Carl Roberts 
Billy Butcher and The Boys are back again for a fourth season. But can they continue their winning run or are they running out of steam?
Oi! We’re back! The Boys has been blowing us away for three seasons now. With its blend of violence, gore, comedy and general mayhem, it is an acquired taste. But for me, it is one of the best programmes on streaming. With the fourth season about to start streaming, we ask ourselves, ‘Can the series continue its winning run?’Â Based on the opening three episodes of the season, the answer is yes. But only just. While the series is as outrageous and over the top as ever, we get the feeling that the series is winding down. This comes as no surprise after the announcement that the fifth season will be its last. But judging from what we see here, the show will be going out with a blast.
THOUGHTS
I cannot say too much about what we’ve seen so far as to do so would tip us into serious spoiler territory. What I can reveal is the series goes hard to outdo what they’ve given us so far. If you think you’ve seen it all, that it couldn’t get any more over the top, think again. It is full to the brim of strong language, violence, blood, gore, great comedy moments, and some nasty action scenes. But it also has a serious side to it.
After the revelation of Butcher’s impending demise, we get to see the softer side of the character. One that has to accept his mortality even though he is trying to fight it. But that doesn’t stop him from being the same Butcher that we know and love. With some more revelations from every character along the way, we are in for another rollercoaster ride of a season. It’s just one that feels like it’s winding down.
CAST
As always, the cast is in top form. Karl Urban as Butcher is as outrageous, vile, and condescending as ever. Jack Quaid as Hughie is as worrisome as ever, Laz Alonso as Mother’s Milk, now the leader of The Boys has allowed the power to go to his head, becoming a big-headed pain. Erin Moriarty as Annie January / Starlight has more on her plate to deal with after her actions in season three’s finale. Karen Fukuhara as Kimiko Miyashiro / The Female is as deadly as ever but gets to show her more comedic side for once. And Tomer Capone as Serge / Frenchie gets to show us something we’d never expect from the character. But he too has his demons he must face.
On the other side, Antony Starr as Homelander is nastier than we’ve seen him in the previous three seasons, enforcing his will on everyone including his own team. Jessie T. Usher as Reggie Franklin / A-Train is showing signs of dissent with his life and career as is Chace Crawford as Kevin Moskowitz / The Deep. Colby Minifie as Ashley Barrett starts to see her power wane, Claudia Doumit as Victoria Neuman is more devious than we’ve seen her before while Cameron Crovetti as Ryan is conflicted about who he is and what he should do. But Nathan Mitchell as Black Noir II is a surprise. Instead of being quiet and violent as his predecessor was, here he is the comedic foil throughout, raising the season higher.
NEW CHARACTERS
The new season sees Valorie Curry as Firecracker and Susan Heyward as Sister Sage make their debuts. Sister Sage is a quiet, manipulative addition, using her superior intellect to steer the Seven in directions it isn’t comfortable with. She also makes changes to how things work within the Seven that take the viewer by surprise and her devious nature makes her a quiet but deadly enemy. She thinks she has Homelander under her thumb and her control. However, we can see that she will come up short against the Seven’s psychopathic leader. But for now, her manipulation is a benefit to Homelander.
Firecracker is the total opposite. She is a racist, conspiracy theory-spouting bigot whose words can be deadly. She has a vendetta against Starlight for reasons that will be revealed later in the season. But she doesn’t realise that she is part of the Seven on Sister Sage’s say-so. Why she has been recruited and added to the Supes is revealed early on. For now, she doesn’t realise she is being used, exploited and manipulated by Sister Sage and Homelander. Both actresses and their respective characters are welcome additions to the season and we look forward to seeing where their characters go and if they will get their comeuppance before the season climaxes.
VERDICT
For all of its faults, the fourth season of The Boys is as enjoyable as it can be. The action scenes are violent, nasty and incredibly gory, the story moves the narrative along nicely, and we find we really do care for these characters. We fear for Butcher as he tries to make amends before he dies. Hughie and Starlight conceal a big secret from everyone. Mother’s Milk ego is out of control, and Frenchie and The Female are on a path we didn’t see coming. With the Seven, we start to see the cracks appearing in the team, the discontent that several members are feeling, and the manipulation that abounds from every corner. It is gripping stuff from the start. We want to know what is going on with these characters and how they will react to the events they are presented with.
As we can expect, the season does contain some shocking scenes as well as some hilarious sequences that have us shaking our heads. They can’t go there, can they? Oh yes, they did. Believe me, once again this isn’t for the squeamish or the easily offended. You can’t start the episodes with your granny in the room. She’ll keel over with a heart attack at what is displayed here. A great sense of humour and some strong stomachs are required with the season. Without them, you’ll be disgusted or be running to the bathroom to throw up. But all in all, the fourth season doesn’t disappoint. It is not to be missed. The Boys demand you tune in. If you don’t, then that would be f*****g diabolical!
The Boys Season 4 is now streaming on Prime Video. The complete first three seasons are available to stream in their entirety.
Introducing Carl! As the News Editor at Future of the Force, Carl has been an invaluable member of our team since early 2016. His expertise and dedication have made him an integral part of our editorial staff. Beyond his professional role, Carl is a fervent supporter of Liverpool F.C. and an avid follower of pop culture. He has a deep passion for Halloween, Friday the 13th, and the iconic movie franchises Star Wars and Star Trek.
He can be found either at his neighborhood cinema, enjoying the latest releases on the big screen, or at home streaming the newest blockbuster movies.
