I actually like it best when it isn't trying to subvert expectations, mainly because it seems like everything is doing that these days. To me, it's like how everything had to have a twist after The Sixth Sense became a massive hit. I couldn't just watch a movie anymore without the nagging thought of "What's the twist gonna be?" in the back of my mind. With this, it's like "I recognize this trope, what's going to happen to subvert it?"
The problem I have with the "Subvert expectations," trope in most media is that it's repetitive. How will they subvert expectations regarding gender roles in this movie? Probably by making the traditionally weak girl super-strong and the traditionally strong man weak. I'm all for subverting expectations, but be a bit more creative with it. Maybe, instead of having a human character, or human-like character, as the main protagonist in the new Star Wars movie, you could make the main character a dim-witted six-armed alien who really likes ice cream.
My problem with it in The Boys is that it seems like the way that they answer the question of: "How will we subvert this expectation?" with: "How about we kill this character?" a few too many times. Like, right now it's kind of at the point where they killed off so many recurring side characters that now, pretty much the only characters left are main characters who probably can't be killed until the actor's contracts expire. That sort of deflates the tension a bit.
I also wasn't fond of the Christianity-bashing episode in season 1. I personally think that it's one of the weaker episodes because it's really boring and repetitive. By the end of it, I was groaning in annoyance at every "Christianity bad," thing I heard.
I really like Karl Urban as Billy Butcher. The guy has so much charisma, he's just a joy to watch. I also like A-Train, and I wish that he was used more. The Deep is okay. I like to think that the writers enjoy using him because there are so many fun and unique things they can use him for that are basically unique to him.
