With its satirical take on the superhero genre, unabashed gore and violence, and gripping storyline, The Boys has become one of the most-watched shows of our time. Since its premiere in 2019, the Prime Video series has only seen an increase in popularity with each passing season. The fourth season of the show was especially anticipated, considering the two-year-long wait we had to endure after the power-packed season 3 finale.
However, to everyone’s dismay, the series seems to have fallen apart in season 4, with the new installment being thrashed by the fans. Things have gone so bad that The Boys Season 4 has a meager 48% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, compared to the 90% score of the first season. So how did the makers mess things up so badly that season 4 turned out to be the worst in the show? Here are five reasons behind the underwhelming response to The Boys Season 4.
1. Too Much Talk, Not Enough Action
The Boys Season 4 seems to be a filler between the third and the fifth and final season, with not enough significant events portrayed. The main characters spend most of their time in long and tedious dialogs that lead nowhere. From MM and Butcher’s constant bickering to being in charge of the group to Hughie’s emotional confrontations with his mother, there are a lot of verbose scenes that do not add much to the overall plot of the show. This makes the audience feel bored after a point. While the previous seasons of the show gave us some iconic high-octane sequences, like the Herogasm fight, the action scenes in the fourth season feel forced, which do not add depth to the narrative. For instance, the Boys’ confrontation against Firecracker and Splinter feels rushed and lacks emotional gravitas.
2. Becoming a Parody of Itself
The Boys reached the pinnacle of success as it offered a fresh perspective on the superhero genre, parodying the likes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While the MCU heroes stand too high on moral grounds, the Boys’ portrayal gained popularity for being more realistic, where the supes did not shy away from killing anyone that came their way. For the last four seasons, we have been seeing the Boys going against much-powerful supes, and still coming out alive every time.
It’s like the creators have also gotten used to the same Marvel formula of heroes vs. villains, where the heroes have gotten plot armor so thick that even Homelander’s laser eyes can’t pierce through it. In season 4, Homelander repeatedly comes across his arch-rival Butcher, but spares his life every time, at the same time, Hughie, a mere human, gets chased by Homelander but still saves the day without even using Compound V. The show has become so unrealistic in the new season that it can now be called a parody of itself.
3. Chemistry Between The Boys
In contrast to the previous seasons, where the Boys mostly worked as a group, the members have gone their own ways in season 4, either fighting solo or in pairs. Hughie is mostly seen with either Starlight or handling his family drama, and Butcher is off to save Ryan while having a power struggle with MM. Kimiko and Frenchie still pair up on their missions, but the latter has gotten engrossed in a new love interest. The banter between the Boys and their chemistry is certainly missing from season 4, making it a ‘diabolical’ experience.
4. Frenchie and Kimiko’s Relationship
One major disappointment in the new season is Frenchie and Kimiko’s relationship going to shambles. The audience feels cheated that after three seasons of development, the makers chose to forget about their romance in the blink of an eye. While it is true that the two decided to have a platonic relationship in the previous season, and Frenchie was hinted to be bisexual from the very beginning, his losing all feelings for Kimiko all of a sudden and falling deeply in love with Colin certainly did not make sense to the fans. Had the creators given some time for him to move on, and then fall for Colin, it would have made for a better narrative.
5. In-Your-Face Social Commentary
Social commentary had been an integral part of The Boys’ satirical narrative from the very first season. The makers always made remarks on the socio-political scenario of the world in a subtle way that made it engaging. However, in season 4, the subtlety and nuance are gone, and the show has dived deep into the left vs right debate. The in-your-face social commentary has not gone down well with a section of the audience, as it constantly distracts their attention from the show’s plot. At the end of the day, viewers watch a series for entertainment, and if they are continuously bombarded with comments on real-world issues, it is bound to backfire after a point, with the fans feeling a disconnect from the show.
Let’s just hope The Boys Season 5 does better and gives us a memorable finale, worthy of the show’s legacy.
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