The Boys: All seasons ranked

The Boys Season 4 has made its premiere, and to celebrate, here are all seasons of Amazon Prime’s hit anti-superhero series so far, ranked. 

Eric Kripke struck gold with the debut season of The Boys. Launching in 2019, at a time when superhero fatigue was starting to kick in, his gritty series — based on the comic books of the same name — proved to be the perfect antidote. 

We’ve been on quite the journey since then. Season 3 ended with Soldier Boy locked up in a secret chamber, Butcher finding out he’s got months to live, and Homelander winning over the ‘Merican public, with his son Ryan emerging as a potential new threat to humanity. Oh, and Victoria Neuman is now Vice President. No biggie. 

As we wait for the next episode of The Boys Season 4, here are all seasons of the superhero TV show ranked from worst to best (or, should I say, great to the greatest). 

4. The Boys Season 4 (2024)

Prime Video

If you’re a fan of The Boys, Season 4 is undoubtedly worth your time. It’s funny, cynical, and has Homelander acting more unhinged than he ever has before. So, why is it last on the list?

Firstly, the political commentary, though utterly chortle-worthy, is a little too on-the-nose. In Season 4 Episode 2, we see Frenchie, MM, and Butcher head to a conspiracy theorist convention called ‘Truthcon’. And while it paves the way for some bonkers brutality, there are moments and quotes that could have been ripped straight from real-life (see QAnon). 

And perhaps this is the issue any TV series has to deal with when pushing past the first couple of seasons: it just doesn’t feel as fresh as it once did. In this case, the central battle of Vought vs. The Boys is still going on, four chapters in.

As we said in our three-star review, “Where previous The Boys seasons felt complete, certain side stories here feel shoehorned in. Some take a predictable turn, making the stakes feel lower than ever before.”

However, that’s not to say it isn’t still great TV, and the perfect antidote to those who are feeling franchise fatigue. Just three episodes in, there are countless jaw-dropping moments (including an explicit Human Centipede homage) to reference. 

And these will hopefully be enjoyed so much more knowing that Kripke won’t be making the same mistake he did with Supernatural; The Boys is officially ending with Season 5.

3. The Boys Season 2 (2020)

Prime Video

Let’s start off by saying The Boys’ second chapter is still a doozy, not least because, at this stage, we were all in on the joke.

The groundwork had been laid by Season 1, allowing Kripke and his writing team to delve further into its cynical skewering of modern politics and pop culture, with Vought’s PR machine working overtime to cover up the misdeeds of its psychopathic supes. 

A hilarious yet terrifying addition to the cast was Stormfront, aka Liberty, aka Klara Risinger, the supposed edgy SJW who we later find out is a 101-year-old Nazi hellbent on creating her own Aryan race. Homelander’s along for the ride, at least for the time being, with the pair making the ultimate villainous couple.  

Then there’s Butcher’s hunt for Rebecca, his hilarious interactions with his surrogate son Ryan, The Deep’s inauguration into the cult-like Church of the Collective (and that heart-to-heart with his gills), and Homelander’s vomit-inducing interactions with Doppelganger’s Madelyn.

Honorable mention goes to Starlight and Hughie for being their cute selves and rocking out to Billy Joel’s ‘We Didn’t Start the Fire.’ That look Hughie gives when he realizes she knows all the words? Pure goosebumps. 

But the best part of Season 2 has to be the finale, more than an hour of bone-crunching action, heartfelt interactions, the Victoria Neuman supe twist, and Homelander’s death glare, which never fails to send chills down my spine. 

Though it’s painful to rank Season 2 last due to its sheer brilliance, it just doesn’t measure up to the impact of Season 1’s introduction into this world, or the hilarity and insanity of Season 3. 

2. The Boys Season 1 (2019)

Prime Video

Starting as it meant to go on, The Boys Season 1 opened with A-Train killing Robin in grisly fashion, accidentally turning her into a human slushie. And this was only the beginning.

The debut chapter masterfully laid the groundwork for each of the characters while capturing the essence of Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson’s comics. 

As opposed to the muscle-bound goodies of Marvel and DC, these supes are nasty b*stards struggling to remain human in a world corrupted by greed.

And let’s not forget the casting, which was perfect from the get-go, from the nuances in Antony Starr’s evil expressions as Homelander to Karl Urban spitting bars and c-bombs as the cockney hardman Billy Butcher.

What’s most fun of all is watching the titular gang come together, with Mother’s Milk and Frenchie reluctantly joining Butcher after Hughie gets roped into the madness. His arc is particularly enthralling to watch, arguably his biggest battle being letting go of his old self.

A great side-story is Popclaw, who’s battling Compound V abuse alongside her on-and-off boyfriend A-Train. It’s great to see these moments aren’t forgotten, with Kripke and the team naturally tying them into the narrative in later seasons to help flesh out the character arcs. 

Ultimately, Seasons 2 and 3 wouldn’t have been nearly as effective if it weren’t for the groundwork laid in the first chapter. Without Season 1, we’d just be watching a bunch of sociopaths in capes playing a very messy game of tag.

1. The Boys Season 3 (2022)

Prime Video

The Boys Season 3 is in first place because there’s just more… more brutality, more fun, more drama, and more psycho supes. Speaking of which, the introduction of Soldier Boy was a masterstroke. Especially for non-comic fans, as it seemed like he was going to be an ally, only to then turn out to be an even nastier foe than Homelander. 

Another highlight is Kimiko and Frenchie’s arc; I think it’s the first time I’ve seen a platonic relationship portrayed on-screen in this way. After sharing a kiss, they both feel weirded out, to which Kimiko perfectly explains that it’s because they’re more than lovers — they’re family. 

The Boys Season 3 really amped up the fight sequences, culminating in the ultimate unexpected team-up as Homelander and Butcher take on Soldier Boy before Maeve steps in and sacrifices herself. The only way this could have been better is if A-Train and his new ticker were involved in some way. 

And let’s not forget all of the *ahem* more explicit moments: exploding penises, dildos as weapons, octopus blowies, and the bonkers supe orgy known as Herogasm. Yet, none of these moments seem gratuitous, instead exemplifying the horror and hedonism in a world run by supes. 

These moments are balanced with more serious themes, such as Butcher’s brother’s tragic suicide and his realization that, in a way, he’d turned into his abusive father. And let’s not forget Frenchie, whose dark past is revealed by Little Nina.

All in all, The Boys Season 3 is a television masterpiece, one that takes everything we love about The Boys and turns it up to 11.

The Boys Season 4 Episodes 1-3 are streaming on Prime Video now. Find out when to tune into the next one with our Season 4 release schedule. And why not check out all of the theories for the latest chapter. You can also find the best new TV shows heading to streaming this month, as well as binge-worthy series and how to watch them.

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