Martin Carr reviews the sixth episode of The Boys season 1…
In amongst the revelations which continue coming there are a few emotional sledgehammers that stand out in episode six. These are not the meta moments, choreographed television specials or victim support groups, but occur with much more subtlety. They perfectly counterpoint the #MeToo movement undertones of Starlight, awkward Homelander flashbacks and even soften Butcher’s harder edges. For any fan boy convention regulars the extended Mesmer cameo is not only a reminder of how good Haley Joel Osment can be, but also shows flashes of the vulnerability which caused Spielberg to cast him in AI.
For many his appearance will be the cherry on a series which is far from finished with its audience. If you disregard the chuck away liquid nitrogen gag Rogen, Kripke and Goldberg are coming in like seasoned heavy hitters to the plate right now. There is the sucker punch which reveals Butcher’s deep rooted hated for Vought, his inadvertent father figure feelings for Hughie not to mention that compound V epiphany. A realisation which demonstrates this company are doing their best to corner a market by breaking laws, bending rules and manipulating bits in between.
In terms of character arcs Antony Starr is slowly revealing the psychopathic tendencies which lurk underneath that American flag. Paranoid, over confident and emotionally adolescent Homelander is a nuclear warhead without the third party restrictions. Needy, petulant, self-absorbed and loyal to one person his fall from grace will create another ground zero. Stillwell is also unravelling while attempting to coral this group of super powered children who are taking back control incrementally. Comparatively speaking A-Train and The Deep may represent a threat but nowhere near the level of a Homelander tantrum.
Clearly what started as a one off has helped grow Vought into an unstoppable force which now has people jumping ship. Artificially manufactured, propagated through mass media coverage before being introduced to a world enthralled by the idea of super heroes, this money making machine is biting back. This mass market fiction which is being popularised on every network, lunch box and syndicated broadcast hides a horrendous truth. Vought is a lie. These orchestrated accidents, incidents and repercussions are not concerned by the individual, only what they can contribute before ceasing to be useful.
It is a cynical, bitter and altogether caustic experience when the lack of moral centre finally becomes apparent. Only the moments of real human connection either in flashback or present day tip the scales back towards something approaching normality. Every character here has something substantial to draw on and slowly that malcontent is surfacing as events take on a darker and darker hue. In light of the allegations against a certain President concerning bribery, electoral tampering and substantial pay outs for sordid sexual congress, The Boys may well be the perfect antidote for those watching an incumbent unravel in public.
Martin Carr
