“The Boys” Review by Joe Stark

Published by Leftover Brian

August 18, 2019 8:07 pm |

Love them or hate them, we all know what superheroes are. Individuals with extraordinary powers, dressed in flashy outfits, their true identities hidden behind masks and jazzy superhero-names, putting a stop to crime and avenging the wrongs committed against humanity.

But what if all of that was just a marketing ploy? What if these people weren’t heroes at all? What if they weren’t even good people? If you knew half the stuff they get up to… But who can give these supes a spanking when they’ve misbehaved? That’s where The Boys come in.

This is the main theme of Amazon’s original series The Boys. Adapted by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and Eric Kripke from the Dynamite comic book series created by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson.

In the aftermath of his girlfriend’s accidental death at the hands of a Supe, Hughie (played by Jack Quaid) is recruited by Billy Butcher (played by Karl Urban) to help in the fight against the world’s mightiest superhero group, The Seven. Along the way we see more characters joining The Boys; Frenchie (played by Tomer Capon) Mother’s Milk (played by Laz Alonso) and The Female (played by Karen Fukuhara). They were all fantastic in their roles.

I’ve loved Karl Urban in everything from Lord of the Rings to Dredd. I even liked his role in Chronicles of Riddick. Seriously. But he absolutely kills his portrayal of Butcher. I’ve watched the first season twice now and I haven’t been able to stop myself from constantly affecting his colorful dialogue. Another standout for me was Tomer Capon. He was so charming and his character ended up being surprisingly deep. And at the end of the day I would happily listen to the guy read the back of a shampoo bottle.

The standout from The Seven has to be Anthony Starr’s portrayal of Homelander. The Seven being an analog for the Justice League; Homelander would be our Superman. The way Starr was able to switch between the public good-guy image and the more private, cold, psychopathic nature of Homelander was uplifting, frightening, and humorous all wrapped up in a red cape.

The heart of the story comes from the budding relationship between Hughie and Annie (played by Erin Moriarty) who also happens to be The Seven’s newest recruit, Starlight. I found myself simultaneously rooting for them, but also fearing for what the future may hold for their relationship.

I feel like the show creators took large pieces and themes from the comic books and rearranged them into their own telling of the story for TV audiences. As a fan of the source material I caught many nods, Easter eggs, and direct translations on the screen.

Even as brutal as the show gets, it is toned down from the story we see in the comics. But that didn’t bother me. From the start they are telling a different interpretation of the source material and they are doing a damn good job of it.

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Tags: Anthony Starr The Boys, Joe Stark, Karl Urban The Boys, pop culture leftovers, The Boys Amazon, The Boys Amazon 2019

Categorised in: Television Reviews

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