Most TV shows are pretty standard, but then there are some like The Boys that entirely mess with your brain chemistry and your sleep schedule. And there you are at 2 AM randomly Googling whether or not the human race is completely insane.
The Boys Season 5 Explained: Cast, Plot, Ending Stakes & Why Fans Loved It
For years, The Boys has been a category by itself, and with Season 5, it has come barreling through a wall like a flaming truck.
WOW!
In this final season of The Boys, they’re going full-blown apocalyptic mode and we’re so ready for it!
This time around, Homelander has evolved to become not just a hopelessly unhinged super-human with deadpan mommy issues and a massive superiority complex, but now has influence, followers, fear-based power, and enough ego to bend reality.
On the other side, Billy Butcher has completely lost touch with any form of consequences and is functioning as though consequences are mere folklore. With the introduction of a Supe-killing virus, scattered alliances, reoccurring foes, and everyone teetering on the brink of an emotional meltdown like Kangana Ranaut in Queen, Season 5 feels like the TV show we needed atp.
Karl Urban (Billy Butcher) returns with maximum amounts of menace for the audience. Antony Starr (Homelander) continues his multi-generational arc and yet again shows that a smile can be terrifying like crazy.
Jack Quaid (Hughie) continues to serve as the poster child for stressed-out geeks, and by stepping into “resistance mode,” Erin Moriarty (Starlight) is stepping up her game as a conduit for Billy.
So, if you’ve already finished The Boys Season 5, but you’re still looking for additional ultra-violent and satirical media which includes people with several unresolved trauma issues and really, really bad decision-making, then you’re in luck. There are shows which will satisfy all of the above.
5 Shows To Devour If You Loved The Boys
1. Invincible
Invincible is a cartoon on the outside, but don’t be fooled, it’s much more than an animated superhero show. This show has all the drama of a war but is packed into a cartoon.
Mark is a teen who has just found out who he really is when his dad, the most powerful hero on Earth btw (played by J.K. Simmons), reveals to him a shocking truth.
He was raised in the shadow of a superhero, so he was never actually able to have a normal father-son relationship.
One of the most tragic characters is Debbie Grayson (Sandra Oh), who is probably the most grounded and relatable character in the entire series too. The series also features a lot of other characters including Seth Rogen, Gillian Jacobs, Walton Goggins, Zazie Beetz, Mahershala Ali.
What makes “Invincible” great is how the violence is balanced by beautiful story arcs and the political ramifications of making heroes.
If you love The Boys, you will love this one too because it shares a lot of similar themes: broken heroes, crazy amounts of violence, tons of ethical dilemmas, and the issues with their fathers ufff…that is a whole new category in itself.
2. GEN V
What would happen if Vought opened a college and then told the students, “Let’s go and traumatize the youth even more”?
That’s what happens in Gen V, which takes place at Godolkin University. Students train to be superheroes and compete with one another for valuable real estate in the superhero industry. The show takes place in the same world as The Boys, and the main character, Marie Moreau (Jaz Sinclair), has both terrifying powers, because of her blood-based powers, and symbolic powers, as shown throughout the series.
Other characters include Emma (Lizze Broadway), Andre (Chance Perdomo), Jordan (Derek Luh & London Thor), Cate (Maddie Phillips), and Sam (Asa Germann). Each of the characters has enough baggage to sink an aircraft carrier and you’ll quickly realize just how much these kids have on their plates.
The Boys fans will love this, as both have similar satire, both depict corporate evil, and both are about younger chaos with stronger hormones.
3. Watchmen
This HBO show is a direct sequel to the original comic but creates its own culture. It stars Angela Abar (Regina King), a masked detective in Tulsa who finds herself in the midst of a racist conspiracy.
First off, Regina King is phenomenal and she is surrounded by an amazing cast, including Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jean Smart, Tim Blake Nelson, Jeremy Irons and Hong Chau.
Themes can be found around race, generational trauma, state violence, memory and godly powers while the series.
The Boys fans will love this show because of its smart storytelling regarding anti-hero characters, dangerous individuals with too much power and no faith whatsoever in institutions.
4. Preacher
Some series start out normal and turn weird; Preacher is already weird and speeds up from there. This show is inspired by the comic series written and drawn by Garth Ennis and follows the story of Jesse Custer (Dominic Cooper) as he becomes possessed by a supernatural entity called Genesis. Then he embarks on a journey with his ex-girlfriend Tulip (Ruth Negga) and an immortal vampire named Cassidy (Joseph Gilgun). They go on an epic road trip to find God… like, actually find God.
If this was not OMG-enough for you…there’s more.
Believe it or not, you’re in for a wild ride filled with crazies, violence, dysfunctional God-stuff, absurd comedy, and a lot of emotions. If you’re looking for a fun character to watch, look no further than Joseph Gilgun as Cassidy; he’s probably one of the most chaotic ones to watch for. As for Ruth Negga’s Tulip, she’s just too cool all the time.
5. Peacemaker
The Amazing John Cena stars as Christopher Smith (aka Peacemaker), a man who is too patriotic and believes in peace so much that he will do anything, even use as much violence as possible to obtain it. Very wise man, btw!
Fresh off The Suicide Squad, the series follows him joining a black-ops team investigating an alien conspiracy involving butterfly creatures. Seriously, this is not a typo! Haha crying xd.
James Gunn created a show that somehow blends stupidity and sincerity in the best possible way. While John Cena is hilarious, he is also very vulnerable. Danielle Brooks plays Leota Adebayo, and she has a strong on-screen presence, and Freddie Stroma (Vigilante) steals every scene he’s in, and the whole cast has incredible chemistry.
Why will you love it if you’re a fan of The Boys? Because there are just as many ridiculous acts of violence, funny remarks, and hidden emotional wounds as there are in The Boys.
4 Bonus Picks For The Nerds Who Loved The Boys Way Tooooo Much
1.Succession
This one is just a bunch of billionaires being bullies on a private jet! And trust us when we say, Logan Roy makes even Homelander look emotionally communicative.
2. Black Mirror
The premise of every episode is: what if technology could turn your anxiety against you?
Some episodes are fantastically brilliant, some are nightmare-inducing terrify, and most of them will make you question your faith in screens.
3. Daredevil: Born Again
With street-level grit, courtroom drama, a case of morality vs. legality, and a hallway of fighting, this show is FTW! Every time Matt Murdock goes to work, he pays a price.
4. The Last of Us
No capes! Just hundreds of mutated monsters killing everything in their path, and causing massive emotional devastation. Pedro Pascal, once again, carries the weight of the world on his back.
If The Boys Season 5 has damaged you emotionally yet entertained you, finish spiraling down with these shows.
Toodlesssss!