There are light spoilers in this review.

The Boys shocked audiences everywhere when it debuted in 2019. Its ability to create suspense is unmatched, and its cast of unbelievably talented actors along with some of the most original ideas in superhero media makes The Boys a powerful show that’s sure to be remembered for years to come. 

The Boys is about a world where superheroes are real and corrupt, and a rag-tag team of people who’ve been hurt by superheroes try to stop them. Season three just released, and it definitely carried the same spirit that season one had. Overall, I think season three is a little better than season two, but not quite as good as season one.

I think a big part of the reason season three isn’t as good as season one is because of the introduction of temporary V. “Temp V” grants somebody superpowers for a limited amount of time, but it also slowly kills the user. In season one, what made the show so suspenseful was how weak and vulnerable the protagonists were. They couldn’t directly harm the antagonists in any way, which made their encounters more suspenseful. 

In season three, the protagonists were hardly in danger because they always had temp V on them, and although it does eventually come with the payoff of the team having to make a sacrifice, I think it makes the majority of the season less suspenseful. My biggest problem with season three is that nothing was really accomplished. A new threat was introduced at the beginning of the season and was taken care of by the end of the season, but most of the characters were in the same place they were at the end of season two. Although, it is worth mentioning they did go through a lot of character development.

These are small complaints, though. The show is still great as a whole, and season three delivered all the comedy and unique takes on superheroes as the earlier seasons did. Even though I loved season two, I think season three was better written because the characters are multidimensional. Friends will hurt friends, and enemies will help each other, which is more interesting to watch compared to the straightforward and less compelling good guys vs. bad guys theme of season two.

The Boys is definitely worth watching if you like superheroes or suspense, but it’s certainly not suitable for all viewers. Arguably one of the shows most deserving of its TV-MA rating, it’s not a show to watch around polite company. Alternatively, it’s great for cracking open a Fresca and watching by yourself or with friends.