"The Boys" removes its superhero facade to unveil TV's most politically-charged show.
Don't get deceived by the disguises and costumes. The latest installments of "The Boys" on Amazon Prime's streaming platform coincide with the US gearing up for a presidential election, bringing to light elements that have been present throughout the series, such as its spin-offs "Gen V" and "The Boys Presents: Diabolical".
In this season, superheroes who serve under Vought International wage against those who oppose them. Homelander, the nearly invincible psychopath with a hero's public image meticulously crafted to hide his sinister characteristics, initiates the tussle, while Billy Butcher, who leads the opposing group, sometimes struggles with his leader's approach.
The Butcher-Homelander feud is further intensified by their struggle for their son Ryan (Cameron Crovetti)'s affection, intertwined with the exploration of the debate between nature and nurture.
More so than any previous season, the show alludes to the political domain. Victoria Neuman, a politician, becomes involved, and Vought and Homelander aim to influence the political conversation. This implies suggestive references to a group symbolizing QAnon, the conspiracy-driven cult, and the deployment of propaganda tactics to manipulate the public and voters.
At Truthcon, a gathering that the characters attend, a banner saying "There are no conspiracies - or coincidences" is notorious.
The show also emphasizes how authorities view their supporters, an opinion perceptibly expressed by characters in "The Boys".
To highlight this, there's a new hero, Firecracker (Valorie Curry), whose political allegiances mirror those of Vought News' conservative anchors, including her own show. According to "The Boys" creator Eric Kripke, this character represents "conspiracy-minded movements and the super extreme right-wing news media."
This season does away with subtlety and is instead packed with violence and excess, both appropriate to this world that masks the horrific realities of traditional heroism with heroism. Despite The Deep's (Chace Crawford), a Seven member affiliated with Vought, often being a figure of mockery, he epitomizes this mindset - "Violence is power."
As anticipated, there are new, unexpected collaborations, as well as the conundrum of dealing with Homelander, a task that's skewed in his favor.
"The Boys" has carved out a reputation for being the most brutal and lewd show on television. This lengthy, eight-episode season mostly meets these expectations, with some hilariously graphic (and graphic) visual gags.
Its success also allows the series to play the long game. Expect minimal closure from this chapter as a fifth and final season is in the works.
From this vantage point, "The Boys" might have lost some novelty but not its ability to shock and provoke, a warning about the risk of colorful fascism, a message intended to resonate beyond its universe and into our own. "The Boys" premieres its fourth season on June 13 on Amazon's Prime Video.
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In this season, the political domain becomes an integral part of the narrative, with characters like Victoria Neuman and Vought News' conservative anchors influencing the political conversation. Furthermore, the entertainment industry also gets questioned, as the new character Firecracker represents "conspiracy-minded movements and the super extreme right-wing news media."
