Review of "The Boys" season 2: a sequel more controlled than the first season

Initially, The Boys is a comic book series created in 2006 by Garth Ennis. For six years, through 72 issues, the screenwriter imagined a world where superheroes are the worst garbage of creation. A universe dominated by individuals with superpowers, but who have no morals, no sense of honor and justice. Lawless killers, capable of the worst atrocities. Eric Kripke, helped by Seth Rogen and Amazon Prime Video, decided to adapt this cult comic into a TV series. After a relatively successful first season in 2019, the show was back since early September at the rate of one episode per week. This Friday, the season 2 finale was unveiled. Thus, it is time to look back on this second season.

The Boys: a more successful second season

This sequel largely solved the problems of the first season. The show offered an impressive show and much more controlled, than in the previous season. Eric Kripke has managed to offer a much better managed, more precise rhythm, more in line with the tone of the comics. While the first season suffered from some lengths, some major rhythm defects, limited by a few soft stomachs, this one is much better dosed. Gone are the few episodes less qualitative, the slow development of the plot and characters, the few unwelcome clichés. This time, the show knows which direction to go in and things are speeding up. Less superficial, The Boys finds in this second season its cruising pace. The show manages to offer a great show coupled with a more fleshed out, more interesting scenario too. Each episode promises its dose of action, and the last three installments are certainly worth seeing. The Boys still plays well with the clichés of the superheroic genre. Eric Kripke understood what made the charm of the comics, which had fun diverting the competition Marvel and DC to offer his own vision of the myth of the superhero. The TV show still offers great waves of pop violence, thwarting the expectations of the spectators by always making fun of the super, and towards new horizons. Eric Kripke still parodies as well, even if the stakes become more and more dramatic as the plot progresses.

Ultra efficient characters

But the primary interest of The Boys lies in its protagonists. Each figure is an essential element for the success of the show. And this season 2 can count on a major addition through the character of Stormfront. A new ultra-powerful heroine, and even worse than her peers. A detestable character, who supports the horrible image of superheroes in this series. An interesting addition, which offered a new dynamic to the Protector. The latter is still as important in the series. Antony Starr interprets this emblematic figure with disconcerting ease, offering a new depth to this character who gains ambiguity in this second season. Thanks to Stormfront, but also in relation to the plot surrounding his son, the protagonist becomes less Manichean, more ambiguous, more unpredictable. An interesting evolution, that the end comes to cut unexpectedly, and especially extremely brutal. The hero gained sympathy and emotional charge, while remaining an unwavering threat. A force of nature that is mentally weak, manipulable, and still trying to find its place. We also welcome the treatment of Stella, who is also gaining interest. The heroine leaves her status of fragile naïve girl, gains importance, and becomes a deeper scripted spring than the simple romance with Hughie. We will also remember the hilarious development of The Deep, which becomes an exciting comic spring, and a hilarious absurdity. Eric Kripke decides to make him a first-class buffoon, overwhelmed by events, constantly beside the point. A funny character, laughable as possible, helped by the filthy Fresca. It's hard to forget the excellent sequence where this parody of Aquaman is surfing on a huge sperm whale.

Karl Urban: the indispensable actor of the show

Finally, it is impossible not to mention the irreplaceable Butcher, camped with an iron fist by a Karl Urban at the top of his form. A tailor-made role in which the actor excels, who, we hope, will finally have the film career he deserves after this passage noticed by the small screen. The hero of this story also gains depth, becoming darker and darker over the episodes. His duality with the Protector made it possible to highlight an intriguing relationship, a duality of all moments, via these two characters who are ultimately not so different. For a moment, one would have thought that the two figures of the show would exchange their status. That the Protector could have passed on the right side of the line for a moment, while Butcher continues inexorably to move towards the dark side of the force. This season 2 of The Boys is therefore much more successful than the first. More rhythm, more precise writing, characters in full development, the show takes an interesting turn. An effective finale that promises very heavy for the future.  https://youtu.be/MN8fFM1ZdWo