THE BOYS ARE BACK AND SEASON TWO DOESN'T DISAPPOINT
Amazon Prime has now released all eight episodes of season two of The Boys and I am going to write about my thoughts on season two. When season one of the Boys came out I did not know what it was about and so I paid it no attention, it was not until a co-worker asked me if I watched it that I realized I might be missing out on something special. I was blown away by season 1, mainly because I was caught off-guard at how dark the show was but also how funny it could also be. Based on how good season one was and the fact that the show caught me by surprise, season two had high expectations. After watching season two I can say that season two did not catch me off-guard but it was a strong follow-up. I had a lot of fun watching season two and I think season three can be even better. I will avoid big spoilers for season two but I will definitely be spoiling season one. The show has taken a lot of backlash, mainly from fans about the release schedule. I did not watch season two until the day before the final episode was to be released, I knew I would not have the patience to wait a week for each new episode. I understand why they adjusted the release schedule, from a marketing standpoint it allows the show and streaming service a longer window to keep the show in the mainstream media conversation. I also understand the fans frustration of having to wait, no matter what true fans of the show will tune and as long as the show keeps running I am fine with whatever Amazon chooses.
WHAT IS THE BOYS
The Boys is about a group who are trying to take down superheroes who are corrupt and the show focuses in on the group of vigilantes and on the superheroes. The superheroes work for a corporation called Vought and they use the heroes as marketing tools for movies, shows and merchandise. The superheroes (too many to name) are not all corrupt but the main group of heroes known as The Seven (non-DC comics Justice League) is definitely comprimised. The Seven is fronted by Homelander (a dark version of Superman) who professes to be an All-American good man serving the people, who says things like "you are the real heroes". Homelander played to perfection by Anthony Starr is anything but that, Homelander is easily the most corrupt of the heroes and probably the most fun to watch too. Billy Butcher played by the great Karl Urban is the leader of The Boys and he is a bull in a China shop type of good guy. The basic gist of season one as it unfolds is Butcher trying to take the "supes" and he is assisted by Hughie played by Jack Quaid. Hughie is the heart of the show, he is just a regular guy who is a fan of the superheroes until something terrible befalls him and he no longer can love the supes. As the season unfolds you see how both sides are not completely good or bad, Butcher has such a deep hatred of Homelander and that causes him to do whatever it takes to take him down. Out of the characters, the only true un-sympathetic character we meet is Homelander who has the power of a god but the maturity of a petulant child. The only big thing about season one I want to spoil is that Butcher's hatred of Homelander stems from Homelander raping Butcher's wife and her disappearance after the rape.
WHERE WE LEFT OFF IN SEASON ONE
Season two does not pick up right where season one left off in season one, I was expecting that pay-off to the season one finale, but they make you wait for it. If you have not yet watched season one, please stop reading now and come back after you watched it. Season one ended with a bang as Butcher confronted Homelander and Madelyn Stillwell about his wife's disappearance. Butcher believes his wife to be dead and his plan is to blow himself up and take Stillwell with him, knowing that Homelander has some very creepy obsession with her. Homelander then kills Stillwell himself after he says he knows she lied to him; Butcher then blows himself up. Though right before season one ends we see Butcher is alive and was saved by Homelander who brought him to a home where Butcher's wife Becca is still alive and is rasing whom we are meant to believe is Homelander's son.
WHY SEASON TWO ROCKS
The main reason I enjoyed season two was because it kept the tone of season one while adding more layers to all of our characters and introducing some new interesting ones. There are four new characters added for season two, they make good use out of three of the four. Giancarlo Esposito plays Stan Edgar the CEO of Vought and even though he is not in a lot of scenes he shows why he is a great choice for the role. Stan Edgar shows early on that he is not afraid of Homelander and that makes you wonder why he is not afraid; I assume season three will shed some more light on Mr. Edgar. Aya Cash plays Stormfront a new addition to the Seven and she goes toe-to-toe with Homelander as well, Aya Cash is fantastic (see the show You're the Worst for more proof of her greatness). I will not say too much more about Stormfront but I love the choices they made with her character, I do think at some point I will do a spoiler filled season two review just so I can talk about her. Claudia Doumit plays Victoria Neuman, a politician who is trying to hold Vought accountable. I would love to say more about Neuman but that would add more spoilers, but her character I think will be a much larger presence in season three. The last of the new characters is the one I am most disappointed in, it is Goran Visnjic playing Alastair Adana the leader of the Church of the collective. I wish we got more Adana in the season because I think they could have done a lot more with the character. I understand why they did not but I would not have minded if the season was longer than 8 episodes. The Church of the Collective is related toThe Deep's journey in season two and it has some truly funny moments.
Season two is similar to season one in that the Boys are still trying to take down Vought and every time they close something happens. I really enjoyed Hughie's scenes with Butcher and Starlight throughout the season, I think they did a great job showing us why both characters can't seem to escape him. Season two gives us a lot more insight into Vought and more specifically its history, but we also learn a lot more about all of characters in season two and I feel that is what made the season so good. I cared more for all of the characters this season than I did last season, because I got to see why they are all where they are. Even though we get a lot of character building in season two there was plenty of action and lots of moments that made me laugh out loud. Even though the season ended with a lot of stuff wrapped up, there is also a lot left to look forward to in season three. I have been trying to find issues with season two and the only one being that I wish there were more stuff involving the Church of the Collective and Alastair Adana.
I do not want to spoil anything for season two so I am going to leave it at that, though I feel more certain now than when I started the article that a spoiler review for season two is needed. I am going to give season two an A which I would say is an 8.5 out of 10. While typing the 8.5, I feel I am going too low but like I said season one surprised me and season two was not going to surprise me. That is the downside to TV shows and sequels, it is easy on the first season or first movie to come out of nowhere and blow people's minds but by the sequel of second season the expectations have increased. If you have not seen season two of The Boys, go and watch it now (not with your kids).
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