Antony Starr Calls Out TV Finales That Play It Too Safe, and ‘Stranger Things’ Fans Know Exactly Who He Means
Antony Starr has never been shy about having opinions, and a recent appearance on WIRED’s Autocomplete Interview format made that abundantly clear. The New Zealand actor, who has spent seven years embodying the terrifyingly unhinged Homelander on Prime Video’s ‘The Boys,’ delivered a pointed, barely veiled comment about a major series finale that left him genuinely baffled as a viewer. Though he stopped short of naming the show, the internet connected the dots almost instantly.
In the interview, Starr said: “Something just finished, I won’t say what, and nobody died. I was just scratching my head going, there’s nowhere else to go this is the end of the run, kill some people.” The remark set fan forums and social media ablaze within hours, with the overwhelming consensus pointing toward the ‘Stranger Things’ series finale, which dropped on Netflix on December 31, 2025, concluding nearly a decade of storytelling set in Hawkins, Indiana.
Reactions to the ‘Stranger Things’ ending were sharply divided, with some viewers calling it one of the weakest series finales they had ever seen, while others praised the emotional send-off it gave to beloved characters. Critics who were left cold by it largely echoed Starr’s frustration. Writing for Giant Freakin Robot, one reviewer argued that the finale was typical of the season as a whole, noting that the show appeared afraid to annoy any part of its fanbase and avoided killing major characters, while delivering constant fake-outs that robbed the story of real stakes.
The Duffer Brothers did address their decision-making. Speaking to Deadline, they explained that in the writers room every possibility was discussed, but that the show was ultimately an adventure story, and they wanted their heroes, most of them, to make it out alive. Kali, also known as Eight, was ultimately the most notable death among the characters, shot by a military officer in the final confrontation.
Starr’s comments quickly sparked a broader debate online, with some fans agreeing that major series should take bigger swings in their final episodes, while others argued that not every story requires significant character deaths to feel emotionally complete. It is a tension that has followed prestige television for years, and rarely does a voice as prominent as Starr’s wade into it so openly.
The timing of his remarks adds another layer of intrigue. ‘The Boys’ final season premiered on April 8, 2026, with the series finale scheduled for May 20. Starr himself had previously promised fans they would be shocked by how ‘The Boys’ wraps up, suggesting the show will not be pulling its punches in the closing chapter. Whether that is a direct contrast to what he witnessed in the unnamed finale or simply a reflection of the show’s DNA, it has set expectations sky-high for how Homelander’s story ends.
Critics covering ‘The Boys’ fifth season have already praised Starr’s performance, describing a Homelander who is no longer impulsive but methodical, no longer seeking approval but enforcing compliance, and calling it the most formally terrifying expression of the character’s entire arc. If Starr’s personal philosophy about storytelling is anything to go by, audiences probably should not expect a tidy, bloodless goodbye for anyone when the final credits roll.
