The Boys returns to find everyone in over their heads
After a long wait, the best show on TV returns with a gloomy but gripping premiere
The time has finally come. After three outstanding seasons and one very good spinoff, The Boys has finally returned to our airwaves after two years. The show arrived at a time when the superhero genre was at an all-time peak, ready to skewer every aspect of the genre while carving out a biting identity of its own. It has maintained the breathless momentum of its opening scene across three outstanding seasons, and the time has finally come to get more unhinged debauchery, twisty plotting, and captivating characters. And if “Department of Dirty Tricks” is any indication, the show hasn’t skipped a beat.
It would be odd to describe an episode that has Homelander pulling out his pube in the first ten minutes as “low-key”, but by The Boys standards, this one is far more focused on the simmering tensions of the universe. Rather than season 3’s choice to introduce major new plot devices and a singular mission at its start, this opener is more akin to season 2’s approach. Thus far, the season seems more interested in grappling with the characters’ past consequences and examining how the show’s universe would continuously develop, both with the fallout of past conflicts and the introduction of new characters. This is working to build the tension and desperation of the story, and it earns the big moments of the episode more. The riot scene is the stomach-churning chaos that the show excels at, as it extends the implications of the in-universe turmoil while again mirroring an increasingly real image of our time. The sight of protesters beating innocent people while Homelander revels in the violence is certainly a chilling sight, and it epitomizes Sage’s conversation with Homelander.
Sage is a great new addition to the mix, as she’s a departure from the louder personalities that the show often showcases. An intelligence-based supe paves the way for more unpredictable, more layered plotting, as demonstrated in her excellent scene with Homelander. Her monologue about how “the people” will inevitably tear down their own democracy, and that a nudge is all it will take for it to crumble and the supes to establish a new world order is a philosophically sobering piece of dialogue, and it’s what I’m assuming will be the current running through this season. By the end, all of the walls will come down, and Homelander will be the only one left to reign over the anarchy that is America.
Is this all subtle? No, but I don’t need it to be. The show has always been aggressively in-your-face about, well, everything it does, and yet some people still manage to miss its politics (apparently a literal Nazi was not clear enough for them). The Trump parallels are still working for Homelander, and the writers have crafted a landscape where the riots, trials, and divisions all come together in a clever fashion. The writers still have their finger on the pulse of pop culture, with some sharp references to Amber Heard, Pete Davidson, WarGames, and “libtards”. The episode has no shortage of hilarious moments; the best of which was either Firecracker stating that “an eye for an eye might be in the Jew section of the Bible, but it’s still in the Bible”, or the horrifying comedic tension around Homelander’s “blow A-Train” command (even after four seasons, The Deep, A-Train, and Ashley all remain ripe sources of comedy).
In season 3, the focus of Homelander was all about his mental state unwinding, to the point that every interaction with him was a heart-pounding question of what he would do next. That approach worked wonders for season 3, but it’s a tough balancing act to maintain that intensity without becoming one-note. This opener changes up the equation with a more comedic take on him, as he’s frustrated by the constant phoniness from his fans and the politics of humans that he deems below him. It’s a fitting extension of season three’s ending; he has established an insane cult of a species that he deems is below him. It doesn’t give Antony Starr quite as much dramatic heavy lifting (though he’s fantastic as always), but his crisis over his age, a shrine devoted to the women of his past, and a montage highlighting all of them continues the crippling loneliness that has followed him around his entire life.
But it’s this no-holds-barred mentality that makes the scene with the baseball bat murders so good. Yes, it’s a grisly piece of violence, but it’s a shining example of how worthless Homelander views even his most devoted followers now. With Ryan and a new plan, the love that he craved for them is gone, and he’s perfectly happy making them sacrificial lambs. (One of these is Todd; to hell with Todd. I’m glad that the episode finally provided an explanation for why Monique was ever with Todd, but it did not make me care about him any more.) It’s also another test of loyalty for the three members of the Seven remaining, and it’s an example of the lengths they’re willing to go to with such a stranglehold over them (at least A-Train seems to be uncomfortable with it; The Deep remains a spineless lackey). Though I would have liked a bit more on Homelander’s trial, if only for the potential of some of those court scenes, but I guess we’ve seen enough of Homelander forced to smile through a situation that he feels is beneath him.
His relationship with Ryan is another unexplored side of him that has revealed new sides of him. Some are just as hilariously misguided as one would expect (I had a good laugh when he told Ryan and Zoe, two young children, to not get pregnant when they walked off together; it was the exact brand of shockingly unfiltered parenting I would expect from him). It was a tense moment to see him forced to contain his rage upon the realization that Ryan still loves Butcher. As much as I secretly hoped that he would read the room enough to provide words of comfort, it was fitting to see him silently enraged at Ryan’s affection for a human, particularly after telling him that they are just “toys for their amusement”. For as many opportunities to be a caring father that he’s given, I’m sure a recurring theme this season will be his own insecurities projecting onto Ryan.
One observation I had while watching is how often Homelander was out of his suit in this episode. We have only had one, maybe two scenes before where he isn’t donning his star-spangled cape, and this is an especially interesting choice during an episode with lots of talk about supes being a different breed than humans. It’s most likely a commentary on how Homelander is forced to shed his physical superiority while embracing his internal superiority, or how he’s forced into a more human appearance because of his fans’ acceptance of him as a god. It was jarring to see Antony Starr walking around in everyday attire and looking skinnier without the muscle suit, but props to the lighting for keeping a constant focus on Homelander’s chiseled, muscly facial features to maintain his looming presence.
But Homelander isn’t the only threat in town. Neuman’s rise to power is so tense because we can feel how close she is; her powers are so threatening because we know she’s willing to pop a head at any time. Claudia Doumit’s performance similarly works as the smiling politician, and as the threatening antagonist who is always posing a looming threat and seemingly invulnerable to any threats. Aside from that, her interactions with different characters all have their own dynamism; her conversation with Hughie feels like she genuinely thinks of him as an old friend that she cares about without cutting the uneasy tension. Her dialogue with Homelander contains some very funny lines through gritted teeth while also demonstrating the clash of two powerful people forced into a situation together. And her scene with Butcher is another example of how well she works against these flashy personalities, both holding her own with snappy dialogue and also matching wits with him, making the scene feel like a genuine battle of the wits between two forces of nature.
Speaking of which, let’s briefly go back to the beginning. The opening sequence was an energetic way to kick off the episode; it efficiently reintroduced us to our leads and gave us an example of how missions with the CIA are going about. Though their tactics fail worse than usual, we get a very fun confrontation with Neuman’s V’d-up daughter and all of the wild carnage that promises. The highlight is most definitely the confrontation between Butcher and Homelander; every scene between the two is a treat, both because these are two powerhouse actors and because there is so much dramatic weight between their confrontations. It was a good change of pace to see Butcher so desperate when pleading to Ryan (though his “You’d wank to your own voice” retort to Homelander was golden), and it was equally as satisfying to see Homelander, knowing he has the upper hand, strutting in with his signature sinister smile (he ultimately wins the scene with this line: “No means no, William. This isn’t the Neverland ranch.”). For as much as the two loathe each other, it’s ever-compelling to see Homelander show genuine emotion when he finds out Butcher is dying; he was the only person with the nerve to challenge him, and this little rivalry is one of the few honest relationships he has ever had. Even if the other person in the dynamic wants nothing more than to see him dead.
Which brings us to the rest of The Boys. As someone who was mixed on Frenchie’s subplot with the Russians last season, but I’m pretty interested in his arc with Colin right now. I thought it was pretty clear that his relationship with Kimiko was never romantic, and there seems to be enough mystery underlying his motivations to give the relationship some juice. Hughie doesn’t get a ton to do, but I’m very intrigued to see his interactions with his mom and how he will grapple with his dad in the hospital. It should be a nice way to give him a dramatic subplot without having to dip back into the “relationship issues with Annie” well. Annie is undergoing her own struggles trying to keep control of her organization without relying on the Starlight identity. It’s good that the writers are unafraid to shed an important part of her character while still keeping her in a position of power, but the riot scene indicates that Starlight might be needed more than ever to keep the peace. The people may need a symbol that counters Vought, and she might be the only symbol left (and she can fly now!).
We’ll end off with Butcher. After burning almost all of his bridges in season 3 (Hughie remains loyal to the end), I appreciate that we’re seeing serious growth with the character. He’s not just physically weakened, but he’s doing whatever he can to honor his wife and rescue Ryan. This is why I was so relieved by his choice at the episode’s ending; as much as I want Butcher to keep his cocky, swaggering persona, I worried that his alliance with Neuman would cause his development to backslide. To see him refuse to fight in a corrupt way and remain loyal to Hughie is a promising development, and it’s well-visualized through a talk with Becca. Though we still get our welcome share of “cunts” from him, Butcher’s significantly different state really adds a different dynamic and feels like a natural progression from his selfless decision in last season’s finale.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan threatens to break this up when we see him introduced. I’m a massive fan of the actor after his endlessly charismatic work on The Walking Dead, and I knew he would fit into this show perfectly. His character, Joe Kessler, seems to be working as the devil on Butcher’s shoulder. At a point where Butcher seems to be progressing past his old mentality, Kessler enters as someone with that same thinking, and the same doom and gloom predictions of the future. His best line is the exact type of haunting warning that Butcher used to fight for: “We need someone like you, Billy. Before the supes start rounding us up and dumping us off in camps.” His reminder of Butcher’s betrayal of Soldier Boy is telling of how he’s embodying Butcher’s past regrets, and his long military history will hold a certain gravity in the long run. Like the rest of the season, I’m hotly anticipating the direction we’ll go from here. For now, I’m just taking in the calm before the storm, and I’m very happy with the rollicking start we’ve gotten off to. Having The Boys back on TV just feels so right; in the words of the great William Butcher, “Daddy’s home.”
Grade: A-
Stray Observations
The Seven starts killing people with baseball bats in the same episode that Jeffrey Dean Morgan appears in. Coincidence? I think not.
A-Train is running again!
Homelander has an appropriately creepy shrine to all of his exes; in it, I spotted Maeve’s sword, a photo of Stormfront from her Nazi years, and Stillwell’s baby bottle. And, of course, a jar of his gray pubes.
I loved one particular shot in the riot scene, where Annie looks up to see Homelander blankly grinning at her while protesters run and scream around him. In an episode that leans slightly more into Homelander’s comedic side, it’s moments like these that remind us how terrifying he truly is.
Homelander is drinking milk, and The Deep is eyeing an octopus voiced by Tilda Swinton. Neither of these sound good.
Frenchie’s comments about Todd and his “Pete Davidson” energy was hilarious.
Aw, Noir said his first words. I’m assuming we’ll find out who our new man-behind-the-mask is soon, but hearing words from that suit is a fresh change of pace for now.