“the boys” season two, episode four is a tad weaker due to meandering subplots, but is more than saved by homelander

After our first week of actually waiting for an episode, the fourth chapter in The Boys season two has arrived. The sequel has proven to be superior to its predecessor in almost every way possible. Despite the newest installment being the weakest, more focus on Homelander, Stormfront and The Deep make it more than worth watching. Principally, it’s a strong continuation with flaws.

Antony Starr, the mastermind behind our supervillain hiding behind a superhero’s mask, has gained a particularly dangerous hatred for Stormfront, the newest addition to the Seven: an edgy Supe from Portland who’s shit-talking, anti-corporate persona could be all an act. With the rookie gaining nationwide attention, and becoming quite the social media mogul, Homelander’s had enough. She’s finally gotten under his skin after he reads a slew of side-splitting memes about the poor guy. We get some genius verbal sparring between the two later on, and while Stormfront may have won the battle, Homelander will win the war. Well, most likely, at least, the gal’s got grit. But let’s not forget that she’s a complete dirtbag, remember what she did to Kenji? Her fans sure don’t.

What’s so impressive about this series is that it gives sympathy for its most unlikable character, and that is most prominently because of the motherly relationship between Homelander and Stillwell (Elizabeth Shue). Wait, didn’t she have her eyes blown out in the finale of the first season? Yes, but that doesn’t stop Homelander from using Doppelgänger (a shape-shifting Supe) for some comfort in a secluded lodge of some sorts. The moment is finger-licking good, literally and figuratively, as he’s actually licking milk from her (his, I guess) fingers. This gives him a therapist, someone to vent to, about his troubles with Stormfront, and oh my Lord does this actor never stop,

Starr is a complete tour-de-force as the series gives him the spotlight. He was always fascinating in the role, but continues to give the best performance in the entire show. His fabulous acting is so darn special that it’ll give other Emmy contenders a run for their money, and voters something to look at. Despite all of his horrible acts, audiences still have a slight bit of empathy for him, considering all he’s been through. The character’s tragic backstory, and everything that the creators have him do gives Homelander nuance and emotion, something that you wouldn’t expect from such a guy. From his squabbling with Aya Cash’s Stormfront to his own insecurities, he’s actually extraordinarily written, and it only get’s better this time around.

The B-plot then kicks in. With Butcher formulating an escape plan for his family, and Frenchie trying to control Kimiko’s instability after what happened to Kenji, Hughie convinces a reluctant Mother’s Milk to invite Starlight along on a road trip. It involves hunting a missing Supe that goes by the name of Liberty (cough cough Stormfront). At its worst, this is an entertaining detour that sometimes feels like a tired excuse to shoehorn development in. The teasing of Mother Milk’s childhood and relationship with his father is certainly welcome, Laz Alonzo, among other supporting cast members, have sort of become fill in the blanks when Homelander’s gone. Don’t get me wrong, Alonzo is a perfectly capable actor, but the series’ first big attempt at making him more developed felt far too forced.

Another character that’s affected by Homelander’s gravitational pull is Starlight, who’s character has been largely forced into the background. Her collapse into Hughie’s arms was also decidedly odd, and a wholly unnecessary moment that occurred while audiences were left in the dark about the character’s intentions. It seems to me that she’s trying to admit the pain that Vought has caused her, but it was an emotionally manipulative and overly sentimental plot point will no real meaning. Erin Moriarty continues to perform well as season two goes on, it’s just her character had less reason to be apart of this episode. The fact is, it’s more of a nitpick than an issue, and I’m sure they’ll figure it out by episode five, and it doesn’t truly stop the series from plowing along proudly.

The one major disappointment I had with this episode was Butcher’s arc. A massive reunion was promised this week between him and Becca as they plan to escape the deadly clutches of Vought with their son, Ryan. What could have been an emotional high point in the episode turned out to be a sappy, and all-above boring rom-com with no comedy. Karl Urban’s edge and brilliance as the character continues to be intact, it’s really his chemistry with Shantel VanSanten (who portrays his wife). It isn’t all his fault, either, I have the biggest issue with VanSanten, who is disappointingly flat and uninteresting. They have sex a couple times, complain about their sob stories, and nothing actually happens. Their whole escape was for nought, and the duo become alienated…Again. Thankfully, the series plays towards its strengths more than enough to make this a high recommendation.

Number four was truly a fantastic filler episode. Although it shoved The Boys into mediocre subplots, which included Starlight, it provided some much-needed screen time for Homelander. Because it fulfilled that need gracefully, I will admit that I had plenty of fun with it. “Nothing Like it in the World” is a weaker installment that’s apart of a chain of strong links, and it does its best to give each character some equality. Some stuff didn’t work, but at the expense of these characters, we got yet another gleaming performance from Antony Starr, and despite not focusing as much on the action sequences, it was nearly as entertaining as its predecessors. The cast, for the most part, are all trying their hardest, and this continues to be one of the craziest things on TV. From the brutal killing of a whale, Homelander throwing his son of a roof to Stormfront going ballistic, this season has satisfied my needs so far. Episode five, here I come! Even if it’s next week. How will I pass the time?

The final opinion is: The Boys’ “Nothing Like it in the World” has some subplots that make up less than the sum of its parts, but Antony Starr’s gorgeous depiction of his power-crazed supervillain keeps everything intact. I would say…BINGE IT

TV Review: The Boys S2 - Episode 4

“the boys” season two, episode four is a tad weaker due to meandering subplots, but is more than saved by homelander

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