Beware the Jabberwock, My Son

Just like I thought from last week's episode, it looks like a main arc this season will be Sister Sage's smarts vs Ashley's cockroach-like survival instincts. My quatloos are on Ashley.

This episode has so many interesting conflicts. Will Homelander succeed in corrupting Ryan? Will Butcher demonstrate that he has anything to offer The Boys in his remaining days on this planet besides entertaining, outlandish chaos? Will Frenchie finally come to grips with his past? Will Stan somehow save poor little Zoe from her demented mom? Will Starlight stop crying and go back to butt-kicking?

The story of Hughie and his parents was tragic in contrast to the horrifying/funny plotline on the Frankenfarm. Nice seeing the Gen V crossover even just briefly.

And of course the brilliant MU parody with 1000 superhero movie logos, all iterations of each other. Plenty of awkward comedy. "Black At It," good lord.

Seasons 1 & 2 were good and compelling, season 3 was mostly good other than the finale. Now it feels like it has nowhere to go. I really hope they don't drag this show on past season 5. I think they built up too much in season 3 about getting rid of Homelander, and it all led to nothing. It's as if it lost it's direction. It's still alright, but it feels, as I read someone else put it, an empty shell of its former self.

I cannot pin it down exactly what it is, but it is just slipping in quality and objective. I have to write more for the character limit, so: this Sage character-they simply say she is the smartest person in the world without doing much to prove it. Nothing she has done has felt impressively smart.

Ok, met the character limit.

Not that i disliked this weeks episode but it did have quite a lot of running time consisting of the slightly boring advertising stage work along with sub plot shenanigans inside Vought that we could roll our eyes at. Not to say that those parts of story shouldn't happen, but i just think it happened too much in this episode. In result it completely broke up the main story into badly paced slices that to it became a slight chore. Given the hospital scenes were emotional and acted well, that and also the progress with Butcher and the gang were the only thing that kept me interested in the story moving forward at all. But again, it also seemed that to keep it interesting, certain theatrics were placed to keep us entertained. Horrifying yes, but it seemed a little off, the whole Hughie's dad segments was my overall favourite. The Homelander scenes with his son on the other hand are getting tiresome, it needs to develop into something more by now.

It doesn't really bother me that people rated it 10/10. What bothers me are the bots that either don't make sense or people calling it the best episode ever. It really isn't, but that's not to say it's the worst either.

A mediocre episode but small promise the season isn't truly gone. Given that also episode 4 was a great one. This one was a little confusing as to what track it was trying to stay on.

And in that farm he had some sheep with a v v here and a v v there old McDonald had a farm.

Writing this episode had to be done by writer's severely under the influence of psychedelic drugs.

When you think the weirdness has maxed then they throw some animal farm crazy into the mix with something that's bound to haunt your dreams and reset nursery rhymes for ever.

Then father and son relationships get taken to a next level of hardship with some in-depth heart to heart lesson having to be learnt super quick.

This episode was like watching a train crash into a plane whilst both are caught in a tornado in the middle of a tsunami.

How can they top this one going forward??

A show is only as good as its villains. "The Boys" demonstrated this perfectly in Season 3, which was arguably the best season so far. This success was largely due to the development of several characters into stronger and darker versions of themselves, alongside the introduction of the formidable Soldier Boy. Multiple well-developed villains added depth and intensity to the storyline, enhancing the overall quality of the season.

The makers of "The Boys" seem to have remembered and applied this formula in the latest episode of Season 4. Characters are being rapidly developed, becoming stronger and more complex. This has injected new life into the series, making it feel more action-packed and well-rounded. The eventual payoff this season promises to be epic.

This episode was filled with gore and manic action, staying true to the original brand of "The Boys." It's a delight to watch after a period of slower development. Homelander and Butcher, the opposite sides of a coin, have found their groove, reclaiming control of the narrative. Their interactions and the use of their shadow-selves make for compelling viewing.

The supporting characters have their intriguing side quests, but the show has skillfully ensured that the main plot remains at the forefront. Subplots involving A-Train, Ashley, Hughie, and Stan Edgar are the most compelling, hinting at exciting developments ahead. However, Kimiko and Frenchie's storyline seems to falter due to its over-reliance on past trauma. The show would benefit from adopting the 'show, not tell' approach for these characters.

The addition of returning characters is a cherry on top, though the Godolkin graduates could have been used more effectively. Nevertheless, the episode's high-energy action and humor make it a standout. The song choice at the end was top-notch, deserving full credit to the director.

Overall, this episode of "The Boys" is a return to form, delivering the intense, darkly humorous content that fans love. It's a promising indicator of an epic season ahead.