Eric Kripke on Providing the Fans with Something New in Each ‘The Boys’ Season: “I feel incredible pressure.”
The Boys is one of the most popular superhero series in the world, as we all know. Since June 13, 2024, the series’ fourth season has been airing, and we’re close to the finale, which as everyone being very excited. The season is currently Certified Fresh with high ratings, and Amazon has reported that the series also saw an increase in viewership.
Despite that, some fans are review-bombing the season due to its increased political undertone, but that doesn’t seem to bother the people behind the series, as each episode is becoming crazier and crazier, with more satire than before.
In light of that fact, showrunner Eric Kripke, who is known for speaking his mind and revealing information about the filming and development of the series, provided us with some background information ahead of the season finale and the show’s final season.
Kripke sat down for a talk with Amazon Prime Video, and he answered several questions related to the show, the filming of the current season, as well as what his feelings are now that the show is ending and that they are preparing for the final season. Here is what he said:
Now that The Boys is four seasons in, and its signature drama, comedy, and even violence have been established for audiences, do you feel any pressure to give them what they’re coming for?
Eric Kripke: I feel incredible pressure about giving audiences something new [in each season of The Boys]. Whenever any showrunner knows what their show is, it’s time to stop making that show. They have to be a surprising and evolving thing. That’s always scary because every season, you’re hanging on by your fingernails, wondering if it’s going to work, and you barely manage to pull it off. Then, you reward yourself by throwing all of that out the window and trying something totally new again next season.
It’s always a high-wire act, but I think that’s what you need. Shows become boring and stagnant when they start following the same pattern over and over again. You have to keep reaching for the new! Even as writers and actors, if we’re not doing that, then what are we doing? We’re just chasing a paycheck at that point. So, you really have to keep pushing into surprising places.
When it comes to building a series of this scale, when should it be finally time to bring it to an end? Is it about beating the bad guy? Is it about the state of the world? Or, is it feeling like the characters have changed in the way that the beginning sets up?
Eric Kripke: Yeah, without necessarily knowing when the show should end. I was so wrong with Supernatural, I could not have been more wrong in history about how long a show should go. Moreover, I should have stopped trying to predict how long [The Boys] should go. But I will say that the big meta storyline of the series is these two forces of Homelander and Billy Butcher coming toward each other.
Like these two meteors, two planets. Whatever the ending is, it has to heavily involve finally bringing that to a head with whatever disruption that entails. There are obviously other shows in this universe. There are obviously other corners of the universe to explore. However, this particular story is about Homelander and Butcher crashing into each other.
Source: Discussing Film
Have something to add? Let us know in the comments below!
