As much as The Boys are currently the Satire is discussed, one would think that this series had invented superhero deconstruction. In fact, it has a predecessor that is 10 years older and also has a lot of tragedy, criticism and social commentary. The was ahead of his time. Just… a little different. And a little more British.
We’re talking about, as some may have guessed, Misfits. A colorful group of non-conformist “problem cases”, random superpowers and the madness of everyday life. All of this with future stars of equally adult series such as Game of Thrones, The Umbrella Academy and Preacher. Funny? Oh yes. Hard? However. But also sensitive. And it can currently be streamed in the free Freevee channel on Amazon Prime.
In Misfits on Amazon Prime, a group of juvenile delinquents suddenly get superpowers
A community center, a group of young criminals in their fancy orange overalls and a lot of cleaning up. So the social hours for the self-confident Alisha (Antonia Thomas), Curtis (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett), Kelly (Lauren Socha), Nathan (Robert Sheehan) and the shy Simon (Iwan Rheon) initially begin quite normally. But then a storm literally comes.
The storm brewing on that fateful day is no ordinary one. The group quickly notices this and tries to get to safety. But nothing helps: The five are struck by lightning. Shortly afterwards they realize what consequences this day has.
Suddenly they all – except for the disappointed Nathan – have unusual, supernatural abilities developed. A wild phase full of experiments and arrogance immediately begins, but it also has its downsides and gets the troop in a lot of trouble. And then there’s the question: What about Nathan’s powers?
Misfits is an extremely clever and bitterly evil exploration of superpowers and real-world problems
Misfits approaches the theme of superheroism on a completely different path as The Boys: The focus here is on completely overwhelmed, completely normal people who have to deal with an extraordinary situation without an evil system breathing down their necks or star status. They all have their faults and quirks, but rarely endanger the planet. Only sometimes.
This is how Misfits is able to deal with the complete chaos of life in both an intimate and exaggerated way. Superpowers take care of this high levels of violence and hilarious moments – but above all keep a magnifying glass on very simple, very personal, almost banal topics: finding identity, personal boundaries, self-determination, first serious relationships, sexuality and moral sense.
All of these themes always remain in the microcosm of truly unique characters. Surreal moments arise organically from the darkly humorous British setting and the peculiarities of the protagonists. Blood and Sex is less about breaking taboos and more about dealing with the problems of young adults. That pulls you in magical spell of familiarity and the supernatural – and sometimes there are even zombies.
If you’re looking for a charming alternative to The Boys, you can now watch Misfits on the Freevee Channel on Amazon Prime.