The Boys: Beware of the Jabberwock, My Son
June 27, 2024 4:29 PM - Season 4, Episode 5 - Subscribe

Vought hold an expo. Hugh Sr. wakes from his coma. The Boys take a trip to a farm.
posted by simonw (18 comments total)
 
Wow that parody of the Marvel Cinematic Universe was unsubtle and savage, and well deserved.

Turns out it's a really bad idea to let V get into the ground water!
posted by simonw at 4:31 PM on June 27, 2024 [4 favorites]


Expected more from Mr Fuzzy Butt.

Simon Pegg's American accent was impeccable, I thought.
posted by SPrintF at 4:45 PM on June 27, 2024 [1 favorite]


So on one hand this episode had some seriously wonderful content. Killer flying sheep? Yes please! Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Karl Urban being awful in the name of the greater good? Love it. More Giancarlo Esposito? Of course! And I was impressed with Homelander's ability to manipulate Ryan using his desire to genuinely help people.

On the other, while Simon Peg delivered some amazing acting, the writing leading up that poignant scene was slapdash. Do I genuinely believe that Hughie has picked up enough knowledge from Frenchie to effectively euthanize his Dad without pain from medication available in an empty procedure room? I do not. I'm also not thrilled with how rushed the entire Hughie's Dad subplot was in general. But at least we got a taste for how dangerous V is when injected to someone who is seriously ill/dying.

Definitely the strongest episode this season though.
posted by miss-lapin at 7:28 PM on June 27, 2024


What do we think of the fan theory going around that Jeffrey Dean Morgan's character is a hallucination in Billy Butcher's Temp-V addled brain? We don't see him interact with anyone else.
posted by Schmucko at 8:20 PM on June 27, 2024 [1 favorite]


"This man is no condition to fuck a sheep."
posted by yonega at 8:50 PM on June 27, 2024 [10 favorites]


I'm also not thrilled with how rushed the entire Hughie's Dad subplot was in general.

Counterpoint: I’m glad this season is resolving side plots quickly. I think if Eric Kripke thought The Boys would be continuing on indefinitely, he may have made Hughie Sr., Colin, and the Shining Light subplots last a full season. But knowing this show is coming to an end soon, he lets the subplots make their points and affect their associated characters quickly and then moves on.

Anyone who didn’t also watch Gen V is obviously missing some important back story, but the best part is that they’re missing all the Tek Knight innuendo about plumbing the depths of a dark gaping hole.
posted by ejs at 9:32 PM on June 27, 2024 [3 favorites]


What do we think of the fan theory going around that Jeffrey Dean Morgan's character is a hallucination in Billy Butcher's Temp-V addled brain?

The Tyler Durden theory is the most overused and threadbare fan theory there is (see the argument that Ferris Bueller is a figment of Cameron’s imagination) but what the heck, this show could pull it off if any could.
posted by ejs at 9:36 PM on June 27, 2024 [1 favorite]


Big Apache Chief shedding one tear about litter being the whitest man on the entire planet…
posted by hototogisu at 2:20 AM on June 28, 2024 [8 favorites]


I just caught up on the first five episodes and all these threads so far. I was 80% certain that Hughie's mom was a hallucination, and subsequently also suspected that the whole sequence with Hughie's dad getting the V and regaining consciousness was Hughie's fantasy. I'm not yet convinced that some part of that is not the case; because of what the show is generally like the thing that seems most likely to be real are the horrible consequences. I did also consider that Butcher's contact could be another hallucination, but it seems weird and unsatisfying for Butcher to get two of them. Maybe I'm just too attached to this theory in general.

I'm continuing to enjoy all the references and parodies.
posted by confluency at 2:10 PM on June 29, 2024


The official Boys tiktok just posted this from Cameron Coleman.
posted by miss-lapin at 2:30 PM on June 29, 2024


What was it?
posted by hototogisu at 1:50 AM on June 30, 2024


The reddit gave it its own post, so you should able to see it here.

What a weird episode tonally. I did find the ravenous sheep hilarious. Then, the whiplash of Hugh's awakening and horror at what's happening to him. Simon Pegg was fantastic at being feaarful, horrified, and terrifying.

Ryan's delight in his milkshake and the slapping made me a little worried that he can't be redeemed. A little too much like his father for comfort.
posted by gladly at 5:28 PM on June 30, 2024


Entertainingly my link was to the reddit post, which features the tiktok clip.
posted by miss-lapin at 12:39 PM on July 1, 2024


Big Apache Chief shedding one tear about litter being the whitest man on the entire planet…

"Inekchok!"
posted by straight at 1:02 AM on July 2, 2024 [2 favorites]


Gotta admit I loved Ashley framing Not Tucker Carlson for the leak.

I was sure they would pull some last-minute gross-out punchline when Huey's dad was dying, and it was almost sweet when they didn't.

Ryan only told that woman to strike the director again twice, but the way she kept at it without further encouragement makes me think he must've deserved it, even if Ryan's satisfaction was sheer horror (Cameron Crovetti was pretty great in this scene).
posted by straight at 1:10 AM on July 2, 2024 [2 favorites]


Simon Pegg is too fucking funny as an American. The American. I was cackling.

They are padding this thing out with subplots, that s why the tone shifts. Also, they are doing a good job of it, I think.

The satire beats are done as within episode gags, and that can seem like they are wrapping up plots rapidly, but I dont want them to drag out the satire beats.

The comics have that over-the-top tone the entire time, there s no way to keep that up without it being tiresome. So I m glad they are slowing down and going for some earnest family stuff. the fate of the sons and daughters is all inter-related as a theme, I think it s solid work.
posted by eustatic at 1:33 AM on July 3, 2024 [1 favorite]


I was 80% certain that Hughie's mom was a hallucination, and subsequently also suspected that the whole sequence with Hughie's dad getting the V and regaining consciousness was Hughie's fantasy.

I could be mistaken, but I don't think I have seen Hughie's mom interact with anyone other than him. On the other hand, his dad did seem to see his mom in a couple of scenes, so I'm really not sure what to make of it all.
posted by Fleebnork at 7:25 AM on July 11, 2024 [1 favorite]


The murder spree is markedly different from how Kessler interacts with Butcher.
posted by miss-lapin at 1:01 PM on July 11, 2024


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