TV Review: ‘The Boys’ Needs More Profound Moments After Season 4, Episode 7

Once a season of television gets going — especially one with a continuous narrative — it’s hard to change course and correct mistakes. The plot is set on a particular path, and the story has to see it through to the end, for better or worse. That’s pretty much where this week’s episode of The Boys lands. As a whole, the season does not measure up to the three that came before it. But with the character arcs are already in motion. it’s not entirely this installment’s fault for having to continue on that path. It does its best with what it has … but right now, the season just feels like it’s doomed to disappoint.

After learning that the virus he hoped to kill Homelander (Antony Starr) with would cause a pandemic, Butcher (Karl Urban) goes against his hallucination in the form of Kessler (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and tells the rest of the group. This prompts Frenchie (Tomer Capone) to help develop it, even though he wants to turn himself in for his crimes. Meanwhile, Mother’s Milk (Laz Alonso) attempts to leave with his family but is pulled back into the fray, convinced that nowhere he goes will be safe. Also, Sister Sage (Susan Heyward) has a falling out with Homelander as she is not quite as smart as she appears to be.

All of those plot lines fell flat and did not carry the drama that the show has been known for. But the episode wasn’t without great moments, which show a glimmer of hope. The most profound of these was A-Train (Jessie T. Usher) finally being outed as the leak and turning against his fellow heroes. This has been a long time coming and shows genuine progress to the series, but it’s unclear just how much effect it will have as A-Train takes off at the end of the episode, quite possibly forever. The Boys should definitely have more profound moments if it wants to reclaim its spot as a must-watch show.

The Boys streams Thursdays on Amazon Prime.