The Boys - Amazon Prime Original - (Spoilers) (No Comic Spoilers!)

pixelburp · 19-09-2020 2:22pm

Episode 4, the plot thickens and certainly if it weren't clear already, the nature of Stormfront's tactics compared against real world social media concerns and manipulation became fairly apparent. "You have fans, I have soldiers" indeed. Homelander remains the shows MVP and the range of emotion that flits across Anthony Starr's face is unreal. Especially during his scenes with Maeve (though I find it hard how there wouldn't be public blowback if someone

outed another on TV, against their will

) This is the kind of show that'll never win awards but Starr for sure deserves nomination at a minimum. Meanwhile, if Butcher died next episode I'd shed no tears.

Sonics2k · 19-09-2020 3:10pm

I have to say, I've a big soft spot for Karl Urban and generally love him in movies and TV shows, but it really is Anthony Starr carrying this show. I tune in each week to see what madness his character will do.

Homelander · 19-09-2020 4:26pm

Most of the actors are perfectly competent - decent even in some cases - but the way Anthony Starr dominates every scene he's in as Homelander is just something else entirely.

Even just the range of emotions on his face in capturing the mindset of a completely unhinged sociopath with unlimited power, the genuine sense of dread, tension that follows him everywhere.

I honestly never thought an adaptation that diverges quite a bit from the comic would end up being this good, but really he's carrying the whole show. He's actually better in the show than he is in the comic.

Latest episode didn't disappoint, I was thinking it was fairly good as it was - that crowd scene is a foreshadowing of what's to come - but the last few minutes really elevated it entirely to next level.

On one hand it's a shame we can't binge the season, but I've come to appreciate the down-time in between episodes far more, it was the same with other dense shows like Better Call Saul which embraced the staggered release.

Sudden Valley · 19-09-2020 8:15pm

Although I'm enjoying this season I'm finding some of the episodes dragging fierce. Like last week we had the road trip and this week we had too many scenes on a film set. Maeve really has the Xena vibe going now.

Basq · 19-09-2020 8:21pm

I'm struggling through the first 3 episodes of season 2 to be honest..

.. Aya Cash is adding nothing!

Mr.Nice Guy · 19-09-2020 9:02pm

Agree with the positive comments on Anthony Starr. Every scene he is in is unmissable.

Will never happen, but I'd love a Superman vs Homelander movie. That would interest me far more than Supes against any DC or even Marvel character. It would need to be R rated though.

19-09-2020 9:03pm

I kinda zone out when anyone but Homelander is on the screen

Thecageyone · 19-09-2020 9:41pm

He is so enjoyable to watch, it's kind of unfair on the rest of the cast as we mostly just await Homelander scenes

I'm not sure I'd have stuck with if not for him tbh, as I felt mid way through S1 it was becoming a bit of a chore, glad I stuck with though, I'm much prefering S2

PsychoPete · 20-09-2020 11:57am

The only one I don't really like is Starlight, I don't even mind Butchers accent but I try not to take the show seriously. I can forgive the many flaws because its good fun with plenty of violence to keep me entertained

pixelburp · 20-09-2020 4:37pm

The violence puts me off sometimes, and stops me from otherwise recommending the show to folks. It's a genuinely razor-sharp attack on superheroes and corporate culture, but the intermittent ultra violence keeps interrupting that enjoyment. It can reinforce the power of the Supes but some moments betray needless gore for its own sake (such as in episode 5 when Kimiko

literally rips a man's face of, the audience getting a good look at the result

)

Thecageyone · 20-09-2020 4:54pm

From what I've heard the sex and violence was toned down quite a bit from the comics, to make it more tv friendly - though still R rated

Slydice · 20-09-2020 5:32pm

5: Shockin scenes! I'm back to only having a vague notion of where the story is going now. Gotta be

Kimiko vs Stormfront although still could see Homelander throwing her under the bus.. unless she gets both of them. Then The Boys changing to just a plan to release Becca. Not sure what could happen to Starlight, she's in a way more dangerous place now.. I think?

Homelander · 20-09-2020 8:24pm

This is a comic spoiler in relation to Stormfront, so please don't read if you have not read the comics.

Anyone who has, I would love to hear your opinions on my thoughts on this...

Now, about Stormfront. Initially I was disappointed about the gender swap and apparent change of character function.

Initially.

However, they're starting to reveal that this character is a total sociopath just like Homelander as well as a racist to boot, with a deep backstory that's still shrouded in a lot of mystery so the potential is still enormous.

Now here is the big - HUGE - thing for me.

Homelander comes from Stormfront in a sense in the comics. I can't remember the exact details but Homelander is like a newer, more powerful version of his predecessor based on the same DNA/genetic material/whatever.

So, was the gender swap here, so that in the show, they can reveal that Stormfront is Homelander's mother? Either literally, or figuratively.

Either way, imagine how that would play with his mommy complex which they are making a major theme of the show....which leads me to think this could be a very strong possibility.

CastorTroy · 21-09-2020 12:35am

SimonTemplar wrote: »

Why is The Boys being singled out for criticism of its weekly release schedule. Other shows like Better Call Saul and The Mandalorian were released weekly? Is it an Amazon thing?

Not defending them but Better call Saul is AMC so they always release weekly. Disney said from the start that they were releasing weekly.
Amazon are just inconsistent in how they release their series. Season 1 of The Boys was released all at once. And more recent Amazon series like Bosch, Carnival Row and Hanna had all their episodes released at the same time.

I don't mind weekly releases and at times would wonder why Amazon didn't do it. Like what incentive is there to subscribe once you binge the season?
I'd say that's possibly the reason they're doing weekly episodes this time with the likes of Carnival Row being heavily delayed due to the pandemic.

Homelander · 21-09-2020 1:03am

The same is true of Netflix though. Some show were dropped, others were weekly.

CastorTroy · 21-09-2020 1:19am

The only weekly ones on Netflix that I can think of are the likes of Better Call Saul, iZombie and other similar shows which air weekly in the States and aren't made by Netflix, though it doesn't stop them sticking "Netflix original" or whatever at the beginning.

ManOfMystery · 21-09-2020 9:56am

Latest episode was great, a bit twisted in places as per usual but enjoyable all the same.

From reading social media and other forums, there seems to be a general downward turn in Butcher's popularity. I still like the character. Between the accent and his generally not giving a f**k, I find it quite refreshing when he's on the screen and he's somewhat of a foil to Hughie and the other guys who are generally trying to keep their heads down. I think the show would be worse off without Urban around to bring that balance.

Not much I can add about Anthony Starr that hasn't already been said. The man is a force of nature. We've all seen lots of movies and TV shows over the years, and there have been lots of very good villains. But few that I can remember who - despite not having huge physical stature or some other notable feature - can express such subtle menace and tension every single time they're onscreen. And it's not because Homelander is so physically powerful, because there are lots of powerful characters in this show. It's his utter unpredictability and Starr's capacity to sell that whilst also playing the two faces of the character; the villainous private side, and the smilling/PR friendly public side.

Homelander wrote: »

So, was the gender swap here, so that in the show, they can reveal that Stormfront is Homelander's mother? Either literally, or figuratively.

Either way, imagine how that would play with his mommy complex which they are making a major theme of the show....which leads me to think this could be a very strong possibility.

It's an interesting theory. I don't think they will.....

Go down that route literally, given the closing scenes of the last episode. Even for a show like The Boys which thrives on doing stuff that other shows won't, I think such blatant incest would be a step too far.

Figuratively? Yes, I could certainly see it being revealed that Stormfront's genetics or DNA were somehow part of Homelander's makeup.

Rothko · 21-09-2020 2:45pm

Basq wrote: »

I'm struggling through the first 3 episodes of season 2 to be honest..

.. Aya Cash is adding nothing!

Don't agree with that at all. I think she's great. Hughie is the only one that I don't really like.

21-09-2020 3:12pm

Stormfront wrecks my head. She's the new girl yet is so sarcastically hostile to absolutely everyone. I don't get it.

pixelburp · 21-09-2020 3:19pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Stormfront wrecks my head. She's the new girl yet is so sarcastically hostile to absolutely everyone. I don't get it.

I dunno, I think that's part of the brilliance of the satire. She's clearly the corporate-manufactured outsider; her role to play the anarchic pot-stirrer and whip the public into a frenzy to ultimately side with Vought's militaristic plans.

The entire exchange between Maeve, her girlfriend and the corporate flunkies trying to comodify their relationship into performative liberalism (right down to Maeve's bisexuality not being liberal enough) the mirror image of Stormfront's own messaging. Vought are playing both sides of the American cultural divide here and the new girl is part of that tactic.

ManOfMystery · 21-09-2020 4:08pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Stormfront wrecks my head. She's the new girl yet is so sarcastically hostile to absolutely everyone. I don't get it.

She's new to the Seven, but not new to this game - it seems from episode 4 that she's been around for a long, long time, in at least one other guise if not more. And clearly has enough power (matched maybe only by a few, close to Homelander's level) to not really give a hoot who she offends.

She doesn't care about being a people pleaser, and if she's substantially older than the rest of them then she has no new-girl anxiety or nerves either.

Zero-Cool · 22-09-2020 2:03pm

Watched ep 5 last night, that scene with Homelander

lasering the crowd was ****ing class! Kind of knew it was in his head while happening but hoped he had done it for real.

Birneybau · 23-09-2020 3:12pm

"Laser my t!ts"

1o059k7ewrqj3n · 23-09-2020 3:30pm

I've just started watching this and it's f*cking brilliant. Easily of the best things I've seen in awhile. The cast is great, the writing is great. I love how it's flipped the superhero genre on its head, because if you had unlimited power what's to say you would be 100% morally good?

Thecageyone · 23-09-2020 8:48pm

I know when I was a kid and was asked that age old question: "if you could choose any super power what would it be?"

Ans: Invisibility [works on anything you touch also]

Why?: "To steal all of the things"

Never crossed my mind to select anything helpful to anyone but me ... also liked the idea of freezing time, more of a God power that but, pretty much for the same reason

gmisk · 23-09-2020 8:48pm

I am just finished episode 5, it was a lot of fun! did they purposely pick someone

with a terrible english accent to play his aunt?

CastorTroy · 24-09-2020 11:10pm

Spinoff incoming

https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/the-boys-spinoff-amazon-1234782755/

golfball37 · 25-09-2020 2:23am

Ep 6 very good, a lot going on. 1:15 seems to be time they are dropped, I waited and checked constantly.

Golden Girls reference and song at end very well done

fritzelly · 25-09-2020 2:24am

golfball37 wrote: »

Ep 6 very good, a lot going on. 1:15 seems to be time they are dropped, I waited and checked constantly.

Golden Girls reference and song at end very well done

The opening minutes lol

spookwoman · 25-09-2020 5:17am

Just watched ep 6 and only The boys would have a sup

with a giant f*cking dick as a weapon

The Boys - Amazon Prime Original - (**Spoilers**) (No Comic Spoilers!)

Comments

The Boys - Amazon Prime Original - (Spoilers) (No Comic Spoilers!)