The Boys

What a blast! I sat down to watch the first season of a series I knew nothing about, and now that it’s finished, I am extremely satisfied. I haven't gotten such a load of incorrect humor in a long time, and I enjoyed it all the more. I was reveling in the cynicism and corporate filth, even though it made me wonder if there wasn’t something very wrong with me when I was laughing even at the most brutal scenes. But then I decided I didn't care and enjoyed this frenzy until the end. (26.11.2019)

As usual, I neglected the theoretical preparation, so I only knew that it might be a "superhero" series. The plot of the first episode caught me completely unprepared for the explosion I received. Everything that I have criticized several times in movies about micro-minded superheroes is missing here, instead, foreign teeth are swallowed during accidents, for the first time I didn't even mind the reference to MěTaky, dollars rule everything, and Karl Urban is perfection itself. And if that wasn't enough, I got a luxury soundtrack as a bonus. I really enjoyed this. (24.11.2019)

The excitement after the first episode not only lasted but even grew stronger. The second episode was just as captivating. I’m really into the story, and the creators totally nailed it with A-Train’s visit to the children’s oncology ward—it completely knocked me out. With its perfect blend of cynicism and ruthless behavior, I feel like this series was made just for me. (25.11.2019)

I simply can't take away even half a star from it (not that I tried), the first season is absolutely perfect for me so far. Here my positive attitude towards bizarre matters clearly shows, violence is allowed here, but the death of a pet, that was really an experience :-D (25.11.2019)

Even if the plot wasn't worth much, the Spice Girls conversation and the dolphin "rescue" had me laughing out loud. Thankfully, the creators aren't out of ammo yet — they delivered another deep dive into the corporate cesspool, shattering any remaining illusions of the more naive viewers. Plus, they had a blast playing with the DC Comics characters. (25.11.2019)

For the first time, I had to knock off a star. The story still flows well, but the Christian brainwashing slowed things down way too much. And Deep’s Throat, aka Starlight, aka Annie, started veering dangerously close to a goody-goody during her speech, which has me worried about where her character is headed. On the bright side, Butcher’s use of an unconventional weapon was a total highlight. (25.11.2019)

Vought's marketing shenanigans were fantastic, and Deep's apology was definitely part of the show :-). But the therapy session was even better (Ice Princess nearly had me in stitches). I also enjoyed the subplot with Kimiko and Mesmer, but... I found myself missing all the wild, messed-up chaos from previous episodes. Turns out, I'm really into all that tearing, butchering, burning, and flattening. Guess I'm just a twisted jerk. (25.11.2019)

In my last review, I complained about the lack of violence, and it’s like the creators heard me. The seventh episode delivered with a beautiful open femur fracture. I also got to witness a rather unusual birth, but none of that could outshine the bizarre gill play. The plot was rich overall, and we even got some superhero action. To keep things from getting too serious, Deep had another chance to save a marine creature. (26.11.2019)

The finale might not have hit the heights of the best episodes, but it was still solid. I was a bit bummed about Starlight conveniently showing up at just the right moment, and there was a lot of dialogue, but it wasn’t just pointless chatter, so that was fine. I'm just sad we lost such a delightfully unscrupulous character. (26.11.2019)

I don’t think as highly of the second season as the first, because the quality was somewhat fluctuating until the fourth episode (including), so at times I was afraid I would be severely disappointed. It wasn’t the case. From the fifth episode on, it was one hell of a ride with blood splashing around, parts of human anatomy flying in various directions, and a good dose of cynicism and black humor. Call me a sick bastard, but it’s just my idea of a good time. (08.03.2021)

Almost every time I really like the first season, I have to hesitate for a long time before diving into the next one, fearing it might all go downhill. So, I've been putting off starting the second season of The Boys, but after just one episode, I realized my hesitation was unnecessary. Four stars to start with, and I believe it will only get better. (05.03.2021)

The second episode left me a bit disappointed. Instead of the action-packed cynicism and black humor I was hoping for, it seemed to focus more on playing with our emotions through some rather odd storylines. Honestly, that Fish Boy character needs to be put out of his misery, for both our sakes. The Talking Heads at the end were a nice touch.  3*+ (05.03.2021)

Just when I was starting to think the third episode was heading down the same slow lane as the last one, the creators pulled out all the stops! Talk about a fantastic action-packed turnaround, especially with that perfect ramming scene and Hughie in the role of biblical Job. If only this episode had kicked off with this level of intensity from the get-go, it would've been an absolute hit. 4*+ (06.03.2021)

The last episode was action-packed, so it's no surprise things took a calmer turn this time around. Not every part of the episode was a hit for me, I have to admit, I'm not crazy about Homelander creating his own reality, and the creators might have lingered a bit too long on the touching reunion, but hey, I thoroughly enjoyed the road trip to the American South. 3*+ (06.03.2021)

Now, this was one intricate episode! The biggest egomaniac got a lot of screen time, there was some real constructive debate happening, not to mention the action scenes that kept us on the edge. Terror was also there, and let's not forget the entertaining dose of BDSM and that one Aerosmith song that always hits the right notes for me. (07.03.2021)

Episode six brought a lot of important information, but the creators didn't stop there. They brought back everything that made the first season great: action, tension, and some top-notch humor. The parental chat about Hughie was pure gold. (07.03.2021)

The creators were channeling their frustrations with Trump, and honestly, I didn't mind. After all, Uncle Dolfi wasn't exactly a humanitarian, and D.T. only differs from him in looks and perhaps a lower IQ. Putting politics aside, it was an entertaining episode that felt like the grand finale of an American school competition for creating functional models of volcanoes. (08.03.2021)

The Boys once again delivered a gruesomely entertaining spectacle with an epic showdown of assholes (looking at you, The Deep and A-Train). While I've always felt filmmakers could do without those drawn-out dialogues before death, that wasn't the main reason for my mixed feelings about this episode. What really annoyed me was Queen Maeve suddenly playing the role of deus ex machina, despite being one of those limited by gravity. (08.03.2021)

I'd be lying if I said I was happy with this season. The second half started to feel like the creators were stretching things out, sacrificing quality for quantity (and perhaps setting up for yet another season?). They started contradicting their own ideas from earlier episodes, and it felt like the series was chasing its own tail. For me, it's a bit of a letdown and a weaker four stars. / Lesson learned: Too much of a good thing is bad for you. 4*- (06.04.2024)

After the previous season, I wasn't expecting such a strong start to the new one. I was almost ready to give it a solid five stars, but then it came to all those obligatory, trendy lines that really grated on me. Despite these moments that made me roll my eyes, I had a blast, and so far, I'm feeling like this season might just top the previous one. (25.03.2024)