The Boys - S01 Season 1 -

The season opens with a tragic event that defines the entire series. Hughie Campbell (Jack Quaid), a mild-mannered electronics store employee, is walking down the street holding hands with his girlfriend, Robin. Suddenly, a Supe named A-Train (Jessie T. Usher)—a speedster with a lot of ego and no brakes—runs through Robin at supersonic speed, reducing her to a fine red mist. Hughie is left holding her severed hands.

★★★★★ (5/5) Where to Stream: Amazon Prime Video Content Warning: Extreme graphic violence, sexual assault, language, gore, psychological horror. Not for children. The Boys - S01 Season 1

Here is your complete, spoiler-filled breakdown of Season 1—the characters, the gore, the twists, and why it changed television forever. The Boys is set in an alternate version of our world where "Supes"—superpowered individuals—exist. They aren't alien refugees or radioactive accidents. They are manufactured, managed, and monetized by a massive multinational conglomerate: Vought International . The season opens with a tragic event that

Vought markets the Supes as a benevolent Justice League-style team called . They have movies, action figures, theme parks, and endorsement deals. The public worships them. But behind the slick PR campaigns and Hollywood smiles lies a cesspool of depravity. Usher)—a speedster with a lot of ego and

When the first season of The Boys dropped on Amazon Prime Video in July 2019, the superhero genre was at peak saturation. The Marvel Cinematic Universe was wrapping up its "Infinity Saga" with Avengers: Endgame still fresh in viewers' minds, and DC was slowly finding its footing with Aquaman and Shazam! . We were accustomed to capes, chiseled jaws, saving cats from trees, and quippy one-liners. We were comfortable.