Effective Planning Made The Boys Season 4 Montage Reveal Stand Out

Season 4 of the Prime Video superhero satire series “The Boys” took a darker turn, featuring some of the most intense and unsettling moments in the show’s history. The team known as “The Boys” faced significant hardships, and by the end of the season, none of them are in a good place. The group’s leader, Billy Butcher (Karl Urban), is particularly troubled, grappling with a severe health decline due to his prolonged use of Temp V. This drug granted him superpowers temporarily but also left him infected with a violent parasite that causes disturbing hallucinations.

One notable hallucination is Joe Kessler (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), a significant figure from Butcher’s past. The twist is that Butcher—and the audience—are led to believe Joe is real for most of the season. It’s only near the end that Butcher realizes Joe is a hallucination, marking a pivotal moment in his deteriorating mental state.

This revelation is a testament to the show’s writing, direction, and acting. The powerful moment when Butcher comes to this realization is a major turning point, skillfully executed through thoughtful storytelling and impactful performances.

A bit of brilliant planning to shoot alternate takes

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, showrunner Eric Kripke discussed the creative process behind the montage where Butcher talks to Joe, only to discover he’s alone. Kripke credited producing director Phil Sgriccia with the innovative idea:

“Phil Sgriccia came up with a smart plan. He instructed all the directors to film alternate takes of scenes with Jeffrey and Karl, where Jeffrey would read his lines off-camera, so it looked like no one was there. Phil anticipated that this would be crucial for editing, especially for the reveal. His foresight proved to be invaluable.”

Sgriccia’s approach paid off, as the transition from seeing Joe to realizing he’s not there visually and emotionally emphasized the moment when the audience understands Joe is merely a figment of Butcher’s imagination, a result of the parasite’s influence. This revelation highlights Butcher’s deteriorating mental state and the profound impact of his struggles and losses. As the series heads into its fifth and final season, Butcher’s failing health and unraveling mind could potentially position him as a formidable antagonist.

Joe is the devil on Butcher’s shoulder

In the comic series “The Boys” by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, Butcher evolves from being a father figure to Hughie (Jack Quaid) into the primary antagonist Hughie must confront, which creates a complex dynamic (a scenario ripe for Freudian analysis). However, the TV adaptation has taken a different approach to Butcher’s character arc. The series has made notable changes, including introducing his dead wife Becca’s son, Ryan (Cameron Crovetti), as a grounding force to keep Butcher connected to his humanity. Ryan’s presence may be what prevents Butcher from fully becoming the very monster he has always fought against, though Kripke’s history with complex character development means anything is possible.

Season 4 of “The Boys” was notably bleak, but it sets the stage for what could be a compelling conclusion in the final season. With strong performances like Karl Urban’s and carefully crafted moments such as the Joe reveal montage, the series is poised for an emotionally impactful finale.