Superhero series have not had great success on television. Marvel has not managed to make them stand out after their initial success with some lesser-known superheroes on Netflix, and DC has never managed to shine. And outside of the two giants, it always seems like no one has a chance. If they can’t, who can? And apparently, the one that could was a series that parodied not only superheroes but also the idea of vigilantes and those who hunted them.
The Boys is not only one of the most successful superhero series in history, but also one of the most successful series of recent times. And there are good reasons for that. With excellent actors, outstanding scripts that address pressing sociopolitical issues, and a hilarious satire of superheroes, it feels fresh and contemporary in a way that practically no other superhero story manages to feel. Not even the original comic, which has not aged particularly well and does not especially invite reading even for fans of the series.
That’s why we shouldn’t be surprised that the series has expanded to become its next franchise. And that the spin-off that has emerged from it, Gen V, is performing as well as the parent series.
A series with good elements to succeed
Gen V premiered on September 29, 2023, with a very simple premise: to follow the lives of young supes studying at Godolkin University School for Crime Fighting. Starring Marie Moreau, an 18-year-old superhero with the power to manipulate and turn her own blood into weapons, along with all the problems that entails, her dream of being part of The Seven will soon become a problem when she discovers that the campus hides a strange mystery. And that the competition is not all friendly.
The first season focused on uncovering the reality of the superhero world, both on a personal level and everything behind it on a sociopolitical level. Something that led to brutal consequences for its protagonists. And the second season, which premiered on September 17 with a triple episode and ends today, puts us in a situation not much better: with Homelander having lost his mind and with the supes and humans on the brink of war, the students have become soldiers for the cause.
The interest of this second season lies, as in the last two seasons of The Boys, in how it captures the pulse of contemporary American society. If not all of the West. Speaking of supremacism, the rise of the far right, and the growth of hate speech, the series knows how to articulate it in a clear and intelligent way within the fictional context of superheroes.
Moreover, it does so without ever forgetting that it is a spin-off of The Boys. Because if there is something interesting about Gen V, it is that it adds touches of characterization to the universe, adding details to the main series, showing us things that have no place in the main series. This means that even those who are here only for the characters and the plot have an important reason to stay: in Gen V there are always reasons to keep watching for its exciting twists, surprising cameos, and how it will connect with the main series.
Although the season finale is today, given the excellent reviews and the good reception from the audience, it is to be expected that we will have a next season within one or two years. So this seems like a perfect time to catch up on The Boys and Gen V if you haven’t done so already.
