If you’ve been a Supernatural fan for any amount of time, you know the name Eric Kripke. Kripke was responsible for creating the world of Supernatural and introducing us to the Winchesters. Even after stepping away at the end of season five to pursue other projects, his name has remained attached to Supernatural, which continues to stand as one of the most popular television shows of all time, ending this year after a decade and a half spent following the Winchesters and their friends and family in their journey toward defeating the darkness.
What has he done in the meantime? He created Revolution, Jacked, and Timeless, and though those did not meet with commercial success, what they did garner were dedicated fan bases who wanted to see Kripke’s stories develop further. A few years ago I heard about Kripke’s newest project: an adaptation of the comic series The Boys, which immediately felt like a perfect fit. Seeing his Tweets about his excitement further fueled the fire for me and fellow fans, and prior to its release from Amazon, it was given a second season. This proved the correct response, as it has become one of the most popular shows on Amazon to date. There are even discussions happening about a third season and an offer to Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who has appeared in Kripke’s work before, most notably as Dean and Sam’s father, John Winchester.
If you, like me, have felt the superhero burnout, then The Boys is a perfect antidote. It isn’t only for those of us who feel like we’ve been force-fed the “Superheroes / superpowers are the only answer to get us out of this mess” line, however, it’s also for those of us who have seen it happening in our own reality, where larger than life politicians have decided to take power and fame for themselves with little to no regard for those of us who are just trying to survive.
Enter The Boys, a rough, ragged crew of individuals who all have a bone to pick with the superheroes and the corporate entity who controls them. While the superheroes have the appearance of good and only show their true colors behind the scenes, the Boys are up front about their intent: take down the superheroes who have, for too long, taken advantage of the status quo.
I won’t spoil the story for you, but be prepared to be shocked, horrified, intrigued, disgusted, and mesmerized by the unfolding tale of revenge, love, power, and hope. There are so many parallels to what I’ve experienced in my own life, I felt myself growing incredibly attached and emotional while watching Kripke’s exploration of the power of grief and the fall of innocence. While we may hope for a better world and look for a savior or even a team of saviors to rescue us, there isn’t anyone who can change this world for the better — except each individual who commits to making that change.
Of course, The Boys isn’t really about people with superpowers, but it is about people in power who abuse said power to get what they want without thinking of all the other people whose lives are being destroyed. I got the odd feeling that this story is being told because it’s what is happening to us, right now. Not that this cycle hasn’t been felt before, but in this particular moment in time, there are individuals who are seeking their own gain and dooming the rest of us to war, famine, epidemics, and other horrors because they worship fame, power, and money.
So the question is, what do we do about it? Do we stand around, helpless, hoping for someone to swoop in and save us? Do we vote for who we think will see the plight we’re in, waiting for them to turn the tables? What if we need more than that? Who can we turn to who really gets how desperate the situation is? At some point, superheroes aren’t enough, and often, they’re part of the issue.
If you’re into shows with relevance in the political, religious, and societal spheres, or shows about grey areas, dubious morality, and tough choices, Eric Kripke’s adaptation of The Boys must go on your To Watch list.
The first season of The Boys is available on Amazon Prime.
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