“Gen V” debuted on Amazon Prime Video on Sept. 29. With episodes releasing weekly, the series has garnered significant media attention for its well-written plot and interesting characters.
The series is a spin-off of the superhero series “The Boys,” becoming the third installment in the franchise. The series follows a few students with superhuman abilities as they discover their own powers. Set in “Godolkin University,” the only superhero college in the United States, the students are faced with disturbing secrets on their campus.
The show is exceptional to say the least. The first scene introduces Marie Moreau (Jaz Sinclair) in a flashback, who lands in a precarious situation after accidentally killing her parents, making her and her sister orphans. The scene, which leaves a traumatic imprint on Moreau, definitely shocks audiences, making it a perfect hook for the show.
Interestingly, admission to Godolkin requires an intense social media presence and fame. Moreau, who does not even have a phone, is thrown into this college where social media is not only significant but an essential part of her peer’s lives, creating a tension that plays out throughout the show.
While the narrative of the show begins by following Moreau, the story zooms in and out on different students at the university. Emma Meyer (Lizze Broadway) was brilliantly portrayed and came to the spotlight after being unexpectedly recruited by fellow students to visit Sam Riordan (Asa Germann) at “The Woods,” a underground lab where grueling experiments take place.
Broadway’s character arc deals with various social issues including online bullying and parental pressure. She’s a compelling character that leaves audience members wanting more.
The other superhero students, Luke Riordan (Patrick Schwarzenegger), Andre Anderson (Chance Perdomo), Cate Dunlap (Maddie Phillips) and Jordan Li (London Thor and Derek Luh) have been crucial in building the plot and suspense of the story, keeping the audience on their toes.
Show developers Craig Rosenberg, Evan Goldberg and Eric Kripke have included unique scenes, such as Emma and Sam’s escape from “The Woods.” “Gen V” could potentially be in the same genre as the “X-Men” and “Hunger Games” franchises.
Special kudos are in order for the prop and set designers of the show. Audience members with faint hearts might want to avoid some scenes due to their extremely violent and disturbing nature. The blood splatters and asylum sets are all too real. The university has a blend of elements which seem both relatable and unrelatable, consistent with the show’s futuristic premise.
There are hints of a stereotypical big corporate villain who disregards human life, as evidenced by the experiments performed in The Woods. However, audience members might hope that the show adds multiple dimensions to the characters who are being portrayed as villains, which would make for a more compelling story and a stronger fan base.
So far, Shelley Conn’s character, Indira Shetty, has been the show’s main antagonist. While her acting portrays someone who has an ulterior motive behind a polite facade, her true motives remain unclear. The show could become more engaging by further developing her character arc, as well as those of the other student protagonists.
“Gen V” has become critically acclaimed like its parent series, “The Boys.” With just a few episodes remaining, hopefully the show keeps up with its twists and character developments. If it does, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Amazon Prime Video renews the show for more seasons.
