Just getting my thoughts out there. Feel free to add yours
spoilers for The Boys
I am so glad Maeve didn't die in the comics. You don't see her actually die in the comics either. You just see her head fall off the side of the building. Also lol at Maeve training with a sword in her montages only to fight Homelander barehanded. There's no reason for not to bring a weapon to the fight. Get an adamantium baseball bat. I don't care. You fucking fight dirty if you're fighting to the death. It wouldn't be as cool looking or choreographed, but it didn't feel like a fight to the death.
I am also glad that A-Train got his brother calling out his shit. However, his brother of course went lib and complained that he didn't do a cool thing killing Bluehawk. "I wanted his face on the news." I get in the series, that it would have more impact to get the guy's face on the news given that it's about supes especially with all the shit ramping up on the show. But when I heard that, my knee jerk was 'look what that's doing about cop violence.' the real world messaging felt dissonant to me. Idk
On that note, a bizarre thought I had was that it would be cool if Butcher recruited A-Train's brother to The Boys. I mean he's a perfect person to have join on. Severely harmed by a supe. Knowledge about training and working with a supe. And fitting in what I think is crucial messaging about The Boys.* I'll come back to this
I'm glad Annie's arc looks to be shaping up. I wish she would drop the holier than thou vibes, though. The people willingly working at Vought and covering up shit are culpable too and far worse as villains than Homelander. He's just the symptom of the real thing that needs to die. Anyway I also liked the dynamic between her and Hughie improved. He considers using the temp v but tries trusting in her instead and working with her powers. It showed them actually working together.
I don't know what Frenchy's actor did, but they're just demolishing his character. I don't like how they're depicting his addiction issues and his rant just felt cartoony. Also kinda oooof that complaining about workplace rights was lampooned like that by an Amazon property. I feel like Frenchy is losing what characterization he had.
Kimiko, no notes. Love everything Karen Fukuhara does. I'm loving her friendship with starlight and low-key hope that they hook up. They both deserve better.
Hughie is eh. But I feel weird how much they're treating him like a child. He's fucking thirty. Stop it. Black kids get mistaken for adults so much that it affects police statistics. I think we could have a little honesty with how much he's responsible for? He has been a huge dick with power and control issues since the first season. I feel like Robin being a forgotten character is a missed opportunity. They could've shown some of Hughie's issues through how he treated his former girlfriend in the relationship. Also it would've done good to see how a lib couple moved through the world of supes.
*It's something that really bugged me. The Boys 's about bringing people together to stop an oppressive threat. It's cool that Butcher did that, but why didn't others? Why aren't there other cells out there also working to bring down supes? The general population is so stupid and helpless. Why aren't there other serious groups trying to bring down supes? I get that most people would fall into easily managed opposition like online protests and peaceful in person protests, but out of almost four hundred million people, some of whom supes, only like seven people are a serious threat to vought?
I'll add comments as I think on more things.
Yeah, it feels like the show is painted into a thematic corner with a lot of its decisions. Using a previous fascist to stop a current fascist is kinda yikes and then also not using the opportunity to kill the two worst supes out there is awkward. I think a lot of it could've been salvaged if they had Butcher make it clear that he was going to use Soldier Boy as long as he can and then kill him. Right now, it's played as half-baked because it is. They're using temp v to stir up shit but they don't seem to really care about the evils of Vought and supes in general.