How To Watch The Boys In Order (Including The Spin-Offs)

Although “The Boys” started simple enough, in spring 2022, things got complicated. First, the franchise released “Diabolical,” an animated anthology show featuring canon moments from the pasts of the main show’s characters. Then there came the announcement of “Gen V,” a spinoff series taking place alongside the events of the ongoing main show. Now there are two other spinoffs in the works: “The Boys: Mexico” and “Vought Rising,” whose release dates have not been announced yet.

As of 2025, the recommended viewing order for the franchise is somewhat clear:

• “The Boys Presents: Diabolical”

Throughout the next few slides, you’ll get a detailed explanation of why this order works so well, even beyond mere chronology. We’ll also explore the comic series (which is also called “The Boys”) that the TV show is based on. The comics were written by Garth Ennis and illustrated by Darick Robertson; the TV show keeps certain plot points from the comics, but it’s mostly its own separate thing.

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‘The Boys’ seasons 1-2

The first two seasons of “The Boys” were relatively humble. This was the period when the show was not yet guaranteed to be a massive hit, where cancellation was a genuine threat looming around the corner. The result is that both of these seasons have a mostly self-contained arc. The ongoing threat of the show’s main villain, Homelander (Antony Starr), is still unresolved, but there’s enough wrapped up elsewhere that audiences generally felt satisfied.

Separating these seasons further from the rest of the series is how they’re the only two produced pre-COVID. They existed in a simpler time in the TV landscape, where the cast and crew didn’t have to deal with extra safety precautions or travel restrictions complicating the actors’ schedules. The two seasons were also written firmly within Trump’s first term in office, which you can see reflected in the show’s very blunt social commentary.

‘Diabolical,’ ‘The Boys’ season 3, ‘Gen V’ season 1

“The Boys” survived the worst of the pandemic and emerged from it more confident than ever, expanding from a single series to a sprawling franchise. Shortly before season 3 aired, Prime Video dropped the entire season of “Diabolical” on its platform. The animated anthology show isn’t mandatory viewing to understand season 3, but it deepens the experience. For instance, one episode helps to explain why Homelander likes Black Noir so much, which is important because their dynamic’s about to get a lot more focus in the main show.

Season 3 of “The Boys” is notable for being the first season to not feel particularly self-contained. There are some threads wrapped up in the finale, but overall it feels like a clear Part One in a long-term arc. For better or worse, by this point, “The Boys” knew it wasn’t getting canceled anytime soon, and they were willing to play the long game with their storytelling.

Season 1 of “Gen V” is another example of the franchise’s growing confidence in itself. It’s a spinoff that is hard to follow if you’re not familiar with the main show. This approach could’ve easily led to the familiar MCU problem of the show feeling like homework, but luckily, the spinoff has great characters, fast pacing, and is still compelling in its own right. Even if the events of “Gen V” never factored into the next season of “The Boys,” it’d be worth a watch simply because it’s a fun time.

‘The Boys’ season 4, ‘Gen V’ season 2

Season 4 of “The Boys” continues season 3’s approach of refusing to wrap things up in a nice little bow. The season’s massive cliffhanger finale annoyed fans, but at least they have the comfort of knowing that season 5 (airing in 2026) will be the definitive series finale. Although season 4 arguably had a dip in quality compared to the early seasons, the thrilling season 2 of “Gen V” helped prove that the franchise is very much still going strong. The season 2 finale of “Gen V” aired October 22, 2025, with an ending that promised even more tie-ins with “The Boys” coming soon.

If you’ve made it this far, you’re now ready to enjoy season 5, which is shaping up to be the “Avengers: Endgame” of the “Boys” franchise. You may be wondering if there’s another season of “Diabolical” to catch up on, but alas, showrunner Eric Kripke has announced that the show’s second season was canceled. The only question left is whether you should read the comics or not, and the answer is complicated..

‘The Boys’ comics: to read or not to read?

For completionism’s sake, I’d consider checking out the comics, which are made up of 72 issues published from 2006 to 2012. Just be warned that the comics are a whole different experience; you don’t need them to understand or appreciate the show, and they’re so different that you won’t necessarily even like them just because you liked the show.

What’s wrong with the comics? Well, they’re heavy on the shock value and light on the character work. You might think you’re prepared for the former issue, given how gross “The Boys” is willing to get with the gore and the sex-related mishaps, but you’re not. As hard as it may be to believe, the show is way more restrained than it could’ve been.

My suggestion: give the comics a try after you’ve caught up with the TV series. It’s fun to see how differently the comics handled things, and if you read the comics last, you won’t run the risk of being turned off the show due to the comics’ more distasteful moments. Reading the comics last will likely give you a new appreciation for how good the show is. Most adaptations fail to measure up to their source material, but “The Boys” outdoes its source material in every way possible.

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Read the original article on SlashFilm.