Gen V

Gen V, the spin-off of the hit series The Boys, throws us into the lives of hormonal, competitive superheroes-in-training at the prestigious Vought American University.

It's a potent mix of teen drama, superhero action, and The Boys' signature dark humor, but does it live up to its predecessor's legacy?

Gen V delves deeper into the inner workings of Vought, the corporation that creates and exploits superheroes.

We see the sausage-making of superhero creation, the ruthless marketing strategies, and the devastating consequences of their experiments.

The young actors bring their characters to life with genuine charm and vulnerability.

Jaz Sinclair shines as Marie Moreau, a troubled girl with a dark past and a dangerous power.

Gen V doesn't hold back on the violence, and it's often darkly funny. Think exploding body parts, superhero infighting gone wrong, and enough blood to fill a few swimming Pools.

The series tackles relevant themes like teenage anxiety, social media's influence on identity, and the commodification of bodies in the superhero industry. It's not afraid to get under the skin of these complex issues.

The overarching mystery can feel convoluted at times, with predictable twists and turns. You've seen these genre tropes before, and Gen V doesn't subvert them in any meaningful way.

The show sometimes swings wildly between gritty realism and over-the-top silliness.

It can be hard to find its footing tonally, leaving you feeling like you're watching two different shows taped together.

We're mostly confined to the university campus, which can feel constricting compared to The Boys' expansive universe.

A wider scope could have allowed for richer worldbuilding and exploration of superhero society.

Action sequences are well- choreographed and exciting, with impressive special effects for a TV series.

The soundtrack pulsates with a blend of edgy rock and synth- heavy electronica, capturing the show's rebellious spirit.

Cinematography is slick and stylish, with dynamic camerawork and striking visuals that evoke a hyper-real teenage world.

Gen V is a fun, albeit flawed, addition to The Boys universe. It's packed with sharp performances, brutally funny violence, and thought-provoking social themes.

However, the predictable plot, uneven tone, and limited worldbuilding hold it back from reaching the same dizzying highs as its parent show. Still, for fans of superhero satire and teen angst with a healthy dose of blood splatters, Gen V is a binge-worthy ride you won't regret.

Watch it if you enjoy The Boys' dark humor and superhero action, but temper your expectations for narrative originality.

The Boys show is amazing. Excellent casting along with compelling storylines and gruesome details. It has it all. This show is a spinoff in the same universe, though it never manages to reach the same heights or interest of The Boys.

If you've seen one modern teenage drama, you've seen them all. Basically it's about actors in their late 20's, playing as 18 years old, tackling the issues of identity, sex, evil senior leadership that is keeping a dark secret and modern diversity and inclusivity.

The show tries to make the story more interesting by using gruesome elements form the Boys universe (and that's the only reason that I gave it 6/10), but at its core it's still the same annoying teen drama.

Special effects and gruesome details are at par with "the boys", while acting and storyline is lacking in quality, boring and feel forced.

It still better than most of the superhero movies being released today, as it's not as predictable and stupid as the rest of them, but it's mostly due to "the Boys" universe and not as self sufficient as it might have been.

I hope they'll manage to improve and take it further to the insanely high level of the original show\comics.

Plot

From the world of "The Boys" comes "Gen V," which explores the first generation of superheroes to know that their super powers are from Compound V. These heroes put their physical and moral boundaries to the test competing for the school's top ranking.

Cast

Mostly unknown to me, but several were memorable due to fantastic performances including Jaz Sinclair, Lizze Broadway and London Thor. A few of the Boys cast momentarily jump over and veteran Sean Patrick Thomas was a welcome sight.

Verdict

I like The Boys, I think it's one of the better shows of the last few years partially due to the no holding back, hyper violence and it just being something different and that's really needed right now. I was skeptical about a spinoff as they tend to be mere shadows of what came before but Gen V actually managed to get and keep my attention throughout.

Is it laden with teen angst? Well yeah, but that was never in question and was always going to be a major factor here. But the teen drama crossed with the Boys adult material, it works fantastically.

Interestingly co-written by Seth Rogan and with a mostly unknown cast I have to say everyone did a great job, most of the cast are brilliant here and that's what more shows need! I want to see a character, not have that ruined by my seeing a familiar face all the time. Sinclair, Broadway and Thor were all great and thorough scene stealers.

The plot is uninspired but competently handled so you can get past that and it parallels The Boys perfectly and makes for a nice companion piece which if handled correctly could intertwine incredibly.

I love The Boys, I like Gen V, I'm very excited where this all could lead.

Rants

In a world that hates the young, inclusivity is the devil and diversity is "Woke" I'm surprised that Gen V has been met as well as it has. The Boys got hit with all those accusations and I'd argue Gen V is even more so, I'm resisting the urge for a change to jump to the 1/10 reviews as I know what I'll see. Closed mindedness, the W word on a loop, an ocean of misogyny and casual racism. What time to be alive, rampant tribalism at it's most primal.

The Good

Some great cast members Solid connections to The Boys Engaging stuff Some action packed and very funny moments

The Bad

A couple of weak links among the cast Plot could have been stronger.

I've watched the first season of Gen V right after finishing the boys. Hearing about a the boys spinoff that involves college supes sounded so creative and interesting to me that I just had to check it out. Every Wednesday i've been waiting for a new episode and i'm currently waiting for the season 2 finale. This shows been great and they have an amazing cast.

This show is comedic, irreverent, and crass, but somehow they merged the characters played by Chance Perdomo and Sean Patrick Thomas with grace and let the moments breathe. There is so much love that the father pours out for his son on screen that it transcends and honors the late actor. Great character work in season 2.