The Boys season 3 review: More ‘diabolical’ and bloodier than ever before

The ragtag group of superhero hunters, The Boys, are back for a third season with more blood, violence, and possibly the best satirical take on contemporary America

The Boys Season 3

Story:
An increasingly unstable Homelander (Anthony Starr) suffers a dip in approval ratings, while Stan Edgar (Giancarlo Esposito) decides to knock Homelander off his perch and further frustrate him by making minor changes at Vought Industries, and the Seven. Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) is desperate to keep Ryan (Cameron Crovetti) safe from Homelander. MM (Laz Alonso) attempts to have a normal life and reunite with his family. Frenchie (Tomer Capone) and Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara) are beginning to feel disillusioned by Billy's leadership. Elsewhere, an upbeat Hughie (Jack Quaid) is leading a happy life working for US senator Victoria Neuman, who is secretly the mass-murdering head-popping ‘supe’. And Starlight starts to become worried about Homelander’s increasingly unstable and unhinged psyche.

Review:
The ‘superhero fatigue' is a word often thrown around these days to indicate that global audiences are beginning to feel overwhelmed with the slew of superhero films and TV shows being released every year. While the box-office numbers of the recent superhero films such as The Batman and Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness point to the contrary, there could be no denying that there is a general sentiment that more original content in film and television is long overdue. Even though The Boys may not be the ‘antidote’ most are hoping for, considering it does feature superheroes in its central narrative, however, it is the antithesis of the very idea of the superhero. So in many ways, a deeply violent and satirical take on the trope is just the right medicine the world probably needs right now.

Grotesque violence is often incorporated into films and TV shows for the sheer shock value. More often than not, it does attain the desired outcome. The brutal violence and excessive nudity in The Boys is intended to shock and awe the audience. However, showrunner Eric Kripke and the other writers have justified the raw visuals. They are plot devices to firmly establish the fact that absolute power in the hands of vain men and women will result in unprecedented death and destruction. A satire in itself, the series takes aim at the notion that superheroes are the white knights of society, a notion established by decades of superhero content consumed by the masses. In fact, the original graphic novel by Garth Enis is a more grounded and less subtle take on similar themes as depicted in Alan Moore’s legendary graphic novel, Watchmen.

The Boys set high standards when it debuted a few years ago, delivering a compelling story, often critiquing the socio-political framework of contemporary America. Maintaining such lofty standards was always going to be a challenge, but season 3 has proven that there is still plenty left in the tank for The Boys. The evolution of each character’s arcs in season 3 has added another layer of drama and intrigue to the overall narrative.

From the very first episode of season 3, the audience is swept over by an eerie feeling of dread and impending doom each time Homelander comes on screen. Anthony Starr’s portrayal of the ‘evil Superman’ archetype will probably go down in history as one of the most terrifying villains ever written for film or television. The ‘evil Superman’ trope is by no means a revolutionary concept, considering DC comics have explored several storylines where superman turns evil. The alternate universe Superman called Ultraman in Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, or the ‘regime’ Superman from the Injustice DC storyline who becomes a mad ruthless dictator after being tricked into accidentally killing his wife, Lois, their unborn child, and failing to save Metropolis from a nuclear bomb, or even the ‘Knightmare’ timeline Superman in Zack Snyder’s Justice League who is mind-controlled by Darkseid, are a few examples of the world’s greatest superhero becoming its greatest supervillain. But Homelander is a far more terrifying prospect because of his unhinged personality.

Homelander embodies and embraces the idea of a deranged God-like being, who has the potential to go completely insane and mass murder everyone. Starr essays a very complex character, one that is calculating and manipulative, and at times an insecure man-child yearning for attention. This duality in his character is perfectly captured in a scene where he speaks to himself in the mirror.

Erin Moriarty’s Annie January/Starlight has quietly become the star of the show. She has developed into one of the most peripheral characters, often the moral compass keeping everyone in check, especially Hughie. However, it’s the introduction of Soldier Boy, essayed by Jensen Ackles, that truly stands out. Ackles perfectly captures the essence of an evil and more powerful version of Marvel’s Captain America. Soldier Boy and Homelander share several character traits, but they have two very distinctive personalities. As the narrative progresses one will end up hoping that Henry Cavill’s Superman will travel across the multiverse and save humanity from Homelander and Soldier Boy.

The Deep and A-Train have their own personal branched out storylines that are pivotal to the central narrative. Queen Maeve (Dominique McElligott), despite a more relatively subdued presence for most of the season, bursts into life towards the finale. The central theme for the primary protagonists revolves around the pursuit of a weapon capable of killing Homelander. The stakes being higher and the threat of Homelander going completely insane will keep the audience hooked from start to finish.

The social commentary and satire have always been what The Boys truly excelled in and season 3 continues in the same vein. There are several references to real-world incidents throughout the narrative. The alt-right movement, police brutality against the black community, the Capitol building riots, Kendall Jenner’s highly controversial Pepsi advertisement, gun violence, and social media’s influence are just a few examples. It remains to be seen what season 4 has in store.

Verdict:
The Boys season 3 is a well-written, brutally violent, and clever satire on American socio-politics packaged in a story about the anti-superhero. The stellar performances and the riveting screenplay makes it one of the best seasons of the series so far.

Share

Where To Watch