This is a spoiler-free review of Gen V, the first three episodes of which debut Friday, September 29 on Prime Video.

The first three episodes of Prime Video’s Gen V, a spin-off of the obscenely popular series The Boys, make one thing abundantly clear: the younger generation of superheroes is just as messed up as their predecessors. The twisted and immoral actions seen in Homelander’s and Butcher’s teams spill over into the college setting of Gen V. Godolkin University serves as a breeding ground for the next generation of supes, as they navigate their newfound powers, engage in frequent sexual encounters, and struggle to come into their own while under constant scrutiny from Vought. It’s a volatile mix of dysfunction and government conspiracies that creates an electrifying television experience, surpassing the depravity of The Boys.

Jaz Sinclair stars as Marie Moreau, a bloodbender orphan driven by the desire to control her dangerous abilities. Marie’s perspective heavily influences our perception of Godolkin in the first three episodes, as she attends Lamplighter’s school for crime fighting instead of the more glamorous Crimson Countess school for performing arts, which she had been assigned to. Godolkin University becomes a microcosm of the relevant issues depicted in The Boys, such as the arrogance of supes and the manipulative tactics of Vought. Immediately, Marie finds herself at odds with the esteemed professor Richard Brinkerhoff (played by Clancy Brown, who excellently portrays a company stooge). The satirical Godolkin advertisements, with their upbeat and Vought-approved tone, contrast sharply with Marie’s less-than-uplifting experiences, creating a storytelling approach that would make Riverdale blush.

Gen V not only expands on the themes explored in The Boys, such as the horrifying reality of Compound V injections, but delves deeper into them. Through Starlight’s confessionals and Butcher’s investigation, The Boys reveals how parents stole their children’s normal lives by turning them into superpowered beings. Gen V directly confronts this issue by portraying Marie and her classmates as vulnerable young adults, grappling with the traumas caused by Compound V through meetings with parents and late-night venting sessions in their dorm rooms. The lack of consent that the kids had in becoming supes is tactfully explored, with the super-strong gender-shifter Jordan Li (played by Derek Luh and London Thor) being paraded around like an exhibition piece at a gala event. Gen V humorously critiques the youth of today with its tongue-in-cheek “woke” comedy, while also viewing the Godolkin students as unwitting pawns with valuable stories to tell about being exploited by their loved ones, corporations, and even the government.

The campus of Godolkin University is filled with captivating characters and unique superpowers, resulting in compelling performances from an outstanding cast. It’s impossible not to fall in love with Lizze Broadway’s portrayal of Emma, Marie’s quirky and caring roommate who has the ability to shrink and grow at will, reminiscent of Enid from The Addams Family. Chance Perdomo commands attention as Andre Anderson, a metal bender with a famous supe father who struggles to step out of his shadow. Maddie Phillips as Cate Dunlap and Patrick Schwarzenegger as Luke Riordan, the mind empath and the top-performing student respectively, expose the inner turmoil beneath their seemingly typical college movie façades. Gen V goes beyond surface-level archetypes like “The Bookworm” or “The All American,” breaking them down with tragic consequences in a manner consistent with The Boys. While these first three episodes contain plenty of shocking and grotesque moments, what impresses me most is how the writers manage to infuse these godlike characters with relatable humanity.

That said, Gen V doesn’t hold back on juvenile debauchery, delivering maximum levels of horniness, bloodlust, and inappropriate humor in the most enjoyable ways possible. The inclusion of hormone-fueled bad decisions adds to the stupidly entertaining sequences, fueled by cocaine and arousal. The show features outrageous depictions of full-frontal nudity that rival the perverse hilarity found in Herogasm. In fact, one scene involving Emma’s explicit encounter with a fan of her YouTube channel is perhaps the funniest moment in the history of The Boys. The violence is also gloriously gory, making Translucent’s death-by-butt-bomb seem tame in comparison. Gen V doesn’t aim for good taste, and rightfully so.

From the very beginning, Gen V bursts onto the scene with explosive momentum. Episodes 1 through 3 are relentless in their pacing, wasting no time in unveiling the mysteries surrounding Godolkin, without resorting to more Vought villainy. The writers take advantage of the audience’s familiarity with The Boys and dive headfirst into the darkest aspects of Godolkin, including an off-limits area known as “The Woods.” They mock the superhero industry while maintaining the series’ trademark cynical tone, albeit with a few glimmers of hope. The characters have not yet succumbed to Vought’s manipulations or embraced the darker side of being a superhero. Marie and her squad are still impressionable, full of rebellious spirit, and remain undecided about their ultimate place in a world that views them differently. This central conflict makes Gen V’s storyline captivating and thematically essential.

Furthermore, Gen V establishes itself as a spin-off that stands on its own, without relying heavily on cameos from The Boys to prove its relevance or significance. Godolkin’s campus feels organic in its composition, with various schools where superheroes can choose their majors and gladiatorial arenas that draw crowds akin to football stadiums. By introducing a competitive ranking system among classes that serves as a shortcut to joining The Seven, the stakes become even higher as we root for our favorite characters to climb the ladder (especially considering that Gen V supposedly takes place concurrently with The Boys Season 4). Few recent television shows have matched Gen V’s ability to engage viewers from the very beginning and deliver a strikingly imaginative and captivating experience. It hits the ground running like a juiced-up A-Train.