The Boys are back next week and reviews for the second season have arrived.
Those of you hoping Amazon’s superhero series would soar yet again can rest easy. The critical response is largely positive, focusing on the show diving deeper into what makes the Seven and Billy Butcher tick, while also maintaining its trademark sense of blood and brutal action scenes.
If you’re looking for GamesRadar’s review of The Boys season 2 then you have a little longer to wait. We’re taking a slightly different approach: individual reviews of the first three episodes will be up around release day, September 4, so we can go into more depth alongside those are intent on watching it as soon as it lands next Friday.
Without further ado, here’s our round-up of The Boys season 2 reviews.
Collider – The Boys season 2 broadens the show’s horizons
“Perhaps the most important thing that Season 2 does is push the show’s scope beyond the realm of capes and tights; its messages aren’t subtle, but then again, neither is putting on a costume and fighting crime. And to be honest, right now maybe the subtle path isn’t the best direction to go, in a number of respects. Maybe what we as a culture really need, right now, is for Karl Urban to headbutt us, grin, and tell us not to worry.” Read the full review here.
TechRadar – Don't worry, The Boys still retains its trademark gore
“Saying much more about The Boys season 2 would spoil it. If like us, though, the first season of the show surprised you by being a bloodbath with heart, that hasn't changed here. Enough about this cynical world of superheroes has moved on, however, to make the threat level feel higher.” Read the full review here.
A.V. Club – Stormfront is MVP this season, but every character has improved
“As a whole, the second season of The Boys is a solid improvement on the first: Smarter, sharper, and more engaged with its stories and characters—not to mention [Aya] Cash swooping in and pulling off a sneak MVP performance with her devilishly dry turn as Stormfront. But even [Karl] Urban’s Butcher, so single-minded and reductive in season one, finally gets to start digging into some ambiguities with his grizzled antihero, teasing out the guy’s darker side while finding ways to reveal some weaknesses.” Read the full review here.
IGN – What Homelander is getting up to in season 2
“After last season's shocking reveal that Billy Butcher's wife Becca is not only still alive but also raising Homelander's son, we wondered how that might affect each man differently. For Homelander, well, let's just say a sociopathic superman doesn’t make the greatest dad in the world, but it's still fascinating to watch him try. Starr has that rare ability to make you cringe, laugh, and gasp all in one scene. Next to The Deep, he's one of the most captivating characters to watch due to the fact that you're never quite sure what his true motivations are.” Read the full review here.
Den of Geek – Four stars as The Boys avoids playing it safe
“Fortunately, it’s not simply a case of the new season pleasing established fans of the show, which it certainly will; it may also win over those who were on the fence after finding few characters to like in season one.” Read the full review here.
