Photo Credit: Prime Video
Eric Kripke has fired back at one of The Boys‘ loudest fan debates ahead of the show’s Season 5 finale. The showrunner pulled no punches when addressing complaints about recent episodes and revealed exactly what he thinks viewers are getting wrong.
Eric Kripke dismisses ‘filler episodes’ complaints from The Boys fans
Speaking to TV Guide, The Boys showrunner Eric Kripke defended the character-driven episodes leading into the final stretch. “None of the things that happen in the last few episodes will matter if you don’t flesh out the characters,” he said.
Meanwhile, fan reactions online reflect the criticism Kripke described. For instance, one user on X (formerly Twitter) posted, “Season 5 has been messy, very over the top in a bad way, the first 6 episodes have just been filler and meandering.”
Gotta be honest. The Boys peaked with season 3. I was there for season 4 and it had ups and downs..But season 5 has been messy, very over the top in a bad way, the first 6 episodes have just been filler and meandering. Its such a shame.Please let the last 2 eps be bombastic!— VoidRetro (@TheVoidRetro) May 6, 2026
Speaking candidly, Kripke acknowledged the online backlash directly. “I’m getting a lot of online dissatisfaction, to put it politely. And I’m like, ‘What are you expecting? Are you expecting a huge battle scene every episode?’” He added, “One, I can’t afford that. And two, it would be so empty and dull, and it would just be about shapes moving without having any import.”
Furthermore, the showrunner pushed back against the “filler” label applied to recent episodes. “At no point during the writing of it was I like, ‘Oh yeah, we’re making filler episodes. So who cares?’ We all thought at the time we’re really getting these important character details,” Kripke continued. He noted the show juggles roughly 14 or 15 characters needing development.
Ultimately, Kripke argued that major shifts occurred in every episode. “It’s just sometimes it’s a giant character movement. But apparently, just because it’s not plot, you’re like, ‘Nothing happened!’ I’m like, ‘Nothing happened, what?’ The craziest, biggest moves happened. It just wasn’t someone shooting someone else and going, pew, pew, pew.”
Kripke suggested weekly releases may amplify frustration among viewers. New episodes premiere on Wednesdays on Prime Video.
