The Boys: Season 4 Review

Toward the end of the third season of The Boys, there was starting to be a nagging feeling that creatively the show was dragging its feet.

Going solely for overstaged blood and gore ahead of anything else, it really did feel like the series needed a little bit of a reset and a bit of an attitude change as it continued its story of humans versus corrupt superheroes.

So it's a pleasant surprise to report the fourth season feels a little more like a reset and a sign that some of the writing has matured a little. Don't worry, there are still gross-out moments in the opening episodes, and an utterly insane visit down to a farm later on, but there's more of a depth in Eric Kripke's show this time around, thanks to some deeper emotional storylines, a penchant for character over gross-out and a tighter focus.

As Butcher continues to battle the effects of his life-threatening disease, Victoria Neuman's sinister head-popping Supe gets closer to the White House. Meanwhile, Homelander is suffering a mid-life crisis thanks to the discovery of white pubic hairs and becomes fixated on his own legacy through his son Ryan as well as his place in the world around him.

Add into that, Starlight taking on Homelander in her continuing crusade, previous traumas in some of the Boys and new additions to the Seven and there's a fair bit to tackle in season four.

But if the subtlety is lacking in some parts, it's more than made up for in others.

While the introduction of an Alex Jones-like podcaster in the shape of Valorie Curry's Firecracker doesn't feel like it's cleverly eviscerating any targets, the character work done by others in this series hints at a depth that's rarely been seen before in this series. And holding an election on January 6 with a planned insurrection is akin to using a sledgehammer to crack a nut - but at times, The Boys has never been quiet on its messaging.

Surprisingly, you'll feel all the better for it as well, thanks to more engaging and deeper storylines than a feeling the creators have just gone for Trump-level skirmishes. There are signs the writers are having more than surface-level fun with their charges now - as the dynamics have settled in, the character edges have smoothed and blurred.

All the characters are given substantial arcs and while not every single one of them comes off, there's a lot more care gone into ensuring these are journeys you're genuinely engaged in as a viewer rather than simply coasting along for the binge. (Though the only disappointment is how Victoria Neuman's threat is sidelined throughout after being such an issue in the last season.)

In many ways, The Boys season 4 changes the game for the show.

While it still offers gross-out moments (which are all the more shocking due to their lack of them), there's a maturity on show that makes this season one of the best so far - dramatically, it's on fire, even if the subtlety is lacking in parts.

Hopefully the trend will continue in the fifth season - and for a long time to come.

The Boys Season 4 begins streaming on Prime Video from June 13 with episodes 1-3