Miss ‘The Boys’? Watch these twisted superhero shows next
Miss ‘The Boys’? Watch these twisted superhero shows next
These superhero shows all bring their own version of the violence, jokes, and bad behavior.
“The Boys” has officially wrapped its final season on Prime Video and boy am I going to miss this thing. I have some thoughts on the finale (did they have any budget left?), but there’s no denying how much fun it was watching this show blow up superhero culture for five seasons straight. It was nasty, loud, gross, funny, mean, emotional, and exactly the kind of mean superhero show I’ve always wanted. So if you’re looking for more shows just like it, with bad behavior, brutal fights, messed-up power dynamics, and jokes that go way too far in the best way, these are the four superhero shows I’d watch next.
The Boys
A group of vigilantes known informally as “The Boys” set out to take down corrupt superheroes with no more than blue-collar grit and a willingness to fight dirty.
This show is NOT for kids, thanks to the profanity, gore, and sexual content. But it is an antidote for adult fans who might be a little bored with the stereotypical superhero fare. It’s funny, dramatic, exciting, and thought-provoking.
Loved ‘The Boys’? Watch: ‘Gen V’
This is the obvious first stop because “Gen V” is literally from the same messed-up universe as “The Boys.” The show is set at Godolkin University, which is basically Vought’s superhero college, where young Supes train, compete, chase rankings, and dream about maybe joining The Seven someday. Which sounds inspiring for about two seconds. Then you remember this is the world of “The Boys,” so obviously the school is full of secrets, manipulation, blood, and adults doing deeply shady things to kids with powers.
The big difference is that “Gen V” has more of a coming-of-age vibe going on. “The Boys” is about grown adults who already know the superhero system is rotten and are trying to burn it down. “Gen V” is about students slowly realizing the dream they’ve been sold might be a total nightmare. It’s a little more campus drama, a little more young-people-chaos, and a little smaller in scope. But the tone is right there: rude jokes, wild powers, gross violence, Vought hypocrisy, and that same feeling that nobody in charge should be trusted for even one second.
Gen V
At America’s only college for superheroes, gifted students put their moral boundaries to the test, competing for the university’s top ranking, and a chance to join The Seven, Vought International’s elite superhero team. When the school’s dark secrets come to light, they must decide what kind of heroes they want to become.
Check out: ‘Peacemaker’
“Peacemaker” is the pick if you want another superhero show that’s violent, vulgar, ridiculous, and way more emotional than you’d expect from these kinds of characters. John Cena plays Christopher Smith, aka Peacemaker, a guy who says he wants peace so badly he’ll kill basically anybody to get it. Ironic much? He’s a walking bad idea with a helmet, a gun, a bunch of daddy issues, and somehow, against all odds, a real heart buried under all the stupidity.
This one scratches the “The Boys” itch because it gets that superheroes can be hilarious when they’re also kind of awful. The action is bloody, the jokes are filthy, and the characters are constantly doing things that make you go, “Wait, are these the good guys?” But it’s also more openly goofy than “The Boys.” It has alien weirdness, comic-book nonsense, and James Gunn’s whole thing where the dumbest character in the room suddenly breaks your heart. Now, tonally, “The Boys” is more cynical and angry, where “Peacemaker” is more chaotic and oddly sweet. But if you want superhero violence with dirty jokes and damaged people trying their best, this is an easy yes.
Peacemaker
The continuing story of Peacemaker, a vainglorious superhero/supervillain who believes in peace at any cost — no matter how many people he has to kill. After a miraculous recovery from his duel with Bloodsport, Peacemaker soon discovers that his freedom comes at a price.
Watch next: ‘Invincible’
Do not let the animation fool you. “Invincible” is absolutely not some cute little superhero cartoon. It follows Mark Grayson, a teenager who starts getting powers and thinks he’s about to follow in the footsteps of his dad, Nolan, who happens to be the most powerful superhero on Earth. Great, right? Nice father-son hero story. Except, no, because things get very dark very fast when Mark realizes the superhero legacy he worshipped might be built on something horrifying.
That’s why it belongs here. Like “The Boys,” “Invincible” is obsessed with the lie of the perfect hero. It asks what happens when the person everyone looks up to is actually terrifying behind closed doors. The violence is also brutal — like, jaw-on-the-floor brutal. The difference is that “Invincible” is more earnest. It’s got more family drama, more coming-of-age emotion, and way more alien sci-fi stuff. Where “The Boys” is sarcastic and nasty, “Invincible” actually wants you to feel things before it explodes your night with a superpowered beatdown. And I’m here for it.
INVINCIBLE
Mark Grayson is a normal teenager except for the fact that his father is the most powerful superhero on the planet. Shortly after his seventeenth birthday, Mark begins to develop powers of his own and enters into his father’s tutelage.
Wildcard pick: ‘Preacher’
“Preacher” is the wildcard because it’s not really a superhero show in the traditional sense, but it belongs here. The show centers on Jesse Custer, a Texas preacher trying to outrun his ugly past, until a strange supernatural force gives him the ability to make people do exactly what he says. Then he hits the road with Tulip, his chaos-magnet ex, and Cassidy, an Irish vampire, to go find God. Literally, that’s the mission — totally normal road trip stuff.
The reason “Preacher” works after “The Boys” is the attitude. It’s violent, filthy, strange, and very into making sacred things look completely ridiculous. Instead of superhero corporations and celebrity PR machines, it takes aim at religion, destiny, monsters, angels, demons, and all kinds of roadside weirdos. It’s more supernatural, more dusty, and more horror-western than “The Boys,” but the DNA is there. Same rude energy, same love of bad behavior, and the same feeling that the show might do something absolutely unhinged at any moment. If what you loved about “The Boys” was how far it was willing to go, “Preacher” gets it.
Preacher
A preacher sets out on a mission to make the almighty himself confess his sin of abandoning the world. With his best friend Cassidy, an alcoholic Irish vampire, his love Tulip, a red blooded gun towing Texan, and the power of genesis, an unholy child born from an angel and a devil, Jesse gives up everything to set the world straight with its creator.
More to watch after finishing ‘The Boys’:
‘Watchmen’ | HBO Max
Watchmen
Set in an alternate history where “superheroes” are treated as outlaws, “Watchmen” embraces the nostalgia of the original groundbreaking graphic novel while attempting to break new ground of its own.
‘Doom Patrol’ | HBO Max
Doom Patrol
The Doom Patrol’s members each suffered horrible accidents that gave them superhuman abilities — but also left them scarred and disfigured. Traumatized and downtrodden, the team found purpose through The Chief, who brought them together to investigate the weirdest phenomena in existence — and to protect Earth from what they find.
‘Legion’ | Hulu
Legion
David Haller, AKA Legion, is a troubled young man who may be more than human. Diagnosed as schizophrenic, David has been in and out of psychiatric hospitals for years. But after a strange encounter with a fellow patient, he’s confronted with the possibility that the voices he hears and the visions he sees might be real.
‘Misfits’ | Hulu
Misfits
When five young outsiders on Community Service get caught in a strange storm, they discover that they have developed superpowers.