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Superhero fatigue has been a thing for a while, with the overwhelming dominance of Marvel’s Cinematic Universe having given way to an overall boredom with the decade of super-powered heroes and villains gracing our screens. But it was Amazon’s The Boys that really gave an ailing genre the gory shot-in-the-arm it needed when it launched back in 2019.
Eight years later, and we’re closing in on the end of what is sure to go down as one of the best pieces of superhero media on television with The Boys‘ fifth and final season. But, after all the blood and dust has settled, is it any good?
Well, critical response has been largely positive – the show boasts a Rotten Tomatoes score of 96 per cent, putting it squarely in ‘fresh’ territory, though every review is tinged with qualifying statements and criticisms of the latest season, ranging from slow and uneven pacing, to the fact that the satire-fuelled show doesn’t hit as hard in a world as divided and difficult as our own.
Audiences, too, are divided: while some are loving the ride till the end, others are upset to see their favourite show limping to the finish line. Here, we’ll break down what critics like and dislike from the final season, as well as take a look into what audiences are saying about Homelander’s last outing.
Homelander Steals the Show
Undoubtedly, the thing most critics agreed on as a highlight for this final season is the impressive performances put in by its main cast – in particular, Antony Starr as Homelander.
The Boys‘ superheroes and villains have always been fun and interesting twists on archetypical characters we’ve seen elsewhere, only pushed to the extreme due to the darkly compelling world they find themsleves in, and Homelander only gets more interesting in this final season.
Empire said “Homelander is by turns terrifying and pathetic, and Starr deserves kudos for the interiority he brings to such an outwardly evil psychopath.”
RogerEbert, however, noted that “while the show’s villain has always had an ego, what takes shape here is so bizarre it almost feels laughable… (yet) the show’s cast always sells it, and as usual, Starr does so with so much reverence that it’s impossible to look away from”.
“Season 5 of The Boys and the characters it is helmed by often feel like they have reached the height of absurdity.”
A Reflection of Reality
It isn’t only Starr who delivers this season, though. The series has often offered a reflection of our own world, and in this final outing (which was written before Trump was elected a second time, with the goal of exploring what could happen if America succumbed to a super-powered fascist regime) feels more like real-life than ever before.
For some, this is a positive: a scathing rebuke of Trump’s second term and his sycophantic followers. For others, though, the series not only fails to grapple with the reality of the moment, but fails to have anything to say about it at all.
“Season 5 (is) The Boys‘ darkest, most dour season yet – one that plays at commenting on our fractured America, but only offers shock value as opposed to real substance”, said Mashable. “It’s bleak to the point of numbness.
“Adding to that numbness is the fact that America’s current reality is more upsetting than anything The Boys tries to conjure up.”
Brutal to the End
One of the things that has set The Boys apart from its more mainstream, cinematic contemporaries is the absolute gore it is willing to showcase. Realistically, getting punched by someone with super strength probably should explode a man, but we rarely see that kind of thing from Captain America or Spider-Man. Here though? That’s tame for The Boys, and if anything season 5 ramps up the brutality.
“In its final hours, The Boys is free to be the most uninhibited version of itself, spewing profanity, vitriol and bodily fluids with abandon,” said Variety. “Rather than overstay its welcome, the show has wisely opted to go out with a bang… In many ways, (The Boys is) ending right on time.
“Every geyser of blood and squelch of spilled blood is a tiny bit of catharsis that’s sorely needed.”
And, after a number of high-profile series long-awaited endings failed to deliver the goods – we’re looking at you, Stranger Things and Game of Thrones – the lead up to The Boys‘ ending is at least staying true to the series’ overall appeal.
“Many shows stumble at the finish line with lacklustre finales that drag or fail to tie up story arcs,” said Nerdspin. “The Boys takes a deliberate shot at those lacklustre endings by being the total antithesis of them… a masterpiece of a finale that stays true to its brutal DNA.”
However, after five seasons, many critics note that the show’s ability to shock its audience has started to wane. The Guardian said that while the show certainly retains the same dark humour as prior seasons, it’s starting to feel “a little tired”.
“All is present and corrent. But there are none of the flashes of invention or inspiration that make and have made The Boys great. However, the action comes at you so thick and fast thereafter that it’s easier to overlook the deficiency.”
Empire agreed, noting that, “this final season makes it clear that the show’s ability to provoke and surprise has diminished… it’s all a bit too familiar, and after four preceding seasons, it feels too drawn-out.”
Patchy Pacing
The last season’s overall pacing has been pretty widely condemned, with multiple critics noting that the show often feels as though it fails to pay off the plot points it sets up, and while it’s clearly working up to a final showdown between Homelander and Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) there’s just a bit too much fluff on the way there.
“Though there are big moments that occur in the first episode, the momentum it generates is neigther sized nor built on, and there is a surprising lack of urgency throughout,” Empire said. “For a show that’s in its endgame, The Boys is content to spin its wheels far too often.”
IGN added that the plot for this final outing is “sluggish at best”.
In saying that, long-time fans should be pleased with what’s on offer here. In fact, let’s check in with the series’ fans to see what they’re feeling about The Boys‘ final season.
What does the Audience think so far?
As is often the case with fan response to basically anything these days, feelings are caught between two very vocal extremes. While some long-time fans are loving the direction the season is going, others are questioning what happened to the show they once loved.
“What on earth happened to this show? Another final season of a popular TV show where it’s a shell of itself,” reads one fan’s review on Rotten Tomatoes, while another said it was “borderline unwatchable”.
On the other hand, positive reviews (of which there are far more) laud the show’s return to form – “probably the best season so far” – and love the character development that has been on display with the series’ core cast.
“This season has been insane,” wrote one fan, while another called said “if the finale is as good as these episodes it will be one of the best finales of a tv show ever.”
One thing that all fans, regardless of their feelings toward the season as a whole, agree on is that they cannot wait to see Homelander die. Butcher would be proud.
Season 5 of The Boys is available to stream on Prime Video, with new episodes dropping weekly until May 20.
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