'The Boys' Embraces Haters in Snarky Awards Campaign Ad Trolling The Show As 'Politicized Garbage'
Prime Video original series 'The Boys' is banking on its critics this award season.
This year's awards campaign for the superhero-based series is based on a faux 'Variety' print magazine, featuring negative reviews of the show.
In the ad, shared by 'Culture Crave' to X, formerly Twitter, Homelander (Antony Starr) stands in the middle of an arena with open arms. Confetti falls all around him in the ad with the 'Variety' logo at the top and "For Your Consideration" written underneath it.
In large bold letters, "Best Drama Series" urges us to think of voting for the series to give it a win in that category. Surrounding Homelander are snippets from Amazon reviews of the series, all centering around the idea that the show has become "woke" or "political" over its run.
The 1-star reviews quote "actual Prime Video customers," echoing sentiments that the show is "an attack on your values" and that there is a "woke agenda spewed over every episode."
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Other reviews call it "communist propaganda" and "what's wrong with America" right now, all seemingly referencing Season 4's storyline.
'The Boys' is set in a world where people with superpowers, known as "Supes," are revered as celebrities and work for a powerful corporation called Vought International. However, behind their heroic facade, many of the Supes abuse their powers and mistreat others.
Season 4 found the series veering off into territory that eerily set up Homelander as a voice for the alt-right and positioned the jaded and dangerous hero as a sort of Trump-like contender against heroine Starlight (Erin Moriarty) in a bid for power.
This year, it looks like 'The Boys' is heavily leaning into all of the controversial aspects of the series that's had viewers talking.
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It remains to be seen whether this strategy will win the series any awards, but the bold choice will undoubtedly leave the series fresh in viewers' minds.