The Boys isn’t about superheroes, it’s about TV
The superheroes of The Boys are constantly watching TV. That’s because, like in our world, they’re on it: As the self-centered superteam known as The Seven, they’re constantly appearing on talk shows, speaking to reporters about current events, promoting their upcoming movie, or starring in a television show of their own. In season 3 of The Boys, one of the primary media ventures that The Seven are involved in is a reality show called American Hero, a talent competition where superhero hopefuls compete for a spot on the team’s roster.
American Hero is incredibly silly — the glimpses we see of it make it seem like a cross between America’s Got Talent and American Ninja Warrior — and notably has nothing to do with being a superhero. It’s a celebrity audition, one that’s built for a world where being seen as a hero is better than being a hero.
The Boys has been extremely concerned with superheroes as media products from the start, immediately and constantly assaulting the viewer with costumed stars using their image to sponsor products; the only use their corporate overlords have for their superpowers seems to be for off-the-books ops wiping out political enemies at home and abroad. In its third season, however, its self-serving superheroes — namely the nigh-invulnerable Homelander (Antony Starr) — starts to believe TV appearances are the real superpower, much more so than being bulletproof.
Homelander’s arc in season 3 directly follows the fallout of season 2, with the monstrous superhuman in check thanks to his teammates Starlight (Erin Moriarty) and Queen Maeve (Dominique McElligott) blackmailing him with footage of him leaving a plane full of innocents to die, and the very public revelation of his girlfriend/partner
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