No Surrender Cinema: The Boys (Season 2) Episodes 1 – 3
A mere seven days ago, Amazon’s acclaimed adaptation of Garth Ennis’ The Boys returned to the streaming service for its second season. After capping off its debut season with a twist that surprised many viewers while simultaneously frustrating fans of the original comic story, viewers were eager to resume the saga of superheroes with a thousand vices and the crew of misfits intent on taking them down. Though I can’t say I agreed with that one thing from Season 1, there was no way I was going to miss out on something based on one of my favorite comic books ever. Join me in this special edition of No Surrender Cinema as I fire off some quick thoughts on The Boys Season 2!
(If you’re behind on your binges, then you may want to skip this one, since some spoilers lay ahead. If you haven’t even seen Season 1, then A) what the hell are you reading this for? and 2) get on that ASAP!)
When we last left Billy Butcher and his ragtag crew of vigilantes, we saw the hero of all heroes The Homelander (Antony Starr, formerly of Cinemax’s fantastic Banshee) killing the object of his Oedipal affection Madeline Stillwell (Elisabeth Shue). Not only that, but he embraced his sinister side even more by flying off with Butcher and dropping him at the feet of his thought-dead wife Becca. Both Mr. and Mrs. Butcher were shocked by the sight of each other, and the added twist of Homelander revealing his paternity to Butcher and Becca’s young son Ryan. Forget the bitching and moaning that happens daily on social media; THAT is how you troll someone!
With the knowledge that Becca is actually alive, Season 2 has Butcher (Karl Urban) not only vengeful, but also desperate. After waking up in the parking lot of an Italian restaurant, he runs inside and scribbles anything he can recall from the shocking reunion with his wife. He’s got no idea where he was, which means he has no idea where she is, and on top of that he and the rest of The Boys are being framed for Stillwell’s murder. Everything has turned to shit real fast, but in the world of The Boys, our heroes are at their best (and most entertaining) when the shit gets thick.
Speaking of thick, there’s plenty of tension among the main characters right off the bat. Hughie has reservations about going along with Butcher again, and his relationship with Starlight is suffering because of his involvement with the team. All of the supes are on edge as well, for a variety of reasons. A-Train is prepared to call Starlight out for siding with Hughie and being a traitor to the team, but she informs him that she knows all about the part he played in his girlfriend Popclaw’s death. This forces him to keep his mouth shut when the news that the super powered population of the world are a result of Compound V injections is made public. Then there’s the matter of new Seven member Stormfront and her abrasive demeanor. Last, but certainly not least is the tense atmosphere inside the home of Becca Butcher every time Homelander invites himself over for quality time with his son, leading to another revelation that differs from the source material.
Along with all the carnage you can expect from the series, there’s also the bit of levity that made both the comic book and the previous season appealing. Watching The Deep as he continues to struggle with his inner demons leads to what should be a celebrated return to heroics, but that winds up with The Boys using their speedboat to pierce the body of a whale. Even the scene of The Homelander attempting to bring his son’s assumed super powers to the forefront rotates between being uncomfortable (Homelander acting like the worst stage parent ever, with no regard for his child’s well being) and being humorous (as seen when he shoves his son off of the roof in an attempt to see if he can fly).
The main thread of the first several episodes has both The Boys and The Seven seeking out the supposed super terrorist that is now on American soil, a man who just so happens to be the younger brother of Kimiko (The Female). His attempts to escape, her attempts to protect him, and the arrival of The Seven just as The Boys are about to get him into a safe house all lead are a recipe for a cluster that takes place during the climax of Episode 3. There’s plenty of collateral damage to go around, and the battle ends with one character being outed as having a lot more evil in their heart than anyone thought.
Some people have been complaining about the new method of distribution this season, with Amazon choosing to release new episodes once a week for the remainder of the run as opposed to dumping them all at once for a big weekend binge. Since we’re still stuck in pandemic hell, I’m completely OK with knowing that I’ll have something to look forward to on Friday’s for a few weeks (since WWE Smackdown just ain’t cuttin’ it these days). Give yourself the time to go through all available episodes, and once Season 2 is in the books we’ll reconvene here for the aftermath. Though I’m hesitant to say I agree with a lot of the modifications being made, this series has my heart, and I look forward to seeing how it all plays out.
