The Umbrella Academy and 4 shows to stream if you like The Boys

Can you envision superheroes that are totally rogue and have no respect for regular human life? The Boys dives into what happens when heroes get dirty and have no moral code.

The POV character is Hughie, an average and unfortunate soul whose girlfriend is killed by a reckless speedster. Also holding a grudge is Billy Butcher, a tough-as-nails man with a grudge against Homelander and his powered friends. Together, Hugie and Billy assemble a scrappy team to blow the lid off the superstar squad that has more skeletons in their closet than a soap opera. The best thing about this show is that it is dark and gritty and will leave you picking your jaw up off the floor with its shocking moments and no-holds-barred action.

If you’re following The Boys season 4, and are looking for similar shows to watch while waiting for new episodes to drop each week, here are our top recommendations!  

The Umbrella Academy 

In October, something super weird happened, and 43 women across the globe gave birth all at once without showing any signs of being pregnant before. Sir Reginald Hargreeves, who happens to be a billionaire, decides to adopt seven of these miracle babies so he can turn them into a superhero group called The Umbrella Academy.

Fast forward to today, these siblings are now adults and have drifted apart, each dealing with their own drama, but when they’re told of their father’s questionable death, they all come back together to save the world that is soon going to end in eight days.

The Punisher

If I were to put things into perspective, The Punisher can be defined as a high-octane revenge ride that holds no punches when it pertains to violence and story. Frank Castle used to be a marine, but his life went sideways when his family was eradicated. Now, Frank has only one mission: to find his family’s killers and make them pay.

With a skull emblazoned on his chest and skills that’d even give Sylvester Stallone’s Rambo a reality check, Frank plunges into the criminal underworld, dishing out justice one bullet at a time. Like The Boys, The Punisher is dark, intense, and packed with enough twists to keep you checking out all the episodes.

Black Mirror

In the most blunt definition, Black Mirror is a tech-fueled funhouse with a dark twist. Each episode features a new story, talking about the "what ifs" of our digital age. Episodes included your worst tech nightmares coming to life, social media running amok, virtual reality that’s too real, gadgets that mess with your head, and things you can’t even imagine or make up. 

All these episodes, spanning six long seasons, reveal the dark side of our screen-obsessed world. If you’re someone who adores the “OMG, did that just happen?” factor in the shows, Black Mirror will deliver everything but disappointment. It’s creative and unsettling and will make you rethink your relationship with technology even after you’ve consumed all six seasons.

Altered Carbon

Altered Carbon is set in a world where death is just a technical term because your consciousness can jump from body to body like one is swapping threads. Critical to the story is Takeshi Kovacs. He is a tough-as-nails ex-soldier who is brought back to crack the case of a wealthy magnate’s murder, who, surprisingly, he is.

This series is like going on a neon-soaked journey through a future noir landscape packed with cyberpunks, body-swapping, and moral choices that’ll have the better of you.  If you’re still not convinced, the show has jaw-dropping visuals, intense action scenes, and a plot that is thicker than Ridley Scott’s space fantasies.

Jessica Jones

When it comes to a gritty detective noir, Jessica Jones really checks all the right boxes.  She is a hard-drinking, no-nonsense PI with super strength and a past that is more convoluted than a teenager's room. Jessica is trying to keep her private eye business afloat while battling her own bucket of problems. On top of that, she’s also dealing with Kilgrave, a mind-controlling psycho ex who’s back to wreck her life. 

Like the supes in The Boys, Jessica is also as flawed as she is fierce. David Tennant's portrayal of Kilgrave in Jessica Jones is worth watching the show for alone. No villain from a Marvel film or TV show has ever been greater than him. Incredibly mesmerizing and horrifying all at once, he is.