Every Season of The Boys & Gen V, Ranked From Worst to Best

It’s sad to say, but The Boys universe may be closer to the end than the beginning. The flagship show, of course, is gearing up to release its fifth and final season, bringing an end to the conflict between the titular team and Homelander. Meanwhile, The Boys‘ first spinoff, The Boys Presents: Diabolical, isn’t returning for a second season, and it’s unclear how many seasons Gen V will get after wrapping up its sophomore outing. The final hope is Vought Rising, the spinoff focusing on Soldier Boy and Stormfront’s time in the 1950s. There are just too many unknowns to put much stock into that show, though, so it’s probably time to get affairs in order.

The reason it’ll be so sad to see The Boys go is that it’s easily the most unique superhero project out there. Eric Kripke and Co. never pull their punches, always allowing their Supes to go all out in both the violence and debauchery categories. And all the fun that The Boys has rubs off on Gen V, which is doing everything it can to make its parent show proud. Here’s every season of The Boys and Gen V, ranked from worst to best.

6) The Boys Season 4

While there are no bad seasons of The Boys, Season 4 has one problem the rest don’t: it doesn’t move the plot forward much. The whole outing revolves around Homelander trying to seize as much control as possible after dropping his heroic facade and killing a Starlighter. There’s something to be said about how well it puts the pieces in place for the final season, such as throwing most of The Boys in prison and introducing new members of The Seven, but it’s not enough to save it from ending up in the bottom spot on this list.

5) Gen V Season 1

The first season of Gen V feels a lot like Season 1 of The Boys, as it follows a character, Marie Moreau, who doesn’t know all the ins and outs of Supe culture and is thrown into the deep end. The conspiracy at Godolkin University is fascinating, and it’s great to see dozens of Supes put their powers on display. However, there are some pacing issues in Season 1, which is to be expected for a show that’s trying to operate in the shadow of a giant. The best thing Gen V‘s first season has going for it is its cast, which works hard to keep the series from losing the plot.

4) The Boys Season 1

Speaking of The Boys Season 1, it’s comfortable in the middle of the rankings because that’s more or less its purpose. It has to set so much up that it doesn’t have a lot of time to drop those bombshells that later seasons do. What it does have going for it is its perspective. Few superhero shows are as bold as to follow a nobody like Hughie Campbell, but The Boys embraces him, viewing the twisted Supe world through his eyes as he learns that the fight against Homelander and Co. is much bigger than it seems.

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3) The Boys Season 3

New cast members join The Boys every season; it’s a necessary move, since so many characters bite the dust. But few make as much of an impact as Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy, whom Billy Butcher recruits to take out Homelander. The twists and turns that Soldier Boy brings to the table are hard to top. Season 3 also has the honor of housing The Boys‘ best episode, “Herogasm,” which delivers on its promises and so much more by pitting Butcher, Hughie, and Soldier Boy against Homelander.

2) Gen V Season 2

The cliffhanger at the end of Gen V Season 1 sets up big things for the Guardians of Godolkin, but the second season goes above and beyond with its story. Not only is the character development top-notch, with Marie, Jordan Li, and the rest having to come to terms with their place in the world, but the story also fires on all cylinders. Sure, the twist is a bit predictable, but that doesn’t stop Gen V Season 2 from making the most of its oppurtunity and setting the stage for The Boys‘ final season.

1) The Boys Season 2

There’s just something about sophomore outings in The Boys universe. The second season of the flagship shows really pushes the narrative forward by introducing characters like Stormfront and Ryan Butcher, both of whom become very important to Homelander. The rest of the cast isn’t playing second-fiddle, though, as they all have to draw their lines in the sand and figure out what they’re fighting for. All of it comes together in an epic finale that is as emotional as any episode in the franchise.

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