Gen V season 2 has divided audiences and critics following its three-episode premiere, despite its close connection to Prime Video’s flagship show, The Boys. Set between the events of The Boys season 4 and the upcoming fifth and final season, Gen V season 2 faces the difficult task of filling in the gaps in The Boys’ storytelling while also solidifying its own legacy within this violent, satirical, superhero universe.
Not everyone seems to think the show’s sophomore season has succeeded at finding that balance, though. At the time of publication, Gen V season 2 boasts a solid Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score of 90%, while its audience score is surprisingly low at 63%. It should be noted, however, that season 1 suffered from a less drastic but similar divide, with a critics’ score of 97% and an audience score of 76%.
What These Scores Tell Us About Gen V Season 2
Of course, Gen V’s season 2 Rotten Tomatoes audience score could still shift, for better or for worse. There are five episodes left, and given everything we know about this world, anything could happen next. No matter what, though, Gen V will always be trapped in the unenviable position of being compared to The Boys, and that will undoubtedly have affected the audience’s perception of the story.
While several viewer reviews do mention comparisons to The Boys, many negative posts have also lambasted season 2 for feeling confused, with too many storylines interacting at once and too much focus on characters like Lizze Broadway’s Emma Meyer or Sean Patrick Thomas’ Polarity.
It’s also hard to deny the political element of the show, which some reviewers feel has become too heavy-handed and overwhelming, a criticism that The Boys seasons 3 and 4 also suffered from.
There are, however, plenty of audience posts that match the show’s critical reviews, which have generally praised the way Gen V season 2 has handled the death of Chance Perdomo, who played Andre Anderson in season 1, and the introduction of Hamish Linklater’s new villain, Dean Cipher.
Our Take On Gen V’s Season 2 Audience Scores
While Gen V does a solid job of incorporating The Boys’ political history into its story, the younger-skewing characters and the confined setting of Godolkin University present a challenge. Combined with the narrative rework necessitated by the tragic death of Chance Perdomo, Gen V season 2 had to overcome several obstacles, and like some reviewers, I do feel the pacing is off in this new season.
That feels like a consequence of Gen V’s placement in The Boys’ timeline, though, rather than a failing of the show itself.
The spinoff not only has to deal with Marie’s (Jaz Sinclair) chilling personal history with Godolkin University and Andre’s death, but also the entire Starlighters vs. Homelanders movement. Yes, it makes sense that politics would influence an academic setting. Still, there’s a risk that it will overwhelm the characters’ storylines and their personal growth – Jordan’s (London Thor/Derek Luh) character, in particular, is being swept up in The Boys’ wider political mania.
With five episodes left, Gen V season 2 certainly has more than enough time to unite its audience, but as the show creeps closer to The Boys season 5, I wonder whether it ever will.