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Prime Video‘s The Boys quickly became one of the most talked-about superhero action shows ever created. The series follows a group of vigilantes led by Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) as they take on powerful superheroes whose public image hides corruption, corporate manipulation, and abuse. Rather than doing what most in the genre do, the series doesn’t treat heroes as purely symbols of hope. It actually offers audiences a captivating tale of what can happen when power, fame, and money matter more than doing the right thing. With a compelling premise like that, it can be hard to find another series as captivatingly good as The Boys, especially now that it’s over, but it isn’t impossible.
Shows like the miniseries Watchmen, which offers audiences a political look at masked heroes, historical power, and justice, and the animated wild ride that is The Boys Presents: Diabolical, which gives fans of The Boys more of the show’s universe, are just two solid substitutes for the gory action series. On this list are eight shows that are absolutely perfect to stream as a replacement for an icon even as great as The Boys.
1
‘Lucifer’ (2016–2021)
Lucifer is a captivating crime drama that is a fantastic streaming replacement for The Boys, as the series plays with temptation, morality, and larger-than-life characters behaving badly. The series follows the Devil, Lucifer Morningstar (Tom Ellis), who grows bored of ruling Hell and abandons his throne to run his Los Angeles nightclub. With a dedication to indulge in human experiences, Lucifer finds himself partnered with detective Chloe Decker (Lauren German) on LAPD cases.
Lucifer may not be the bloody delight that is The Boys, but the show does make for an ideal substitute, as it delivers a mesh of dark humor, supernatural chaos, emotional messiness, and crime-solving, giving audiences a parallel view of powerful beings with very human flaws. Lucifer is no doubt a much lighter and more comedic good time, but it features some pretty heavy themes, ones that challenge the notion of good vs. evil as seen in The Boys. Lucifer definitely works as a fantastic replacement for the superhero action series, perfect for those who desire similar anti-hero energy but without the heart-stopping brutality.
2
‘Gen V’ (2023–2024)
This clever spin-off is the college, teen drama approach to The Boys. Gen V, set in the super-powered college of Godolkin University, centers on Marie Moreau (Jaz Sinclair) and her new friends as their college life is disrupted by shady experiments and sinister plots.
Seeing as this is an actual spin-off of The Boys, it makes for a great alternative that doesn’t feel watered down. With just as much chaos, drama, and epic violence, Gen V is the perfect outrageous watch for viewers who are yearning for more superhero chaos. Satire is practically written into the show’s DNA, and being a part of The Boys universe allows for it to expand on many of the themes featured in its predecessor, while also carving out its own unique identity through its young characters, outlandish frat parties, and plenty of shocking twists. Gen V is a masterful, unapologetic, R-rated teen drama that earns its place on this list of The Boys substitutes.
3
‘The Boys Presents: Diabolical’ (2022)
The Boys Presents: Diabolical is an animated approach to The Boys universe and stands as one of the easiest, most bingeable replacements on this list. The animated anthology consists of eight short episodes that expand The Boys with R-rated, irreverent stories.
For anyone who misses The Boys, Diabolical is the perfect, outrageous, and wholly unpredictable watch to get into. Each episode stands on its own, often jumping from cartoonish mayhem to plain old gross-out comedy. Diabolical doesn’t need a consistent plot throughout its season; instead, it’s a mesh of chaos that stands as perfect from its very first episode, right on up to the rolling credits on its last. It’s the ideal candidate for anyone hoping to fill the gaping wound of TV boredom that The Boys’ end may have left them with.
4
‘Misfits’ (2009–2013)
This underrated good time is just as darkly humorous and hilariously raunchy as The Boys. Misfits is a teen superhero drama that follows a group of teenage offenders sentenced to community service as they are unexpectedly caught up in an electrical storm that somehow gifts them superpowers.
Misfits may be on the older side, but it remains a quality watch. It’s well-known for its binge-watch factor and opening seasons of teenage chaos that feature themes of sex, powers, and emotional drama that can be surprisingly emotional. The British series delivers a genuine story that rejects the clean, heroic versions of superpowers, offering audiences characters that are far from polished icons and chosen ones. Misfits wields a scrappy charm and a reckless energy that would definitely appeal to any The Boys fans. The series is a true cult classic, with an anarchic ensemble, a mixture of genres, and crude humor.
5
‘Peacemaker’ (2022–2025)
Peacemaker is a hilarious DC series that makes for one of the best replacements for The Boys, simply because it understands how violent, funny, and oddly emotional superhero stories can be when they don’t pretend their characters are actually normal. The James Gunn series centers on the morally twisted, “peace-at-any-cost” killer, Christopher Smith/Peacemaker (John Cena), as he navigates life and a new mission fresh off of saving the world with Task Force X and killing a teammate.
For viewers in need of The Boys‘ mixture of superhero satire, graphic violence, and a damaged individual steadily hiding behind their bravado, Peacemaker makes for one of the greatest recommendations. The DC action is brutally violent, a true mirror of The Boys‘ peak brutality, with iconic DC lore. Peacemaker features quite a few parallels to The Boys series: a smashing satirical edge, twisted supes, and an outsized sense of charm. The show is remarkably brilliant, with a distinct DC vibe and The Boys-like sensibility.
6
‘Preacher’ (2016–2019)
This series is based on the Vertigo comics and stands as a pretty natural replacement for The Boys, as it shares that exact taste for deeply damaged characters, blasphemous humor, and comic-book violence. Preacher focuses on the disillusioned Texas Preacher, Jesse Custer (Dominic Cooper), who becomes the host to a mysterious entity — the “Word of God” — that grants him the power to command anyone to do his bidding.
Season after season, Preacher escalates its story, ranging from biker cult storylines to features of hell and beyond. The show is absolutely wild and makes for an ideal alternative to The Boys because of its twisted tone and irreverence. Preacher wields The Boys’ excess, delivering over-the-top violence and profanity. Its mixture of humor, gore, and bizarre drama makes it a captivating watch, but even beyond that, Preacher’s Southern Gothic flair and supernatural/superhero elements make it a boundary-pushing good time.
7
‘Watchmen’ (2019)
Watchmen is one of the finest yet most underrated miniseries to ever exist. The DC universe expansion is set in an alternate 2019 Tulsa, where masked vigilante life is outlawed after a white supremacist group of costumed terrorists known as the Seventh Kavalry launches a campaign of racially-motivated violence. The series focuses on Angela Abar (Regina King), a police detective who is secretly operating as the costumed hero “Sister Night.”
Watchmen is simply far too great to be as underrated as it is. It’s relentlessly dark, ultra-violent, and steeped in political themes of power and corruption, all the while sustaining a darkly humorous tone. The show mirrors The Boys’ blend of the familiar and the subversive quite nicely, as it builds on its source with rather complex characters. Both series actually use morally gray leads to further their tale in a uniquely captivating way. Watchmen is twisty and well-paced, with brave storytelling and tone, making it a perfect The Boys-style recommendation for fans.
8
‘Invincible’ (2021–Present)
This Prime Video animated series is easily one of the greatest replacements for The Boys. Invincible follows a young teen, Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun), the son of the most powerful superhero on Earth, Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons), as he awaits powers of his own. When Mark’s superpowers finally emerge, he sets out to be an even better hero than his heroic father, only to discover that his dad isn’t actually the man he thinks he is.
Invincible is genuinely one of the most perfect shows to stream after binge-watching The Boys. The show knows just how to be extremely shocking, epically brutal, and wield emotional stakes with masterful precision. For audiences in need of an earnest alternative to the live-action bout of fun, Invincible truly works, as it delivers a clean image of superheroes who are naturally flawed humans beneath their costumes. From extreme gore, massive battles, and devastating betrayal to a young protagonist just trying to be a hero, a good friend, and a loving son, the series stands as one of the most relentlessly entertaining and emotionally compelling watches that can perfectly replace The Boys.
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Jiminna Shillingford
Almontather Rassoul
