The Boys: Gen V Lands on Nielsen's Streaming Top 10

The Boys spinoff series Gen V has cracked Neilsen's Streaming Top 10 with its first three episodes – although there are some notable caveats to consider. First, Gen V landed at #8 for original streaming programs, not overall streaming (which also tallies syndicated TV shows). Second, at 374 million minutes of viewing time for its first 3 episodes, Gen V is far below the current ratings levels of The Boys. 

For comparison, The Boys Season 3 finale episode, which streamed in early July of 2022, snagged over 1 billion minutes of viewership, while the show, overall, ended last year with over 10 billion minutes in viewership, even outpacing each of Marvel's Disney+ shows that year. 

Now, to be fair, The Boys has had three seasons of momentum and hype to reach that ratings peak, and this measure of Gen V's popularity is only based on the first trio of episodes that were released on September 29th. In that context, this is not at all a bad start for Gen V; as the series approaches the Season 1 finale, it's been clear from social media reactions that Gen V's subsequent episodes are only helping the series gain more attention and viewers. It will be interesting to see what these additional weeks of ratings measurements reveal. 

(MILD SPOILERS) Gen V Episode 7 is the latest to premiere on Prime Video (at the time of writing this), and it has revealed the biggest tie-in yet to The Boys main series. Not only did the penultimate episode bring in a pivotal character cameos from The Boys it also made reveals that indicate the events of Gen V Season 1 will feed directly into the plotline of The Boys Season 4. In doing so, Prime Video and the heads of The Boys Universe have made the spinoff series a relevant and necessary part of the viewing experience; fan reactions to the show seem to indicate that even without The Boys crossover moments, Gen V is hitting right with its character development and twisting, turning story arc. 

What Is Gen V About? 

Gen V is the first live-action spinoff of The Boys, the hit Prime Video series based on the Dynamite Comics series. Set in Godolkin University, originally a parody of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters from Marvel's X-Men comics, the series is described as "Hunger Games" at a college and the cutthroat world of young supes trying their best to get on one of Vought's super teams, including The Seven. 

Former Marvel's Agent Carter showrunners Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters serve as showrunners, with The Boys showrunner Eric Kripke executive producing with series co-creators Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg. Jaz Sinclair, Chance Perdomo, and Lizze Broadway lead the cast of Gen V, which will also see some characters from The Boys make an appearance including Jessie T. Usher as A-Train, Colby Minifie as Vought's Ashley Barrett, and P.J. Byrne as director Adam Bourke.

Gen V is currently streaming on Prime Video.