I thought this episode, at least the farm adventure part, was a pretty serious step back in quality. It just made no sense.
OK, so Neuman and the Boys both want to find the virus, which they believe has been stolen. I mean, not really the kind of thing that happens in real life, but sure. I assumed that meant, you know, using their hacking and infiltration skills. Not… wandering around a farm together. It really felt like there were a few key lines of missing dialog explaining (a) why they were just looking on the farm, and (b) why neither Stan nor Neuman could just call for help when they were stuck in a barn. They are both people with enormous resources at their disposal.
On the other hand, the Hughie’s dad plot was amazing. (Btw, I was last week years old when I learned that Hughie’s dad is not played by some-actor-who-looks-a-fair-bit-like-Simon-Pegg-but-obviously-it’s-not-Simon-Pegg-in-that-small-role, as I’d always previously assumed.)
Having most of the cast just wandering around aimlessly, interspersed with scenes of gore that contributed nothing to the plot, and eventually accomplishing nothing was as good a visual metaphor for the state of this show as one could possibly imagine.
(a) I think they were looking to see if Samir was a victim of the massacre at the farm (although nobody said that outright).
(b) I didn’t think they were in the barn for very long; I’m not sure what sort of (discreet) assistance would be instantly available.
I’m having trouble thinking of whom she could call who would (1) keep the secret of the hidden bio-lab, (2) be able to fight super-sheep, and (3) show up in 5 or 10 minutes.
You don’t think that in the Boys universe, there’s a super-incident-response-team that is part of the secret service and is always on standby?
I mean, it’s easy enough to come up with reasons why neither she nor Stan could call someone… but it’s frustrating to have 30 minutes of slowly walking around a farm on foot without even clarifying what’s going on.
The only anti-superhero agents I’ve seen so far are:
some Vought guys dressed up like SWAT team members who get torn apart by Homelander
The Boys themselves (who have elite military training), who were proposing to run away
I haven’t seen anything to suggest there are any normal humans tougher than elite soldiers or policeman who would clearly be out of their depths in a superhero fight without careful preparation (and even with a lot of preparation, The Boys often lose).
As far as I can tell, gunfire from range could drop, say, Firecracker while she’s standing still. Or Deep, while he’s standing still. Or Sage, while she’s standing still. Or A-Train, while he’s standing still. Or the current Black Noir, while he’s standing still. I grant that it’s preparation, but “get the drop on them and open fire” seems like basic training.
Were I President or VP, I’d never let a Supe anywhere near me. And I’m betting Vought has some legal thing where only Supes are allowed to fight Supes. Or possibly not.
To be fair, AFAICT his line was “I studied performing arts at Godolkin.” Yes, it could be funny if he turns out to be roughly as tough as Homelander despite only ever talking like a theater major with powers that really only lend themselves to rehearsed showmanship — but I figured that the real gag would be that, no, he’s standing in for Black Noir despite having the ability to be, like, a slightly better funambulist than the world’s greatest non-powered circus performer.
I remember I tried and I remember that I bailed very quickly and I have absolutely zero memory of why. I do know that it wasn’t anything specifically offensive or bad it just didn’t capture my attention so I wandered away.
Just watched episode 6. Not really worried about Wee Hughie, despite the predicament he finds himself in . Plot armor and all that sort of thing, you know.
I felt somewhat calmed by the reduced level of mayhem (although I know the bill will come due by the end of the season), but I loved Victoria’s fantasy about her response to that .01 percenter channeling Todd Akin. And Sage’s reaction to being shot in the head.
Does anyone else think A-Train’s commitment to flipping on Vought/Homelander was strengthened by that little boy’s smile at the ER?
I wonder if the reveal that the new Noir can fly, combined with his obsessive desire to commit to a role he fully understands, combined with his introduction to the concept of week-long orgasmic enjoyment from killin’, combined with Homelander emphasizing that he can fly, the way supers he looks down on can’t is meant to set up a plot point from the comics.
I just binged the latest series up to episode 6. Still enjoying it but if there was any subtlety about the satire (I’m not sure there was anyway to be honest), then that is well and truly gone. I mean, I assume the writers are all liberal lefties (I am too), but ‘on the nose’ would be a massive understatement.
I must admit I laughed a lot at the flying psycho sheep, even if it was childish. And how the hell was a wooden barn door meant to keep them out, they attacked and ripped apart a V’ed-up bull for god’s sake!
The bit with Hughie’s dad was surprisingly well done and Simon Pegg did a great job.
The most shocking thing for me, which someone has pointed out already, was the actor who has lost so much weight! Genuinely didn’t recognise him for a few seconds.