The Boys devolved into a stinker of a show before its season five finale

I started watching The Boys after hearing years of accolades and hype, knowing that the fifth and final season was on the way. I had a delight with the first two seasons, but as the show ground on, I found myself becoming increasingly disenchanted. By the time I finished season four, I was just staring stonefaced at my monitor, with no hint of a smile or a twinkle in my eye. What a miserable affair this show has devolved into, and there’s already an unnecessary spin-off that shares all the same struggles. 

If you’re not familiar with the premise, The Boys takes place in a world where superheroes are real and dominate popular culture, based on the Garth Ennis comics. These superheroes are carefully controlled by the Vought Corporation, who serve as a PR firm, casting director, social media management team, and so on. No Supe is more beloved than Homelander, the setting’s equivalent to Superman and leader of the vaunted Seven, the premier superhero team.

Vought and the Supes are opposed by the titular Boys, a group of misfits and mercenaries led by Billy Butcher. Hughie Campbell, an every day retail worker, is pulled into the Boys when one of the Seven, the speedster A-Train, accidentally runs through his girlfriend, turning her into a fine red mist. His desire for revenge and a subsequent run-in with Butcher kickstarts two seasons of incredible violence, madly improvised plans, and moral dilemmas. The newest member of the Seven, Annie “Starlight’ January is disillusioned and disgusted by her teammates and Vought’s approach to superheroes — a conflict that leads her into an unlikely alliance with the Boys.There’s a lot to like about The Boys, even at its stinkiest. The production team are obviously having a blast, building massive sets like a giant prosthetic ear flooded with blood or a beached whale smashed by a speedboat. Every scene is littered with funny little props or clever bits of worldbuilding. The acting is top notch, with Butcher (Karl Urban) and Homelander (Antony Starr) carrying even the weakest scenes on their back. 

After season two, I found my enjoyment just rapidly draining. By the time I finished season four, I had lost any enthusiasm for the finale. After some contemplation, I’ve figured out the two fatal flaws that sunk the show for me.