There’s no doubt that The Boys is the best move Amazon Prime Video has ever made. Since the streaming platform was created to compete against others like Netflix or HBO, it has continuously released new series without sparing any expense. However, few have turned out as excellent as The Boys.
The series starring Karl Urban and Anthony Starr has been gaining a legion of fans since 2019, and now it is complemented by an equally high-quality spin-off: Gen V. This new series, based on a university for superheroes in The Boys’ world, risked either exhausting the formula or focusing too much on a different audience than the original series. However, it has proven to be a gem that has little to envy from its predecessor.
The perfect complement to The Boys
“Gen V” puts us in the shoes of Marie Moreau, a young woman with the power to manipulate blood, who is traumatized by her past. The emergence of her powers led to the unintentional manslaughter of her parents. Now older and with the goal of reconciling with her sister, who has hated her since then and cut all ties, she enters Godolkin University. But, although she wants to become a hero to earn everyone’s forgiveness, achieving it will cost her sweat… and a lot of blood.
The series risked being a low-quality version of X-Men, yet it achieves the opposite: it reaches heights that this group of heroes has reached in comics, far surpassing what is currently seen in visual media. Just like in The Boys, it portrays social issues through superheroic metaphors filled with gore.
While The Boys tackles social issues like feminism and racism, Gen V delves into typical adolescent problems. Its portrayal of these issues is incredible. It directly addresses topics such as the transgender population, eating disorders like bulimia, and bullying. However, it does so in a visceral and unapologetic manner, making it one of the boldest series of the present time.
Gen V is perfect for mature audiences (over 18 years old); it’s mature in its themes but doesn’t lose the adolescent vibe seen in other series like Elite or Sex Education… just done with better taste. In essence, it’s a perfect spin-off for an already historic series. It amplifies a universe that can expand however it pleases.
