The Boys’ second season officially streamed in 2020 (same year Mac Miller’s final album Circles came out) on Amazon Prime. Like the first season, it received positive reviews from critics, fans and streamers alike. Seth Rogen recently co-wrote an animated reboot of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” The first film “Mutant Mayhem” goes back to the turtles’ early years. Someday, I’ll stream it at home. By the way, Antony Starr confirmed he’ll reprise his role as Homelander as a playable guest fighter in NetherRealm Studios’ upcoming “Mortal Kombat 1.” The reboot of the video game series will be released on September 19, 2023.
This review contains no SPOILERS. If you haven’t seen the first season, there will be plot points listed. Tread carefully.
Positive & Negative Aspects
Positive: Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Laz Alonzo, Tomer Kapon, Karen Fukuhara, Erin Moriarty, Antony Starr, Jessie T. Usher, Dominique McElligott, Giancarlo Esposito & Chance Crawford all did an excellent job for their respective performances.
Aya Cash did a decent job for her performance as Stormfront.
Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg & Neal H. Moritz served as executive producers.
Eric Kripke mapped out all eight episodes.
Action Sequences are brutal. Not afraid to show crimson stains.
Humor contains black comedy, satirical depiction of superheroes as self-absorbed celebrities who are jerks off camera.
Visual Effects are Class A. They don’t seem fake like “She-Hulk.”
In case you forgot, here’s a recap.
- Hughie joins The Boys after A-Train accidentally killed his girlfriend.
- A mute Asian girl named, Kimiko joins the gang. She has the power to heal. She’s ferocious like Wolverine’s daughter X-23.
- Hughie’s conflicted with his new girlfriend Annie. Who’s really Starlight affiliated with The Seven. Either spare her or die. She survives.
- Butcher finds out Becca has a son named, Ryan. What’s worse, Homelander’s the father.
- A drug known as Compound V injects babies granting them powers.
- Homerlander kills Madelyn Stillwell. Frames Butcher, Hughie and the gang for her murder. The Boys are wanted fugitives. They hide in a safehouse.
- After Stillwell’s death, Stan Edgar replaces her as CEO.
- Vought plans to recruit a new member of The Seven.
- The Deep’s kicked out by Vought due to his history sexually assaulting women.
Stormfront joins The Seven. She factors in as a prominent character. Basically, a female Shazam.
Compound V continues to serve as a plot device.
Primary Themes are Fame, Greed, Lust, Jealously, Narcissism, Hypocrisy & Corruption. Every single one is handled carefully.
There’s a few twist and turns.
Negative: Cinematography can be janky at times.
Episode 9 – The Big Ride
Homelander delivers a eulogy to a member of The Seven. He has a gross out moment drinking something from Madelyn’s fridge. He also crosses a huge line.
Homelander yells “LOOK AT ME!” A reference to Joker’s line from “The Dark Knight.”
Hughie mentions “The Hunger Games.” Jack made his film debut.
Seth Rogen & Chris Hansen make cameo appearances.
A running gag labeling a supervillain as a super terrorist.
A Death Scene caught me off guard.
Shunned by the public, The Deep joins a church in order to reestablish his image.
Episode 10 – Proper Preparation and Planning
Kimiko seeks to reunite with a loved one.
Patton Oswalt voices a pair of gills during The Deep’s drug trip.
Starlight confronts A-Train.
Butcher makes a deal with a CIA agent to kill a supe in exchange for Becca’s location.
Queen Maeve visits Elena at a hospital.
Episode 11 – Over the Hills with the Swords of a Thousand Men
A change of plans forces Butcher to bring the supe alive. He and his crew are chased by another supe resulting in a bloody mess. You know not what I mean?
Without giving too much away, Stormfront’s true personality is revealed.
Somebody did a jab at Michael Bay
Homelander spends time with Ryan.
An important character meets his/her fate.
Episode 12 – Nothing Like It in the World
Homelander has a surreal yet disgusting moment while watching “Taxi Driver.”
Butcher learns a horrible truth. Homelander crossed a huge line. Much worse than death.
Hughie, Mother’s Milk (MM for short) & Starlight go incognito on a road trip to search for a missing supe named, Liberty.
MM & Starlight have a deep conversation about their personal lives.
Maria Menounos guest stars as herself interviewing Homelander & Queen Maeve.
Episode 13 – We Gotta Go Now
This episode pokes fun at a director based on Joss Whedon. Shame he’s an inconsiderate butthole for bullying the cast of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” & “Justice League.” He never apologized for his actions.
Homelander shows up at a protest rally.
Somebody has a mental breakdown. Pretty much sums up any gamer’s reaction to “The Last of Us Part II.”
Katie Couric guest stars as herself interviewing The Deep.
Episode 14 – The Bloody Doors Off
The Boys discover Vought’s dirty secret.
Frenchie confronts a supe from his past. Flashbacks show more about the former’s life.
Shawn Ashmore guest stars as Lamplighter. It’s ironic Shawn played Iceman in the “X-Men” series. This time he plays a Pyro type character.
Stormfront’s secret is revealed. You’re gonna gasp.
Episode 15 – Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker
Homelander & Stormfront visit Becca & Ryan.
A superhero’s weakness is played for laughs.
A shocking moment towards the end. It caught me by surprise.
Episode 16 – What I Know
An epic battle ensues.
An important character meets his/her end.
Season Finale sets up Season 3.
The Final Verdict: A-
The Boys’ second season is a near-perfect eight-part story arc worth your spare time. If you’re already up to date with Season 2, on to the next one.
Nickthemoviecritic.com 