If you are still unsure after watching the trailer above, then let me help you. Short answer – yes, Gen V is definitely worth the binge. Long answer – continue reading to see exactly why the hyped up spin-off of ‘The Boys‘ lives up to expectations. If you haven’t had a chance to watch the Gen V yet, don’t worry this is a no-spoiler review.
However if you have been living under a rock the last few years and have not heard of The Boys, I suggest binge-watching that first before you read the rest of the review. The Boys is one of the most viewed TV series on air at the moment, the plot is based on a comic book by the same name. The premise of the show revolves around a group of vigilantes (I’m sure you can guess the name of the group) who are attempting to take down superheroes who abuse their power. Needles to say if you are a huge fan of The Boys just like me, you are going to relish watching the first season of Gen V.
Gen V picks up after the events occurring in the third season of The Boys and successfully brings us the distinctive elements which have roped us into their universe. It has all the hardcore action scenes, hard to watch gore, off-colour humour, over the top sex scenes and nail-biting moments which we are all used to seeing.
When the spin-off was initially announced, I was skeptical at first because The Boys had set the standards so high throughout its three seasons with exceptional writing, expertly choreographed and captivating action sequences and breathtaking performances highlighted through lead actors – Antony Starr, Karl Urban, Jack Quaid and Erin Moriarty. After binge-watching the first season of Gen V (8 episodes) in just a day , I have to say that It did not disappoint.
The writing and pacing at times felt slightly slow and could have been better, however the plot was thrilling and it did well to connect the dots with The Boys more than expected and lead actors – Jaz Sinclair, Chance Perdomo, Lizze Broadway, Maddie Phillips, London Thor and Derek Luh all played their roles to perfection.
Plot
In Gen V’s pilot episode titled ‘God U’, we are introduced to Marie Moreau played by Jaz Sinclair. In typical fashion we are thrust into a flashback occurring eight years earlier when Marie unexpectedly discovers she has powers and what follows is gruesome to say the least. Back in the present, Marie receives news that she has been accepted into Godolkin University (God U). Godolkin University is a university specifically catered to educating elite supes which was founded by Thomas Godolkin and run by Vought International.
The pilot episode does well to setup the season’s overarching plot which takes us through a rollercoaster of deception. In the first episode, Marie is greeted by her new roommate Emma Meyer played by Lizze Broadway. Through a serendipitous encounter with Andre Anderson played by Chance Perdomo, Marie and Andre become acquainted.
Later in the episode, Andre invites Marie on a night out with Patrick Schwarzenegger’s character Luke Riordan and girlfriend Cate Dunlap portrayed by Maddie Phillips. Part of this band of misfits attempting to sneak off campus is Jordan Li who is portrayed by both London Thor and Derek Luh. A blend of super-powered teenagers, alcohol and drugs … what could possibly go wrong, right?.
Following this night out, Luke Riordan seemingly goes berserk on campus for unexplained reasons which results in a tragic event leaving us with a cliffhanger at then end of the first episode. The rest of the season sees Marie becoming increasingly entangled with the band of misfits to investigate the reasons behind the tragic event and as they delve deeper into the mystery, they uncover unfathomable realities forcing them to choose what kind of heroes they want to be.
How Gen V ties in with The Boys
Apart from the obvious ties to The Boys, there are numerous references and even notable cameos in Gen V which makes the storyline relevant and sets up the highly anticipated fourth season. Because this is a relatively no spoiler review, I won’t mention the extent to which the characters play a role in the series but I will name the characters that do make an appearance in the series. Current members of ‘The Seven’ A-Train, The Deep and to my surprise even Homelander all have brief cameos.
The long-forgotten Madelyn Stillwell also makes an appearance as does supporting characters Ashley Barrett and Adam Bourke. I don’t think this was on anyone’s list of anticipated cameos but they did include a very brief cameo of Love Sausage or a part of him I should say in episode 3.
A cameo which took be my surprise in a pleasant way in episode 6 was none other than Soldier Boy with Jensen Ackles reprising his role after stealing the show in season 3 of The Boys. In episode 7, another big cameo involving Claudia Doumit’s Victoria Neuman is used to reflect the chaotic political landscape following the events which occurred in the previous season and also seamlessly sets up the story for the upcoming season of The Boys.
Conclusion
The overarching plot of Gen V was a classic murder mystery type of plot with twists and turns that caught me off-guard at times. As always in The Boys universe, no buildup is ever needed for things to explode, literally and figuratively. The new characters introduced are likeable and were portrayed excellently by the actors and the variety of powers depicted through the students of Godolkin University were intriguing and leaves the door open for unlimited potential.
Personally, my only critique of the show was the pacing and drama which came along with everything else we love from the universe. The show centres around young teenagers adapting to University life and all the social pressures of being a hero whilst dealing with their own personal issues and finding a place where they belong in this ever-changing world of supes and humans attempting to co-exist.
Therefore, all the main characters are throughly fleshed out which adds scope for drama involving a lot of relationships, sex, conflict, heartbreak, backstabbing and the classic illogical decisions.
The pacing at times were slow because majority of episode time would focus on at times pointless conflict and character moments which felt like were added in just to fill the gap between the overarching plot.
But at the same time, you have to remember that this is a different show from The Boys because these are essentially teenagers who are in over their head with little to no help from the outside world so its only natural that these characters sometimes get stuck in their own heads. If you’re a fan of high school drama mixed in with superpowers and an intriguing mystery to solve and of course the gore and vulgarity of The Boys then you are in for a treat!
