Geeks logo

11 Shows Fans of The Boys Need to Have on Their Radar

These incredibly entertaining programs are perfect for those who thoroughly enjoyed Amazon Prime's hit show The Boys.

By D.J. RiveraPublished 2 years ago 11 min read
2
Homelander from The Boys on Amazon Prime

Amazon Prime has put out some solid shows that have been very well-received, but none of them had the kind of impact the series based on the mature-themed comic book of the same The Boys has had with fans. The shocking superhero drama has been one of the streamer’s most-watched and highest-rated programs, even earning two Primetime Emmy Awards in 2021, including one for the highly coveted Outstanding Drama Series category.

Caped Crusaders and powerful heroes have always been a fascination for fans, but who does one call when the good guys are getting out of hand and being downright naughty. Billy Butcher (Karl Urban), Hugh (Jack Quaid), and the rest of their ragtag crew are the ones looking to keep enhanced individuals such as the Superman-esque being Homelander (Antony Starr) and the rest of the Avenger-style group The Seven in check by any means necessary.

Their efforts make the entire affair a worthwhile endeavor from start to finish. But for those that are looking for other suitable candidates that fans of The Boys will absolutely enjoy, here are some exceptional contenders that take a very unique approach to telling fearless stories involving people with extraordinary abilities.

American Gods

Pablo Schrieber as Mad Sweeney, a leprechaun, in American Gods on Starz.

If fans of The Boys are looking for another jaw-dropping experience with next-level characters going head-to-head, then they should, without a doubt, look no further than American Gods. The Starz original series is very similar to the Amazon Prime original, but instead of having superheroes walk amongst the people of the world, it's actual gods. Deities and immortal beings from all different cultures are on display in this remarkable drama based on the Neil Gaiman novel of the same name.

The fantasy drama follows Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle), who, upon getting released from prison, meets a man named Wednesday (Ian McShane) and becomes embroiled in a war between the Old Gods and the New Gods. The stellar cast who were widely praised for their excellent performances also included Emily Browning, Crispin Glover, Gillian Anderson, Yetide Badaki, Orlando Jones, Demore Barnes, and Omid Abtahi.

The end result is a visually stunning, Certified Fresh experience with an immediately engaging narrative and some truly remarkable fight sequences that fans of The Boys will find both exhilarating and breathtaking.

Invincible

Invinvible on Amazon Prime

Amazon Prime has more than one hard-hitting superhero drama on the roster that isn't afraid to show, in gory detail, the dark side of being a masked savior and the real-world impact of the actions taken by those with powers. Fans looking for an animated endeavor on par with what The Boys has to offer, then Invincible is a spectacular option to experience.

Invincible is an amazing adult animated superhero drama based on the Image comics title of the same name that follows a wide-eyed high school student named Mark who gets powers on his 17th birthday. He soon learns that becoming a hero isn't as easy as his father, Omni-Man, the most powerful hero on Earth makes it look. The eight entries the first season gave subscribers were so well-received that the streamer decided to renew the series for two more runs.

The action sequences in The Boys are nothing short of impressive but are unfortunately limited due to it being a live-action series. However, the benefit of animation is those limitations disappear, which means Invincible is able to go all out when it comes to its on-screen battles. Combine that with the riveting narrative, a massive cast of big-name talent, and gorgeously realized ‘90s inspired animation; it's a complete no-brainer to check this one out sooner than later.

Powers

Michelle Forbes as RetroGirl in Powers.

Anyone who enjoyed The Boys that is looking for another mature-themed superhero story about policing those with extraordinary abilities that commit nefarious acts threatening the lives of innocent people, then the Playstation Network’s first foray into scripted original programming known as Powers is exactly what the doctor ordered.

The series that lasted two seasons introduced audiences to a world where humans and superheroes, who are referred to as "Powers," coexist. The action crime drama based on the Icon Comics series of the same name follows a homicide detective named Christian Walker (Sharlto Copely), a former "Power" who investigates crimes that involve super-humans with his new partner Deeana Pilgrim (Susan Heyward). Just like in The Boys, the heroes in Powers are also major celebrities managed by a prominent agency and also find very remarkable ways to break the law.

Powers offers up the same level of exhilarating action, thought-provoking twists, and exemplary visuals that The Boys has in its arsenal but takes a more cop drama approach, giving fans an exciting new experience.

Jupiter’s Legacy

Josh Duhamel as The Utopian and Leslie Bibb as Lady Liberty in Netflix's Jupiter's Legacy.

The short-lived Jupiter’s Legacy, based on the Mark Millar graphic novel series of the same name, bears an uncanny resemblance to The Boys, albeit with just a tad less gore and debauchery, but not by much. Like Homelander and The Seven, the Netflix superhero drama follows the Utopian (Josh Duhamel) and his grounded Justice League-esque group of caped crusaders, the Union of Justice.

Jupiter’s Legacy’s similarities to The Boys will definitely get fans interested, but it's the differences that will keep home audiences enthralled until its abrupt series finale. There is plenty of super-powered shenanigans and epic fight sequences that are absolutely electrifying, but aspects of the riveting narrative are what really set this one apart from the rest as a worthwhile affair. In the show, the Union of Justice has a controversial and debate-sparking policy of only interfering in crime and not getting involved with wars or politics. In addition, the period piece origin story running parallel with the present-day storyline also adds significantly to the experience as well as enhances the show’s repeat value.

All in all, fans of The Boys will absolutely appreciate the ambitious direction Jupiter’s Legacy takes at every turn.

Preacher

From left to right, Joseph Gilgun as Cassidy, Dominic Cooper as Jesse Custer, and Ruth Negga as Tulip in Preacher series on AMC.

There is no denying that there are a lot of devilish things that go down in the depraved world of The Boys, and if fans are looking for something drenched in sin based on a mature comic book with super-powered people, they should check out the Certified Fresh supernatural adventure series Preacher.

Anyone who has watched The Boys knows there are plenty of enhanced individuals with a god complex, so a show where a hard-drinking, chain-smoking preacher named Jesse Custer (Dominic Cooper) with an extraordinary power on a literal search for the lord is a stellar choice for an engrossing follow-up experience. Of course, dangerous operatives from both Heaven and Hell are also in the mix, as well as Custer’s trigger-happy ex Tulip (Ruth Negga) and a vice-loving vampire called Cassidy (Joseph Gilgun).

Over four seasons, there have been 43 chillingly effective entries, chock full of supernatural mayhem, and hard-hitting battles that make Preacher one of the top-tier contenders for anyone to watch that positively picked up what The Boys was putting down.

Carnival Row

Orlando Bloom as Rycroft and Cara Delevingne as Vignette in Carnival Row on Amazon Prime.

People that enjoyed The Boys really responded to the well-crafted world that was created. Another fine example of world-building when it comes to stories about those that are different with extraordinary abilities is undoubtedly the Amazon series Carnival Row.

Carnival Row, unlike The Boys, is not based on a comic but an unproduced film script written by co-creator Travis Beacham. The show takes place in a gritty Victorian fantasy world where mythical creatures like fairies coexist with humans but are oppressed by them, igniting tension from all sides. The well-crafted fantasy drama full of spellbinding action follows a detective named Rycroft Philostrate (Orlando Bloom) and a fae called Vignette (Cara Delevingne) as they rekindle their affair while investigating a string of grisly murders.

Fans of The Boys won’t have to go far to binge the first season of Carnival Row because both of these worthy endeavors reside within the ranks of Amazon Prime.

The Umbrella Academy

The cast of The Umbrella Academy on Netflix.

One of the best things about The Boys is, without a doubt, the dysfunctional nature of Butcher’s crew, Vought, and The Seven, making Netflix’s well-received superhero drama The Umbrella Academy a perfect choice for fans of the record-breaking Amazon series.

The show based on the comic of the same name created by Gerard Way was also a ratings behemoth and broke numerous records while also earning considerable acclaim from critics. The story plays out like Shameless meets X-Men: Days of Future Past, with a tale featuring everything from talking space chimps to time travel conspiracies surrounding the Kennedy assassination.

The lineup of super beings is just as unique and intriguing as the roster of magnetic personalities found in The Boys. Some of these exceptional characters in the Certified Fresh Netflix original include The Rumor (Emmy Raver-Lampman), who can whisper things that become a reality, the vice-ridden Klaus (Robert Sheehan), that can talk to dead people, the youthful Five (Aidan Gallagher), who has the ability to jump through space and time, and Number Seven (Elliot Page) who is just on a whole other level power-wise.

If fans think the Justice League pairs well with the Avengers, then The Boys definitely goes great with The Umbrella Academy.

The Nevers

Olivia Williams and Laura Donnelly in The Nevers on HBO.

Imagine if The Boys focused on the ladies, took place in the past, and tilted more toward the fantasy side of the superhero genre. The end result would be the exceptional HBO series chock full of magical realism, enticing storylines, and brilliant characters with breathtaking powers known as The Nevers.

The gorgeously realized HBO title takes place in Victorian-era London and follows a group of women who gain unusual powers. Together they have to find a way to stop the resilient foes that stand in their way of completing a mission that could very well change the face of the Earth forever.

The action fantasy drama is a sci-fi period piece that features yet another fascinating story of a world where people with abnormal abilities exist and the difficulties that come with such a game-changing evolution of the human species. The solid cast for the show is comprised of familiar faces, including Laura Donnelley, Ann Skelly, Olivia Williams, and James Norton, among several other talented players.

Six episodes of the spectacular series are available now, with the second part of the initial season coming sometime in 2022, giving fans of The Boys plenty of time to never say never on The Nevers.

Legion

Dan Stevns as Haller in Legion on FX.

Fargo small-screen master Noah Hawley’s take on the Marvel Comics character David Haller is a stylish, mind-bending endeavor to behold, and if fans of The Boys are looking for mature-themed superhero titles unlike anything else out there; FX’s Legion is undeniably the undisputed number, one contender.

In the action sci-fi drama Haller (Dan Stevens), the son of a popular X-Men character Professor X, is a very troubled man who was diagnosed with schizophrenia as a child, and after a traumatic event involving his friend Lenny (Aubrey Plaza), his highly advanced mutant powers start to take hold. This causes a government agency to pursue the dangerously powerful being, forcing Haller to team up with his mutant girlfriend Syd (Rachel Keller) to stop the mysterious dark force tormenting him.

While the series consisting of three Certified Fresh seasons is obviously based on an X-Men property, it occupies a universe that runs parallel to the feature films. But that shouldn't make Legion any less appealing. The series is a thought-provoking psychological thrill ride with its own blend of superhero-esque action that fans of the Amazon series The Boys will absolutely appreciate.

Watchmen

Regina King as Sister Night and Tim Blake Nelson as Looking Glass in Watchmen on HBO.

The properties of Watchmen and The Boys have a few things in common. For starters, they are both based on comics that aren’t necessarily meant for kids, and that goes triple for their live-action shows.

Both series do an incredible job throwing as much realism into these well-received works of fiction, and their ability to weave poignant issues into their storylines only adds to the many reasons the shows should be at the top of everyone’s list and not just those that attend Comic-Con on a yearly basis.

Watchmen takes place an entire 34 years after the events of the DC comics series from 1986 created by the talented Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. The story for the show created by Damon Lindelof takes place in an alternate reality where masked vigilantes are outlawed, and police hide their identities for their own protection. The main plotline follows detective Angela Abar (Regina King), who begins to investigate the sudden return of a threatening white supremacist terrorist group inspired by the long-dead hero from the comics Rorschach with her ally Looking Glass (Tim Blake Nelson). Elsewhere, Ozymandias (Jeremy Irons) is plotting away, and the second silk Spectre Laurie Blake (Jean Smart), has hung up her mask to work for the FBI putting vigilantes in jail.

Watchmen received widespread acclaim, several awards, and is one HBO series that manages to stick the landing in perfect fashion. If there is one limited series that fans of The Boys should embrace, it's this one.

Doom Patrol

The cast of Doom Patrol on HBO Max.

In The Boys, the outcasts are the ones fighting the superheroes, but in Doom Patrol, it is the other way around. The ragtag group of super-powered misfits united by an individual who many consider to be out of his mind, go on some wild adventures, usually with less than ideal and rather messy results.

The series that began on the now-defunct DC Universe has made its way to bigger and better things at HBO Max. The titular team consists of the many powerful personalities of Crazy Jane (Diane Guerrero), the shapeshifting Rita Farr (April Bowlby), the negative energy entity living inside the disfigured Larry Trainor (Matt Bomer), the robot man Cliff Steele (Brendan Fraser), and Victor Stone (Joivan Wade) aka Cyborg. Altogether, there are three seasons showcasing their efforts so far, all with incredibly impressive scores on Rotten Tomatoes.

If those that loved The Boys are looking for another adult-oriented superhero show that has a large fanbase, critical acclaim, just as much action, embraces its comedic side, and leans much more toward the supernatural side of things, the next program to experience is Doom Patrol.

tv
2

About the Creator

D.J. Rivera

Short stories, articles, and lists about movies, TV shows, video games and more! Make sure to check out WrittenByDJR.com and ProducedByDJR.com. Also check out my work on Amazon Prime, Vimeo, and make sure follow me on Twitter @WrittenByDJR.

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.