The Boys isn't your typical superhero show.
Based on the comic book series of the same name by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson,
The Boys offers a dark and satirical approach to the superhero genre, which is all the rage right now thanks primarily to Marvel's ability to make the MCU mainstream. It's gruesome, it's raunchy, and it's also one of Amazon's most-watched series ever.
While specific viewer numbers have not been released, Jennifer Salke, Head of Amazon Studios, revealed that
The Boys has surpassed the company's predictions.
“We are thrilled that The Boys have surpassed our predictions for viewing in its first two weeks, and has become one of our most watched Amazon Original series by our Prime Video customers,” Jennifer Salke said.
“This creates great momentum and excitement for us as we get ready for season two.”
Amazon actually
renewed The Boys for a second season before Season 1 premiered last month, so it's not like the company didn't have confidence in the series. It seems Amazon just didn't expect it to blow up as quickly as it did, though.
The Boys co-creator and executive producer Erik Kripke also shared his excitement for the series' performance, which he said is being used as motivation for Season 2.
"I’m so beyond thrilled with the response to Season 1. And mainly, it’s made me get my ass in gear and work even harder on Season 2," Kripke said.
"I don’t want Season 2 to go bigger, I want it to go deeper. A more intense, more insane, more wrenching, more character-driven season. It’s my one and only goal to make Season 2 even better than Season 1."
The Boys isn't only being watched by a ton of people, it's also being enjoyed as well. Season 1 currently sits at an 81 percent on Rotten Tomatoes with an audience score of 94 percent. Many have praised the series' "willingness to engage in heavy, relevant themes," which is actually in line with what star Karl Urban said about the show.
“I think that [The Boys] is a great metaphor for modern celebrity culture in general," Urban
told IGN.
"You only have to look at the numerous celebrity scandals from Weinstein to Cosby to Spacey, and countless more individuals that society idolized, yet in truth were not what they appeared. And The Boys was ahead of its time in recognizing that and putting it into the framework of a superhero genre."
In a world where superheroes embrace the darker side of their massive celebrity and fame, The Boys centers on a group of vigilantes known informally as "the boys," who set out to take down corrupt superheroes with no more than blue collar grit and a willingness to fight dirty.
The Boys is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.