What could be more terrifying than a psychopathic Superman? That's a central facet of "The Boys," which hits the ground running at extraordinary speed (appropriately), while dealing with the notion of evil hiding behind patriotic platitudes and wrapped in a cape.For those who might have skipped season one, spoilers lie ahead if you're thinking about catching up. Broadly, the series remains divided into warring camps, each with its own internal politics, squabbles and issues, presented with jaw-dropping levels of violence (superheroes can cause a lot of carnage when unleashed) and disarming humor.The opening arc closed with Billy Butcher (Karl Urban), the ill-tempered leader of the ordinary mortals opposing the superheroes, learning startling news about the wife he thought he had lost.The super-team The Seven, meanwhile, is in a state of flux, grappling with dysfunction inside its ranks and tensions regarding the corporation, Vought International, which oversees and profits from it. In season two, that includes shooting a movie starring the heroes to further buff up their carefully managed image, which cheekily references a "Joss" rewrite.The season-one casualties allow for some terrific new players, including Vought's unflappable boss (Giancarlo Esposito, who somehow seems to be everywhere at once) and Stormfront (Aya Cash), who fills a vacancy in The Seven and quickly shakes up the intra-squad dynamics.The most severe threat, however, remains the mercurial Homelander (Antony Starr), the living personification of the corrupting nature of power — in this case, quite literally — who seeks to exert greater control over the team."Gods" should not have to feel pain, he says, adding, "Because that is what we are. … We can do anything we want, and no one can stop us. That's a good feeling." As noted, "The Boys" incorporates amusing real-world and pop-culture references (someone on the writing staff seems pretty obsessed with "Hamilton"), but in a broader sense, the show is informed by a deep cynicism about how the public can be manipulated and lead down the creeping path toward fascism. While these themes arose during the first season, showrunner Eric Kripke and company have sharpened them, in a way that feels especially pointed and relevant.The plot has also become denser over these eight episodes, including the sweet if awkward relationship between Hughie (Jack Quaid), the unlikely foe of the Seven, and Starlight (Erin Moriarty), the hero who has witnessed its corruption up close and personal. Adapted from a popular comic, "The Boys" premiered last year amid a wave of revisionist superhero fare, includinRead More – Source
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