Marie Moreau enrols at Godolkin University…

The spin off of The Boys is here. Through the various seasons of The Boys viewers have been ‘treated’ to a plethora of outrageous scenes including an exploding whale, a superhero orgy and any number of exploding body parts.

It’s safe to say the show has made a name for itself not simply with its absurdist satire but also in how it’s kept that satire on the surface through its commitment to complete and utter grotesquery. It might not work for everyone and there’s still people who seem to think Homelander is the hero but if you want an example of Romanesque satire this is it.

A spin off from this, about a school where supers are trained has a tough task to accomplish – deliver a recognisably high school show together with keeping the trademark delivery of bodily fluids and violence.

Having seen this opening episode I can safely conclude it’s managed to meld both of these together in a satire about schooling in a capitalist system that also manages to provide a mystery to solve and characters that are interesting enough to want to keep watching.

There’s some interesting politics on the surface, but scratch that and underneath are much deeper and painful conversations going on right from the start. It’s not just about race and politics but about power and money, about appearance and resources.

Also, the decision to have a non-binary (or perhaps pan-gendered?) character in the show is a brilliant decision as it puts them right into the mix as a person not just who’s there but whose core identity is to be themselves however they wish to be.

Sure, there’s the normal depravity on show – a sex scene I won’t forget in a long time despite deploying the mind bleach, an awakening at puberty which is guaranteed to leave you scarred and an exploding sun which… well you’ll know it when you get to it.

In a world where many kids have been given superpowers by concerned, ambitious, greedy parents, Gen V asks what would the scientists from Stranger Things be doing? The answer is not a good one.

Now, if you’ll excuse me I’m off to see what the Coagulator is going to do next.

Rating? 7 forests out of 10.

Stewart Hotston