The Boys creator pushes back against “woke” label given by critics

The Boys creator Eric Kripke has denounced critics’ claims of it being too “woke”, having always intended to showcase certain political messages within the show.

The Boys Season 4 will see Homelander stand trial for the murder of a Starlight supporter at the end of Season 3, which seems to be mimicking the trial and conviction of former president Donald Trump.

Because of this connection and The Boys’ more left-leaning messaging, some people have complained that it’s become “woke,” but Kripke has completely shut down those criticisms.

“I clearly have a perspective, and I’m not shy about putting that perspective in the show,” Kripke told The Hollywood Reporter. “Anyone who wants to call the show ‘woke’ or whatever, that’s OK. Go watch something else.

“But I’m certainly not going to pull any punches or apologize for what we’re doing. Some people who watch it think Homelander is the hero. What do you say to that? The show’s many things. Subtle isn’t one of them. So if that’s the message you’re getting from it, I just throw up my hands.”

Kripke also explained that the resemblance to Trump’s trial was a complete coincidence. “It’s not a spoiler to say that in the first episode, Homelander is on trial,” he said.

“A big concern is ‘Can you convict someone that powerful of a crime?’ And what does that mean for the various supporters or the people protesting him? Did I know it was going to come out during Trump’s trial? Of course not. But we write what we’re either scared of or pissed off about.”

He also added that The Boys is “telling a story about the intersection of celebrity and authoritarianism and how social media and entertainment are used to sell fascism” so they’re “right in the eye of the storm,” and he and his team “felt an obligation to run in that direction as far as we could.”

However, Kripke told THR that these real-world parallels make The Boys’ writers feel like they’re in “Satan’s writers room.”

This isn’t the first time the show has received a bit of pushback; for example, the Homelander poster for Season 4 featured the phrase “Make America Super Again,” parodying Trump’s “Make America Great Again” presidential slogan.

With Season 4 debuting amid Trump’s sentencing for his multiple convictions and Season 5 set to feature more political visions, there’s a high probability that The Boys won’t be able to shake off the “woke” label anytime soon.

The Boys Season 4 premieres on June 13, 2024. Until then, check out the  Season 4 theories explained, how the Gen V timeline ties in, and all The Boys seasons ranked. You can also take a look at the new TV shows headed to streaming this month.