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User Reviews for: The Boys

RSula
CONTAINS SPOILERS6/10  5 years ago
I binge watched the series all at once, and have lots of thoughts. The anti-superhero trope is strong lately, like 'Umbrella Academy', and 'Brightburn', which I generally enjoy. I'm not sure 'enjoy' is the word I'd use to describe this show though.
The main "superheroes" (called 'Supes') are direct evil twins to Superman/Captain America, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, etc. I would argue that there are NO superheros in this show, just super-villains. The vigilantes trying to expose and destroy the Supes are known as 'The Boys', thus the show's title.
But this show series has some triggering issues:
1) The show is based on a comic book series, but with widely varying character development, origin stories, and plots. If you can believe it, the show is MUCH LESS violent and darkly twisted than the comics. And yet still, this is a very violent and visually gory show. Like Robert Rodriguez/ Quentin Tarantino level. Be forewarned.
2) There's some overt plot lines along misogyny. Most of the women characters are victimized, assaulted, exploited, and otherwise manipulated, included the Supes. There's several rape references - and it is implied that the male Supes are repeat offenders. There is 1 woman vigilante of the Boys, who is actually the physically strongest of the group, but is mute and is only known as 'The Female', even after her name is revealed as 'Kimiko'. And more obviously, though she is a woman part of the team, they are still known as, and the show is still called, "The Boys".
3) There are also overt plot lines along homophobia - literally "fear of being gay". Supe 'Ezekiel' is an evangelist described as "Pray the gay away" who secretly engages in sex with men at a supe underground sex dungeon, and the video footage of his exploits is used to blackmail him. The Senator unknowingly has sex with the supe "Doppelganger" who turns into an obese man during coitus and takes pics, which is used to blackmail him. And supe Queen Maeve is tormented by feeling forced into the closet, unable to reveal her queer sexuality lest she be ostracized from The Seven.
Sigh. The more I think about it, and the more I learn about the source material, the less I like this show. Meh.
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josalarcon2
/10  5 years ago
For me the whole series is a total and effective satire that lets us see what would become of the world if fiction becomes reality: heroes lose interest in saving the world (or take advantage of its status), are forced to do things that are not right, to follow the company's own interests and do not go out to end the crime if they are not followed by a camera that captures each of their movements, even though they are always transmitting that image of exemplary citizen when in fact they are greedy and treat their fans badly.

It's also chilling to know that people in power act as judges and executioners to decide what crimes are profitable and what millions of dollars they rent their superheroes to other cities so they can be safe. The precision in the denunciation of The Boys is one of its strongest points since satire towards these characters is not new, but combining it with the theme of corporate America and wild capitalism gives it a clear differential touch.

The series is a total hit and is perfectly developed, to the point of making it impossible to miss because chapter by chapter the anguish increases. So if you have free time, I strongly recommend you to watch this satirical series.
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JustEntertainment
/10  2 years ago
The series had the potential to follow in the footsteps of Watchmen, but woke took over and squelched any objective socio-political commentary that the original comic may have had. Any and all characters in any sort of power position - unless it's the bad guy - is female. It's so obvious and boring a trope that it distracts from the already heavy burden of suspension of disbelief put onto the viewer from being a superhero movie. All characters are equally unlikable scumbags, which may be a part of the original design, but the viewer doesn't know who to root for as the story goes on and more detestable superficiality of the once sympathetic character gets frittered away. Gore and sex are always fun, but in this case the series tries so hard and goes so overboard that anyone who dares to watch the series through might as well have a barf bag on hand.
So much hateful political rhetoric, so much woke, so much racist agenda, so much sexism, that I'm not looking forward to going any further than season 3. Enjoy at your own risk, and even that only if you're on a certain side of the very extremist political spectrum.
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GenerationofSwine
/10  one year ago
At least it has Simon Pegg in it, who Hugh was based on. And I kind of can't picture the show without his involvement.

It's not as Garth Ennis as I think it should be, it's not as vulgar and offensive and fun as he usually is, and certainly as The Boys was in print... but it comes really close to making that mark, and that is a breath of fresh air given the way that both comic books, and the movies they are based on are going.

Ultimately, it's still vulgar, offensive, bloody and funny, even if it could have been more.

And it's only 8 episodes, which seems a lot like they aren't trying to drag the story out just to add more, and that is also refreshing.

Ultimately, it's a cure for modern comics in a very late 90s British Invasion kind of way
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YouShouldKnow
/10  5 years ago
Wonderful premise, beautiful pictures, handsome, good and sexy actors, what could go wrong?

Unnecessary, stupid decisions.
Everywhere.

The typical "say something!" \*stuttering and stammering* to introduce some side-story, or secret personas where the only thing to change is the hero's suit, or a wimpy protagonist who has way too many scenes of indecisiveness, long and drawn out dialogues (seriously 2x the speed and it's like things are normal again), extraneous lies to create drama, etc. etc. etc.

It's like a trope collection turned into a superhero series with a "*gotcha!*" twist. Seriously, the acting and the story is good, but the tropes kill every redeeming quality.

It's a tragedy
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