Review: Gen V Premiere – Bold College Supes

The gritty and harsh world of The Boys has shocked and intrigued audiences with how far the show was willing to go. Based on the comic series of the same name, it took the concept of super heroes and pushed it very far with how realistic it can be. The spinoff series from that show titled Gen V begins a new story set within the same world, but with a completely different cast of characters. If you loved how over-the-top and blunt the original show could be, then you’re going to feel right at home with Gen V. The first two episodes show its just as gritty and mature as its predecessor, but with an entirely new perspective that will keep you coming back to watch more.

Gen V takes place concurrently with the fourth season of The Boys, and set within the Godolkin University of Crimefighting. A young women named Marie Moreau, who is able to control and bend blood, is accepted into enrollment and is thrusted into the crazy community of young supes that are being trained. Students compete in battle royale challenges to gain a ranking at the university and hopefully one day become one of The Seven. But a secret related to Vought International begins to resurface and the supes in danger, forcing Marie to face the reality of being a superhero in this harsh world.

The best part about Gen V is that it unapologetically goes far with its subject matter in the same way The Boys does. People that are killed because of supes-related incidents will spill out blood and guts in all of its horrific detail. At the same time, the show doesn’t shy away of how grotesque some aspects of supe social norms can be within the university, with one sex scene being boldly graphic and messed up at the same time. Luckily, the plot is able to remain interesting and place building blocks for a larger issue that every character will have to face throughout the series moving forward. It doesn’t get too caught up on how gritty it can be, but instead uses it to keep the plot intriguing.

Marie Moreau is played by Jaz Sinclair, who delivers a great performance as a damaged character that tries to remain hopeful throughout her struggles. She has a wide-eyed view of being one of the supes at first, but eventually begins to become burdened by the harsh truths about what that really means for her and society as a whole. Her blood bending abilities look very cool, but have a very sad origin and mental toll on her when she uses them. She’s able to control her own blood when cut, but also the blood of others when its spilled.

We first see Marie as a young girl discovering her powers through a major tragedy, which establishes many interesting parts of her character and arc that will play out through the series. While she doesn’t always make the right decisions in the moment, her motivation to be a genuine good person and hope to do right by herself is what drives her actions and makes us empathize with her greatly.

Other characters in the show’s premiere have interesting backstories and traits that explore harsh issues while also highlighting interesting super powers. Lizze Broadway plays Emma Meyer, Marie’s roommate with the power to shrink in size, but through a horrific method that is tough to watch. She’ll defintiely be a character many grow to like, but will probably go through some very bad situations along the way.

She’s one of the few people who opens up to Marie when she arrives at the university and encourages her to embrace the culture there, and yet at the same time has immense personal struggles he suffers with alone. One scene has her interacting with another student that she opens up to, only to find out a devastating consequence shortly after. She doesn’t play a big factor in the main plot at the start, but will most likely do so as the series goes on and things begin to unfold more about the university and Vought International.

The rest of the cast have just enough layered aspects to their personalities and backstories to make them great to watch. The group of top ranked students that Marie meets at the university all have huge problems in their lives, despite being gifted supes with amazing powers. Londor Thor is a shapeshifter that can change their gender at will, Cate Dunlap is an empath that can make others do whatever she tells them, Andre Anderson has the ability to control metal, and Luke Riordan can ignite himself and use fire manipulation.

Each of them have a close relationship with one-another, but also deep problems individually that are hinted at throughout the premiere episodes related to family, legacy, and mental issues. While some major incidents rock the core of their relationships, their involvement with Marie and what’s going on with the university take each of them to dark places that will be fascinating to watch throughout the season.

The superhero grime of grit on display in Gen V will definitely make this a standout show to watch. While the premiere episodes give a very good idea of the tone to expect, it seems like there’s a lot crazier things to see in the rest of the season. If you loved watching The Boys and how far it pushed the line with its story, then you’re really going to like what Gen V brings to the table. The plot of the show will most definitely take viewers into some harsh territory that will continue to thrill, shock, and entice everyone to watch more. Regardless of how crazy things can get, we’re all here for it.

What do you think about Gen V overall? Are you a big fan of The Boys series and the story it tells about superheroes? Share your thoughts about everything in the comment section below!