Supe Chaos Reigns in The Boys Season 4
The hotly anticipated fourth season of Amazon’s satirical superhero series The Boys is here, and it’s taking no prisoners. With biting social commentary and shockingly visceral moments, the new episodes double down on the show’s unflinching look at power, corruption, and the toxic consequences of unchecked celebrity.
Series creator Eric Kripke pulls no punches in tackling Trumpism head-on this season. “We write what we’re either scared of or pissed off about,” he admits. The new episodes reflect the turbulent political landscape with brazen authenticity, while still delivering The Boys’ signature blend of audacious humor and gut-punching pathos.
At the center of the storm is Antony Starr’s chilling Homelander, an utterly unhinged, narcissistic supe struggling to maintain his grip on power. Fresh from being publicly exonerated, the furious former Vought enforcer is determined to rebuild his elite squad, The Seven. His first unorthodox recruit? Susan Heyward as Sister Sage, whose brilliant intellect makes her an intriguing foil for Homelander’s massive ego.
The new season also introduces Valorie Curry’s Firecracker, a dim-witted racist supe clearly modeled after real-life far-right figures like Marjorie Taylor Greene. “It’s like [politicians] Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert,” Kripke says of the irreverent new addition. “When we were writing her, [South Dakota Gov.] Kristi Noem wasn’t in our heads, but then she comes out and she’s shooting puppies and then it’s like, ‘There’s Firecracker!'”
While Homelander schemes, the vigilante Boys are grappling with their own personal traumas. Jack Quaid’s Hughie wrestles with family crises, Tomer Capone’s Frenchie navigates new love, and the inimitable Karl Urban’s Billy Butcher rages against his impending fate. The new episodes strike a deft balance between driving the overarching plot forward and allowing room for rich, intimate character exploration.
According to Kripke, the bonkers moments just keep coming: “I think every episode has at least one totally fucking bananas moment. Episode six makes me cover my mouth with my hands every time I watch it.” Viewers should brace themselves for a wild, unrelenting ride that’s sure to make Herogasm’s notorious spectacle from last season look tame in comparison.
In its glorious, gleeful anarchy, The Boys continues to be a defiant, provocative voice in the Peak TV landscape. With scorching satire and a willingness to go to the most extreme, cringe-inducing places, the series fearlessly holds a mirror up to our cultural obsession with power and celebrity worship. Strap in for a turbulent fourth season that’s sure to shatter expectations.