Prime Video's The Boys adaptation may be known for its extreme gore, dark humor and comic book parodies, but it's never shied away from including sociopolitical satire, and the show has arguably gained more attention for its blistering take-down of America's far right.
Showrunner Eric Kripke has always been very up-front about what - and who - the series is taking aim at, and the writing has proved to be almost prescient with its parallels to current events.
For example, the upcoming fourth season finds Homelander on trial for publicly killing a protestor in the season 3 finale, and the show returns to our screens shortly after former President Donald Trump's numerous convictions.
"It’s happened now almost every season, and we write them sometimes close to two years before they air and again we’ll find that the news is accurately reflecting whatever we’re talking about," Kripke tells THR. "It’s not a spoiler to say that first episode [of season four], Homelander [played by Antony Starr] is on trial. A big concern is 'Can you convict someone that powerful of a crime?' And what does that mean for the various supporters or the people protesting him? Did I know it was going to come out during Trump’s trial? Of course not. But we write what we’re either scared of or pissed off about. Someone asked me last year, about season three, 'How are you so prescient with cops and over-policing in Black neighborhoods?' Well, it’s been a problem for over 100 years. It was a problem five years ago, and, unfortunately, it’s going to be a problem five years from now. It’s always the same shit."
Kripke also responded to the backlash the show has received for being too "woke."
"I clearly have a perspective, and I’m not shy about putting that perspective in the show. Anyone who wants to call the show 'woke' or whatever, that’s OK. Go watch something else. But I’m certainly not going to pull any punches or apologize for what we’re doing. Some people who watch it think Homelander is the hero. What do you say to that? The show’s many things. Subtle isn’t one of them. So if that’s the message you’re getting from it, I just throw up my hands."
What do you make of Kripke's comments? Do you plan on tuning in for season 4?
"The world is on the brink. Victoria Neuman is closer than ever to the Oval Office and under the muscly thumb of Homelander, who is consolidating his power," reads the official season 4 synopsis. "Butcher, with only months to live, has lost Becca’s son as well as his job as The Boys’ leader. The rest of the team are fed up with his lies. With the stakes higher than ever, they have to find a way to work together and save the world before it’s too late."
Returning cast members include Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr, Erin Moriarty, Jessie T. Usher, Laz Alonso, Chace Crawford, Tomer Capone, Karen Fukuhara, Colby Minifie, Claudia Doumit, and Cameron Crovetti, along with new recruits Susan Heyward, Valorie Curry, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan.
The first three episodes of The Boys season 4 will be available to stream from June 13th, with new instalments dropping weekly through to the season finale on July 18.