The aptly named season finale, Assassination Run, kicks off (in universe) on January 6 – because of course it does. Honestly this season is hitting almost TOO close to reality right now, as the real world gets more and more terrifying. And yet I still find it validating to know someone else is seeing the chaos going on and reflecting it back to me.
So, here’s all the twists and turns and surprises the season ended with – SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THE SEASON 4 FINALE!
Directed by none other than Eric Kripke himself.
The story lines all converge in the finale, as they should. It’s January 6 and the news about A Train comes out (and the cancellation of that fabulous film Training A Train alas…) Vought puts out a PSA with supes saying they take responsibility… which is exactly what they don’t. Congress counts the electoral votes as Frenchie works with increasing desperation on extracting the virus.
Torn Between Two Identities
The shapeshifter pretending to be Annie surprised Hughie by asking him to marry her, and he surprises her back by running to get his own ring and asking the same, and….yep, back in bed.
Hughie: Wow, that was great… two fingers was a lot…
Next season I hope Hughie gets to really open up about all the assault he’s endured this season.
The show has been able to say some nuanced things about female sexual assault in its four years, and it’s certainly had plenty to say about the trauma every single male and female character have endured, but Hughie’s sexual assault is an opportunity to say/show more about something not often talked about enough.
In between sleeping with Hughie, the shifter goes back to real Annie to recharge, confiding her own rather sad story. Sure, she’s a sociopath, but what did anyone expect? She’s the ultimate example of the identity crisis every single character is having this season, literally not knowing who she is.
Shifter Annie: I barely remember what I look like. One minute I was me and the next I was Miss Jamison, my preschool teacher, and I could see every memory she had. She felt justified in doing all those shitty things…you all do. You all think you’re the hero of your own story.
Another major theme of The Boys. Erin Moriarty did an amazing job with this story line – it has to be, always, so difficult to play two versions of yourself!
While Shifter Annie is gone, Hughie calls Butcher, who tells him a story about a steakhouse in Nevada where he was gonna go with Lenny. The kind of memory you bring up when you know you’re running out of time.
Butcher: Funny what you think about when your time’s up.
He asks Hughie to go there, and to tell the Boys he’s sorry. Tears in his eyes, he hangs up.
Hughie and not-Annie and MM take Robert Singer (Supernatural’s Jim Beaver) to a secret bunker where they hope to be able to defend him and that they hope the shifter won’t get in. Oops, too late…
Singer: If you’d killed Neuman like I’d ordered, we wouldn’t be stuck underground playing pocket pool… ya idjit.
Every Supernatural fan everywhere: YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS HE SAID IDJIT!!!
Will Supernatural’s Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles both end up on the final season of The Boys??
It’s a question that has already set the internet on fire even though Season 4 of The Boys is airing now and Season 5 hasn’t started filming yet. As a huge fan of both Supernatural and The Boys (and anything Eric Kripke does, actually), nothing would make me happier. Over the past year, I’ve talked to all three of them about the possibility – which it looks like might actually happen!
I was hopeful that Jensen Ackles would join ‘The Boys’ long before the news came out that he would indeed play Soldier Boy in Season 3 of the series – I had been watching the show since Season 1 and so had he, and we’d had several conversations about how much we both loved it. So I was thrilled when it happened (and he was too).
Ackles, of course, had worked with showrunner Eric Kripke before on Supernatural, portraying a character that Kripke created who is one of the most popular fictional characters ever, the beloved Dean Winchester. (Long time Supernatural fans like me will never stop loving the Winchesters). The two had remained close, along with the other Winchester brother, Jared Padalecki. So both were thrilled to work together again.
When I spoke to Jensen for an exclusive interview chapter in the new book on The Boys, ‘Supes Ain’t Always Heroes’, he told me there was only one person whose opinion of his portrayal of Soldier Boy he cared about very much, and that was Kripke.
When I spoke to Kripke, he had only glowing reviews, so I’d say mission accomplished – you can also read Eric’s insights in Supes, along with Jensen’s.
Here’s a little tidbit from my chat with Kripke:
Me: I just knew that Jensen would be so damn good at portraying Soldier Boy, in that he can make you understand every emotion his character is feeling, so I think alot of us were just uncomfortably blown away – in a good way – because people loved Soldier Boy and knew they should hate him!
Kripke: What’s funny in regard to Jensen playing Soldier Boy is, you know, he’s fucking fantastic, and he’s just so good at bringing the audience. It’s almost like, what I laugh about is like he was probably like a little too good at his job! I could have gone for the audience being like oh, I hate that guy, but so many people took his side in the finale like, we’re on his side, he’s the guy, fuck everyone! And you’re like, but he’s the bad guy and he’s trying to kill a ten year old…
I love their mutual appreciation that has stayed strong all these years.
As a huge fan (obviously) of both The Boys and Supernatural, I’ve also been thrilled every time an SPN alum makes an appearance. Christian Keyes crossed over to play A Train’s brother. Alex Calvert memorably played a character on Gen V. This season, Jeffrey Dean Morgan joined the fun and Rob Benedict made an appearance that no one will ever forget. Even if they want to.
I spoke to Eric Kripke after Season 3 had aired to ask him about where the series was headed, and I asked about the possibility of Jared Padalecki taking a turn on The Boys. I mean, he’s definitely a fan of the show – and of Soldier Boy! (Who we know is not dead…)
Turns out they had already chatted about it.
Me: Soooooo any possibility that the other Winchester brother might turn up on The Boys? I’d love to see Jared on the show.
Kripke: I told him, I’m like, you have an open door, man, so whenever you’re free from Walker, let’s talk about it. We’d have to pull it off with scheduling but yeah, ideally that would be great.
Me: I’m crossing my fingers. And if whoever Jared is playing ends up on screen with Jensen Ackles as Soldier Boy, I don’t know what will happen to the Supernatural fandom. An implosion maybe? An awesome one?
Kripke agreed.
I also, of course, chatted with Jared. He’d been too busy with filming and EPing Walker until recently, but that didn’t stop me from asking him about being on The Boys a few months ago. He most definitely did not say no, and he and Jensen both had some ideas about roles he could play that I won’t spoil, but let’s just say it seemed like a possibility.
So I wasn’t surprised to see Deadline break the story that Kripke and Padalecki have been texting and talking about it, and in fact had spoken about it yesterday – and it looks like a go!
Jared said in the Deadline article: We talked today…I only want to work on projects that I really care about or with people I really care about, and obviously Eric and I are indelibly connected forever… I adore Kripke’s storytelling, I will be ready when he makes the phone call. The answer is yes!
Looks like this might actually be happening – and I am so ready!!
What sort of role do you hope Jared would be playing? An ally of The Boys (and an antagonist to Soldier Boy)? A supe villain? A Vought corporate villain? So many possibilities!
You can read more of my exclusive interview with Jensen Ackles all about Soldier Boy (have I mentioned that we know he’s not dead?), plus insights from many of the other actors and some deep dives into all the characters and what makes the show so intriguing in ‘Supes Ain’t Always Heroes’. Catch up now and get ready for more of the wild ride that is ‘The Boys’!
(Includes events in the first three episodes of The Boys Season 4 but we’ve left some of the biggest spoilers for you to experience yourself…)
The first three episodes of The Boys dropped in the wee hours of the morning yesterday, much to the delight of fans who’ve been waiting for almost two years for more of their favorite show. While we were waiting, Dr. Matt Snyder and I put together a book of essays and interviews from the cast of the show and psychologists and media experts who love it, dissecting the complicated characters and what makes them tick – Supes Ain’t Always Heroes. I was hoping to see some of the themes in the book picked up in the new season – which they were. So let’s dig in! What’s happening with all our favorites?
Neuman & Singer: Winning Ticket
I can’t help but like Victoria Neuman. I know, I know, she’s exploded lots of people’s heads, but she’s been used her whole life and is more focused on protecting her own daughter than anything, which is one of those universally relatable motivations. (Okay, okay, so Zoe is now a tentacle-spewing supe herself, but still). In the first three episodes of Season 4, we see that while once she was, I think, genuinely friends with Hughie, now they’re at odds. Actually that’s an understatement, but Neuman takes it in stride.
Neuman: You guys are actually getting worse at your jobs!
I love her running mate too, Presidential candidate Robert Singer. He’s a bit less enthusiastic about her, with good reason.
Singer: Everyone told me to pick Buttigieg instead…
(I happen to know how much Beaver relishes this show and that kind of dialogue. You can read all his thoughts on The Boys and his character in his exclusive interview in Supes Ain’t Always Heroes: Inside The Complex Characters and Twisted Psychology of The Boys)
Homelander: Daddy Issues
I’ve read some reviews that question whether focusing on the same big bad for four seasons will have to get old, but honestly? This season brings a whole new batch of neuroses and Oedipal struggles for Homie to deal with, and I’m here for that. So much of Homelander’s life has been anything but ordinary, but one of the things he confronts in this season is something that’s as universal as breathing – aging. How do you think he’s going to handle that? Yep, you probably guessed right.
And then there’s parenting. It’s tough to put your progeny in the spotlight when your own narcissism is insisting it should be YOU there, even if you really do care (as much as you’re able). Soldier Boy was proof of just how hard it is to break the horrors of intergenerational trauma, and hoo boy, did Homelander ever have a lot of that. Trauma with a capital T. We learn more about John’s early upbringing in the first episodes of this season, as he goes back to visit his first “home”. With a Fudgie the Whale cake.
That’s a real Time Magazine cover, btw, as showrunner Eric Kripke tweeted. He’s right, this show’s marketing team is beyond amazing!
I will forever relish the character of Homelander for a) Antony Starr’s brilliance and b) the opportunities it offers for real life parallels that are so on the nose they’re almost painful. He emerges from his trial calmly telling everyone to “remain calm, you’re all very special people” and I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
The New Supes Drop Some Truth Bombs
New supe Sister Sage energizes Homelander – and the show itself. As Homelander’s supporters square off in a shouting match with Starlight supporters, she comes up with the plan to manipulate public opinion against the Starlighters. And she knows the value of a martyr. Much like Stormfront, Sage is introduced in a way that makes us think we’re going to like her. Her apartment is literally floor to ceiling books and not much else, befitting for the smartest person in the world.
Sage: That person is too smart to give a fuck about Pottery Barn.
She’s also refreshingly and brutally honest with Homelander, commenting on his enlarged prostate and his gray hairs and that he’s “going through some existential midlife stuff.”
Sage also easily manipulates The Deep (and hooks up with him over their mutual love of Outback’s bloomin’ onion, which, valid) and knows how they could pitch Ryan as the newest chosen-by-God hero.
Sage: The chosen one narrative only works if he stands alone. Hollywood trains people to fall in love with the white boy saviors.
Oof, she’s not wrong.
Firecracker, on the other hand, is sort of a mini Stormfront, in that she’s every offensive thing we hear proclaimed on the ‘news’ and in the media every single day. She’s transphobic, anti-vax, you name the thing and she’s saying it – on her “Truth Bomb” youtube channel usually. Occasionally she says something that really is a truth bomb. “What are you selling?” Sage asks her at the TruthCon convention.
Firecracker: Purpose. These people have nothing, maybe just lost a job or a house. I tell them a story, give them a purpose.
This show hits you in the stomach just when you least expect it.
(No spoilers. This review is made possible by advance screeners of The Boys Season 4 for review purposes).
Let the excitement begin! The new season of Prime Video’s hit streaming show ‘The Boys’ premieres tomorrow with the first three episodes after an almost two year wait. I’ll be back with episode reviews for this season, but overall I loved the entire season. Without any spoilers – because that would ruin all the fun – here are five reasons why. So you can look forward to the new season and enjoying it just as much as I did!
Number 5: Rob Benedict. I can’t spoil anything, but I just have to say that although his character is only in one scene in one episode, he really made an impression! Full disclosure, I love Rob. I loved his character Chuck aka God on Supernatural – he’s a talented actor and a talented musician and a talented writer too. But perhaps I had never seen the full extent of his talent until this role. So many facets of his character in one scene (it’s actually a fairly complicated series of scenes that all run together). Rob even made me feel a mix of emotions for his character – I laughed, I covered my eyes, I even felt a bit bad for him. I chatted with Rob on the weekend and told him my mixed reactions and he laughed. Let’s just say he can’t wait to hear everyone’s thoughts on what he brings to this portrayal…
Number 4: Jeffrey Dean Morgan. I can’t spoil anything about his character either, but suffice it to say that JDM and Karl Urban together eat up the screen like a couple of movie stars. They play off each other perfectly – in fact, I would bet money that the two had a blast working together. Butcher is, if anything, an even more fascinating character in Season 4, which is saying a lot because he’s been pretty fascinating all along. Urban and Morgan have the same sort of rough-hewn charm even when their characters are violent, like Butcher or Neegan on The Walking Dead often are, and the two in a scene together are doubly charming (and sometimes doubly disturbing).
Number 3: The continued parallels to real life, brilliantly interwoven into the plot. Sometimes it’s a throwaway line here and there that makes you go OOOF. Sometimes it’s a story arc that has so much to say about something that isn’t just fiction. There’s so much validation to knowing that someone else is seeing the insanity around us too, and then putting it on our screens in a slightly displaced fictionalized form so we can all look at it without cringing too much.
Number 2: The new supes! Sister Sage and Firecracker join the chaos and energize the Seven and the show. They each have parallels to real life that make them extra interesting, but it’s their dynamic with both the existing characters and with each other that really make this season pop. Susan Heyward and Valorie Curry sizzle when they’re onscreen together. Both are unlikely choices for the Seven and both have unexpected twists and turns to their story arcs that took me by surprise – I love when a show can surprise me! Both also have an interesting relationship with “the truth” which offered a lot of real life commentary options.
Number 1: The deep stuff. Not The Deep stuff, though his story arc in this season is part of it. Almost every character has an evolution over the eight episodes, going in vastly different directions. Much of that evolution is driven by something universal and ultimately very human – the need to figure out who we are and define ourselves in some coherent way. To discover our identity. To “go home” and figure out how and what and who shaped us, whether we wanted them to or not. Sometimes that means breaking away from an identity foisted upon us and remaking ourselves the way we want to be. Sometimes that means trying to break away from the constraints and traumas of the past to be free of them, only to be sucked right back into the chains that has left around us, keeping us from being someone different. Sometimes that means not being able to figure out who the real you is at all. You can follow each character’s journey, sometimes cheering for them and sometimes despairing when the journey is downhill not up. It’s quite a feat to afford each character that room to evolve and enough screen time to follow their journey when you have so many characters!
I was also thrilled to see that the show is continuing its exploration of many of the themes that are included in the new book ‘Supes Ain’t Always Heroes: Inside the Complex Characters and Twisted Psychology of The Boys’. Toxic masculinity, breaking the chains of generational trauma, personality disorders, PTSD, racism, sexism, social media. The book delves into all of those, and takes apart all the complicated characters to see what makes them tick, with exclusive interviews and insights from the actors as well as media experts and psychologists. If you haven’t checked it out yet, catch up on everything about the first three seasons with Supes wherever you buy books, and then get ready to dig into Season 4.
I’ve loved this show since its very first episode, and it hasn’t disappointed me yet. I love that its characters keep slogging it out, every kind of obstacle – physical, psychological, emotional, societal – thrown in their way. Beaten down, halfway to giving up, struggling to hang onto themselves, but they keep fighting. Along the way, there are some unlikely heroes, and some tugs at my heartstrings. It’s an oddly hopeful commentary on humanity at a time when the struggle is more real than ever.
Eric Kripke confirmed this week that Season 5 will be the final season for The Boys, so my expectations for next season are even higher than they were before. He’s also talked about how much he’d love to have his good friend (and part of his Supernatural family) Jared Padalecki join in the fun. I spoke to Padalecki about how much I personally would love that a few weeks ago, so let’s hope he takes Kripke up on his invitation!
Fingers crossed!
Do yourself a favor and be sure to watch the first three episodes of Season 4 of The Boys on Prime Video tomorrow!!!!
The new season of Prime Video’s Emmy winning series ‘The Boys’ drops THIS WEEK – are you ready?
There’s SO much to look forward to.
There will be new Supes…
Oedipal struggles…
Toxic masculinity exploration… (that is just so nice to look at…)
There will be so much more that I can’t talk about at all yet, but suffice it to say that this season will be one you can’t look away from! (Okay maybe I covered my eyes once or twice, but I also could not stop watching or exclaiming about just how fucking awesome the show is.) My standards were high after Season 3, but Kripke and company didn’t let me down.
You can catch up on all things The Boys and know just where we left off with all your favorite characters (whether they’re your favorites to love or hate or a little of both) with the book that takes a deep dive into the show and the characters and the talented actors who bring them to life – Supes Ain’t Always Heroes.
Just like the show, the book is also a wild ride. There are chapters dissecting the characters, from Homelander to Butcher, Starlight to Stormfront, Hughie to A Train and many more.
There are exclusive interviews with the actors who have so much insight into what makes their characters tick. (I love what Jensen Ackles has to say about Soldier Boy and why the role was so compelling. He knows it was…look at that expression).
There are deep dives into the themes the show tackles and how it reflects some things about real life even as there are also exploding penises and superhero orgies and flying hamsters.
Pick up your copy today and be ready for next week – it happens to be on sale on Amazon right now.
The long wait is finally over – the new book, ‘Supes Ain’t Always Heroes: Inside the Complex Characters and Twisted Psychology of The Boys’ released on December 5! We delayed the release in solidarity with the writers’ and actors’ strikes, but now the book is ready for reading just in time for us to all lose our collective you know what over the teaser trailer for The Boys Season 4, coming in 2024. And tease us it did…
Showdown between Annie and Homelander?
Robert Singer and Victoria Neuman leading in the polls?
Rob Benedict joining the fun – and feeling really “torn” about it?
Karl Urban and Jeffrey Dean Morgan the duo we never knew we absolutely needed onscreen?
Also, I have missed you JDM!
Oh, and was that Black Noir???
Yesssssssssssssssssssssssssssss!
If you haven’t watched the trailer yet, what are you waiting for?
And now there’s a book that delves deep into all the amazing characters and provocative story lines that make The Boys universe so incredible – just in time for more! (And for holidays, birthdays, etc. if you or someone you love is a fan of The Boys)
Supes Ain’t Always Heroes is the perfect way to catch up on everything that’s happened so far and gain a deeper understanding of all the complicated characters. There are chapters that take deep dives into all your favorites, from Homelander to Soldier Boy, Butcher to Black Noir, Starlight to Stormfront, Hughie to A Train and many more. What makes your favorite character tick? Let psychologists and sociologists help you explore everything you love about them – or everything you love to hate. If you love the show’s biting social commentary, media experts and journalists take an insightful look at the issues the show tackles – from racism to sexism, toxic masculinity to social media, and how it all fits into Hollywood and corporate America.
The book doesn’t forget the brilliance of the show’s actors or the comics creators. Sometimes it’s the cast who bring these complex characters to life that have some of the most fascinating insights into who they are. There are exclusive in-depth interviews with Jensen Ackles (Soldier Boy), Aya Cash (Stormfront), Nate Mitchell (Black Noir), Jim Beaver (Robert Singer) as well as co-creator Darick Robertson, and additional comments from many of the other cast on this show we’ve all come to love.
I love what Jensen Ackles has to say about Soldier Boy and the decisions he made in portraying him. That’s a Soldier Boy smirk if I ever saw one! And we’re all counting on him being back, right???
Eric Kripke has said that ultimately he sees ‘The Boys’ as hopeful – and we do too. We put this book together because the show sparked so much thought and discussion with the way it reflects things we might wish we didn’t see in the real world around us. We believe in changing the world just like ‘The Boys’ ultimately does, so every copy of Supes Ain’t Always Heroes purchased benefits the Venice Family Clinic and their life saving work in this real world.
We hope you love Supes as much as we all do – Here are some of our awesome contributors celebrating the book’s release!
courtesy Tina Charlescourtesy Kaela Josephcourtesy Hansi Oppenheimercourtesy Tanya Cook
If you love ‘The Boys’, don’t be afraid to go deeper (Deeper?). Just be careful not to sneeze!
With two more episodes to go in its first season, Episode 6 of Gen V is a standout for more reasons than one.
SPOILERS AHEAD FOR EPISODES ONE THROUGH SIX OF GEN V!
We pick up in the sixth episode (“Jumanji”) with a repentant Cate restoring all her friends’ memories. They’re shocked, pissed, betrayed, everything you’d expect. Emma immediately heads out to find Sam, but not without a parting shot.
Emma: Also? You’re a cunt.
Cate insists she thought she was doing the right thing. Andre is especially furious, wondering if Cate’s manipulations were what made Luke kill himself and afraid to even consider that what she did was okay because then he’d just forgive her. His feelings for her make her betrayal a personal one.
They all feel (understandably) mind raped. Marie is the voice of reason though, saying it’s God U who is fucking them over, not Cate – that Cate was fucked over just like the rest of them.
The strain on Cate from restoring their memories and the trauma of realizing how she’s betrayed them makes her collapse, her heart rate slowing dangerously. Marie manages to save her (since apparently none of the others learned CPR at superhero school). Marie slowly learning to use her formerly horrifically destructive powers for good is a nice little story arc running beneath the surface, though it will certainly not go smoothly. This is The Boys universe, after all.
At times this show reminds me of Buffy (which I loved) as it uses metaphor to tell stories about real life issues, in this case one of the challenges of growing up. We all have to learn how to harness our destructive impulses, how to recognize our own power but not mis-use it. We all have missteps we feel guilty about along the way, that can keep us afraid of speaking up or calling out injustice when we see it. That’s been part of Marie’s journey all along.
She does manage to save Cate, who wakes up and then abruptly bursts through the wall of the house they’re hiding at.
They follow, but when they all go through the break in the wall, what’s outside is…the woods. Well, not THE woods, but actual woods. Suddenly everything has gone surreal, and I love it, not knowing what’s actually happening and what isn’t.
They see a hysterical woman, sobbing and calling for Caleb and realize that’s Cate’s little brother who disappeared – we see young Cate distraught, telling her mother she didn’t mean it, not understanding what’s happening. Her mother looks at Cate not with love or concern but with terror, telling the cop she doesn’t feel safe with her daughter. Bits and pieces of the landscape start to come apart in some truly eerie special effects…
They’re in Cate’s head, they realize.
The Boys universe excels at finding ways to get into its characters’ heads (often literally) so we can truly understand their back stories in a way that makes them very real and very compelling. We often don’t just hear about it, we see it. It makes all the characters a lot more sympathetic, as the scenes of Cate’s past do in this episode.
* * *
And then I admit to gasping out loud, because even though I knew it was coming, seeing Soldier Boy striding out of the woods took my breath away.
I know it’s wrong, but I’ve missed him! Welcome back to my screen, Jensen Ackles!!
And then begins a scene that will go down in history for both The Boys and Gen V fans – and Jensen Ackles and Supernatural fans too. Holy shit, what a scene!
Soldier Boy: What are you greasy sack of fucknuts doing in here?
Yep, that’s our disgusting uncensored murder grampa kitten, being just as gross as ever. Ahhhhh, I’ve missed him!
A new episode of Gen V drops this Friday (or, as Kripke admitted, let’s be real, probably late Thursday night) and I can’t wait! If you haven’t been able to watch the first three episodes which were released last week, here’s a little recap of what happened in those episodes – and why I’m so excited about the next ones! (My review of Episode 4 will be up later this week before Episode 5 drops on Friday)
WARNING: SPOILERS FOR EPISODES ONE THROUGH THREE AHEAD
The show takes place at Godolkin University (God U, get it?), where the first generation of superheroes who actually know how they got that way (ie, their parents shot them up with Compound V) is arriving for the start of classes. We’re introduced to the main characters, including Marie Moreau (Jaz Sinclair), whose perspective largely frames these episodes. There’s also Luke, aka Golden Boy (Patrick Schwarzenegger), top ranked and stereotypically attractive, and his girlfriend Cate (Maddie Phillips), who has to wear gloves most of the time because if she touches you she can mind control you.
Andre (Chance Perdomo) is the son of a Supe and in line to be one of the Seven himself if his dad has anything to say about it, Jordan (London Thor and Derek Luh) is the bi-gender child of two highly driven parents, and Emma (Lizze Broadway) is Marie’s roommate, whose superpower is that she can make herself tiny.
Gen V takes the same cynical look at where we are as a society in terms of what we value and how we relate to each other. Social media, crafting an image, and cultivating followers and popularity is a legitimate major at God U, and the vast majority of students are all in. As soon as one of them gains some recognition, they can’t walk across campus without repeated requests for selfies, and most fellow students can’t be trusted with any personal information. Emma learns this the hard way when she’s manipulated by a classmate into talking candidly about herself, only to have that used as fodder for the girl’s viral TikTok.
The adults are corporate power-hungry manipulators too, as we’ve come to expect from Vought. The first episode introduces us to the aptly named Professor Brink Brinkerhoff (Clancy Brown), who’s about as much of a stereotype of a narcissistic full professor as you can get – I admit, as a professor myself, I thoroughly enjoyed the caricature. He’s got the power to decide who gets to be part of the Crimefighting School – similar to the coveted admission to the Business School in a few real life universities – and he’s got his favorites. He summarily rejects Marie before Golden Boy turns on his mentor and takes him out of the picture, opening up an opportunity for her to get in. Dean Indira Shetty (Shelley Conn) is an enigmatic woman who can seem incredibly warm and nurturing, and then you get a glimpse of her face when the target of her warmth can’t see it and realize she’s as cold as ice. Andre’s dad, who was the Supe Polaris, is just as icy in his determination to see his son become number one – and maybe one of the Seven.
One of the narratives that The Boys universe has explored in all its versions is parenting, for better or worse (usually for worse…). In the original show we eventually learned what Annie’s mother and other parents had done to their children with Compound V for mostly selfish reasons, and in the animated Diabolical, we saw the costs of that selfishness in brutal detail for the kids. Gen V continues that exploration, and not just with Andre’s father. Emma’s mom is similarly invested in her child’s “success”, essentially telling her to suck it up and do whatever it takes to find some popularity no matter what the personal cost. Jordan’s mom and dad are the “driven Asian parents” who refuse to see their child for who they are and instead want to have a successful son – whether or not they identify as a son or not.
True to every Eric Kripke show ever, that’s not all the show has to say about family though. Like Supernatural and The Boys and every other show he’s put his creative touch on, Gen V is also about the importance of family bonds – especially sibling bonds – and what that inspires. Of course, the sibling bonds on this show are fraught and sculpted by trauma, because this is the universe of The Boys after all. Marie is desperate to find her little sister, who was separated from her after she got her first period and her powers manifested as the ability to control blood – which she hadn’t harnessed at all and thus it became a weapon that accidentally killed both her parents and traumatized her younger sister. Luke is desperate to find his little brother (who’s named Sam and has floppy hair so that every Supernatural fan was instantly a million percent invested in that relationship).
I had high expectations for the new spinoff series from the universe of ‘The Boys’ simply because I love the original series so much that it’s a treat to be able to have some more of it. At the same time, I was hesitant. I’m not exactly college age – would I be able to relate to these characters who are in the throes of adolescence?
The official synopsis sets the new show at…
Godolkin University, the prestigious superhero-only college where students train to be the next generation of heroes—preferably with lucrative endorsements. You know what happens when supes go bad, but not all superheroes start out corrupt. Beyond the typical college chaos of finding oneself and partying, these kids are facing explosive situations … literally. As the students vie for popularity and good grades, it’s clear that the stakes are much higher when super powers are involved. When the group of young supes discover that something bigger and sinister is going on at school, they’re put to the test: Will they be the heroes or the villains of their stories?
That’s a familiar question for this universe, but the fact that it focuses on these “kids” was a bigger question for me. Turns out, I didn’t have to worry. Within five minutes of watching Episode 1, I was already on the edge of my seat and forgetting to take notes. It’s the same feeling I had watching Season 1 of ‘The Boys’ – the sensation of being on a roller coaster that’s taking the turns a little too fast and nearly skidding off the track as I hold on for dear life. Sometimes I definitely gasped in surprise, sometimes I laughed out loud, and of course there were some “ewww” exclamations, because this wouldn’t be the same universe if there weren’t. But, surprisingly, there were also moments where I empathized with what the main characters were going through – especially Jaz Sinclair’s Marie Moreau. The first episode is largely following her story, and by the time the episode was drawing to a close, I found myself caring about her already.
Prime Video
I should have expected it after being surprised to find myself caring about some characters on ‘The Boys’ that I probably shouldn’t have, but I thought it might be different with teenagers. I guess good writing is good writing and good acting is good acting! What ‘Gen V’ does that its parent show also does so well is give us just enough backstory to make the characters sympathetic, with tragedy depicted in a visceral (sometimes literal) way that lets you really feel just how tragic that moment is. The show doesn’t shy away from blood and guts, just like ‘The Boys’, but the violence is often used to underline the shock and horror that we all feel when faced with tragedy, even the sterile non-bloody kind.
The other characters who are introduced in the first episode are also memorable, especially the ambivalent-about-being-ambitious Andre, enigmatic Jordan who is sometimes female and sometimes male, the golden boy of the school who is actually called Golden Boy because that’s hilarious, and Marie’s roommate Emma. Emma is already a favorite of mine, with a superpower that isn’t taken seriously or valued highly and an arsenal of defenses covering up a world of hurt. I’ve got a soft spot for her for sure – don’t kill her, show!
‘Gen V’, like the other shows in this universe, manages to be unrealistic and over the top while at the same time making some pointed commentary on the real world. Sometimes it’s subtle, sometimes it’s intentionally hit-you-over-the-head with the parallel, but it’s almost always biting – and I love it.
Prime Video
Special shout out to Episode One’s ability to parody every University’s overly sincere posturing, from motivational posters on the walls (“The Deep was once a kid just like you. He says: Honor is doing the right thing when no one is looking”) to the Dean of Students insisting that they’re a “family” and telling students they appreciate “the unique culturally rich change agent that you are.” I got stuck between eye rolling and laughing out loud recognizing the familiar rhetoric of every University I’ve taught at over the years.
‘Gen V’ retains the cheeky references that the original series included, with shoutouts to CW stalwarts like Riverdale and Pretty Little Liars and supe students claiming to be “super focused” or “super inclusive” or “super abled”. I might have squealed out loud to see Alex Calvert, Supernatural’s own Jack, as one of those students. The show can be a heady mix of serious social commentary one second and outrageous sex scenes the next, with some creative super powers constantly going on in the background. There’s also a mystery that’s introduced right from the start, something ominous and dark that is downright scary – like a little touch of Supernatural snuck in to spice things up even more. I like it!
One of the other things I relish about the universe of ‘The Boys’ is the masterful and thoroughly enjoyable social media presence the show has cultivated. It’s been so much fun to watch the Vought account interact with The Boys account, and now Gen V has been added to the mix. Fans have played along and responded to social media posts with in-universe commentary, making the whole experience extra meta (and extra amusing). Oh, and is there anything more appropriate than the official Astroglide account getting in on the fun??
The reality tie-in, it burns…
Today’s Twitter/X back and forth had Vought CEO Ashley and Kimiko disagreeing about whether you should trust Vought – or definitely not trust Vought.
I don’t trust Vought at all, but I do trust Eric Kripke, and once again he hasn’t let me down. I’m already looking forward to more of this wild ride – streaming tomorrow on Prime Video. Stream it yourself and ride along!
As A Train says, I hope you survive the experience…
The Gen V cast includes Jaz Sinclair, Chance Perdomo, Lizze Broadway, Shelley Conn, Maddie Phillips, London Thor, Derek Luh, Asa Germann, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Sean Patrick Thomas, and Marco Pigossi. Gen V also features guest stars Clancy Brown and Jason Ritter, as well as appearances from Jessie T. Usher, Colby Minifie, Claudia Doumit and P.J. Byrne, reprising their roles from The Boys.
Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters serve as showrunners and executive producers. Eric Kripke, Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver, Neal H. Moritz, Ori Marmur, Pavun Shetty, Ken Levin, Jason Netter, Garth Ennis, Darick Robertson, Craig Rosenberg, Nelson Cragg, Zak Schwartz, Erica Rosbe, and Michaela Starr also serve as executive producers on the spinoff series. Serving as co-executive producers are Brant Englestein, Sarah Carbiener, Lisa Kussner, Gabriel Garcia, Aisha Porter-Christie, Judalina Neira, and Loreli Alanís. The series is produced by Sony Pictures Television and Amazon Studios, in association with Kripke Enterprises, Point Grey Pictures, and Original Film.
There are only a few cons that I can drive to, and the one in northern New Jersey is one of them. I hate driving, so this is both a blessing and a curse – but I also hate paying for airfare, so of course I drove to this one in scenic Whippany. (I don’t actually know if Whippany is scenic, tbh). It’s a familiar drive from many trips to Rutgers, and this hotel was conveniently right off the NJ Turnpike, so I got there with less stress than last year – and last year’s parking lot debacle had left me with the coveted knowledge of where the extra parking spaces were too. What last year’s debacle did not tell me was that somehow this parking lot does not have an elevator from the lower floors – so I ended up dragging suitcases full of books up multiple flights of stairs and just about had a heart attack by the time I actually got to the hotel. ARGH.
Sweaty and exhausted but a few dollars richer at least from not flying, I got there on Friday afternoon and managed to catch some of the Friday people onstage, so there’s that. Jared Padalecki was unable to be at this con because he was at Matt Barr’s wedding in Cancun – we missed him ALOT but I’m so glad he could be there with all the Walker Independence cast celebrating such a joyous occasion.
David Haydn Jones and Gil McKinney were onstage when I finally got to the ballroom.
The two were contemplating the possible impact of AI on acting when I arrived. (More ARGH). (Not Gil and David).
David: My favorite episode was when Ketch and Dean were on the mountain. Jensen and I tried to add to the scene.
And apparently it snowed just long enough for them to film – the snow melted right after their scenes were done!
I love that David always tries to dress the part of wherever the con is, looking kinda Bruce Springsteen for Jersey. And love Gil’s stylish hat!
David: When I got the role of Ketch, I watched the Supernatural top 20 episodes, and I was like whoa, they’re really leaning into the absurd comedy.
(Mystery Spot and The French Mistake cases in point!)
Gil pledged to go back and watch all of David’s episodes. David pledged to do the same.
Gil: I only have two!
Gil told the story of finding out that Henry Winchester’s name was in the pilot of The Winchesters, and then getting the call from Jensen to ask if he wanted to play Henry again.
(You can read the whole story in our exclusive interview with Gil here on Fangasm last month)
David: At the wrap party (that they were finally able to have in Vancouver years later), Jensen and I were spitballing about Ketch’s granddad in The Winchesters.
He then proceeded to do an Austin Powers Ketch imitation lol
What weapon would David have taken from SPN?
David: The grenade launcher! It actually had a quarter charge in it, and that was a practical explosion with real fire and glass!
Gil reminisced about having to break Baby’s window on SPN.
Gil: That was really fun, but I didn’t know how much that would upset people. I nailed it on one take, like F yeah!
Another memorable scene was when Henry and Dean took that drive in the Impala.
Gil: Jensen and I got into the Impala, and he did a full 180 in the middle of the street – I didn’t know it was closed off! Jensen was like, do you need new shorts?
(Yes lol)
David said that Ketch was originally supposed to sound more like Billy Butcher on The Boys.
He also reminisced about some pranks, like trying to say his lines while someone was holding the mic like this and “fondling the balls in my hand” which I can imagine was… challenging…
As actors with experience on lots of other shows, they both had heartfelt positive things to say about working on Supernatural.
Gil: I’ve never worked on a show so nice and professional as Supernatural, and that’s because of Jared and Jensen. The Winchesters felt like a continuation of that.
We finally had Richard Speight, Jr. back as emcee for this con – he’s been so busy directing that it’s been a while – and he joked when he introduced Kim Rhodes and Briana Buckmaster and Kim was like ‘who are you?’
Richard: Hi, I’m the new guy.
Lol
A fan asked about the Wayward Podcast, which they now record live at cons with some fans joining them. So you never know what you’re gonna get.
Briana: When we think of something we want to talk about on the Podcast, we usually do!
