Happy Sunday, Streamers.
This week’s rec is not for the faint of heart. It’s dark, twisted, gratuitously violent, and fun as all hell. If exploding body parts aren’t your bag, maybe skip this one. But if sick laughs with a side of guts sounds right up your alley, read on.
Now let’s get into it.
The Boys
Current 🍅 Rating: 91%
What It’s About: Based on the comic book series of the same name, this sci-fi-action-comedy-drama follows a group of power-abusing superheroes named “The Seven,” and the ragtag group of regular people on a quest to defeat them and the multibillion-dollar corporate conglomerate that covers up their dirty secrets.
Why You Should Watch: For superhero satire, filthy violence, and black humor.
There’s really nothing else on TV right now like The Boys, outside of the countless comic book properties it relentlessly lampoons. Underneath the obvious (and very on the nose) commentary on the current superhero-movie-corporate-industrial complex is a deeper satire of not only toxic fandom, but also American capitalism in general. The Seven may repeatedly leave a trail of carnage and horrific atrocities in their wake but hey, as long as they’re bringing their corporate overlords profit everything’s cool, right?
Let me be clear, though - The Boys is not preachy. The medicine is hidden under layers of smart writing, eye-popping gore, and a savage sense of absurdist humor that, when woven together, create a giddily macabre TV show that somehow manages to outdo itself with each consecutive season. Season 3 is no exception - without giving anything away, ten minutes into the premiere there is a set piece so off-the-wall, so hilariously brutal, you can’t believe the writers thought of it (and that’s saying something given they ended season 2 with about 85 heads imploding all at once). The writing is brought to life by a stellar ensemble cast, although the standout is Anthony Starr as Homelander, leader of The Seven and main villain of the series. His unique cocktail of pretty-boy charm and terrifyingly unpredictable cruelty sends shivers down my spine every time he appears onscreen. If you’re tired of prestige TV dramas and are looking to spice up your evenings up a bit, give The Boys a spin this week.
Who’s In It, and Where You Probably Know Them From:
Karl Urban - A geek culture regular, you probably recognize him as Eomer in Lord of the Rings (RIDERS OF ROHAN! OATHS YOU HAVE TAKEN!), or Bones in Star Trek. He also apparently got his start on Xena: The Warrior Princess, so there’s that.
Jack Quaid - No, that is not a common last name - this nepotism baby is the son of Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan. He has pretty decent chops, though, and you may have seen him in the recent reboot of Scream or Logan Lucky.
Anthony Starr - I was convinced this guy was in Nip/Tuck, but apparently I mixed him up with another handsome actor who often plays villains. Anthony hasn’t done a ton in the US before The Boys outside ofWithout A Paddle.
Erin Moriarty - The Kings of Summer, True Detective, Jessica Jones, and Captain Fantastic.
Chace Crawford - Gossip Girl, and well…Gossip Girl.
Giancarlo Esposito - Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, The Usual Suspects, The Mandalorian, and lots of cop procedurals like Law and Order, NYPD: Blue, or Homicide: Life on the Street.
Aya Cash - The Newsroom, The Wolf of Wall Street, Easy, and the criminally-underrated series You’re The Worst.
Who Made It, and What Else Have They Done:
Eric Kripke is the writer/creator of the series, most well known for being the creator of Supernatural. More notable is the involvement of Seth Rogen and his writing partner Evan Goldberg, both of whom are onboard as executive producers.
Where You Can Watch: Amazon Prime Video