The Boys Season 4

[Mr. X]

Does anyone else think this is just stupid? A lot of this plot makes no sense. And that ice rink disaster looked like something from Monty Python

[NotUv2]

I'm amused that The Boys has finally gotten direct enough about its satire that one group has belatedly noticed they've been the butt of the joke all along, and now they're mad. Watching that is almost as much fun as the actual show.

Lots of brutality and gore and general nastiness. The ice skating scene was absolutely on some Final Destination shit, albeit with Homelander accidentally setting the dominoes toppling, and I quite enjoyed that. I feel like being over-the-top and silly about all the sex and violence shit is part of the whole The Boys brand (see also That One Multiple-Man Scene, and really the whole "Truthcon" bit was spot-on), and I love the combination of that with the in-your-face depiction of fascism's total indifference to the lives of its own assortment of minions, hangers-on and useful idiots.

Starr's portrayal of Homelander is still amazing. "What if Superman, but bad" stories depend a lot on the delivery of the setting's not-Superman, and Starr is so fucking good at making Homelander terrifyingly twitchy and psychotic and insecure and needy and vicious and just one step away from lasering the person in front of him at any given moment. We take him for granted at this point, but this is an amazing performance.

I also dug Sister Sage as an addition to the character roster. She's really cool, and frightening in her own way: the disinterested intellectual hauled out of isolation and given the opportunity to run social experiments on a world full of people whom she basically sees as lab rats. Trying to work out exactly who she's playing against whom and why is going to become a more and more interesting game as the season progresses.

We're getting some genuinely interesting character development with A-Train (and The Deep has his own... thing going on). That poor bastard the baddies have hired on to play Black Noir is pretty funny. It's good fun watching Vought's puppet CEO gradually discover how irrelevant to anything she really is (I feel like this is pretty close to what being Linda Yaccarino must be like). And Firecracker -- obvious riff on the MAGA podcaster type though she is -- also shows signs of going deeper than just parody, though it's early yet.

My only problem with it is that with all the attention lavished on the antagonists, the titular "Boys" feel a bit like side characters on their own show. Karl Urban's Butcher is a pleasure to watch as always (fun game: is that CIA guy Karl keeps talking to real, or a hallucination?), and I love Kimiko, but they're just so totally overmatched at this point that I have no idea how they're going to attain relevance again.

All just speaking as a very casual viewer.

[Mr. X]

You do know people were always aware of this "butt of the joke" before the first episode ever aired. The author was stuck in 1980.
But the show isn't bad cause of some group they mock. I love a good fascist bad guy story. At least I and others can accept critical complaints unlike progressivism who can't see the massive damage they cause.

The "we're making fun of you hee hee hee" is about as subtle as a 4 year old who is playing hide and seek by closing their eyes and they think you can't see them. The whole show is stuck in 1980 as are the writers who write the show.

The problem is nothing makes sense. Homelander doesn't make sense. Why anyone stays doesn't make sense. The boys don't make sense. Its all a porn fest of who gets lazer eyed. Or nonsensical scenes.

Now the interesting plot is Sage. She appears to be a Sheldon Cooper type - high IQ, literal zero functionality. We see plenty of people like this in the real world but they are usually neck beards that can tell you ever class of star ship in Star Trek but can't clean a room. My guess when she is not lobotomizing herself she is so dysfunctional she probably can't take a poop by herself. For example, if she has such a high IQ, where is her list of accomplishments. She's seeing people laser eyed right and left and she's too dumb to figure out she will just be next?

And BTW, some of us are old progressives. We know the wink wink heee heee "we're tricking them" gimmick. The author is woefully out of date.

[sneakly]

I think the MAGA metaphor is going to turn off some viewers. I think it is hilarious to see Homelander as the giant ego. Sister Sage is going manipulate everyone for her own purposes and Homelander is going to end up boxed in. I agree, The Boys are becoming less interesting that the Seven in there own show.

Erin Moriarty's (Starlight) plastic surgery is pretty noticeable and her face has become waxy fake, which is sad because she was so cute in the earlier seasons. She may have killed her entire career in one go. Why cute women find the need to change themselves is beyond me. She had a extremely cute and natural look. Now she looks ready for the real House Wives.

[Mr. X]

I think the MAGA metaphor is going to turn off some viewers. I think it is hilarious to see Homelander as the giant ego. Sister Sage is going manipulate everyone for her own purposes and Homelander is going to end up boxed in. I agree, The Boys are becoming less interesting that the Seven in there own show.

Erin Moriarty's (Starlight) plastic surgery is pretty noticeable and her face has become waxy fake, which is sad because she was so cute in the earlier seasons. She may have killed her entire career in one go. Why cute women find the need to change themselves is beyond me. She had a extremely cute and natural look. Now she looks ready for the real House Wives.

To be fair women do get older and a young, round face probably sags quickly. Some women may not age well. The guy who plays the Deep is doing damned well in the fit dept. Good on him.

And that whole encounter with Homelander and Butcher in the kitchen. WTF not laser eye him. HL was willing to laser eye Huey and kill people. BTW that ice skating thing was dumber than a Monty Python skit. People don't slice each other up with ice skates. Hockey would be illegal if it were that dangerous.

[shevek]

I love the combination of that with the in-your-face depiction of fascism's total indifference to the lives of its own assortment of minions, hangers-on and useful idiots.

It's not 1980 they're stuck in, Mr. X. It's 2016. Kripke said so in the Hollywood Reporter.

NotUv2: In 2024, " total indifference to the lives of its own assortment of minions, hangers-on and useful idiots" refers a lot better to the mullahs and their puppets on college campuses than it ever has to Trump.

P.S. Kripke put an Easter Egg from his own family in the series. The book that Sister Sage is reading on the toilet is by his cousin, the famed philosopher Saul Kripke, who was considered one of the great minds of his generation.

[sneakly]

I think the MAGA metaphor is going to turn off some viewers. I think it is hilarious to see Homelander as the giant ego. Sister Sage is going manipulate everyone for her own purposes and Homelander is going to end up boxed in. I agree, The Boys are becoming less interesting that the Seven in there own show.

Erin Moriarty's (Starlight) plastic surgery is pretty noticeable and her face has become waxy fake, which is sad because she was so cute in the earlier seasons. She may have killed her entire career in one go. Why cute women find the need to change themselves is beyond me. She had a extremely cute and natural look. Now she looks ready for the real House Wives.

To be fair women do get older and a young, round face probably sags quickly. Some women may not age well. The guy who plays the Deep is doing damned well in the fit dept. Good on him.

And that whole encounter with Homelander and Butcher in the kitchen. WTF not laser eye him. HL was willing to laser eye Huey and kill people. BTW that ice skating thing was dumber than a Monty Python skit. People don't slice each other up with ice skates. Hockey would be illegal if it were that dangerous.

Aging is easier on guys, but she isn’t even 30. I am sure there is pressure to get work done, but she should have resisted it. Her nose didn’t need to be narrowed and her lips didn’t need to be puffed. Surgery can be addictive.

[Mr. X]

So apparently the hee hee hee giggle giggle giggle plan is
1. spend MILLIONS of other peoples money to punk a demographic instead of make quality entertainment.
2. Said demographic doesn't even watch the show (MAGA does NOT watch this show).
3. Only actually hurt the people who do watch who are fellow liberals who do support fanbases and buy products
4. Company goes broke and cans the show and won't do new projects.
5. Winning!!!

Its like shooting yourself in your own foot then thinking you owned someone.

How the heck is any of this punking a bunch of MAGA who don't watch this. They all knew what this was the moment they saw hollywood+Homelander in the same sentence.

I feel sorry for the 99% of liberals who just want a good franchise and to watch something.

[Dogfish]

Somehow between this and Fallout I don't see Amazon going broke off the back of upsetting snowflakes on Youtube any time soon.

[Mr. X]

Somehow between this and Fallout I don't see Amazon going broke off the back of upsetting snowflakes on Youtube any time soon.

Winning cause there isn't anything else to watch is not winning.

Also Fallout is NOT The Boy's. Fallout was pretty good. Seemed loyal to the material. The girl is pretty entertaining. Its an attempt to make at least some kind of story.

[NotUv2]

And that whole encounter with Homelander and Butcher in the kitchen. WTF not laser eye him.

Well, actually this one is pretty easy and mercifully apolitical: Homelander is conscious of the fact that he's not getting any younger and needs an heir, he's aware that Ryan's emotional loyalties are balanced on a knife edge, and he's more psychotic than he is a sociopath... meaning that he's at least dimly aware that murdering Butcher in that moment could turn his "son" against him for the rest of his life. As the heir to Homelander's power, Ryan is pretty clearly the primary MacGuffin of this season.

(Add to this Homelander's native sadism: letting his enemy waste away with a terminal disease is a lot more satisfying. Yes, this is Dr. Evil reasoning at a certain point, but given what's actually happened between Butcher and HL to this point and how deeply personal it has gotten, it makes more sense than Dr. Evil reasoning usually does.)

I actually think this season's Homelander -- who has scaled the heights of achievement he yearned for and finds that the summit is cold and empty and that his fellow-travellers are all morons and sycophants (hence the introduction of Sister Sage) -- is pretty good writing given the confines of the premise.

[Mr. X]

And that whole encounter with Homelander and Butcher in the kitchen. WTF not laser eye him.

Well, actually this one is pretty easy and mercifully apolitical: Homelander is conscious of the fact that he's not getting any younger and needs an heir, he's aware that Ryan's emotional loyalties are balanced on a knife edge, and he's more psychotic than he is a sociopath... meaning that he's at least dimly aware that murdering Butcher in that moment could turn his "son" against him for the rest of his life. As the heir to Homelander's power, Ryan is pretty clearly the primary MacGuffin of this season.

yeah... that doesn't seem to add up though given Ryan saw Homelander laser eye at least one person already. Yes it could be Ryan's loyalties might shift if HL killed someone and he realizes he's more afraid of his dad.

Do you think HL will kill Ryan when Ryan takes the center stage? My guess is this maybe the shocking twist.

[NotUv2]

yeah... that doesn't seem to add up though given Ryan saw Homelander laser eye at least one person already. Yes it could be Ryan's loyalties might shift if HL killed someone and he realizes he's more afraid of his dad.

I think seeing him laser Just Anyone (which he can find a way to live with) and seeing him laser Butcher would be very different things.

Do you think HL will kill Ryan when Ryan takes the center stage? My guess is this maybe the shocking twist.

I mean, Homelander is still unpredictable and psychotic. Maybe he'd try it... and maybe it wouldn't work. Lots of different ways that could go, which is a definite upside of making Ryan the focal point of the season.

[SHL]

Does anyone else think this is just stupid? A lot of this plot makes no sense. And that ice rink disaster looked like something from Monty Python

I don't understand your perspective as Season 4 is inline with 1-3. And considering its creator - thinking it's going to be intelligent TV seems silly. Its ultraviolet camp - if you didn't catch that when an ant man like character went into a guys penis to run around inside it, then sneezed and blew him up then I don't know how you made it to season 4 to begin with

[Femina]

I'm with SHL on this one. The Boys has NEVER been subtle about what it's projecting, that CRAZY offshoot show even LESS so. I wager it's just gotten to the point that the sheer volume of examples of the point have been introduced by Season 4 that even the terminal allegory deniers can no longer pretend not to see.

[swampy170]

Episodes 1-3 have demonstrated some lacklustre writing - it's taken far too long to establish the motivation for the main characters this season. It does make sense given the events at the end of Season 3 require reorientation and redirection of multiple main characters.

Episode 4 is starting to get back into the flow - but it shouldn't have taken 4 episodes to get to that point!

Several key moments this season have made little to no sense, which does reflect some of the writing talent lost from the writer's room between seasons 3-4.


As for commentary of the left vs right and stating Right wing voices are finally realising they're getting taken the piss out of? Seems like projection.

Seasons 1-3 certainly made both "wings" of US politics look ludicrous - it's Billy's taking more of a back seat which is causing the change of tone in Season 4.

[shevek]

[quote=swampy170 post_id=214900 time=1718894839 user_id=8945
Seasons 1-3 certainly made both "wings" of US politics look ludicrous - it's Billy's taking more of a back seat which is causing the change of tone in Season 4.
[/quote]

Sure, but Kripke still didn't have to play his hand like that right before Season 4 started.
He could have left everything up to interpretation like he did for the past 3 seasons.
My feeling is that it's getting so close to a re-run of 2016 (only 5 months away! and there are a *bunch* of elections in Europe, Latin America and Asia in the past year which have *not* leaned in his direction, heavens no!) that he couldn't leave anything to chance any longer, and had to lay all of his cards on the table, so it was absolutely clear where he stood, and he wouldn't get swept up in any cancellation frenzies.

I haven't seen Episode 4 yet because I'm waiting for it to "appear" where I can see it, but regarding Episode 3, that ice skater dressed up as Maeve
was certainly sexy enough. And Hughie scrambling through the ventilator shafts was pretty funny 'spy trope' type stuff.

So, am I the only one on here who looked up Saul Kripke? I mean, the author's name was right there on the book Sage was reading.
Dude was pretty much a postmodern deconstructionist (the book literally takes apart the whole idea of naming things!) so that's par for the course
for what the nihilist types in Hollywood believe anyway.

[bushwackerbob]

I do get a whiff of the politics in the series, but it is something I can ignore and still enjoy the show. I still think the show is compelling drama, but I do think the show has lost a bit of its charm. The elements of humor and lightness in the series seem to occur at fewer intervals and as a result the show feels even darker in tone.

[vnv7272]

I think the MAGA metaphor is going to turn off some viewers. I think it is hilarious to see Homelander as the giant ego. Sister Sage is going manipulate everyone for her own purposes and Homelander is going to end up boxed in. I agree, The Boys are becoming less interesting that the Seven in there own show.

Erin Moriarty's (Starlight) plastic surgery is pretty noticeable and her face has become waxy fake, which is sad because she was so cute in the earlier seasons. She may have killed her entire career in one go. Why cute women find the need to change themselves is beyond me. She had a extremely cute and natural look. Now she looks ready for the real House Wives.

To be fair women do get older and a young, round face probably sags quickly. Some women may not age well. The guy who plays the Deep is doing damned well in the fit dept. Good on him.

And that whole encounter with Homelander and Butcher in the kitchen. WTF not laser eye him. HL was willing to laser eye Huey and kill people. BTW that ice skating thing was dumber than a Monty Python skit. People don't slice each other up with ice skates. Hockey would be illegal if it were that dangerous.

I slashed my arm on a hockey skate and people in the NHL have had their throat cut by skates. There has been at least one death.

https://www.google.com/search?client=fi ... throat+cut
https://www.forbes.com/sites/anafaguy/2 ... ey-player/

[SHL]

Episodes 1-3 have demonstrated some lacklustre writing - it's taken far too long to establish the motivation for the main characters this season. It does make sense given the events at the end of Season 3 require reorientation and redirection of multiple main characters.

Episode 4 is starting to get back into the flow - but it shouldn't have taken 4 episodes to get to that point!

Several key moments this season have made little to no sense, which does reflect some of the writing talent lost from the writer's room between seasons 3-4.


As for commentary of the left vs right and stating Right wing voices are finally realising they're getting taken the piss out of? Seems like projection.

Seasons 1-3 certainly made both "wings" of US politics look ludicrous - it's Billy's taking more of a back seat which is causing the change of tone in Season 4.

I didnt know about the writer room change up but

In the first three episodes its established that Butcher is dying rapidly cause of compound v from the last season, Hughie has neglected his personal life to fire consqunces in pursuit of justice, that homeland is building up his uncheck tyranny to ever increasing degrees, that a political apparatus is being used to knock starlight down a bunch of pegs and that the general Boys crew is falling apart both from corporate management and its members all losing focus

I dont know how much more clear they could make it, to be honest, that the point of this season is the bad guys are winning in a massive landslide and that the pursuit of shutting them down is costing all the good guys any kind of good fortune they have in their life.

The Boys has always been more liberal valued and has condemnation for right wing extremism. It's never been a leveled playing field in that respect. And they are making it more obvious - there was a huge movement in season 1-3 of white men in the United States who believed Homelander was the main character and the hero. Thats not even a joke. So I do believe Right wing voices in America are becoming alarmed that they didnt realize the show was making fun of them. We also have right wing politicians in the United States that didnt realize Rage against the machine was a political band that hated them, while enjoying their music.

And this next one isnt addressed at you Swampy but someone else mentioned this season is darker and not as fun as the other seasons - the show concludes the butcher/homelander story next season. This season thematically then is the 'dark night of the soul' story beat, which would mean that yes, it will be less fun, more consequences and more serious. Some of our main characters eventually need to die. And things are going to get worse before they get better. Thats how stories work.

Isnt it also strange to say Season 4 is less fun? Season 1 opens up with a guys girlfriend exploding in front of him and one of the main heroines being raped. This hasn't tonally been a very 'fun' show, its dark/black comedy if anything

I really don't get how many has made it to season 4 and now suddenly doesnt enjoy it. Firecracker is an awesome addition. I love seeing Starlight be bested by someone just talking into a microphone. I like seeing Butcher struggle to continue with his destructive behavior because he can barely walk and is terminally ill. I am not a fan of Hughes mom storyline yet, as it seems to be dragging a bit. But - to me... IT KINDA FEELS LIKE THE BOYS

[SHL]

BTW that ice skating thing was dumber than a Monty Python skit. People don't slice each other up with ice skates. Hockey would be illegal if it were that dangerous.

Google Adam Johnson NHL and look up the video of someone slicing open his throat and him bleeding to death in the ring. Ice skates are really that sharp. And they have killed people.

[NotUv2]

'The Boys' Season 4 has already attracted 21% more viewers: https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/the-bo ... 236043229/

[Mr. X]

So who is the good guy in this series? Yeah Homelander laser eyes people BUT The Boys kill a heck of a lot of innocent people. HL seems to kill mostly assholes and other supers. The Boys recruited Soldier Boy who vaporized a whole street full of people. And they are the government.

Reminds me of when HL went to that village to stop a super and accidently laser eyed a bystander. Yet the military would have sent in drones that would have killed half the village with missile strikes like the US always does. So he actually saved lives.

Also Sam Edgar has some mystery. His brother is a super, his daughter, his grand daughter... and he has no apparent fear of Homelander. Could be he might be a surprise super. In fact it would be interest Edgar wants a super elite all along and he's just letting HL do the dirty work and take the heat.
Though I doubt the story is that complex.

Yeah they probably have to generate an Empire Strikes back season so the final one is satisfying. HL better be getting his goon squad together cause the Deep is hardly a world threat.

[Mr. X]

BTW that ice skating thing was dumber than a Monty Python skit. People don't slice each other up with ice skates. Hockey would be illegal if it were that dangerous.

Google Adam Johnson NHL and look up the video of someone slicing open his throat and him bleeding to death in the ring. Ice skates are really that sharp. And they have killed people.

Ok ok but all at once in one game? Like 5 people? C'mon. Yeah great you found an edge case. If these were that dangerous wouldn't they ban ice skating in the park?

[Mr. X]

'The Boys' Season 4 has already attracted 21% more viewers: https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/the-bo ... 236043229/

https://www.giantfreakinrobot.com/ent/t ... views.html

Maybe some more viewers but not very well rated.

The other thing is WHY would anyone want something that wins by shitting on 50% of the population. I don't wish that on progressives at all. I don't mind something constructive but how does this help? "Its fun" isn't exactly a reason to do this.

[NotUv2]

'The Boys' Season 4 has already attracted 21% more viewers: https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/the-bo ... 236043229/

https://www.giantfreakinrobot.com/ent/t ... views.html

Maybe some more viewers but not very well rated.

Like I'm not trying to be cute or anything, here, but that article says a certain wing of the viewership has been review-bombing the show because they belatedly figured out it was making fun of them,...which I thought was the exact thing you've been arguing was not happening?

I do think the article is probably correct that it is happening and for precisely the reasons it states. But if the review-bombing was actually a consequential representation of how general audiences felt about the show, it would probably not also be gaining viewers.

[Mr. X]

Like I'm not trying to be cute or anything, here, but that article says a certain wing of the viewership has been review-bombing the show because they belatedly figured out it was making fun of them,...which I thought was the exact thing you've been arguing was not happening?

That is incorrect. People knew exactly what the show was about from season 1 episode 1.
1. Those people read the comics.
2. Its pretty obvious.

I don't know where you got this from. Its like there's some room somewhere that makes this up and then you guys all repeat it. Literally nobody is shocked.

How do you explain the obvious sledge hammer Stormfront plot in season 2? So NOBODY saw the obvious heavy handed messaging?

Please explain where you got this from that nobody knew what this show was doing till season 4?

But if the review-bombing was actually a consequential representation of how general audiences felt about the show, it would probably not also be gaining viewers.

Might be interested parties, who knows. Also Netflics is kind of a slanted system. Who gets netflics? What demographics? Is it evenly distributed.

I will add they are going OUT of their way to make Homelander a sympathetic so called right wing Natzee boy. That scene with the lab... how are we not supposed to see HL as mostly a victim brought up by monsters? And they do this several times in each season.

[NotUv2]

BTW that ice skating thing was dumber than a Monty Python skit. People don't slice each other up with ice skates. Hockey would be illegal if it were that dangerous.

Google Adam Johnson NHL and look up the video of someone slicing open his throat and him bleeding to death in the ring. Ice skates are really that sharp. And they have killed people.

Ok ok but all at once in one game? Like 5 people? C'mon. Yeah great you found an edge case. If these were that dangerous wouldn't they ban ice skating in the park?

Maybe the bigger question is whether the realism of its ice-skating physics is of all that much interest in a deliberately silly and over-the-top superhero show. Like, there is no actual chemical we know of that could produce the effects of "Compound V," either... but so what? Not exactly the point of the show.

[NotUv2]

How do you explain the obvious sledge hammer Stormfront plot in season 2? So NOBODY saw the obvious heavy handed messaging?

Please explain where you got this from that nobody knew what this show was doing till season 4?

I didn't say "nobody knew." I said that a certain wing of the viewership apparently didn't know. Otherwise they would have also been review-bombing season 2 and complaining about "wokeness," presumably.

As to how they could have possibly missed it, I have no idea. You'd have to ask one of them. Everybody who wasn't them clearly thought it was obvious.

[Mr. X]

BTW that ice skating thing was dumber than a Monty Python skit. People don't slice each other up with ice skates. Hockey would be illegal if it were that dangerous.

Google Adam Johnson NHL and look up the video of someone slicing open his throat and him bleeding to death in the ring. Ice skates are really that sharp. And they have killed people.

Ok ok but all at once in one game? Like 5 people? C'mon. Yeah great you found an edge case. If these were that dangerous wouldn't they ban ice skating in the park?

Maybe the bigger question is whether the realism of its ice-skating physics is of all that much interest in a deliberately silly and over-the-top superhero show. Like, there is no actual chemical we know of that could produce the effects of "Compound V," either... but so what? Not exactly the point of the show.

Ok c'mon. Alright then all bets are off since now its a silly super show and everything is magic and nothing has to make sense. Sure, why not just have everyones heads fall off for not reason.

Plus doesn't that destroy the whole idea of ridiculing one demographic? If you can toss things based on "its a show with super powers" then other can toss the intended mockery as "oh its just a show with super powers so its not real or legit anyway".

[Mr. X]

How do you explain the obvious sledge hammer Stormfront plot in season 2? So NOBODY saw the obvious heavy handed messaging?

Please explain where you got this from that nobody knew what this show was doing till season 4?

I didn't say "nobody knew." I said that a certain wing of the viewership apparently didn't know. Otherwise they would have also been review-bombing season 2 and complaining about "wokeness," presumably.

As to how they could have possibly missed it, I have no idea. You'd have to ask one of them. Everybody who wasn't them clearly thought it was obvious.

Ok prove that "wing" didn't know? How the fuck could they not know. Its blatant from S1E1 and from the comics.

People didn't review bomb S2 all that much (yes there were some) cause they were trying to give the show a chance cause... tada... they read the comic and they KNOW its a mockery of right wing nonsense.

You do know most of the people who probably watch this ARE a comic fan base of some kind. The people you think this show targets probably didn't touch the show.


Again provide an actual fact based source that shows that this demographic had NO CLUE. People review bombed seasons 1-4 to varying degrees.
Also, once past season 2 the story split from the comics in a significant way and that may have something to do with it.

[NotUv2]

If you can toss things based on "its a show with super powers" then other can toss the intended mockery as "oh its just a show with super powers so its not real or legit anyway".

And hey, maybe they should do that. I enjoy the show mocking fascists but that doesn't mean I think it's Shakespeare either. At the end of the day it's just comic book entertainment. That's certainly one way of keeping it in perspective.

[NotUv2]

Ok prove that "wing" didn't know? How the fuck could they not know. Its blatant from S1E1 and from the comics.

Again, I'm the wrong person to ask. You'd have to ask the wokephobes who are suddenly mad about the show. I'm not one of them, and I have no idea how they could have missed it until now. I'm with you: it's blatantly obvious in every moment of the show and the source material.

But still... there they are. Nobody's inventing them out of thin air.

(Well, I should clarify that. I expect a large number of them are probably bots created to make it look like there are more of them than actually exist, which would be one possible explanation -- even a likely one -- for why the audience numbers and audience review scores are curiously out of whack. In that sense, quite a few of them probably are being invented out of thin air.)

Still, some portion of the fanbase or trolls attaching themselves to it apparently did not notice or are pretending not to have noticed. You would have to ask them why.

[Mr. X]

Again, I'm the wrong person to ask. You'd have to ask the wokephobes who are suddenly mad about the show. I'm not one of them, and I have no idea how they could have missed it until now. I'm with you: it's blatantly obvious in every moment of the show and the source material.

But still... there they are. Nobody's inventing them out of thin air. So, ask them.

Ok point me to those people. Show me an example of those people. Show me someone online who watched all 3 seasons, reviewed those seasons then suddenly realized it was mocking them. Please I'd love to see that.

[NotUv2]

Ok point me to those people.

Seek almost any Twitter/X thread about season four of the show and you shall be satisfied.

At least far as people claiming to have been fans of the show who now think it's too "woke." Maybe you can grill them about whether they really did watch the initial seasons or not. You might well expose a bunch of them as never having done so. Nobody's stopping you.

[Mr. X]

How does this "mock" right wingers? Seems to be make HL look pretty darn sympathetic. In fact this looks a lot more like when some people feel justified in committing violence cause they got hurt in the past. Plays right into that.

So does that mean the people being mocked were really made into bad people by heartless science types that treated them like cattle? Are they justified in their negative views now?

[Mr. X]

Ok point me to those people.

Seek almost any Twitter/X thread about season four of the show and you shall be satisfied.

At least far as people claiming to have been fans of the show who now think it's too "woke." Maybe you can grill them about whether they really did watch the initial seasons or not. You might well expose a bunch of them as never having done so. Nobody's stopping you.

Ok show me one of those threads. And that person reviewed all the other seasons and isn't some Matt Walsh right wing nutter who's chiming in who never watched the show at all.

[NotUv2]

How does this "mock" right wingers? Seems to be make HL look pretty darn sympathetic.

The show and the character are indeed not completely two-dimensional, yes. That's a valid observation.

[NotUv2]

Ok show me one of those threads. And that person reviewed all the other seasons and isn't some Matt Walsh right wing nutter who's chiming in who never watched the show at all.

Go do your own homework, dude. It's a publicly accessible site. (And I do notice those subtly-shifting goalposts, there. Those are a sign of bad faith.)

[SHL]

BTW that ice skating thing was dumber than a Monty Python skit. People don't slice each other up with ice skates. Hockey would be illegal if it were that dangerous.

Google Adam Johnson NHL and look up the video of someone slicing open his throat and him bleeding to death in the ring. Ice skates are really that sharp. And they have killed people.

Ok ok but all at once in one game? Like 5 people? C'mon. Yeah great you found an edge case. If these were that dangerous wouldn't they ban ice skating in the park?

I dunno if you aren’t remembering the scene properly but ice skates cut off a woman’s fingers, slice a guys throat open and puncture another dude in the chest. It’s very believable for a stampede on ice with everyone running away from a dead body.

The only extreme death in that scene was homemade lasering someone in half

[Mr. X]

Ok show me one of those threads. And that person reviewed all the other seasons and isn't some Matt Walsh right wing nutter who's chiming in who never watched the show at all.

Go do your own homework, dude. It's a publicly accessible site. (And I do notice those subtly-shifting goalposts, there. Those are a sign of bad faith.)

You made the claim. I'd just like to see where you got that info. If its "all over" then there should be one example?

[Mr. X]

BTW that ice skating thing was dumber than a Monty Python skit. People don't slice each other up with ice skates. Hockey would be illegal if it were that dangerous.

Google Adam Johnson NHL and look up the video of someone slicing open his throat and him bleeding to death in the ring. Ice skates are really that sharp. And they have killed people.

Ok ok but all at once in one game? Like 5 people? C'mon. Yeah great you found an edge case. If these were that dangerous wouldn't they ban ice skating in the park?

I dunno if you aren’t remembering the scene properly but ice skates cut off a woman’s fingers, slice a guys throat open and puncture another dude in the chest. It’s very believable for a stampede on ice with everyone running away from a dead body.

The only extreme death in that scene was homemade lasering someone in half

So historically have you seen a group of about 10 people do that trying to get out a neighborhood ice rink?

[SHL]

How does this "mock" right wingers? Seems to be make HL look pretty darn sympathetic. In fact this looks a lot more like when some people feel justified in committing violence cause they got hurt in the past. Plays right into that.

So does that mean the people being mocked were really made into bad people by heartless science types that treated them like cattle? Are they justified in their negative views now?

Homelander rapes people, kills people, believes humans are beneath him, carried on a Nazi agenda with a Nazi…

Like what the fuck are you on about?

And yes - “the boys” have made some mistakes, which involved people getting killed and then trying to use a war criminal to kill white supermacist Superman…

But that doesn’t change that Homelander is literally a “super” supmermacist to needs to be stopped. And is very clearly the bad guy of the series. And doesn’t even flinch while murdering his own teammates

[NotUv2]

I'd just like to see where you got that info.

And I told you, and you are perfectly capable of going to that site and seeing for yourself. So do that. I'm not doing your homework for you, and I'm not fetching citations for someone who will then say "It has to be not Colonel Mustard not in the library not holding the candlestick who has a four-year history as a television critic with detailed opinions on every episode of the show." You can miss me with that bullshit.

[SHL]

BTW that ice skating thing was dumber than a Monty Python skit. People don't slice each other up with ice skates. Hockey would be illegal if it were that dangerous.

Google Adam Johnson NHL and look up the video of someone slicing open his throat and him bleeding to death in the ring. Ice skates are really that sharp. And they have killed people.

Ok ok but all at once in one game? Like 5 people? C'mon. Yeah great you found an edge case. If these were that dangerous wouldn't they ban ice skating in the park?

I dunno if you aren’t remembering the scene properly but ice skates cut off a woman’s fingers, slice a guys throat open and puncture another dude in the chest. It’s very believable for a stampede on ice with everyone running away from a dead body.

The only extreme death in that scene was homemade lasering someone in half

So historically have you seen a group of about 10 people do that trying to get out a neighborhood ice rink?

I have never witnessed a stampede of ice after a superhero slices someone in half, no.

I think you need to put down the laptop for a couple days dude lol

[shevek]

[quote=SHL post_id=214934 time=1718934606 user_id=12699
But that doesn’t change that Homelander is literally a “super” supmermacist to needs to be stopped. And is very clearly the bad guy of the series. And doesn’t even flinch while murdering his own teammates
[/quote]

Dude. Kripke said in the Hollywood Reporter that Homelander is Trump. So, of course he is the bad guy of the series.
In that scene above, then, a progressive Jewish writing team wrote a scene where Trump puts someone he doesn't like in an oven.
Their firm belief, therefore, is that Trump is a Nazi who, given the ultimate power of the Presidency, will burn his enemies like Hitler did.
Never mind that Trump didn't actually do any of that in Term One. Never mind that Stalin and Mao and Pol Pot and Idi Amin also did the same.
It's all about Trump, and Trump still has plenty of time to declare himself Dictator for Life and do that if Term Two happens.
This is Kripke's message: 2024 is 2016 (disasters under Biden in Ukraine? Gaza? Not on the radar.) Either you fall in line with it, or you don't.
I'm not saying that anyone can't continue to watch the series - I still will.
I'm saying that this is the hamfisted messaging in which viewers are immersed.
Some people aren't into that, and maybe they'll make Youtube videos about it. I won't.

[NotUv2]

Dude. Kripke said in the Hollywood Reporter that Homelander is Trump. So, of course he is the bad guy of the series.

Wild, right? Like, who would possibly think to make the fictional not-Superman analogue of a convicted multiple felon the bad guy of a series?

Some people aren't into that, and maybe they'll make Youtube videos about it. I won't.

Solid call. I'm with you on this one.

[SHL]

Dude. Kripke said in the Hollywood Reporter that Homelander is Trump. So, of course he is the bad guy of the series.
In that scene above, then, a progressive Jewish writing team wrote a scene where Trump puts someone he doesn't like in an oven.
Their firm belief, therefore, is that Trump is a Nazi who, given the ultimate power of the Presidency, will burn his enemies like Hitler did.
Never mind that Trump didn't actually do any of that in Term One. Never mind that Stalin and Mao and Pol Pot and Idi Amin also did the same.
It's all about Trump, and Trump still has plenty of time to declare himself Dictator for Life and do that if Term Two happens.
This is Kripke's message: 2024 is 2016 (disasters under Biden in Ukraine? Gaza? Not on the radar.) Either you fall in line with it, or you don't.
I'm not saying that anyone can't continue to watch the series - I still will.
I'm saying that this is the hamfisted messaging in which viewers are immersed.
Some people aren't into that, and maybe they'll make Youtube videos about it. I won't.

I can’t tell if you are agreeing with me, arguing against me, or what point your trying to make

But all I can in regards to this thread is: it’s a fucking ultra violent superhero comic come to life. Anyone who is disappointed with a series that features superhero orgies, cocks strangling dudes in a fight or a women giving herself a lobotomy to be dumb enough to enjoy junk food while fucking - like what did you think you were getting? A well written political thriller?

I can’t remember the last time I went to McDonald’s and complained they didn’t grill t bone steaks there

Everyone here just seems ready to not have a good time

[sensualbarbarian]

I think it has probably dragged on a bit too long, it does make more sense than the comic, which for me lacked a story and the ending was an anti-climax; but overall I think they failed to capture the vibe of the comic book even though the story makes more sense. They should have just ended it last season or this one, also the shock scenes seem out of place sometimes.

[sneakly]

The finger chopping. To find this incredulous when they put a hand grenade up someone's ass in season one seems a little nit-picky. A skate blade is like a paper cutter, with a 150 lbs skater pushing down. Could it happen? more likely than cutting someone clean in half with laser eyes. Hockey gloves are made the way they are for a reason.

The metaphor has also been there. Flag draped hero espousing family values with out believing in them or practicing them is not a huge surprise. Remember last season? Homelander literally shot a man in the middle of Fifth Avenue and everyone cheered? How are you going to miss that one?

The show has always had a anti-conservative bent. When the Boys had a more screen time, it was more balanced because they in their zealousness to get the Supes, they did some pretty horrific stuff, too. HL was always going to get meaner and more megalomaniacal, he has to. That's how these stories have to go. They need to make his plans more grandiose each season, or introduce a character that is going to be even more ominous.

There are parallels in the real life to the story being told. Trump has become progressively more unhinged as we have moved towards the 2024 election. It is probably a mixture of coincidence and design, HL has to get more crazy to move the story along and keep viewers. The scripts were written more than a year ago. This is probably a case of life imitating art.

There is a precedent for this. The series Veep ended it's run because they were concerned that making a WH comedy was getting too hard because they felt the real world was becoming too absurdist to parody.