I believe there are legitimate criticisms one can levy against The Boys‘ final season. I also think they’re entirely debatable. For example, I think there’s been a little too much Soldier Boy. The massive importance of Clara/Stormfront’s past involvement in the story feels a little forced, too. Obviously not everyone will agree with either point, and that’s totally fair. But one complaint that makes absolutely no sense to me also makes no sense to showrunner Eric Kripke. He directly addressed fans who think the show’s last season has featured too many “filler” episodes. And he’s right to call them out.
Kripke spoke to TV Guide about “a lot of online dissatisfaction” he’s encountered over The Boys’ fifth and final season. He’s seen a lot of viewers upset there haven’t been more giant action scenes. “None of the things that happen in the last few episodes will matter if you don’t flesh out the characters,” said a clearly frustrated Kripke. He also added, “And I’m like, ‘What are you expecting? Are you expecting a huge battle scene every episode?'”
Kripke defended his show’s writing by pointing out they couldn’t afford to do that if even they wanted. Which they definitely didn’t. He said all actions would be “empty and dull,” a show that would “just be about shapes moving without having any import.” Kripke said the writers didn’t “flesh out” its characters the events of the last couple of episodes wouldn’t even matter. He’s obviously right. That doesn’t mean the show is immune from criticism or the The Boys is executing its plan flawlessly, but there’s a reason he’s not addressing that type of criticism. He’s specifically talking about those throwing out the word “filler,” which has become a lazy way to say, “I don’t personally like this.”
Like many other TV terms corrupted by misuse (hello, “bottle episode!”), calling something “filler” has become a dismissive shorthand. What “filler” once meant is not how it’s always used now. During the heyday of 22-25 episode seasons you’d get lots of filler episodes that were entirely about entertainment than moving the plot forward. But it has become a way of accusing people of being lazy and not caring about their art simply because you don’t like what you saw.
That unfair modern use clearly got under Kripke’s skin. He said if people only want “plot” they are “watching the wrong show.” But he didn’t even need to say that! The Boys, for as wild as it is, has never been all about plot or action. It always developed its characters with quieter moments and dialogue heavy scenes. Whether it is doing that as well in season five is very different from saying it shouldn’t do that at all.
And what makes this “filler” complaint even more absurd is that The Boys is—and quite literally always has in every single episode—had something important/exciting/wild happen in every season five episode. Three of them have featured major Supe deaths. There have been battles, epic fistfights, a rock guy who spews lava sperm, and more outrageous/important moments every single episode.
“Important stuff happened” is the opposite of “filler.” Maybe you don’t like how the show is executing that important stuff, but that’s fine! That’s an entirely different, entirely fair complaint to levy. You’re just full of it if you say The Boys final season is full of filler.