Department of Dirty Tricks

A lot of things were getting me prepared for quite the divisive season with this outing of "The Boys." Not only were they building up for this to be a very political season of the beloved superhero-satire, but it generally feels like the viewers have started to catch onto what the show is trying to do as the world has descended into its more and more obscure qualities. However, with this first episode now in the bag, it feels like this is still the sharp and biting show that originally captivated audiences, just with a few more literal real-world points that challenges the satirical aspects.

For the people who are loyal supporters of populist and fascist leaders around the world, there is a chance that this episode may hit a little too close to home. However, "The Boys" has always been clear in what audience it's aiming at, and if people are not coming out and saying that the show has gone too liberal, then they've never fully understood the show. This opener may be a bit more on-the-nose than the others, but that's only because of the current political climate, which is way more unbelievable than anything you could ever watch on television, which is why this feels way more geared towards real-life issues and not the heightened versions that they've gone with before. However, even with that, this episode does work perfectly in setting up the real-world tension and face the fact that this is not a world that is fully in attack mode. Homelander is continuing to go down a dark path, and he is opening his closet to everyone, growing even darker and more toxic as his mind descends further and further. He is very familiar to the toxic celebrities that we know, and it adds to the show's overarching theme of how the entertainment industry changes people and turns them into these larger-than-life, horrible personalities. With all of that, though, the episode does have a pacing issue, often taking a little too long with some of its storylines, especially with Butcher who has little-to-nothing to actually do in this episode, except the odd comedic/emotionally-impactful moment.

"Department of Dirty Tricks" pushes the envelope far, but not so far that it becomes a fundamentally different show; it's just more openly itself now. The characters continue to grow in interesting ways, especially Homelander's dark descent, but there are definitely certain pacing issues that should be taken care of as the show goes along.

The Boys Season 4 kicks off with a bang! Episode 1 delivers intense action, sharp satire, and brilliant character development.

The storyline is gripping, the special effects are top-notch, and the acting is phenomenal.

The reveal of Frenchie's sexuality adds depth to his character, but let's be clear: if you're offended by this, you are the goober that show is actively making fun of.

The Boys continue to be one of the best shows on TV, unafraid to challenge norms and deliver quality entertainment.

Also, can we talk about Antony Starr as Homelander? His acting is getting better by the season. Give that man an Emmy already!

The "problem" of high quality tv shows today is, that between two seasons years can go by, and you do not remember every detail from the last one. However I prefer this circumstance over rushed content, that ends up in the garbage facility.

We waited two years for the Boys season 4 and after watching the first episode, I think it was worth it. The events from the last season are being continued, Homelander and Billy Butcher are preparing to kill each other for their son. Stargirl, Hughie and the rest of the team do their best to support BB, while the supes and the president are backing Homelander.

The violence is great as always and the visuals look amazing. I am looking forward to the next episode of the three-part premiere.

It was pretty good, but Homelander totally carried the whole episode. His scenes were the highlight, and he's just so intense and magnetic. You'll see what I mean when you watch it.

But honestly, there wasn't a whole lot of stuff happening in this episode, which was kind of a letdown. I had high hopes after the crazy ending of Gen V. That finale was explosive and set the bar really high for what's next. I was expecting The Boys to pick up right where Gen V left off, with lots of action and excitement. Instead, this episode felt more like a setup, laying the groundwork for what's to come. It was a bit slower than I wanted.

Don't get me wrong, setting things up is important, but after Gen V's intense ending, I was hoping for more right out of the gate. It's like they're gearing up for something big, but the opener didn't really pack the punch I was hoping for. I wanted more action and craziness that The Boys usually brings.

If you're into Homelander, you'll love his scenes because he's as terrifying and compelling as ever. But overall, I was expecting a stronger start to the season. Maybe it's just building up to something huge, and the next episodes will be wild. Let's see where it goes! Watch the episode and see if you feel the same way.

When I watched the first season The Boys back in 2019, I felt ecstatic. It was a fresh take on the rather stale superhero genre previously dominated by Marvel and DC. It was also a remarkably smart show, based around highly relatable characters. And, yes, when the story called for it, it included some rather extreme gore. It even managed to make good satire, throwing light punches every which way without ever feeling heavy handed.

Five years and four seasons further down the line, none of the above feels true anymore. Character arcs have come and gone, leaving them as empty husks performing the same routine in scene after scene. The gore, which doesn't feel particularly exciting or surprising anymore, is everywhere for no reason whatsoever (except possibly to hide that the show runners are out of ideas). As for the political satire, there's nothing light hearted about it anymore. It's just a gross blanket of boring propaganda choking the life off an already dying show. (And that's from someone who share most of the show runners views. But that doesn't mean I enjoy being force fed.)

Unsure if I'll ever be able to finish this season. Probably not.