This article about Season 1 of the superhero series The Boys was originally published on April 18, 2019 and updated on May 9, 2021 following the release of the season on Prime Video. Read on for the original article, with some new changes to reflect the latest updates on this topic.
What happens when superheroes break bad? That’s one of the big questions driving the action on Amazon’s The Boys, starring Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, and Elizabeth Shue. Superhero shows are nothing new to Amazon Prime Video (see: The Tick), nor are they uncommon on other streaming platforms, but Amazon Studios is looking to deliver something a little different to its Prime viewers, taking a page out of the playbooks of Watchmen and Preacher by envisioning a more grim and gritty superhero world adapted from another popular comic with adult themes.
With the series arriving at the peak of summer 2019, we thought it was about time to look at what we know about Season 1. Keep reading for all the basics on The Boys.
When was The Boys Season 1 release date?
The Boys was released on Amazon Prime Video on July 26, 2019. All 8 episodes dropped on the same day.
Is there a trailer for The Boys Season 1?
Thankfully, yes, there is a trailer for this twisted and delightful superhero show.
What is the plot of The Boys Season 1?
The Boys is adapted from the comic book series of the same name written by Garth Ennis (also known for Preacher). The story is set between 2006 and 2008 and imagines a world similar to ours but where superheroes also exist (pretty standard fare for the superhero genre).
However, The Boys isn’t a fun, light vision of life with superheroes. Instead, the superheroes in The Boys have gotten pretty high on the hog thanks to their celebrity status, and a secret CIA agency known only as “The Boys” are often called in to wrangle them back into the do-gooders they’re supposed to be.
The Boys focuses on a core group of superheroes known as The Seven and Vought, a powerful business conglomerate that oversees them. When The Seven become practically unmanageable as they go on more than a few dangerous power trips, “The Boys,” led by Billy Butcher (Karl Urban), are called in to, as he puts it in the trailer, “spank them” until they get their act together.
Much like the comics, The Boys will turn up the dial on violence, sex, drug use, and all manner of things worthy of being turned into a vice. Expect this show to be as explicit as it is fun and as much a parody of the superhero genre as it is its own original vision of the world of superheroes.
Who is in the cast of The Boys Season 1?
Karl Urban leads The Boys team as Billy Butcher, with Jack Quaid playing Hughie. Other members of The Boys include Laz Alonso (as Mother’s Milk), Tomer Capon (as Frenchie, known as The Frenchman), and Karen Fukuhara (as Female, known as The Female in the comics).
As for The Seven, Antony Starr plays The Homelander; Nathan Mitchell plays Black Noir; Dominique McElligott is taking on the role of Queen Maeve; Jessie Usher plays A-Train; Chace Crawford is on board as The Deep; and Erin Moriarty is Starlight.
Elizabeth Shue also appears in the series as a bigwig at Vought, and Jennifer Esposito is set to appear, too, as the deputy director of the CIA. Oh, and keep an eye out for Simon Pegg, who is currently billed as “Hughie’s Dad.”
Are the superheroes in The Boys modeled after other popular superheroes?
Even if you have a passing familiarity with comics, it’s easy to deduce the DC or Marvel Comics analogs for each of The Seven. As exhibited in the trailer, it looks like The Homelander (Starr) is based on cornfed superheroes like Captain America or Superman, trusty All-American types who are easy to root for. Although Black Noir has no analog in the comics, the styling of his suit and his abilities — which include super strength — are giving us distinct Deadpool vibes. With his incredible speed, A-Train is definitely meant to hearken back to The Flash, while Queen Maeve is distinctly positioned and styled in the trailer to recall Wonder Woman. With his green vest and tendency to get wet (just watch the trailer and see for yourself), the Deep is most certainly the Aquaman of the group. Despite not having an outright comics analog, Starlight could easily have roots in Captain Marvel or Supergirl.
Was The Boys renewed for Season 2?
Yes! The week before Season 1 premiered, Amazon renewed The Boys for Season 2, which premiered on September 4, 2020. The series has also been renewed for a third season, as well as a spin-off show.
The Boys premiered on Amazon Prime Video on July 26, 2019.
