The Boys season 4 review: “Very entertaining but the cracks are starting to show”

After five years of wild herogasm, sausage-loving, eating live octopus (RIP to a real Timothy), and more ripped-off limbs than you can shake a super-strong fist at, the hit Amazon Prime series Video The Boys still maintains its power. chock. Back for a new season, many scenes will once again leave you speechless, even if overall the series begins to lose its biting side. Fortunately, it is far to be damn evil.

Now in its fourth season, you know the drill perfectly: it’s Butcher (Karl Urban) versus Homelander (Antony Starr), the Boys versus the corrupt Supes, with plenty of blood and guts spilled along the way. The world is on fire and our beloved group of misfits must overcome their problems and come together to save it. Of course, some difficulties are set in motion: Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit) moves closer and closer to the Oval Office, Billy has only a few months to live and the battle for Ryan’s (Cameron Crovetti) soul begins. never looked as intense as he did. becomes even more exposed to Homelander’s corrupting influence. However, the basics are still the same, since showrunner Eric Kripke clearly respects the rule: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.

New sparks

(Image credit: Prime Video)

However, this is both the show’s fault and credit, as they methodically work their way through a boys’ bingo card with varying degrees of success. The first box checked is social commentary, with this season being the most political yet. Over the course of eight episodes, it deals not only with an election, but also with the growing tensions among the American people following Homelander’s public display of violence at the end of season 3. Of course, this is all very timely. , channeling events like the Donald Trump trial, the US presidential race, and the January 6 riots into its story. The Boys has always been good at this, reflecting the state of America with an irreverent tone, and it undoubtedly still does. However, the problem is that beyond the obvious, what additional argument is he trying to make? Despite all the escalation, this season struggles to say anything new, which isn’t helped by the fact that the main political players, mainly Neuman, are regularly sidelined. Instead, this season’s smartest satire comes not from politics, but from more cultural parodies – Vought showcasing its upcoming Kevin Feige-style cinematic slate is certainly a highlight.

Although the politicians themselves are forgettable, one shining star nevertheless emerges strongly from the political battlefield: Erin Moriarty’s Annie, formerly known as Starlight. Although we’ve seen her truly go through hardships before, Annie’s struggles have never been more difficult and personal as she grapples with her identity. Desperate to break free from her superhero alter ego, Annie wants to firmly establish herself as Annie – but Starlight keeps coming back to haunt her, in various ways. Moriarty rises to the challenge by delivering an incredible performance, becoming the beating heart of the show this season. His continued confrontation with the new Supe Firecracker (Valorie Curry) particularly sets things on fire.

In fact, Firecracker adds some much-needed spark, thanks to Curry’s gleefully outrageous and electric performance as the loud and angry Supe. But it’s the other new member of the Seven who steals the show, Susan Heyward’s Sister Sage – the smartest woman on Earth, sorry, Earth’s “person”. With her brain as her weapon, Sage brings a different energy, remaining calm and confident as she enacts her master plan: manipulating events at will, always one step ahead of everyone else. It’s really unnerving and downright terrifying – and yet, there’s just something about her that draws you in.

It’s a testament to Heyward’s acting ability that she can hold her own against Starr’s Homelander, who continues to be one of the best characters on the show. Since we first met him, Vought’s poster has become increasingly unhinged, which Starr clearly enjoys, leaning even further into mania. It’s really sparked by Sage, with the duo evolving into a pretty terrifying and incredibly powerful double act. It’s a testament to both actors that, even though their characters are complete assholes, they also find a touch of humanity in them that allows us to connect with them – and the same can be said for the rest of the cast from The Seven and The Boys.

The end is near

(Image credit: Prime Video)

Even though this season is filled with horror, the series certainly hasn’t forgotten its silly side. This time around, it really takes place within the walls of Vought Tower, where The Deep is dealing with some shady relationship issues and Black Noir has been resurrected in a surprising way. A common joke about him coming back from the dead really gets a laugh.

However, this is The Boys, where the laughs are interrupted by gruesome violence – and the weirder, the better. With each season of the series, there is a lot of discussion about how it is going to surpass the previous ones when it comes to this, after all, how can you surpass “Herogasm”? The problem is that while there are times when the history books are screwed up, there are also times when it feels like it’s just there to try to push our buttons – it t’s a shame that the desperation to add shock value is starting to show through. .

One scene in particular reminds us how brilliantly wacky and wild these moments can be, and trust us, you won’t forget the Boys’ battle against V-ed farm animals for a while. The absurdity here is presented perfectly, but one of the reasons this bizarre confrontation works so well is because it finally brings the characters together. A big problem facing this season is that everyone is going their own way – Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara) faces her past, Billy reunites with an old pal (new addition Jeffrey Dean Morgan), Frenchie (Tomer Capone) discovers a new connection, and Hughie (Jack Quaid) experiences serious family drama. And that’s just the beginning. It’s great that each of the many, many characters in the series gets an individual storyline, but it’s too scattered and we miss the whole. This means that the playful dynamic between The Boys and The Seven is sorely lacking at times. Plus, with so many subplots unfolding, some inevitably work better than others.

Ultimately, the wheels are starting to turn, which is especially concerning since series creator Kripke recently said it could continue beyond the recent Season 5 renewal. But we don’t We can’t just keep watching The Boys almost kill Homelander and then fail, over and over again. The fact that Butcher only has a few months to live also puts a time limit on things as we wait to see if he lives or dies.

The Boys may be back in town, but the cracks are starting to show – surely season 5 must be the last? As we wait to find out if the end is in sight, at least there’s something here to enjoy in this hugely entertaining final chapter.

Season 4 of The Boys begins on Amazon Prime Video on June 13 with a triple program premiere. Stay up to date with our release schedule.

For more, check out our guide to all the best shows on Amazon Prime Video.