Season 2 of Amazon Prime's dark superhero satire The Boys has been met with overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics who praise the show's daring, tenacity, and willingness to get dirty. The show is based on the comic series by the same name, which is one of the most popular comics published by Dynamite Entertainment. The Boys season 1 was generally met with praise, although some dismissed the show's content as derivative: after two decades of seemingly-constant superhero stories (kicked off by 2000's X-Men), it's difficult to do anything in the superhero genre that feels fresh. Surprisingly, The Boys season 2 somehow manages to do just that.
In The Boys, superheroes are everyday celebrities, created, managed and marketed by the Vought corporation. The show presents a world that combines the dystopic corporate society of Demolition Man with the current anxieties stemming from Disney's acquisition of Fox and Marvel and their dominance in the entertainment industry; superheroes like Homelander (a Superman analog) are ubiquitous, performing everyday acts of justice for the sake of public adoration while also appearing as themselves in major blockbuster movies.
The Boys follows the adventures of "The Boys," a group of rebels dedicated to exposing the Vought corporation and its superheroes — especially the most popular and powerful team, known as The Seven — as evil and dangerous. Season 1 focused on newcomer Hughie Campbell entering the recently-revived vigilante group, led by the foul-mouthed Billy Butcher. The season ended with some significant cliffhangers — which mark the beginning of season 2's primary story arcs.
The Boys season 2 feels like a natural evolution of the first season, as many critics have been quick to point out. Overall, the show's production team have managed to hone in on what people enjoyed about season 1, while also smoothing out its rough edges.
"The best thing about the second season of The Boys is how smartly it adds complexity and depth to its characters and stories."
"The wild first season felt impossible to top, but the second season of The Boys, which premieres Sept. 4 on Amazon Prime, does just that."
"In essence, The Boys season 2 explores the horrible power of abusive relationships, not only with Homelander [...], but also between Billy and Hughie, in the backstory of Kimiko, and in some ways even within Vaught’s own history of exploitation, which takes on new depth this year. Fortunately, it’s not simply a case of the new season pleasing established fans of the show, which it certainly will; it may also win over those who were on the fence after finding few characters to like in season one."
"...these new episodes are no more subtle than the first season, they do push harder into examining issues beyond how superhuman abilities might warp vulnerable spirits; there’s a deeper sense of humanity as a whole on display here."
"If you enjoyed the first season of The Boys, you’re going to love Season 2. The new batch of episodes avoid the pitfalls of a traditional sophomore slump by simply enhancing the most compelling aspects of the first season."
Some reviewers instead praise Amazon Prime's willingness to explore difficult (even offensive) themes in The Boys. There is certainly a political message in the first season — one that is further explored and expanded in season 2.
The Boys isn’t out to make profound points, but it is smart about what it has to say.
"Season 2 uses its story of corrupt superheroes to weave a metaphor for American politics and the dangerous romance between mainstream conservatism and far-fight white supremacy that’s playing out every day on the news and social media."
Other critics point to the show's undeniable appeal from a purely entertainment standpoint:
"While season two leans heavily into character-driven storylines, it also ups the ante on exciting set pieces and visceral, gory action."
"This is no maddening puzzle-box show, nor a drama that asks for the viewer to pay careful attention to the subtle clues. The Boys does all the work for you, drawing you into its story with an attention to the viewing experience that has become maddeningly rare."
While there are some valid criticisms of The Boys — the over-saturation of superhero stories being an obvious one — the Amazon Prime series still manages to leave viewers feeling entertained. The story is complex, but the weekly release schedule should help prevent audiences from feeling overwhelmed. In all, the second installment is a satisfying continuation of all the mayhem viewers enjoyed in season 1.