'We Said No Thanks': The Boys Team Rejected Amazon's Product Placement Request
One of the more absurd corporate gimmicks The Boys parodied this season was actually inspired by its own distributor.
In an X post, showrunner Eric Kripke assessed a gag from Season 4's "Beware the Jabberwock, My Son" where Cameron Coleman and The Deep reveal how Vought uses "custom-made digital product placement" to supposedly appeal to its diverse audience's interests. Citing a Marketing Brew article, Kripke revealed that this concept -- whose algorithmic choices were depicted as comedically out of touch on the show -- is real and "Amazon pitched it to us for The Boys, we said no thanks, but we're definitely making a joke about it in Season 4. Then we did."
Homelander hugs Ryan in The Boys Season 4
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The Boys' Best Characters And Which Heroes They're Parodies Of
If there's one thing Amazon's The Boys is good at besides throwing punches at capitalism, it is parodying fan-favorite superheroes.
Likewise, a portion of the episode's V52 Expo storyline poked fun at superhero franchises, comic conventions, and endless Marvel-inspired "phases" for The Boys' Vought-distributed cinematic universe starring the Seven. Other satirical moments included a trailer for Vought's white savior-inspired A-Train movie with Will Ferrell -- who cameoed earlier this season -- and using a Guardians of the Galaxy-inspired font to introduce Gen V characters Cate Dunlap (Maddie Phillips) and Sam Riordan (Asa Germann) as the "Guardians of Godolkin."
Gen V Ties Into The Boys Season 4
While Kripke previously stated that he refrains from making The Boys' story essential to understanding its spinoff and vice versa, he also discussed how this scene reflects the way Gen V's events are perceived by the outside world, where "the villains of that day, Cate and Sam, are packaged by Vought to be the heroes, and are given a movie and given new levels of fame, whereas the true heroes of that day are locked up in some undisclosed location that'll be revealed for Gen V Season 2. Just our similar message that being a hero is usually an unsung, thankless thing, and when you're held up in front of everyone as a hero, you’re usually anything but."
Antony Starr as Homelander in the Season 2 Blooper Reel of The Boys
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Is The Boys' Violence and Gore TOO Gratuitous?
In the earlier seasons, it definitely felt like the violence, gore, raunchiness, etc. was there to serve the story. But sometimes it feels like the show is doing these things just to do it.
The-Boys-V52
Season 4 once again follows Hughie Campbell, Billy Butcher, and the Boys as they covertly battle Homelander's attempt to seize more power through Vought and the Seven. Alongside its established cast, The Boys introduced new metahumans in Seven recruits Firecracker and Sister Sage, as well as The Walking Dead's Jeffrey Dean Morgan -- who played John Winchester on Kripke's CW show Supernatural -- as Butcher's old military contact Joe Kessler. While Amazon largely steered clear of restricting The Boys' more graphic elements, Kripke admitted that the studio gave him one request this season, asking that he hold back on sex scenes between the Deep and his octopus lover compared to Season 3.
While The Boys was renewed for Season 5 earlier this year, Kripke confirmed right before Season 4's release that the next season will be its last. Season 5's casting, meanwhile, may include Supernatural star Jared Padalecki appearing alongside his co-star and Soldier Boy actor Jensen Ackles.
New The Boys Season 4 episodes premiere on Thursdays on Prime Video.
Source: X
The Boys TV Show Poster
The Boys
Release Date July 26, 2019Cast Karl Urban, Karen Fukuhara, Erin Moriarty, Jack QuaidMain Genre ActionGenres Drama, Superhero, Action, CrimeRating TV-MASeasons 4Franchise The BoysCreator Eric KripkeProduction Company Kripke Enterprises, Amazon MGM Studios, Sony Pictures Television