The Boys Presents: Diabolical Review

The Boys Presents: Diabolical is an animated spin-off of the comic and television series, The Boys. These shorts are done in varied styles, feature different writers and directors, and vary in quality. I'm going to break this review down for each cartoon. Let me just say that overall, I liked it, but some of the episodes really brought the series down for me. Have you seen the it? What do you think? Any episodes you loved or hated?

Episode 1 - Laser Baby's Day Out

Written by showrunners Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, this classic American animated short style cartoon centers around a Vought scientist seeking to save a "defective" super baby set to be killed. This is one of my favorites and a strong starter. This feels like any classic cartoon that features a clumsy protagonist trying to keep a roaming baby from harm. 

Watch or Skip: Watch. This is my favorite episode of the series. It's wholesome and disgusting, all at the same time.

Episode 2 - An Animated Short Where Pissed-Off Supes Kill Their Parents

This short was written and is done in the style of Justin Roiland (Rick and Morty/Solar Opposites). The title basically says it all. The supes in this are characters that have abysmal powers and were given up by their parents. After finding out they have their powers because of their parents, they decide to get revenge. Christian Slater is the narrator. There are several other famous folks voicing the reject supers and their families, including Roiland, Kenan Thompson. Eugene Mirman, Ben Schwartz, and Kevin Smith. This one is kind of funny, but honestly just dumb. 

Watch or Skip: Skip. Unless you're a huge Rick and Morty fan, I'd skip this one. The jokes get worn out, real fast.

Episode 3: I'm Your Pusher

Written by The Boys creator, Garth Ennis, this short is done in the the style of the comic. Wee Hughie looks and is voiced by Ennis' inspiration for the character, Simon Pegg. Michael Cera, Kieran Culkin, Jason Isaacs, and a few others provide stellar voice work. Billy Butcher and Wee Hughie coerce a supe's dealer to give them tainted drugs which causes a spectacular pr blunder.

Watch or Skip: Watch. This one is spectacular. It might be better than than laser baby. I'm not sure though. Of all the stories, this one seems to fit The Boys cannon most. 

Episode 4 - Boyd in 3D

This short is done in the style of French comics and cartoons. An awkward nobody tests an experimental cream that transforms in into what he wants to be. He uses this to woo his attractive next door neighbor. She then uses the cream to become a catgirl and the pair because influencer stars. This one definitely lampoons social media and influencer culture. 

Watch or Skip: Either. Honestly I didn't think this one was great or awful. Didn't care for the ending, bother otherwise it's an okay episode.

Episode 5 - BFF's

Done in style of Saturday morning cartoons, this is an odd one. Comedian and actress Awkwafina wrote and plays an awkward girl that takes some Compound V and gains the power to control and animate fecal matter. She excretes a best friend, who names itself Areola.  Chase Crawford who plays the Deep in the live action series, voices the character in this episode.

Watch or Skip: SKIP! Maybe I just don't get the joke, but this episode is too absurd for me. This episode is a pile of shit (all puns intended).

Episode 6 - Nubian vs Nubian

This anime inspired episode focuses on the troubled relationship between Nubian Prince (voiced by Don Cheadle) and his wife Nubia (voiced by the episode's writer, Aisha Tyler). The couple's daughter seek out their former archenemy (voiced by voice acting legend, John DiMaggio). 

Watch of Skip: Watch. I think this is one of the better episodes. If more of the series would have been like this, then I would have enjoyed the series more. It does a good job of looking at celebrity life, the stress of being a hero when you have a family, and the duplicity of supers in the world of The Boys.

Episode 7: John and Sun-Hee

Written by The Lonely Island's Andy Samberg, this episode was inspired by Korean drama and horror. A Vought employee, John, learns his wife Sun-Hee will die soon because of cancer and steals Compound V, thinking it will save her. The drug turns her cancer into an all consuming-tentacle creature.

Watch or Skip: Watch. This episode is beautiful, horrifying, and heartbreaking. The animation is gorgeous and the story is engrossing. The creature is truly frightening. This episode also has a great point, as in the end Sun-Hee must face her cancer alone. If I had any issue with this one, it just feels out of place in the greater narrative. 

Episode 8 - One Plus One Equals Two

This episode resembles modern American superhero cartoons. The animation style wouldn't look out of place in DC Animated Universe. The story focuses on a young Homelander and his early days in the Seven. He teams up with Black Noir and while he tries to do the right thing, he can't hold back with his powers and things go FUBAR.  This episode features Anthnony Starr, Giancarlo, Esposito, and Elisabeth Shue voicing their characters from the live action series.

Watch of Skip: Watch. This is another solid episode. I also feel like this one is cannon in the live action series.