The Boys showrunner Eric Kripke reveals that the upcoming season 3 will be a mediation on toxic masculinity. Adapted from the comic book of the same name, which was created by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, The Boys focuses on a team of dysfunctional civilians that reluctantly join forces to fight against corrupt and immoral super-powered individuals. Since premiering on Amazon Prime Video in 2019, The Boys adaptation has experienced a jump in popularity and has grown into one of the most closely-followed new dramas.
The Boys season 2, which was nominated for Outstanding Drama at the Primetime Emmy Awards, saw significant shifts in its final episodes. Stormfront (Aya Cash) was essentially decimated in a confrontation with Homelander’s son, after being revealed as the decades-old widow of Vought’s co-founder. And, on another front, the season ended with the shocking twist that congresswoman Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit) was responsible for a string of head-exploding attacks that targeted high-ranking individuals. This called her motives into question, just as Hughie (Jack Quaid) went to work for her campaign.
The Boys season 3 has wrapped filming and, while it has yet to receive a premiere date, Kripke has offered previews of what to expect when the Prime Video hit returns. In an excerpt from TV Guide Magazine’s Sci-Fi & Fantasy Special Collector’s Issue (via TV Insider), the showrunner revealed that The Boys season 3 is a “mediation on toxic masculinity.” He also added that the show will push the characters to their limits. Read Kripke’s full quote below.
“This season is about what is happening in our world, as usual. We found a way to delve even deeper into the characters, and we really pushed them all to their limits.”
The Boys has had plenty of characters that exhibit traits of toxic masculinity. Butcher (Karl Urban) and Homelander (Antony Starr) are perhaps the most notable examples, with their reckless and boastful behavior putting their respective teams in danger on different occasions. But even a more supporting character like A-Train (Jessie T. Usher) has had his moments, putting on a brave face and striving to appear as his usual self, even as he’s suffering from nagging pains and emotional struggles. That has often been the case with the Emmy-nominated drama, which has tried to show complexity even for otherwise unlikable antagonists.
That will look to continue in The Boys season 3, which will bring in Supernatural alum Jensen Ackles as Soldier Boy. Other actors that will join the cast include Laurie Holden as Crimson Countess and Nick Wechsler as Blue Hawk. Along with these new additions, of course, the return of the Prime Video show will include the much-discussed Herogasm episode. In the past, Kripke and his team of writers have alluded to how the episode will shock viewers. In the upcoming season, it seems the team behind The Boys will be turning their shocking narrative and a strong ensemble to exploring the very topical subject of toxic masculinity and its place in society, and no doubt it will give viewers plenty to think about.
Source:TV Guide Magazine’s Sci-Fi & Fantasy Special Collector’s Issue (via TV Insider)