main storyline isn’t all that interesting. It certainly ends well and I look forward to seeing how the final season will play out. I’m sure it won’t have a happy ending…