Carl Roberts 
“Fans of the show will get a complete blast out of what the new season contains so far!”
‘The Boys‘ was one of Amazon Prime‘s standout productions of 2019. Based on the comic-book, the series brought the world a totally different type of superhero show, one that we hadn’t seen before. It started out as a typical superhero show but within a few minutes, it completely deviated and showed the heroes we thought we would cheer for as being completely superficial, self-centered, arrogant, murdering reprobates. And the main character of Billy Butcher wasn’t much better even though we followed him and his vendetta against the ‘Supes’. At the climax of the first season, Butcher learned a shocking truth, one that sets up the second season really nicely. But the thing that is on everyone’s mind as the second season gets underway is “Will the second season keep the same spirit and give the same enjoyment as last time?”. I’m happy to report that not only do the first three episodes match the quality, the fun, and the emotional output of the first season but they exceed them and then some! The first three episodes are completely brilliant, hilariously funny at times, gory in others, and can still wring the emotion out of us when needed.
I shall endeavor to avoid spoilers as much as possible but be warned, several events will get a mention here and may spoil the fun and the surprise slightly. But for the most part, I’ll steer well clear of spoiler territory as much as I can.
‘The Boys’ Season 2 | Amazon Prime Video
The second season starts with the funeral of Translucent, the invisible superhero murdered in cold blood at the start of the first season by Hughie (Jack Quaid). Homelander (Antony Starr) is leading the tributes to his fallen friend alongside Starlight (Erin Moriarty). Homelander stands by a clear glass coffin with a pillow that has a depression that is supposed to be Translucent lying in state. We know that there wasn’t even a thimbleful of Translucent left after Hughie blew him up with a bomb up his backside so that’s where the hilarity starts to come into play during the opening to the season. The season then continues on in the same kind of vein as the first series. The Seven are now down to four active members due to A-Train being in hospital after his heart attack at the climax to season one and The Deep‘s banishment from the team. Meanwhile, Black Noir takes down a super-terrorist cell, leading Homelander to lead the charge against those out in the wilderness although it was him that helped create them in the first place to get the government to admit the Seven into the armed forces to take down terrorist threats and cells.
Meanwhile, Hughie and Starlight are still in communication with each other and continuing with their plan to expose the Vought Corporation and the Compound-V serum that led to the creation of the superheroes in the first place. Hughie and Starlight are still close but Starlight cannot bring herself to forgive Hughie for his betrayal and lies he told to her. Hughie is hurting over what he did to her under Butcher’s tutorage and control but can’t convince her to forgive him. Meanwhile, the remaining members of ‘The Boys‘ minus Butcher himself are hiding underground at a pawn shop after being declared as fugitives and Butcher’s known associates. Butcher himself has been accused of Madelyn Stillwell’s death at the end of season one. We know that it was Homelander who killed her but the world is convinced it was Butcher who is the culprit and is hunting him and the Boys down. It is a small spoiler to reveal that Karl Urban as Butcher doesn’t appear in the first episode until late on but when he does, things really start to pick up. The character returns in typical form, all foul-mouthed and punching those who don’t follow his way. Urban is back on top form once again and plays Butcher to perfection.
The main plot points that are defining this second season are the arrival of a super-terrorist onto the U.S mainland and the hunt for him, Homelander and his relationship with his son fathered with Butcher’s wife, Butcher’s obsession with getting his wife back and taking Homelander down once and for all and Homelander’s problems with not being the top dog he thought he was in the halls of Vought and with the arrival of a new member in the shape of Stormfront (Aya Cash) who disrupts the uneasy harmony between the ‘Supes’ by disregarding every rule that is set in front of her and takes it upon herself to disregard Homelander, putting his leadership into question and causing him to seeth at her and her antics. You can see a reckoning coming somewhere down the line between the two of them.
Once again, the show is not for the easily offended, the squeamish, or for children or your granny. Foul language, gore, violence, and sexual discussions are again on the agenda but the people who are expecting what the show delivers will whoop in glee at what they will be given here. Without giving anything away, there is one tense moment during the third episode which is suddenly defused by a single comment which had me roaring with laughter and clapping my hands in pure enjoyment. Once again, the show gives the audience the maximum enjoyment with what it gives us all the while, the story is a slow burn, a gradual buildup towards what will inevitably be a nasty and shocking climax, one that has to go some to top the shocking finale to the first season but is on course to top it. The entire cast plays their roles to perfection but it feels that this season is more about Homelander and his fragile state as he slowly begins to unravel after the events of season one and what has happened so far in season two. Butcher and he are on a collision course somewhere further on, possibly in the already announced third season but Stormfront and Homelander will go head to head before the season is over. That much is a given at this point.
Verdict:
Fans of the show will get a complete blast out of what the new season contains so far and the uninitiated who come into the new series without seeing the first are treated to a brief recap of events before the first episode starts in earnest. I still suggest that they go back and binge-watch the first season before embarking on the journey with this second but they can jump in feet first and get the main points they need to know if they so desire. Amazon Prime has yet another winner on their hands here again and the enjoyment and fun get better with every episode. Make sure the kids are put to bed and asleep, granny is nowhere to be found and settle back and relax and let ‘The Boys‘ shock, entertain and have you roaring with laughter. I certainly enjoyed it and can’t wait to see the episodes again.
The Boys season 2 launches 4th September on Amazon Prime Video.
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Carl Roberts is a Senior Entertainment/Books and Literature Correspondent for The Future of the Force. Aside from being our horror genre aficionado, he is also passionate about Star Wars, Marvel, DC, and the Indiana Jones movies. Follow him on Twitter @CarlRoberts2 where he uses the force frequently!
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