“The Boys Presents: Diabolical” is a strange beast. It is a collection of eight animated shorts, each one a self-contained story set in the same foul, funny world as the live-action series. It is also a showcase for some of the most unhinged minds in Hollywood, and it plays like a calling card for writers who want to push past the limits of live-action TV. The result is uneven, often brilliant, and never dull.
Trailer, via Prime Video.
Eight Shorts, One Universe
The series premiered on Prime Video on March 4, 2022. It runs eight episodes, each a standalone story with its own animation style. That means the first short looks nothing like the second, and the eighth looks nothing like either. The anthology format lets the creators try different tones, different styles, and different takes on the same characters. It is a bold choice, and it mostly pays off.
The Writing Team
The series is created by Eric Kripke, Seth Rogen, and Evan Goldberg, all executive producers of the live-action series. They bring in a roster of writers that reads like a comedy supergroup: Garth Ennis, Simon Racioppa, Justin Roiland, Ilana Glazer, Awkwafina, and Andy Samberg. The result is a show that can swing from grim satire to absurdist comedy within a single episode.
“A collection of irreverent and emotionally shocking animated short films.”
Voice Acting Lineup
The voice cast is heavy with names from the live-action series. Antony Starr, Dominique McElligott, Colby Minifie, Chace Crawford, Elisabeth Shue, and Giancarlo Esposito all return to play versions of their characters. Their familiarity grounds the anthology even when the animation goes wild.
What Works
The best episodes hit their targets with precision. One short focuses on an early villain’s rise, showing how he became the monster we know. Another follows a vigilante who tries to take down a superhero the wrong way. These stories feel fresh while staying true to the show’s established rules.
The humor is sharp, and the horror is genuinely unsettling. The series does not hold back on violence, and it does not soften its villains. That commitment to darkness is part of why it works.
Where It Falls Short
Not every episode lands. Some shorts rely too heavily on shock value, and a few feel unfinished or rushed. The anthology format can also make the pacing uneven, with some stories running too short to fully develop their ideas.
The animation variety is a strength and a weakness. While it keeps each episode visually distinct, it can also make the series feel disjointed rather than cohesive.
The Scorecard
Here is a quick look at how the show holds up across its major elements:
- Animation: 7/10 — varied, sometimes dazzling, sometimes distracting
- Voice Acting: 8/10 — strong, committed performances across the board
- Writing: 7/10 — clever, uneven, with highs and lows
- Themes: 7/10 — dark, honest, and occasionally overwrought
- Overall: 7/10 — a worthy spin-off with a clear identity
Final Verdict
“The Boys Presents: Diabolical” is a mixed bag, but it is a bag full of ambition. It is not a perfect show, and it does not try to be. Instead, it tries to capture the chaos of its source material in a format that allows for more freedom and more risk. The result is a series that rewards attention and punishes skimming.
For fans of the live-action show, there is plenty here to enjoy. For newcomers, the anthology format makes it easy to jump in and out without committing to a long binge. It is a bold experiment that mostly succeeds, and it leaves the door open for more adventures in the same universe.
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