TV Review: ‘The Boys’ Season 4

The popular superhero series is back with a three-episode premiere, examining the topic of mortality and forcing the characters to face their past.

'The Boys' Season 4. Credit: Jasper Savage/Prime Video. Copyright: © Amazon Content Services LLC

‘The Boys’ are back, and they’re not pulling any punches. The series returns on Prime Video on June 14 with a 3-episode premiere. Tensions are high as Victoria Neuman inches closer to becoming the Vice President. The Boys’ team morale is fractured as the gang becomes tired of Butcher’s deceits and lies. On top of it all, Homelander now has Becca’s son Ryan under his influence, and Butcher must do whatever it takes to get Ryan away from him.

Initial Thoughts

The story and its characters continues to wow in season 4, with ‘The Boys’, deeply exploring each character’s past and face the consequences of their past decisions. While the first couple of episodes moved a bit slow, the series does ramps up with shocking reveals in later episodes. This season merges a major storyline from spin-off series ‘Gen V’ into the series, and adds a new threat to both supes and humans alike. It’s easy to see why the series continues to gain so much attention and is renewed for a fifth season.

‘The Boys’: Story and Direction

'The Boys' Season 4. Credit: Jasper Savage/Prime Video. Copyright: © Amazon Content Services LLC

Just as in previous seasons, each episode is filled with an outrageous amount of gore and shocking reveals. In this season, the story focuses on facing the past, as well as one’s own mortality. For Billy Butcher, the consequences of taking temp V have caught up with him. With merely months to live, Butcher re-examines his past decisions and actions when it comes to how he treated Ryan, who is now under the watchful eye of Homelander. Although rare, it’s not the first time Butcher has had a soft spot for someone in his life. When it comes to Ryan, Butcher feels more of an attachment because he’s the last connection Butcher has to his late wife, Becca, and his actions feel more genuine rather than self-serving.

Butcher isn’t the only one facing mortality. This season also sees Homelander confronting the issue from the lens of an all-powerful and essentially indestructible superhero. There are moments where you sympathize with what Homelander is feeling and how lonely he actually is in all of this, though those moments are brief as he goes right back to doing the next terrible thing.

'The Boys' Season 4. Credit: Jasper Savage/Prime Video. Copyright: © Amazon Content Services LLC

Erin Moriarty’s Starlight takes ownership of her own identity this season, leaving behind her super suit and superhero name. Now going by her real name, Annie January is hard at work to expose Vought but crumbles under pressure when something from her past is brought to light. This season has been the best development for Annie and perhaps the most vulnerable we’ve seen her yet.

Aside from exploring mortality and characters’ pasts, this season introduces a couple of new members of The Seven: Firecracker (Valorie Curry) and Sister Sage (Susan Heyward), who are not afraid to make waves within The Seven.

There is a lot going on in this season, but it doesn’t ever feel convoluted. Every character gets their fair share of screen time, fully explored, and there are still plenty of action and carnage that we all know and love.

Merging the World of ‘The Boys’ and ‘Gen V’

'The Boys' Season 4. Credit: Jasper Savage/Prime Video. Copyright: © Amazon Content Services LLC

‘The Boys’ spin-off series ‘Gen V’ premiered in September of 2023, fleshing out and expanding the world of ‘The Boys’. Aside from the up-and-coming superhero hopefuls, ‘Gen V’ delves further into Vought's history and introduces a dangerous virus that can kill the supes. With cameos from a couple of notable characters of ‘The Boys,’ it makes sense that in this season, we see some ‘Gen V’ characters make their own crossover appearances.

As seen in this season’s trailer, Sam and Cate make a cameo, connecting the storyline from ‘Gen V’ to ‘The Boys’. However, this does not mean viewers need to binge the spin-off series (though they should). What has been great about both series is that they explain the backstory without the need for an exposition scene or narrative, and usually, it’s concise and to the point.

‘The Boys’ Season 4: Final Thoughts

(L to R) Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Karl Urban in 'The Boys' Season 4. Credit: Jasper Savage/Prime Video. Copyright: © Amazon Content Services LLC

This season is filled with the most character growth and arcs yet, which is wild to say because the show has always done a great job exploring and developing its characters. Despite a slightly slow start, the series ramps up and gets more intense with each episode.

Although the focus is on Victoria Neuman’s potential rise to presidency, the series continues to explore and flesh out its characters. This season focuses on certain characters' mortality, and it’s been interesting to see how each character reacts.

The series continues to surprise and awe. Whether it’s plot twists, carnage, or suped-up farm animals, it keeps its viewers on their toes.

‘The Boys’ season 4 receives 8 out of 10 stars.

The Boys

"Never meet your heroes."

TV-MA5 SeasonsJuly 25th, 2019

Watch The Boys Online

What Is The Plot Of ‘The Boys’?

In Season 4, the world is on the brink. Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit) is closer than ever to the Oval Office and under the muscly thumb of Homelander (Antony Starr), who is consolidating his power. Butcher (Karl Urban), with only months to live, has lost Becca’s son as well as his job as The Boys’ leader. The rest of the team are fed up with his lies. With the stakes higher than ever, they have to find a way to work together and save the world before it’s too late.