The Boys offers an interesting twist on the superhero genre. It explores the dark side of our favorite caped crusaders, showcasing them completely corrupted by narcissism and fame. Yes it’s as fun as it sounds!
The pilot does a terrific job of introducing this bleak premise, and bring to life a colorful world packed with compelling characters. Jack Quiad and Karl Urban are kickass as the duo at the center of the story: Hughie and Billy. The two are determined to bring down the heroes, and it’s not like they have powers of their own which makes things quite uneven (and unpredictable).
As for the heroes in question, they’re basically twisted versions of DC’s Justice League. Gossip Girl‘s Chace Crawford plays The Deep (who is basically Aquaman but with Harvey Weinstein’s appetite for sexual assault), Queen Maeve is basically Wonder Woman, A-Train is The Flash, while Homelander and Black Noir are Superman and Batman respectively. The fact that we can even make these parallels means we’re much more invested in the show and its ominous take on such iconic characters. Brilliant!
And of course there’s a conspiracy drenched with mystery and one heck of a memorable cliffhanger. I for one, can not wait!
Conclusion
An ambitious opener with a solid cast and a tremendously intriguing concept.