How can you possibly make a show as violent, vulgar, and godless as Amazon’s The Boys even worse? Just add politics! Yes, The Boys is only the latest in a long line of shows to remind us that the phrase “Make America Great Again” is somehow a sign of evil.
The October 2 episode “Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker” continues to follow the aftermath of the public discovering that Vought International, the corporation that sponsors superheroes, was also behind their creation via a drug known as Compound-V. Unbeknownst to most of the public, however, Vought International also experiments on people and even provides superpowers to international terrorists. That way, they can justify developing superheroes on the basis of combating terrorism.
Meanwhile, the superheroes of the series, most notably Homelander (Anthony Starr) and the newcomer Stormfront (Aya Cash), cover for Vought International by hyping up the terrorist threat of inhuman supervillains “pouring across our borders.” Of course, Stormfront, who was revealed to be a literal Nazi from the 1940s, uses this opportunity to rail against illegal immigration and vows to “Keep America Safe Again.”
This episode proves the show’s politics is about as subtle as its violence. In the first few minutes, we’re treated to an onslaught of the supposedly evil Trump rhetoric against the brave young Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stand-in Representative Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit) for the viewing pleasure of the overweight, paranoid, white, male Trump supporter stereotype. There’s even a bonus Rush Limbaugh stand-in for emphasis. It’s amazing that giving people superpowers is somehow more believable than this scene.
Radio Host: 30% of the public is hard-core aware now and know how the system works. And then we don’t do anything about it. That’s why Super terrorists continue to invade America.
Stormfront: There are illegal immigrants pouring into this country every day, and any one of them could be a Super terrorist.
News Anchor: Many are calling for more superheroes in order to counter the Super terrorist threat and protect Americans.
Stormfront: What is our government doing about this?
Tommy: Got to go. I’m late for class.
Tommy’s Mother: Thanks. Have a good day, hon.
Stormfront: All of us, we need to stand up right now. I am sick of waiting for some executive to finish his…
Victoria: We are going to hold hearings on Vought and Compound V.
Clerk: That’s $1.45.
Stormfront: I’m gonna tell you something I probably shouldn’t. I’m gonna tell you something that the government doesn’t want you…
Radio Host: And they want more Super terrorists. That’s…
News Anchor: Many people are pointing out that the rush to judgement by the left…
Man: Victoria Neumen’s accusation that…
Tommy’s Mother: Have a good day, hon.
Stormfront: No offense. I get you have your talking points, but why does it matter what some supervillain-loving snowflake has…Every minute we waste, one Super terrorist has gotten through. More will come.
Clerk: That’s $1.45.
Stormfront: And, I mean, for all we know, these maniacs could have already flown over our borders and could be standing next to you right now just waiting for their chance to kill us all.
Clerk: You all right, pal?
Tommy: Yeah.
Stormfront: Keep America safe again. And I am so glad that I was there this time. But what about…
Following this montage, Tommy (Charley Koontz) actually ends up shooting and killing the store clerk out of paranoia. It’s basically a reminder that even in the world of superpowered monsters, liberals will try to convince you that it’s the radicalized right-wingers you really have to fear.
Other than that, there’s nothing new that The Boys does here that hasn’t been beaten to death in dozens of other shows. We get it. MAGA and KAG bad like Orange Man Bad. The Boys should just stick to its usual shtick of blowing up heads like it does in this episode. At least that can disgust both sides.
