Season 4 of The Boys is now complete on Amazon Prime Video. But did the new episodes build on previous successes or was this season a disappointment?
Let’s start with something positive: The Boys entertained me fantastically again in season 4. Hardly any other current series in the superhero genre (Marvel, you’re meant!) is written as densely and excitingly as Amazon’s superhero satire. The fact that almost all the important characters from the huge cast of 15 main characters are given their own storylines and character developments is a remarkable achievement. Attention, spoilers:
Whether it’s doppelganger cunnilingus, musical massacres, flesh-eating horror sheep or the odd lobotomy: season 4 of The Boys is once again its usual brutal, disgusting and insane self. I cried, laughed and sat in front of my TV with my jaw dropped a few times. Nevertheless, three problems became apparent over the course of the eight new episodes, which spoiled the Supe enjoyment somewhat. My verdict on season 4:
Problem number 1: The Boys becomes too repetitive in season 4
After four seasons, The Boys is unfortunately showing a few signs of fatigue and reveals a pattern according to which the Amazon series is structured. In other words, it sometimes seems as if the script team is working off a kind of bingo card of what fans expect from a season of The Boys
(Butcher and the Boys)
Maybe The Boys don’t want to deviate from the established formula for success. I’m the last person to complain when there are once again completely overdrawn violence peaks and sex humor on the disgusting border. But this year it’s noticeable that the series is finding it increasingly difficult to outdo itself in terms of WTF ideas.
At times, it feels as if The Boys is running on autopilot, resulting in an unsightly repetition, especially at character level. Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara) and Frenchie (Tomer Capon) are once again stuck dealing with their traumatic past, Homelander (Antony Starr) still never crosses the threshold of complete escalation and there is still no reason why The Deep (Chace Crawford) is still part of the series at all.
Of course, this doesn’t apply to all characters, but only in the rarest of cases does The Boys dare to make truly radical advances in character development this season – such as Butcher’s psychological and moral disintegration. Instead, season 4 feels like the calm before the storm, like a long prologue to the epic conclusion of the story in season 5.
Problem number 2: The Boys lack focus
The heart of The Boys has always been the conflict between Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) and Homelander, who have been vying to win young Ryan over to their respective sides since season 2. In the new season, it is unfortunately noticeable that the two rivals are kept artificially separate in order to delay their inevitable and presumably fatal confrontation.
In season 4, Homelander and Butcher are largely preoccupied with themselves. The Seven leader is working on his plans to take over the US, while Butcher is investigating a virus that can kill Homelander (and all other Supes). However, the new episodes lack not only exciting confrontations between the two main characters, but also a clear storyline.
Watch the trailer for The Boys season 4 again here
Compared to season 3, season 4 often seems unfocused. Whereas before we had a clear structure through the search for Soldier Boy and the members of his former Payback squad, this time The Boys loses itself too much in (nevertheless interesting) subplots.
Of course, it was clear that the aim of the season was to prepare an assassination attempt on the president and a subsequent seizure of power by Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit) – a plan that backfired mercilessly in the finale. But only a fraction of the many subplots were ultimately connected to this.
Problem number 3: The Boys places too much emphasis on political satire
It comes as no surprise that The Boys not only targets superhero franchises and pop culture, but also the political divide in US society – after all, a literal Nazi superhero was already part of the Seven in season 2. But with season 4, the Amazon series puts its finger even deeper into the wound than ever before.
The escalating conflict between Hometeamers (Republicans) and Starlighters (Democrats) took up far too much space for me personally in season 4. Every time alt-right heroine and super conspiracy theorist Firecracker (Valorie Curry) opened her mouth, I felt sick. Her racist, homophobic and transphobic constant slogans were simply not funny, but disturbing. The problem with the satirical look at right-wing conservative MAGA voters: unfortunately, it’s no longer satire.
(Firecracker the most dangerous super-influencer)
While The Boys has delighted viewers with its bitterly wicked fun in the past, the series is now too close to sad reality in season 4. Of course, there are a few weird pop culture references again, such as the presentation of phases 7 to 19 (!) of the Vought Cinematic Universe or the marketing concept for Ryan’s superhero future. Ultimately, however, this essential part of The Boys’ DNA came up short for me.
