The review embargo for The Boys Season 5 has lifted, but does the show's fifth and final batch of episodes deliver a satisfying conclusion to this story? Well, with critics given only 7 of 8 episodes, we can't say that for sure, but what they have seen sounds very good.
While some fans have argued that The Boys has been running on fumes for at least a season or two, all signs point to it going out on a high note with Season 5. Many of these reviews suggest it's the darkest season yet, but still hugely inventive and full of shocking moments, even if it is "formulaic" and "sluggish" at times.
While the series initially debuted on Rotten Tomatoes with a perfect 100% score, 22 verdicts have been counted as we write this (only one of which is negative), meaning The Boys Season 5 now has a "Fresh" 95% rating on the review aggregator.
That sole "Rotten" verdict comes from Mashable, which writes, "The Boys' darkest, most dour season yet — one that plays at commenting on our fractured America, but only offers shock value as opposed to real substance."
Variety counters, "Every geyser of blood and squelch of spilled guts is a tiny bit of catharsis that’s sorely needed, even if the odds of good triumphing over evil have never seemed longer on or off the screen." The Wrap, meanwhile, adds, "This season was formulaic, sure, but possessed enough brilliance to confirm the show’s outstanding place in television history."
Over to Awards Buzz, and it's said, "There’s nothing quite like The Boys out there, and fans are going to want to stick around for whatever’s to come based on this very strong start to the last hurrah."
As for Next Best Picture, the site explains, "It may be far from the best 'The Boys' has been, but this conclusion still has enough here to reward longtime viewers who have stuck with it from the beginning."
Slashfilm notes, "Ultimately, it's both a relief and a pleasant surprise that 'The Boys' goes out exactly how it arrived: as the best, most incisive, and radical superhero show on TV." IGN expands by writing, "The Boys Season 5 may suffer from a sluggish narrative, but the show’s black sense of humor, its strong character moments, and its willingness to speak truth to power are its biggest assets."
Polygon was also impressed, concluding, "The evolution of Colby’s character, who provides some of The Boys’ most absurd and entertaining moments that I won’t spoil here, is proof of the value in letting a TV show mature over time."
Finally, we hear from Mama's Geeky. "The final season pulls no punches. It is darker, more twisted, and more brutal than ever," the site shares. "This series has always pushed boundaries, but does so more than ever for its final outing."
So, it sounds like a fun ride with the potential to be a rare series that doesn't leave fans disappointed with its finale. Whether that last episode will stick the landing is TBD, but we'd imagine that it was deliberately kept from critics to avoid spoilers leaking online in advance.
The Boys franchise will continue after Season 5, as Vought Rising is on the way, as is The Boys: Mexico (work is well underway on the former; only time will tell whether the latter happens).
In the fifth and final season of The Boys, it's Homelander’s world, completely subject to his erratic, egomaniacal whims. Hughie, Mother's Milk, and Frenchie are imprisoned in a "Freedom Camp." Annie struggles to mount a resistance against the overwhelming Supe force. Kimiko is nowhere to be found.
But when Butcher reappears, ready and willing to use a virus that will wipe all Supes off the map, he sets in motion a chain of events that will forever change the world and everyone in it. It's the climax, people. Big stuff's gonna happen.
The Boys stars Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr, Erin Moriarty, Jessie T. Usher, Laz Alonso, Chace Crawford, Tomer Capone, Karen Fukuhara, Nathan Mitchell, Colby Minifie, Cameron Crovetti, Susan Heyward, Valorie Curry, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jensen Ackles, and Daveed Diggs.
The Boys is based on The New York Times best-selling comic by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, who also serve as executive producers, and was developed by executive producer and showrunner Eric Kripke.
Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver, Neal H. Moritz, Pavun Shetty, Phil Sgriccia, Michaela Starr, Paul Grellong, David Reed, Judalina Neira, Jessica Chou, Gabriel Garcia, Ori Marmur, Ken F. Levin and Jason Netter also serve as executive producers.
Season 5 of the multi-Emmy Award-winning The Boys will premiere on April 8, with two episodes, followed by a new episode each week, culminating in "the unforgettable, epic series finale" on May 20.