Eric Kripke, American writer and television producer, expands the universe of “The Boys” with what seems to be a more twisted, crude and dark version of the Charles Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters.
“Gen V,” the Amazon Prime Video spinoff of “The Boys,” centers around Godolkin University (God U) for “supes” — humans who’ve been infected with a mutagenic virus called “Compound V” that grants them superabilities. The university is run by Vought International, the same company from “The Boys,” which capitalizes on the supes by managing — or, better said, controlling — and merchandising their images.
Released Sept. 29, with the final episode premiering Nov. 3, the show begins with a flashback of Marie Moreau’s (Jaz Sinclair) first period, giving a perfect example of what we can expect from “Gen V.” The scene culminates in a brutal and shocking way, setting the pattern of similarly normal life experiences turning into catastrophic events for this group of college-age superheroes.
It later becomes clear that she is the main character of this show, as we follow her into becoming a Godolkin University student, escaping the doomdale that is Red River Institute, a home for delinquent, “failed” supes.
Following the events from “The Boys” season three finale, Marie struggles as she gets rejected from Godolkin University School of Crime-fighting by Jordan Li (Derek Luh and London Thor), the “gender”-shifting supe that works as a TA for the introductory crime-fighting class. Left with no other choice, Marie joins the other Goldkin University School of Performing Arts with her roommate Emma Meyer (Lizze Broadway), who’s gained a massive YouTube following thanks to her Ant-Man-esque powers.
In the same fashion as its antecedent, the creators don’t miss out on the chance to make a sort of social commentary on the situation presented by this show. Unlike regular colleges off the screen, God U is highly dependent on its student’s social media presence and “profitability.” The academic program at God U bears a striking resemblance to Division I college athletic departments. In an attempt to become one of the select few who are eventually drafted into “The Seven” — this universe’s equivalent of the Avengers — the students are continuously matched against one another, and work to develop the top supes brands.
Unlike the morally deviant protagonists of “The Boys,” this show follows a group of messy individuals who are clearly figuring themselves out as they try to climb up the social ladder Vought has created for supes.
There’s Golden-Boy, also known as Luke Riordan (Patrick Schwarzenegger), a hot – literally, his abilities allow him to engulf himself in flames and control fire — rising supe who holds the first place in the rank system. His best friend, Andre Anderson (Chance Perdomo), is a metal-bender ranked number two and the son of “Polarity,” a supe who shares the same abilities. Luke’s girlfriend, Cate Dunlap (Maddie Phillips), is perhaps one of the most ethically complex characters in the show, who can telepathically control others through touch, along with his brother, Sam Riordan (Asa Germann).
While few people can relate to sharing a building with other superpowered humans, Gen V is founded on a quite realistic representation of college life. Earlier in September, Screenrant released an article where they shared that Kripke, executive producer and writer for Gen V, hoped for the series to be “one of the most realistic college shows anyone’s made.” The show takes situations that any college student can find themselves with and runs with it in their “own weird direction.”
Alongside this, the series utilizes the current relationship between Gen Z and social media to its advantage. The show showcases the power social media can have, driving people to put content over morals more than once and touching on topics of race, diversity and privilege.
This also serves as a device so the show can provide a “wokeness” that resonates with today’s audience. Through the supes’ powers, it engages in conversations about gender, self-harm and even eating disorders.
The chemistry between the group is fantastic, and as the season goes on, disdain for each other unravels into a bond that each of them desperately needs. Broadway and Perdomo deliver some of the series’ best and most emotional work. While from the beginning, these two seem to be set up to remain sidekicks, they become essential to the story.
Overall, “Gen V” combines the cynical, raw, satirical tone that “The Boys” has mastered so gracefully with the popular teen drama genre model, birthing a show that promises to keep fans of “The Boys” satisfied and bring a few more viewers to the table. In spite of the public’s initial concerns about what might have been a disastrous spin-off, “Gen V” manages to stand strong and remain independent of its predecessor. Of course, there’s still quite some fanservice, as we see several cameos throughout the season, building onto the hype for “The Boys” Season four.
“Gen V” is a humorous and sharp coming-of-age drama whose protagonists happen to have superpowers. Not even a month after its release, Variety confirmed the show had been renewed for a second season Oct. 19.
