Can you watch Gen V without watching The Boys first?

Gen V introduces a brand new crop of superheroes to The Boys universe, but do you need to watch The Boys in order to understand the plot?

Based on the comic book series of the same name, the Boys stars a group of superheroes who set out to expose the truth about Vought International and an Avengers-like team known as the Seven. The ensemble cast includes Antony Starr, Karl Urban, Jensen Ackles, Chace Crawford, and Erin Moriarity.

Gen V is based on The Boys comic book story arc "We Gotta Go Now" by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson – which has been described as a parody of both the X-Men in general and the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters - and sees a brand new crop of supes attend a Vought International-run college known as Goldokin University.

Both shows are similar, sure, but they each have their own main plots and storylines going on. Scroll down for our verdict on whether or not you need to do a three-season binge-watch before starting Gen V.

Can you watch Gen V without watching The Boys first?

Short answer: yes. You can binge seasons 1-3 of The Boys to get fully immersed in the world, or watch the first season to get familiar with the vibe – but it's not a requirement. 

While the series is canon to The Boys universe, it does a pretty good job at existing as its own separate entity and gives a bit of context for its various references to the flagship series. Several characters from The Boys do make cameos, but you don't need to know who Soldier Boy and A-Train are, or what Vought International is – everything is either quickly explained or implied. 

But if you're one of those TV watchers who likes to follow a timeline, Gen V takes place directly after the events of The Boys season 3 and right before season 4. Throughout the new series, we get news broadcasts and other allusions to the events of season 3, specifically in the season 3 finale. Season 4 does not yet have a release date.

Overall, it's set up in a way that both fans of The Boys and the average person looking for something to watch on a Friday night can enjoy.

Gen V hits Prime Video on September 29, with its first three episodes before continuing weekly every Friday. In the meantime, check out our The Boys season 3 ending explained to refresh your memory, or get prepped with our guide to everything we know so far about The Boys season 4. For more on Gen V check out our guides to:

• Our Gen V review
• A Homelander Easter egg you might have missed
• Where does Gen V take place on The Boys timeline?
• Gen V release schedule