We'll Keep the Red Flag Flying Here

The creators of "Avatar: The Last Airbender" made a bold and wise decision: they limited the series to three seasons. This allowed the story to reach a natural and satisfying conclusion, maintaining its momentum and keeping viewers engaged throughout its run.

This approach would have benefited "The Boys". What started as a gripping narrative has devolved into a series of relationship dramas and gratuitous gore, straying far from its original storyline. The show has lost its way, and the plot now seems to be merely an afterthought.

Many series could benefit from the "Avatar" model, focusing on concise, powerful storytelling rather than dragging on until the narrative becomes stale and the audience loses interest.

But hey, what do I know?

Season 4 seems to be leaning heavily into filler content with boring 'character development' taking in the form of Frenchie and Kimiko. He's never been a character that has been written well for and he's the weakest element in the show, him and Kimiko.

Besides that, the Boys make for a triumphant return even if it gets fairly heavy in it's own political satire that has the risk of ruining the illusion when it mirrors our own world so closely.

The show has the risk of going around in circles without actually pushing the narrative forward, hopefully that won't happen.

Butcher, for me, remains the most important element of The Boys and always has, and I really do hope his screentime isn't reduced any further than it already has.

(Shortened summary in the bottom of the review)

This episode does just enough to actually make me care again about the characters and actually wanting to see where the season is going now that we finally have real episode on our hands.

Its also nice to see Billy actually trying to make things right between him and Ryan, while also trying to save Ryan from losing his humanity.

I also gotta say, holy... how is it nice to have Jeffery Dean Morgan in the show, one of my favorite big time small screen actors!!!

(7/10) I really hope that they keep this going.

Shortened summary: 3rd EP does a good job at slowly redeeming this season for its atrocious first 2 EP´s in giving us this compelling episode that sees Billy trying to make things right between him & Ryan.

Season 4 has taken a downturn & this episode finally turned me off. I shan't be watching anymore. It feels like nagging.

There's just too much of an obvious political propagandised slant to the writing; without the fun.

Normal folk, working class folk, watch escapist TV not to feel the creepy contemporary stroke of political agenda. They watch to escape these things. Obviously all writing, all art, reflects reality but these days there is far too much art trying to affect... devoid of balance.

In season 4 It's just all too full-on. It's no longer fun. It's tiresome & not clever or inspiring in anyway. I feel like I'm being nagged.

This episode is among the best episodes I've seen in recent years, Hughie gets more layered this episodes which was great to see. Homelander's bond with his son is showing another side to him, he now has to choose between being a good father or being Homelander and the internal conflict he's currently experiencing will be fascinating to watch develop in the rest of the season. This show just really gets better and better. Butcher's mission to keep Ryan on the good side as his last deed before dying is greatly written. What will happen next? What role will queen Maeve play in the rest of the season? What about soldier boy? I guess we will have to wait and see!