Posted in: Amazon Studios, Preview, streaming, Trailer, TV, YouTube | Tagged: amazon, Amazon Prime, bleeding cool, butcher, cable, eric kripke, Homelander, prime video, streaming, television, the boys, The Seven, tv, Vought

The Boys EP Eric Kripke Says Blame Him for Season 2 Release Schedule

With a Rotten Tomatoes' "Tomatometer" score of 98%, it's safe to say that the second season of Amazon Prime's The Boys took the baton it was handed by the first season and never looked back. But then you look at the "Audience Score" and you see 80%- why? Turns out, there are people out there score-bombing the series not because they have a problem with the storylines or the acting but because of… wait for it… its release schedule. That's right, even though it was announced well in advance that the 8-episode series would drop the first three eps at its premiere and the remaining five on a weekly basis, it appears waiting a week is just too much of a cross to bear for some. Just to be clear? We're big fans of the combo mini-binge/weekly release- helps build the show's fan community and makes it easier for late-arrivers to get caught up and in on the fun.

Speaking with The Wrap, series creator, showrunner, and executive producer Eric Kripke responded to the bashing the series has been getting from some over the staggered schedule- taking a much more diplomatic tone. "I get that people are disappointed and, frankly, looking back, we thought that we were communicating that we were weekly. Clearly, in hindsight, we had to do a lot more than we did to make sure that people weren't surprised and disappointed. I would have done that differently. I mean, again, we announced it. But we should have neon-signed it on everything, clearly."

Kripke wants to make it clear that those who have an issue with it can blame him and the other creators because they made the decision- from a creative standpoint and not as "a corporate, Amazon money grab". Kripke explained, "It was a creative choice. So they may like it or not like it, but they have to at least respect that the people who are making the show wanted it to be released this way because we wanted to have time to sort of slow down a little bit and have conversations about everything. So they at least have to appreciate that it was a creative choice."

That said, Kripke takes issue with those trashing their favorite series based solely on something like its release schedule, and that it's slap in the face to those who worked to get the series out there. "Like, why you would harm something you love because you're disappointed with how it's being released is not awesome to me. We're fine, and it'll be fine, but it's not fun to see bad reviews on a thing people actually love. Like, that doesn't make the people who make the show feel good. I'll say that," he explained.

In a previous interview, Kripke explained the reasoning behind staggering the eight episodes over six weeks: "Our feeling is that when it airs all eight at once, it becomes a sugar rush of a binge. People burn through it in a week or two. There's an intense amount of activity, and then it sort of fades. There's so many great moments in season two, we want to give it time to marinate, so people can reflect on it and talk about it before they move on to the next thing and be in the conversation a little longer. I think a little anticipation for the fans is healthy."

The Boys: A Look at Season 2

A more intense, more desperate Season 2 of The Boys finds Butcher, Hughie, and the crew wanted by anything and everything with a superpower for the mess that was the first season. So what better time for our heroes to take the fight directly to Vought. Speaking of supes, it's not like Homelander (Antony Starr) has it any easier: Stormfront (Aya Cash) has her eyes on his leadership spot on The Seven- but her plans are much more "global" in nature. An even bigger "wild card" in all of this? The return of "retired" The Seven member Lamplighter (Shawn Ashmore), who ignites some painful memories and righteous anger.

The following second-season teaser picks up where things left off last time: a bloody Homelander meeting his son. From there, we have a bloody mess that finds A-Train (Jessie T. Usher) not doing so well; Homelander taking on Starlight (Erin Moriarty); Mr. Edgar (Giancarlo Esposito) stepping up his presence, The Deep (Chase Crawford) still trying to not be so shallow; a quick look at Butcher's good boy Terror, and more.

Amazon Prime Video also released a preview introducing Stormfront in all of her social media glory. In the opening scene, we get to see Vought's PR campaign making the public feel comfy about supes in the military just before the set gets a visitor, much to the chagrin of Homelander, Queen Maeve (Dominique McElligott), and public relation powerhouse Ashley (Colby Minifie). But Stormfront's not just there to make a name for herself, because she's already done that. That's because Mr. Edgar just named her as the late, not-so-great Translucent's (Alex Hassell) replacement- and Homelander's not happy.

Speaking of Mr. Edgar, during "The Boys F**kin' Reunion," Kripke previewed the first three minutes of the second season opener (at around the 47:30 mark) that plans are moving forward to embed supes with the military, with the Vought CEO and Secretary of Defense Robert Singer (Jim Beaver) negotiating "collateral damage" while Black Noir (Nathan Mitchell) takes care of a first-season threat.

In this clip, Butcher is reunited with the team- just in enough time to take off again to meet with a contact. To say that doesn't sit well with Hughie would be an understatement: he wants answers- and a new plan. Of course, there's no way that doesn't come across to Butcher as a challenge to his leadership. Yeah, Butcher isn't a big fan of being questioned. Following that, we see what happens post-whale impaling (yup): As The Deep mourns the loss of Lucy, he looks to convince Starlight that one day she might welcome him back on the team. Yeah, that's not gonna happen- until Stormfront steps in. Meanwhile, Homelander looks to go underground to continue the hunt:

On the side of The Boys, the series also stars Laz Alonso (The Mysteries of Laura) as second-in-command Mother's Milk, and Tomer Capon as unpredictable wild card Frenchie, a brutal warrior when who lives a life of no attachments or responsibilities. Also joining this season are Goran Visnjic, Claudia Doumit, Patton Oswalt, and a returning Malcolm Barrett.

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