‘The Boys’ has never been shy of getting too weird. The show has literally made its name on brutal superhero satire. However, season 5 has done something unanticipated; it went deep into horror. And, surprisingly, it did not lose its identity in the process.
‘The Boys’ Season 5 Episode 4 Feels Straight Out Of A Horror Movie
Episode 4, King of Hell, is more of a nightmare than a typical episode of ‘The Boys’. The tone is established early on by the setting alone, Fort Harmony, an abandoned Vought facility. It is bleak, lonely, and full of the sort of fear that causes you to feel anxious even before anything happens.
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What takes it into the world of horror, though, is the way the characters start to fall apart. Rather than external threats, the threat is internal. An enigmatic test subject called Quinn makes everyone feel something, and it makes them angrier and deprived of restraint. It is not only painful to see friends betray one another, but it is also awkward in a manner that the show does not delve into often.
Billy Butcher, trailing Hughie Campbell in the darkness, is more reminiscent of a slasher movie than a superhero one. And when Kimiko enters predator mode, it is really tense. These characters, for once, do not feel that they are in control, and that uncertainty makes every moment strike even more.
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‘The Boys’ does not abandon its sense of humor even with all the creepiness. It is that balance that makes the episode not seem like a gimmick. Even in the midst of all the mayhem, you still get ridiculous, perfectly timed moments, such as a fight scene that suddenly undercuts itself with some ridiculous reaction, or awkward silences that say more than any dialogue could.
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The show understands when to relieve the tension, and it does so without killing the mood. And in the end, the team has nothing to say as they drive home. It’s heavy, almost painfully so, until Butcher casually plays “Mambo No. 5.” It’s such a bizarre choice that it loops back around to being hilarious.
The second-hand embarrassment is palpable through the screen. This episode may not grandly advance the main story, but it does something equally important: it reminds you how malleable this show can be. ‘The Boys’ is not confined to a single genre, and, frankly, that is the reason why it still works.
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