TV Review: The Boys Season 3 Episodes 1-3

The Boys Season 3 Episodes 1-3

Creator: Eric Kripke

Starring: Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr, Erin Moriarty, Dominque McElligot, Jessie T. Usher, Laz Alonso

Runtime: 8 Episodes

The Boys Season 3 picks up a short time after the events of Season 2, in which Homelander (Antony Starr) was effectively blackmailed into submission by Maeve and The Boys. This presents an interesting starting point, as it changes up the dynamic of the characters in a way we have yet to see. Homelander is powerless, in a sense, and The Boys seem to be on the straight and narrow for a change, finally with some power of their own. Hughie (Jack Quaid) has a job where he’s making a difference and is finally happy, Butcher (Karl Urban) is navigating a new and complex relationship with the son of his recently deceased wife, and Starlight (Erin Moriarty) is granted some unforeseen benefits following the figurative neutering of The Homelander.

Obviously, things eventually go awry. This is to be expected, as the unpredictability of Homelander and his power is what makes the show tense. However, the way he takes that power back for himself is simply not clever or satisfying from a writing standpoint. He does not outsmart anyone, nor does he use his incredibly effective ability to manipulate people through fear– he just decides to not care anymore. It’s a choice that makes sense for the character, but it calls into question the initial logic behind his submission at the end of Season 2. That cliffhanger now strikes me as more of a plot convenience than a deliberate choice and feels cheaper upon rewatching.

If you’ve seen the promotional material, you may already be aware that there’s a scene in which Butcher and Homelander sit down together and talk one-on-one. I can’t say why or what they talk about, but I’ll just say that this scene exemplifies one of the many ways in which The Boys transcends it’s analogous style of characters. It uses analogs to give us a starting point of understanding of the characters. For example, Homelander is obviously a Superman analog. However, when you get Butcher and Homelander in a room together, it becomes obvious that this is not simply a Superman vs Lex Luthor dynamic that’s been flipped on it’s head; rather, it is an entirely unique concoction that is not pulled directly from any other property. Butcher does not come across as Good Lex Luthor, and Homelander is not simply Bad Superman. The Boys simply uses these analogs to more effectively defy expectations to show us something we’ve never seen before under the guise of something familiar. Over the course of three seasons, the writers have developed a truly unique and unpredictable arch-nemesis dynamic.

The most consistently compelling thing about The Boys has been its insistence on holding the mirror up to American culture which is reinforced by its absolute refusal to put it down. It plunges head first into issues that plague us every day and mocks them relentlessly with charming absurdity. It’s written through clenched teeth and fists, lending the impression of a writers’ room that is desperate to tell the country just how ludicrous it has become.  And I must admit that while some of the issues it tackles were sensitive and timely when the season was likely being written, the unstable nature of America’s social and political climate makes The Boys feel borderline prophetic at times. For instance, early on in season 3 our characters find themselves at a gun convention, and the outrageous nature of the rhetoric spewed in that sequence probably would have made me laugh a month ago; now I shudder. I see that as effective satire. Whether it’s parodying celebrity culture or shining a light on police brutality and racism; these premiere episodes pull no punches.

Season 3 also excels at topping the gore and over-the-top violence it has become so known for. It had me squirm and look away at times, but I marvel at the creativity and depravity of it all. The multitude of ways I saw folk mutilated, disemboweled, or meet any number of other horrific ends cannot be understated. This directly coincides with another thing I liked so much about it; the absurd tonal whiplash. It just has such a way of hitting me with something deeply upsetting, followed by a smash cut to an outrageous, gut-busting American Idol-style reality show in which the winner is granted membership into The Seven.

Season 3 comes out of the gate swinging. It takes whatever it is you liked about the first two seasons and simply gives you more of it. It’s a show constantly trying to outdo and one-up itself, and it shows. It’s the kind of show that by the time you reach the end of an episode, it essentially forces you to start the next one.

Let’s just say the wait between episodes is going to be particularly grueling this season.