Gen V is like if you took a CW show, had HBO direct it, then added in some Amazon money to buy the best sort of "polishing." It's sometimes painfully awkward in how adult writers frame young people; incredibly smutty; and yet has high gloss directing/filming/editing.

It's watchable, sort of, but does a disservice to what the franchise claimed to originally be about.

This ironic schism in The Boys franchise was somewhat apparent after season three when they went on their promotional tour, highlighting Jensen Ackles (who was a guest star with less screen time than he deserved.) That tour showed that the producers are very much like the people they ostensibly skewer--valuing smoke and mirrors over substance.

PR expectations to lure sucker viewers in.

That Gen V exists at all is an example of this. A spin off. A broadening of the money maker franchise. How very regular Hollywood of them.

Amazon, of course, will throw money at selling this and finding (if not buying) it an audience with better reviews than mine. It's their signature piece, after all, and they have a lot of money already sunk into it.

But as good as The Boys was the first couple seasons, as fresh, as quirky, as cutting? Gen V isn't it.

Acting is mediocre and I can't even remember the names of the cast. Three eps in and the plot hasn't caught or engaged me.

I'll hang on (maybe) for season 4 of the main show to see if they pull up. But as to Gen V, I'm giving the rest of this "youth" series a pass.