The Boys are back for season 3 and they deliver the perfect hangover cure for the Marvel fatigue. The Boys Season 3 ups the ante when it comes to stakes, emotion, and hitting the x10 button when it comes to its gory scenes; yet the most intriguing part of this season is how we delve even further into the psyche of Homelander. Roughly taking place a year after the thrilling Season 2 finale we see The Boys enjoying their “retirement” and the big supes up in Vought doing what they do best, which is pandering to the general public while confronting the conflict they have within the team.
Stan Edgar the CEO of Vought does his best to check Homlander’s ego after the whole Stormfront debacle, the scenes he has with Homelander are probably the show’s most intense as we see this normal human being be so cold and ruthless to one of the most powerful beings on the planet, Homelander, as he unwillingly succumbs to Egar’s dominance. The series may be called The Boys but judging from this season so far, this is easily Homelanders show, as we dive right into his mental instability from the very first scene he is in. The way the show delves into the psyche of Homelander is quite unnerving as his mental stability slowly starts to deteriorate as the season goes on as he is left to question and answer for his judgment in having a relationship with the Nazi Stormfront. Antony Starr is once again a chilling delight to watch as Homelander as his deadpan expressions and ice cold glare as Homelander is enough to be unnerving to the audience watching. Anthony Starr also perfectly captures the intimidating aggression and frustration that Homelander possesses which makes the characters feel as though they are stepping on eggshells, fearful he could explode with emotion and do something drastic. Continuing the trend from season 1 and 2, The Boys, the group that is, are still rarely ever able to catch a break as they are thrusted from one situation to the next in a suffocating manner that makes you wonder if they are ever going to be able to make it through their mission in one piece. The mental capabilities don’t just stop with Homelander as we see The Boys deal with their internal conflict and conflict amongst the group, and at the forefront of that group is as always Billy Butcher. Butcher’s relentless goal of bringing down Vought and ending Homelander continues as we see him do literally whatever it takes to get the job done, even if that is making questionable leadership choices and burning bridges along the way.
The newcomers to this show are a welcome addition to the show as Miles Gaston Villanueva as Supersonic and Laurie Holden as Crimson Countess being the most notable additions. The addition of Supersonic has the most meaningful impact to the regular cast as we see him build a relationship with Star Light and the audience which helps you get on his side. However the true new addition stand is none other than Jensen Ackles Soldier Boy who is essentially an R-rated version of Captain America but a bit more badass. He is everything that Captain America isn’t and Jensen Ackles plays the perfect anti-Chris Evans in this role. This season is Soldier Boy’s oyster so it is safe to assume he will be one of the key cogs come this season’s end.
The Boys Season 3 promised lots and lots of gore and boy did it deliver. Over the past two years since the end of Season 2 we have been treated to the animated delight of Invincible along with the DC resurgence thanks to James Gun in The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker. All three utilised blood-drenched gore to its contents to push the limit of the R rating, you would think we would be accustomed to it by the time The Boys Season 3 rolled around right? Well we were most certainly wrong as The Boys still somehow manages to top anything the content mentioned above has done, the first 15 minutes of the season pretty much sums it up and sets the tone for the rest of the season. The visual aesthetic towards The Boys Season 3 is pretty much what you would expect from this show, dark and gritty with a few fantastic shots along the way. The framing of the camera is used to perfection as the head shots on Homelander as it slowly zooms in really captures the essence of his unhinged demeanor. The costuming is a standout throughout this series and they have once again struck gold in Season 3. While the original seven still maintain their classic outfits; it’s the newcomers that have a chance to shine. Crimson Countess gives off Scarlet Witch vibes with the crimson colour and cape designs while Soldier Boy is given an outfit eerily similar to Captain America, shield and all. The song choices throughout the series is once again a hit with the use of rock tunes capturing the feel of what it is to be part of The Boys. The Boys introduces a new element to their score this season and that is the use of musical numbers. Now don’t let this put you off as the musical numbers may be jarring at times but the way they are used is entertaining enough to let it pass.
If Season 2 was the main course then Season 3 will surely be the dessert as all the arcs of the character are seemingly being built up towards a huge season finale climax. Episodes 1-5 lays a great foundation for Season 3 of The Boys as it explores enough character work within the core characters to be further explored and developed in the seasons final episodes. The root of this season is clearly the mental strain between the members of The Seven and The Boys which is explored further with Butcher and Homelander as they appear to eventually come together in the final episodes.
8.2/10
