15 Best TV Shows Like The Boys

"The Boys" has changed the way audiences view superhero shows. When Hughie's (Jack Quaid) girlfriend is killed when a "supe" runs through her, he's introduced to a world he never wanted anything to do with. People like Butcher (Karl Urban) are performing vigilante justice and want to bring supes down, while the ones like Homelander (Antony Starr) are doing everything they can to maintain their place in society. It's a pot waiting to boil over.

Everything about the series, from the commercialization of supes to the way they're protected, even if they commit crimes, has been a refreshing change of pace for the genre. "The Boys" is filled with controversial moments (with few that eerily mirrored real life events) and it shows the ups and downs of being a person with powers. Becoming a member of The Seven, the world's best crime fighters, should be the dream, though it's anything but.

Though "The Boys" is a unique blend of satire and violence, there are plenty of others that capture the essence of what makes the Prime Video offering an amazing series. Some are just as gritty, some feature similar characters, and others show how "The Boys" could've gone if the creative team took a different direction. Here are the 15 best shows like "The Boys."

Based on the DC Comics series of the same name, the miniseries "Watchmen" is perfect for fans of "The Boys." Some prior knowledge of the source material would be a plus (the show is set three decades after what happens in the "Watchmen" comics) but it's not a must — you'll pick up the story pretty quickly, and we're confident that you'll be hooked. In this world, the police wear masks, concealing their identity to protect themselves and their loved ones from vigilantes after a riot. Vigilante justice is now illegal, but that isn't stopping different groups from tracking down who's under the masks.

Fans of "The Boys" who love its grittier commentary on society will love "Watchmen." Because the HBO show is rooted in racially motivated events, it causes discussion similar to that of A-Train's recent storylines, like what he experiences outside of his supe persona and how Vought presents his supe story because of his race. The notion of a crime fighter's identity being hidden is also explored, since the police wear masks in "Watchmen," similar to the costumes a supe wears while working for Vought or their local law enforcement departments. Though there are only nine episodes, the stellar cast makes it worth the watch.

"Misfits" follows a group of young adults who get superpowers during a storm. They're all completing mandated community service hours when the incident occurs. However, their abilities aren't random — they're rooted in a key aspect of their personalities, like how Simon (Iwan Rheon) usually sticks to the shadows, so he gains the ability to become invisible. Things continue to spiral as they try to figure out what they're supposed to do with these powers.

Like "The Boys," this British series contains abilities that are a bit off the wall, change over time, and even aren't obvious at first. Both shows are black comedies, though because "Misfits" is British humor, it's a touch different — in the best way. If you thought Soldier Boy coming back from his supposed death was a curveball, just wait until you see what the group in "Misfits" does when one of them discovers they can go back in time. With five seasons to watch, it's just long enough to watch while you wait for more "The Boys."

What happens when a master thief finishes his prison sentence and takes on a new identity as a smalltown sheriff to track down his lover who should have their last great haul? The Cinemax series "Banshee" explores just that. The individual now known as Lucas Hood (played by Antony Starr of "The Boys") is trying to hide out from the mob boss he used to work for. In the last job, he and his lover Ana (Ivana Miličević) were planning to keep the goods for themselves, which defies their bosses orders and makes them a target.

"Banshee" is the show to watch if you want to see Antony Starr playing a character who is basically Homelander in a different font: Lucas Hood is technically very different to the leader of The Seven, but they are both in roles of power related to fighting crime, and they both have a persona to bury so no one finds it. It's a great chance to compare two similar characters played by the same person in projects with comparable tones, and it's always fascinating to see Starr out of his Homelander get-up.

The DC series "Peacemaker" features the titular character, played by John Cena, as he joins a black ops squad to exterminate butterflies. Except, these aren't the butterflies we know — they are parasitic and taking over our bodies. What ensues next is a mission filled with death, testing explosives for fun, and a mercenary realizing where his line is, especially when it comes to family.

Peacemaker and Homelander are similar in that they believe violence or explicit acts of aggression are the best way to maintain national security. For Peacemaker, that's going after these butterflies, and for Homelander, it's everything he advocates for as the leader of The Seven. They're both willing to kill whoever is in their way to achieve their goals, though Homelander's goals are more nefarious. Additionally, the two shows are similar in their tone and comedy, making it the perfect watch for "The Boys" fans.

"Invincible," an adult animated comedy based on a series of comics, is all about Mark (voiced by Steven Yeun, who almost played Marvel's Sentry in "Thunderbolts*"), a 17 year old whose father is a superhero. When Mark develops powers on his birthday, he learns that his father isn't as great a hero as the public thinks. After the Guardians of the Globe — the equivalent to The Seven in this world — are all murdered by one of their own, things take a turn for the worse.

For audiences looking for an animated counterpart to "The Boys," "Invincible" is it. Yes, we know "The Boys Presents: Diabolical" exists, but "Invincible" has several of the same members on the creative team (like Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg) as executive producers and it feels like a spiritual cousin of "The Boys," to the point that fans often debate over who is more evil: Omni-Man or Homelander. Both shows delve into the idea of the world's best crime fighters not being who they portray themselves to be.

Another DC series that fans of "The Boys" will enjoy, "Gotham" shows us where a 12-year-old Bruce Wayne's (David Mazouz) life leads after the murder of his parents. From Detectives James Gordon (Ben McKenzie) and Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue) trying to solve the crime to Bruce finally donning the mask that made him famous, there's corruption, villains, an angry child, and everything audiences might expect from a Batman origin story. It's dark, gritty, and has a sense of comedy fans of "The Boys" will appreciate.

Watching "Gotham" is kind of like seeing what would unfold if the Boys' plans to kill Homelander worked and Ryan was left trying to understand everything in the aftermath. People would probably be after him because of who his dad was, and there's a possibility that he'll turn to a life of vigilante justice rather than being a known face. There are plenty of layers and comparisons to make between "Gotham" and "The Boys" where Bruce and Ryan are concerned, and with 100 episodes to binge, there's more than enough to keep you busy.

Developed by the same group of producers as "The Boys," "Preacher" is a four-season series about Jesse Custer (Dominic Cooper), the titular preacher, who is given a divine ability and decides he should use it to find literal God. He's entirely unlike most preachers audiences know in the media, as Jesse has a criminal history, but he's trying to atone for that by fulfilling his father's wish of taking over the family church. However, things take a sharp turn when he embarks on the path to discover who God really is.

Not only is "Preacher" from the same producers, but it's based on a comic series from the same author: Garth Ennis. It captures a similar tone while exploring what someone does with powers, though Jesse is not a supe by any means. Because his ability is rooted in divinity, it poses a different question of who is granted powers and why, something that's only just being explored in the later seasons of "The Boys." Trying to find God sounds like a mission Homelander would be egotistical enough to believe he could do.

For those uninterested in a show about someone trying to find God, what about one following the actual Gods? Based on the novel by Neil Gaiman, "American Gods" follows Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle), a man released early from prison so he can attend his deceased wife's funeral. However, he meets Mr. Wednesday, played by Ian McShane, who continues to offer him a job until he says yes. What starts as a bodyguard gig turns into something more when Shadow learns magic is real and that there are two sets of gods: New Gods and Old Gods.

The plot of "American Gods" feels a lot like the battle Hughie gets caught up in during "The Boys." He's a regular guy who gets thrust headfirst into a world of powerful beings. Hughie doesn't really know how he fits in after he joins up with the titular crew, and those are feelings that Shadow Moon experiences, too. Granted, Hughie isn't a bodyguard, and the two characters are very different, but fans of "The Boys" will definitely appreciate Shadow's journey and the general vibe of "American Gods."

Marvel show "The Punisher" is about Frank Castle, played by Jon Bernthal, who goes by the Punisher as his vigilante alias. It follows the aftermath of his life after he gets revenge on the people who killed his family. He discovers there's more lurking beneath the surface of what happened, and he will kill anyone to get answers. Frank doesn't have powers in the superhero sense, but he can stand toe to toe with them.

As a vigilante, Frank feels like he could be a member of the Boys and fight against a system that allows people with powers to evade punishment for their actions — and he might be more successful than Billy and the crew have been. As a person, he feels like an alternate version of how Hughie might've handled his girlfriend's death had he let his anger fuel him (and started hitting the gym). He's a character that would fit into "The Boys" perfectly, and that's what makes "The Punisher" a great watch for fans of the Amazon Prime Video series.

In Marvel's "Runaways," six teens team up to try and defeat their parents, who run a criminal enterprise called Pride. What they don't know is that their family members are blackmailed into being part of the organization. While the comic it's based on describes the members of Pride as having powers, in the series, the parents focus more on special abilities that are not rooted in superpowers.

For those who like the seemingly random ways Compound V manifests in people, giving them unique abilities that might not actually be helpful to fight crime, "Runaways" hits perfectly. One of the teens has a telepathic link with a genetically engineered dinosaur, another has the ability to glow rainbow, and there's one who can summon a magic staff with blood drawing. On the surface, they're abilities that don't inherently appear useful, but the team uses them to their advantage. And, like in "The Boys," there's a team member who is always tinkering and making new things for them to use in their fight against Pride.

Superheroes who only have powers because of tragedy are the stars of "Doom Patrol." They're shunned by society because of this, but The Chief (Timothy Dalton), a doctor, allows them to live in his home and gives them medical treatment. When The Chief disappears, the group has to step into the limelight to find him. "Doom Patrol" presents a reality that could happen in "The Boys." Like supes in the world of the Amazon show, there is growing sentiment against the Doom Patrol. However, even if the public perception changes, there still has to be someone to save the day, and that's what "Doom Patrol" explores.

With its blend of sci-fi drama and black comedy, "Doom Patrol" is the perfect watch for those who want to see the public shun supes in "The Boys." Also, both shows feature people obtaining their powers through trauma. While it doesn't overtly appear that way in the Prime Video series, learning your parents took money to have you experimented on with a mystery serum is intense to learn about as an adult. While "Doom Patrol" isn't as violent as "The Boys," both shows shine a light on the dark side of having super powers.

Based on a trilogy of novels by Lev Grossman, "The Magicians" is about a world with magic rather than superpowers, though there's a lot going on here that fans of "The Boys" will enjoy. Quentin Coldwater (Jason Ralph) goes to college to become a trained magician, but he learns magic is vastly different from the childhood idea he had. Getting into the university is difficult, but graduating is even harder, and if he fails, all of his memories of the magical world will be wiped. There's danger lurking everywhere, and nothing is what it seems.

While Quentin and Hughie from "The Boys" are pretty different on paper, their trials and tribulations have a lot in common. In "The Boys," Hughie's image of supes shatters when he's exposed to their world and all the dark truths in it, and that's similar to Quentin's experience in "The Magicians." The idea isn't unique, but the way it's presented in both shows is reminiscent of the other, especially because of the power dynamic that comes with being a magician or supe. And, while it doesn't quite reach the same levels as "The Boys," "The Magicians" contains lots of shocking moments of violence, sometimes coming out of nowhere.

To call "Heroes" ahead of its time would be an understatement: This NBC superhero drama debuted in 2006, predating the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the superhero boom. While the first season is undoubtedly the best, the four-season series holds up well and is still a great watch today, especially for those who enjoy "The Boys." When people around the globe realize they have special abilities, they team up to fight for their lives and prevent others from using those with gifts for evil.

From people trying to understand why these abilities manifest to assassination attempts on politicians with powers, "Heroes" ticks a lot of boxes for "The Boys" viewers. If that's you, then "Heroes" should be on your list. Like "The Boys," sometimes the plotlines mirror global events, and the rotating cast of people with abilities (and the people connected with them) mirrors the new supers regularly introduced in the Prime Video show. In fact, one untold truth about "Heroes" is that the creator Tim Kring originally intended to start with a whole new roster every season.

Based on the Image/Marvel comics of the same name by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming, "Powers" follows Christian Walker (Sharlto Copley), a detective who cracks down on Powers — people with superpowers — who use their abilities for evil. He's devoted to the cause because he was a well-known Power himself until a mentor stole his power from him. Walker does everything from investigating Power on Power crime to chasing down known bad Powers. "Powers" also dives into the more political aspects of superheroes, making it an ideal watch for "The Boys" fans who love those subplots.

Another similarity is that Powers are treated more like celebrity talent, with each having a team of people to arrange appearances for them. There's a need for them to have perfect images, even if that's not the truth. Butcher and Walker would definitely be friends, as they are both fighting for the same cause, though the former is more cavalier about it. The latter has a unique perspective as an ex-Power, and that makes his work all the more interesting. And, as an added bonus for fans of "The Boys," Deena Pilgrim — Christian's partner in the Powers Division — is played by Susan Heyward, who joined "The Boys" as Sister Sage in Season 4.

Parents do their best to be ready for any scenario, but nothing can really prepare you for your children developing special powers. "The Gifted" is about Reed and Caitlin Stucker (Stephen Moyer and Amy Acker), parents to Lauren (Natalie Alyn Lind) and Andy (Percy Hynes White), who become mutants. However, this isn't something celebrated by the government, and the family joins an underground community of other mutants. It's particularly ironic because Reed is a law enforcement official and typically goes after mutants.

"The Gifted" is perfect for people who would love to see a larger focus on Ryan and his mother living their lives hidden from Homelander. Both series feature the lengths a parent will go to for their children, even when it means uprooting everything they've ever known. "The Gifted" shows us where things could go if sentiment against supes continues to grow in "The Boys," and it offers an alternate view on how a government might react to people with powers. "The Gifted" also portrays the divisions among those with powers, which is growing more and more distinct as Homelander continues his reign.