The Boys season 4 will premiere on Prime Video on June 13, 2024, with three episodes, followed by a new episode each week, ending with the epic season finale on Thursday, July 18.
Synopsis
In Season Four, the world is on the brink. Victoria Neuman is closer than ever to the Oval Office and under the muscly thumb of Homelander, who is consolidating his power. Butcher, with only months to live, has lost Becca’s son and his job as The Boys’ leader. The rest of the team are fed up with his lies. With the stakes higher than ever, they have to find a way to work together and save the world before it’s too late.
Review
In a landscape of diminishing returns at the global box office and buzz terms like “superhero fatigue” there’s absolutely no escaping the popularity of a show like The Boys. First debuting in 2019 the series has continued to offer an irreverent and unpredictable take on a genre which, to some, was feeling tired. This week the series returns for its fourth season with the promise of a politically-charged eight-episode run which, whilst transitional, is an incredible example of why it continues to thrive as a pop culture juggernaut.
Season 3 ended with plenty of the series’ characters in a precarious position. Homelander (Antony Starr) had murdered a Starlight supporter who was threatening his son Ryan (Cameron Crovetti). Whilst Butcher (Karl Urban) was confirmed to be terminally ill, a plot point which continues to underpin the series throughout season 4. After seeing Vought and The Seven for what they really are Annie (Erin Moriarty) discarded the Starlight name and joined Hughie (Jack Quaid) and The Boys.
Entering season 4 the stakes have never been higher and because of this there’s a sense that The Boys may be entering its endgame. With Butcher running out of time and Homelander continuing to unravel, any reasonable viewer will find themselves questioning just how much longer this war can continue. The answer will surprise many as season 4 acts to upend this status quo, injecting The Boys with more than enough adrenaline to continue beyond the already confirmed season 5.
The season as a whole takes inspiration from a number of recent events. Chief among them is the January 6 attack on the US state capitol. Even the date becomes an important factor in the storyline of season 4. But the inspiration is far wider than simply the actions which took place on that day. The Boys season 4 circles around the idea of a nation becoming polarised by two hugely differing opinions. The cultural divide caused by Homelander’s actions in the season 3 finale permeates every choice the writers make this season. It spins the series in a fascinating direction as suspicions become reality concerning who the “true” hero of The Boys is. Sadly, much like in real life, there are no innocent parties and those who at first appeared to be on the right side of history may in fact not be.
In that regard, season 4 is constructed to challenge each of the main characters core values. More than ever before the actions of all the characters are called in to question. While we’ve been used to seeing this with Homelander and Butcher, it’s different when someone like Annie is questioned in this way. The introduction of Firecracker (Valorie Curry) does this perfectly. Everyone in the audience will recognise the type of person Firecracker represents. She’s the worst of the right-wing, conspiracy sharing internet figurehead generation. But she also has history with Annie which threatens to dismantle her reputation just when Starlight is becoming a beacon of hope. Erin Moriarty goes through the wringer this season. But she rises to every challenge the scripts throw at her becoming one of the series’ most compelling characters in the process. The journey plays out almost in reverse. At the beginning of the season we see her accepting what her name and her legacy means. Whilst at the end… well that would be spoilers… but she’s certainly not in the same position of power where she started.
Contrasting that journey is Butcher. He begins the season somewhat on the periphery. Mother’s Milk (Laz Alonso) is now in charge of the team following Butcher’s questionable actions in season 3. What Eric Kripke and the writers are doing incredibly well is playing a long game with several major character arcs and Butcher is a prime example. Whilst he began the series as a loveable rogue with positive intentions, his questionable methods have led him down a dark path. Season 4 continues to challenge that and winds up in a place where many will question whether Butcher is any better than Homelander. It strikes directly at the heart of what the writers are trying to say. Always question your leaders and their intentions. Karl Urban is supernatural in his performance. Somehow he’s able to keep aspects of Butcher’s charm and instil those in to a character who feels like he could become the villain of the piece at any moment.
It’s bleak. The bleakest The Boys has ever been in fact. Season 4 does however start out feeling a little directionless. Some of that is intentional, swapping narrative thrust for time spent setting up challenges which genuinely feel insurmountable. But built in to that are a number of sub plots which aim to cut through the bleakness and offer some of the series’ trademark humour and heart. Finally The Boys is tackling the relationship between Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara) and Frenchie (Tomer Capon) head first. Then there’s the ongoing saga of The Deep (Chace Crawford) and his lover Ambrosius. For Hughie, the return of his mother (Rosemarie DeWitt) offers a chance for new connections as well as the welcome return of Simon Pegg as his father.
Some of the sub plotting in season 4 works well. Kimiko has more development than in previous seasons combined. With a more central role in the team and her own personal development, Karen Fukuhara has a welcome increased presence on screen across the season. Her indestructibility gives season 4 plenty of gruesome, gnarly moments. Conversely, Frenchie feels like his storyline has become accelerated and so the twists do come with a whiplash warning. Changes in Frenchie’s personal life will surprise some and possibly outrage others. Although at this point if you’re offended by anything in The Boys you probably shouldn’t be watching. Regardless of the brisk pace, when the dust settles on season 4 their combined storyline does feel earned and balance is restored.
Season 4 does an admirable job of balancing a huge ensemble cast. As with previous seasons, there are a number of players removed from the board as time goes by. Some more surprising than others. As the series transitions, closing the door on the first chapter and beginning something new, there’s a shift in the power balance which will shake up the cast moving forwards. Doing this not only keeps the series fresh, but throughout season 4 there’s an increasing sense that nobody is safe. Not even those at the forefront of the story. Creatively that means moving in to season 5 The Boys is feeling reinvigorated and fresh. That unpredictability which drew us to the series in the first place remains strong. No easy feat for a series this far in to its run.
Verdict
Season 4 marks a period of change for The Boys. The series upends its own status quo, pulling the rug out from under the audience in shocking and unpredictable ways which deepen an already rich landscape. It’s bleak and it’s heavy. But it’s always entertaining and never compromising.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
