Season 4 of The Boys picks up pretty much where season 3 leaves us. Victoria Neuman looks set to be the new Vice President, Butcher appears to be heading towards death while still obsessed with Homelander, The Boys as a group alternate between controlled and uncontrolled chaos in their mission, and Homelander is becoming even more terrifying.
The story line this season is still intriguing, and I love how it incorporates current political and social issues. Issues such as the abuse of power, political and corporate corruption, and the manipulation of the media are all highlighted. The showrunners may be wearing their hearts on their sleeves at times, but it’s all good for the story. As well, the new characters are great additions and are smartly incorporated into the narrative.
The best part of every season of The Boys is always the cast. I have to hand to the casting department as not only were all the original characters cast perfectly, but they continue to do so with each new character added. The entire cast is terrific, and the chemistry is evident on screen, but the standouts are Karl Urban and Antony Starr. To be fair, they do have the best parts and the most interesting character arcs, but the performances are simply outstanding.
As Butcher, Urban is riveting as we watch him struggle with his own mortality, while still being laser focused o eliminating superheroes. His journey is at times brutal, and at others heartbreaking. The introduction of a former colleague who continually appeals to Butcher’s baser instincts provides an intriguing development and gives Urban further options in his portrayal.
Starr, as Homelander, continues to impress. His portrayal of a superhero who is becoming increasingly unhinged and obsessed with power, is pitch perfect. His performance allows Homelander to be terrifying while still being a character you almost pity at times, allowing a character that is seemingly physically invulnerable be emotionally more vulnerable than ever. He’s completely engaging every moment he is on screen, and I think it is one of the best performances on TV.
The violence is as over the top as always. I have always enjoyed that aspect as it did highlight the high stakes when superheroes fight, especially if a non-super is involved. However, the inconsistencies with how this applied have started to show. Fights with supers end with regular folks being absolutely destroyed, unless they are significant parts of the cast. They have some plot armour showing and always seem to come through direct encounter intact having either just been knocked out or with an injury that is easily dealt with. It’s not really a problem, but it bothers me more and more each season.
The visuals of the show do remain a strong element, although perhaps not as new and inventive as they once were. Special effects are all still top notch. But the violence and graphic content can be gratuitous at times. There are times when it is needed, but at others it does distract from the story.
Where there is an issue with this season it is that familiarity has crept in. I think it wise that it appears that season 5 will be its last. It does feel it feels like we’ve seen a lot of this before. The specifics are different (at least a little) and the overall arc is advancing the story, but there is a bit of a ‘been there, seen that’ aspect to it. Additionally, while the plot is interesting, nothing gets resolved. As the season approaches it finale, it feels more of a setup for season 5 than a complete season in itself. A cliffhanger or two is fine, but it seems as though everything is unresolved. I suppose that’s fair enough as its heading into the final season. Still, it does feel incomplete.
Season 4 is my least favourite season, but The Boys is still an enjoyable watch. The story line is still intriguing, the cast (both old and new) are wonderful, and the visuals elements are all still in place. There is some familiarity creeping in, and at times the show does rely too much on the shock element rather allowing the plot to take center stage. Still, it’s a fun watch and I am excited to see where the story goes in season 5.
Have you seen Season 4 of The Boys? Are you planning to? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.