Hughie Campbell knows this better than most. One afternoon, he and his girlfriend were talking about moving in together and the next—well, his girlfriend had become a pair of disembodied hands and a bunch of blood spattered on the street. That’s what happens, apparently, when a super-fast hero like A-Train plows into a flesh-and-blood person. And while A-Train said he was sorry and all, he was also high on drugs, and Hughie understandably still harbors some ill will … and a well-founded suspicion or two about just how super these superheroes really are.

He’s not alone. Hughie spent some time with The Boys, a rough-hewn squad of vigilantes dedicated to exposing society’s most hypocritical heroes: Do-gooders fighting other do-gooders, if you will. Only the latter are do-badders and the former do bad things to make good on their …

Never mind. Let’s just get on with the review.

FAR FROM HOMELANDER

Hughie and The Boys don’t have a lot of advantages in this fight. Led by the mysterious Billy Butcher, The Boys (at least one of whom is female and sometimes called, appropriately enough, “The Female”) don’t have superpowers at their disposal. But that’s all slowly changing.

Thanks to the newly founded FBSA (Federal Bureau of Superhuman Affairs), The Boys are backed by the government with everything they need to put the corrupt “good guys” behind bars. And this includes a new drug called V24, a variant of the Compound V formula that created many superheroes to begin with. Of course, V24 wears off after 24 hours, so they’ll need to work fast if they want to take on a Supe.

In contrast, their adversaries are seriously supercharged (and permanently so)—particularly the members of the so-called Seven—an Avengers- or Justice League-like supergroup led by Homelander, the group’s exclamation point. He’s a Superman-esque hero in a star-spangled cape who can fly, knock down buildings without getting short of breath and zap anyone he’d like with his heat-ray vision. And while everyone thought he was the cleanest, most idealistic of the bunch, his All-American persona was wrecked in Season Two when it came out that his now-deceased superpowered girlfriend, Stormfront, was a former Nazi.

But it takes more than that to take down a Supe, as the Seven’s former member Starlight (who is also in a romantic relationship with Hughie) is figuring out. Even after catching Homelander on camera threatening her and others, most just brush the interaction off as fake news. Still, it’s caused the two Supes to gain respective followings of angry supporters, both of which seem more and more likely to violently lash out at each other day-by-day.

Your Angry Neighborhood Fighter-Man

Homelander, as you might expect, has only succeeded at fanning the flames of that violent tension. He’s on trial for murder after he publicly lasered a Starlight supporter to death when the man threw a water bottle at Homelander’s son.

Oh, yes, Homelander’s been raising a naturally superpowered boy named Ryan, who came to be after Homelander raped Billy Butcher’s wife.

And, truth be told, Ryan’s changed Homelander’s perspective on things. He’s been busy plucking gray hairs from his body, each of which reminds him that, when it comes to the inevitability of aging, he’s just as human as everyone else. He wants to leave Ryan a world worth living in—but there will need to be some violent changes for that to happen.

And Billy’s having his own dark night of the soul after discovering that his overuse of V24 has shortened his remaining lifespan to a mere 12 months. With little time remaining, Billy just hopes to rescue Ryan from Homelander’s clutches and reunite him with his mother.

Of course, none of this will matter if Victoria Neuman becomes Vice President of the United States. She was once the director of the aforementioned Federal Bureau of Superhuman Affairs, before Hughie discovered that she’s a Supe herself—one with the ability to pop her adversaries’ heads by manipulating their blood. Hughie is sitting on a mound of evidence against her, but he’s unable to do anything under her threat of mutually assured destruction: she’ll kill “everyone he ever loved” if he outs her.

Her running partner just had the election called for him, making him president-elect. And, if the Boys don’t find a way to stop her, Neuman will be just one head pop away from becoming president herself.

MEN OF HEELS

Based on a 2006-08 comic series of the same name, Amazon’s The Boys is all about deconstructing the American superhero myth and, by extension, satirizing America itself. Or, at least, the America its creators see.

It’s a natural impulse to flip superheroes upside-down—and, perhaps, a necessary reminder of the corrupting nature of power. Not every cat with superpowers, after all, necessarily has super-great character to go along with them. As The Boys imagines it, depressed superheroes aren’t that different from nihilistic dictators—always just one Nietzsche quote away from pressing the “end world” button. And as for the good heroes? Well, even if a hero starts out with the best of intentions, how can we be sure that he or she will follow through on them?

This is not exactly unexplored territory.

DC’s Watchmen is perhaps the most famous example, but there have been others. Even legitimate superhero narratives in Marvel and DC have poked around the dangers of unchecked superhuman beings. Captain America: Civil War explored the theme of how a world would deal with, essentially, god-like vigilantes (well-meaning tho’ they might be).

But The Boys feels bleeding-edge relevant, too—an exploration of hypocrisy and dubious authority that contains everything from police brutality to the #MeToo movement to corporate oligarchy. And in more recent seasons, The Boys’ political commentary comes with about as much subtlety as a rocket launch being broadcast through the world’s loudest amplifier. Power corrupts people, The Boys will tell you, be they superheroes or business syndicates. And it’s an uphill battle to bring the corrupt to justice.

But The Boys itself may corrupt in a different sort of way.

The Amazon show is billed as a dark comedy. And it is indeed as bleak, cynical and brutal as they come. The superheroes here engage in the worst acts you can imagine, from sexual assault to murder, and we see most of those crimes. Bodies explode before our eyes. Sex, nudity, LGBT content and even bestiality oozes across the screen. Even many of the less-heinous heroes come across as rather vile human beings. And the language—well, let’s just say we’re a long way from Robin shouting, “Holy hand grenades, Batman!”

And if these so-called superheroes don’t deserve the title, the show’s actual heroes aren’t always a lot better. In the very first episode, they kill a supe and then spend much of the next two episodes trying to dispose of the body. When your protagonists are led by a guy called The Butcher, you know you’re in some pretty murky territory.

The show’s more serious social commentary comes with plenty of issues, too. The Boys critiques everything quintessentially American, if you will—or, at least, the idyllic vision of America pushed in the 1950s. As such, religion becomes a critical focus of this deeply cynical show. Perhaps the best illustration comes from Starlight, whose real name is Annie: She starts Season 1 as an innocent Christian—a one-time member of the so-called Capes for Christ movement—who has some legitimate questions about the faith she was raised with. By later seasons, she sees her former faith as bankrupt as the rest of America’s institutions.

“I should’ve done a lot more stuff [when I was younger],” Annie confesses to a fellow supe, “because there is nothing up there. There’s nobody in the sky watching over us. Not God, not Homelander, not anybody. It’s all just … lies.”

The Boys offers a lively, grotesque, culture-current take on the misuse of power. But ultimately, the power is yours. And perhaps the best use of that power would be to avoid this streaming show like kryptonite.

(Editor’s Note: Plugged In is rarely able to watch every episode of a given series for review. As such, there’s always a chance that you might see a problem that we didn’t. If you notice content that you feel should be included in our review, send us an email at letters@pluggedin.com, or contact us via Facebook or Instagram, and be sure to let us know the episode number, title and season so that we can check it out.)

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He wants them to make a “clear” crayon—one that can color the shade of air, for instance. And, if they proceed with its creation, he hopes that perhaps they’d call it “fantasmas,” meaning “ghosts.”

In truth, Julio’s thought is indicative of how he views himself—undefinable. While one person might describe who they are or what they do by responding “I’m a teacher,” Julio is…well, Julio, floating around and doing whatever it is that a Julio might do.

Perhaps that’s why Julio keeps putting off obtaining his mandated “proof of existence” card by spending his time focused on his birthmark or searching for a lost earring. Maybe it’s why he keeps having that dream where the only way he can escape a shrinking room is by removing his unique outfit to fit through the door—which would take him out into the cold, where everyone wears the same black coat.

“Some things aren’t one of the normal colors or play by the rules of the rainbow,” Julio tries to explain to the Crayola executives.

And so it is with Julio—unless societal pressures or the logic of the world itself force him to comply.

Clear as Mud

Fantasmas might be how you’d describe Julio—and it’s the perfect name for the show, too.

The sketch show, by nature, isn’t too concerned about plot. Instead it bounces from one idea, and one story, to another. Sure, we follow Julio as he tries to avoid obtaining his proof of existence card and as he searches for an earring, but we just as quickly explore each and every tangential story in a way you might expect from a 6-year-old narrator overstimulated on caffeine.

That is to say, expect a bit of confusing whiplash as Fantasmas floats, like a ghost, from one absurd idea to another, never truly taking on any corporeal shape: Julio uses a ride-sharing app to leave Crayola. Then we watch “Melf” (a parody of the old 1980s sitcom ALF, involving a puppet/alien lives with a normal suburban family) the spoof’s titular character has an affair with the family patriarch. Then we jump into a Steve Buscemi-led sketch about how Julio imagines the letter “Q” as an artist of the weird, underused and unappreciated in his time.

And just as Fantasmas floats around, so too do its content issues. Sketches incorporate sex and LGBT elements—and one man appears while wearing women’s lingerie. In addition, foul language raises content to the TV-MA rating.

Fantasmas may not be a ghost haunting your television. But its desire to not “play by the rules of the rainbow” only succeeds in making it as difficult to enjoy as the color clear.

(Editor’s Note: Plugged In is rarely able to watch every episode of a given series for review. As such, there’s always a chance that you might see a problem that we didn’t. If you notice content that you feel should be included in our review, send us an email at letters@pluggedin.com, or contact us via Facebook or Instagram, and be sure to let us know the episode number, title and season so that we can check it out.)

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It all started six months ago, when Martha Scott walked into the pub in which Donny worked. The moment he laid his eyes on Martha, something about her made him feel sorry for her. She didn’t even have enough to pay for a tea, so Donny gave her one on the house.

Donny’s a struggling comedian, tending the bar to make ends meet while he tries to make it big. He knows what it’s like to have days where you look and feel like you’re at rock bottom. So what’s the harm in cheering up a sad-looking woman?

Plenty, as it turns out.

Martha came in the next day, and the next one…and the next one.

At the start, Donny finds her a bit sad and obsessive. Still, he doesn’t immediately find her presence annoying. In truth, he initially finds himself enjoying it—her affection validating a little of that attention he so desperately pursues through his comedy.

It’s not until he looks her up online that he finds the real truth: news articles describing Martha’s four-and-a-half-year sentence behind bars for serial stalking, harassment, false accusations and assault.

And she hasn’t changed her ways a bit. In a single day, she sent him 80 emails. In the time since Donny’s first encounter with her, she’d allegedly send 40,991 more. And those don’t count Martha’s messages, tweets, letters and voicemails, either.

Oh, and look at that! Donny’s just gotten a Facebook friend request from her.

Not the Red-Nosed Reindeer You Were Hoping For

But Baby Reindeer is about far more than one man’s experience with a relentless stalker. At its core, this dark comedy heavily hinges on broken people.

When we meet Martha, it’s easy for us to side with Donny. After all, she does pursue Donny in many erratic, non-consensual and otherwise emotionally manipulative ways. But Jessica Gunning plays Martha in such a way that causes us viewers to likewise feel pity for her in the same way that Donny did when she first arrived at his pub—a pity not based on her inexcusable actions but on the obvious underlying issues that are likely compelling them in the first place.

And Donny carries his own trauma with him. Danny was drugged and raped (an incident we see in a difficult-to-stomach fourth episode), and that tragic incident caused his insecurities and desire for real, authentic connection to exponentially grow. Those feelings are what inevitably cause his relationships to crumble … and what cause him to (initially) entertain Martha’s advances.

And as these two hurting people interact with one another, we’re left with a distinctly mournful seven-episode series whose popularity may betray how difficult of a watch it is.

Donny unpacks all of his trauma for the viewer, leaving no stone unturned. He discusses how his abuser manipulated him with hardcore drugs before victimizing him. He tells of his struggles with his sexuality following the event as he spirals through relationship after relationship with men, women and trans-partners. And though he knows what Martha is doing to him is wrong, he admits that there’s a part of him that enjoys the attention—even as he understands the abusive nature of the relationship.

Baby Reindeer arguably abuses the viewer, too. Scenes filled with sex and nudity are part of the docket. Conversations about sex are common. Language can be incredibly harsh. The showis full of problematic content and is not for the faint of heart as it explores lead actor Richard Gadd’s real-life experience with all the aforementioned events. So even as the series receives critical acclaim, let this be a warning that its content issues are particularly hard to watch, even for the TV-MA show’s appropriate audience.

(Editor’s Note: Plugged In is rarely able to watch every episode of a given series for review. As such, there’s always a chance that you might see a problem that we didn’t. If you notice content that you feel should be included in our review, send us an email at letters@pluggedin.com, or contact us via Facebook or Instagram, and be sure to let us know the episode number, title and season so that we can check it out.)

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Evidently, a lot more than they’d think.

The seven of them may come from different walks of life, but they’re all equals in Bristol, England’s, community payback program. They’re all working off their community-service sentences for the various crimes they committed—from shoplifting to forging checks. Under the strict supervision of Community Payback Officer Diane, they’re to spend the time cleaning up a dilapidated building so that Bristol can turn it into a community center.

One of the seven—the bad boy named Christian—is in a particularly deep tub of hot water. For fear that some criminals would harm his sister, Christian robbed a drug dealer’s stash at gunpoint, stealing away the dealer’s phone containing his contacts and a bag stuffed to the brim with cash. What’s more, the studious Asian good girl named Rani helped him during his getaway.

Christian stashes the money away in the soon-to-be community center. But he doesn’t account for the right-wing blowhard, left-wing militant and shifty old-timer (John, Myrna and Frank, respectively), who find the bag and consider using the cash for their own financial woes.

Things quickly spiral out of control. Pretty soon, celebutant Lady Gabby and dopey struggling lawyer Gregory are involved, too—all trying to keep things quiet from Diane.

But their troubles are only just beginning. Because the cash they stole belonged to a drug lord known only as The Dean—and he’s not one to let a few petty criminals get away with slighting him.

More Money, More Problems

By the third season, this unmerry band of misfits have a rather impressive resume for amateur criminals. By this point, not only have a couple of them finally worked off their community service hours, but they’ve sold cocaine and successfully got The Dean locked away.

But tensions are rising once more. Men like The Dean aren’t just locked away, and the growing threat that he might be released soon is starting to destroy any feelings of safety they might’ve finally obtained.

What’s more, Rani—who stole a car and went rogue at the end of Season Two—returns. She’s got the body of a man in her back seat, whom she claims knew how they managed to incriminate The Dean. He’s conveniently dead, but Rami insists that she didn’t kill him. And she needs their help hiding his body.

But, as these outlaws are beginning to realize, cleaning up one mess often leads to creating another, even bigger one.

You’ll Pay For It

The Outlaws is a British dark comedy which heavily centers around a group of people who unwittingly get caught up in the criminal drug trade—and all the crime that comes with it.

That’s not to say that where they came from was often much better. For the most part, the outlaws come from broken families. And amidst the grime and gunk of their new lives, they’ve made something of a family with one another—one that, for all its cracks and tension, feels at least marginally better than where they were at previously.

But peer into those cracks, and you’ll find the crudities that stitch them all together.

Obviously, the show heavily features the criminal underbelly of the drug trade. And while no nudity is seen, sex and sexual references are frequent on the show—as is LGBT content (primarily in the form of Lady Gabby’s character). Those content issues are topped off with frequent crude language and a few character deaths, too.

The Outlaws deals in broken characters—ones who we can relate to and cheer on as they work through their issues. Indeed, redemptive and even noble moments can be found throughout these three seasons. But broken characters also come with plenty of on-screen problems for families, and The Outlaws is no exception.

(Editor’s Note: Plugged In is rarely able to watch every episode of a given series for review. As such, there’s always a chance that you might see a problem that we didn’t. If you notice content that you feel should be included in our review, send us an email at letters@pluggedin.com, or contact us via Facebook or Instagram, and be sure to let us know the episode number, title and season so that we can check it out.)

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Donkey Hodie: Bedtime Stories was developed by PBS Kids to help get children ready for sleep. Each episode features Donkey or one of her friends as they read a bedtime story and calm their minds and bodies for sleep.

(Parents may want to note that Donkey has a rainbow-shaped pillow in her bed, though there’s nothing to indicate that this is anything more than a child’s toy.)

Each 5-6-minute episode in the series plays like a real bedtime story, showing storybook pages as Donkey reads them and complete with a lullaby. So if you’re looking for something to lull your tots to sleep, it’s not a bad option. However, since the blue light of screens can actually disrupt sleep patterns, I’d recommend using it earlier in the evening to help wind your kiddos down before they start their bedtime routines.

(Editor’s Note: Plugged In is rarely able to watch every episode of a given series for review. As such, there’s always a chance that you might see a problem that we didn’t. If you notice content that you feel should be included in our review, send us an email at letters@pluggedin.com, or contact us via Facebook or Instagram, and be sure to let us know the episode number, title and season so that we can check it out.)

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Along with her friends, Purple Panda, Duck Duck and Bob Dog, Donkey Hodie learns the value of hard work and perseverance. She discovers that it’s OK to make mistakes and that there are lessons to learn from them. And she tries her hardest to treat everyone she meets with kindness and fairness.

This PBS Kids spinoff of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood is aimed at preschoolers, teaching them social-emotional skills important for their development.

There’s the occasional mention of magic, but only in make-believe or stories. And since the show seems void of virtually any other content concerns, it’s a hee-hawesome win for families.

(Editor’s Note: Plugged In is rarely able to watch every episode of a given series for review. As such, there’s always a chance that you might see a problem that we didn’t. If you notice content that you feel should be included in our review, send us an email at letters@pluggedin.com, or contact us via Facebook or Instagram, and be sure to let us know the episode number, title and season so that we can check it out.)

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Hazel knows that these changes won’t be easy, but she’s prepared to handle them like the mature 10-year-old she thinks she is.

Unfortunately, things don’t go as well as she hopes. On her first day of school, nobody laughs at her jokes. She sits in wet paint at lunch. And then she comes home to find out that Antony’s flight got cancelled, so he won’t be able to visit until the holiday break.

Hazel’s had it. She packs her backs and prepares to run away. But that’s when she runs into her new neighbors, Wanda and Cosmo.

The pink- and green-haired duo immediately suspects that something’s up. They quickly realize that they can help Hazel—and that this kid needs them.

So, with a little magic, Wanda and Cosmo reveal their true nature to Hazel. They aren’t just retirees living next door: They’re fairies, with wands and wings and “floaty crowny things.” What’s more? They’re also godparents, and they’re prepared to make Hazel’s every wish come true.

Be Careful What You Wish For

The Fairly OddParentsgot its start on Nickelodeon back in 2001, when Wanda and Cosmo were helping a young boy named Timmy. After Timmy grew up, they helped out his cousin, Viv, as chronicled in The Fairly OddParents: Fairly Odder (which premiered on Paramount+). But now, this fairly odd couple is back on Nickelodeon in A New Wish.

Much like the previous incarnations, magic is one of the biggest concerns here. Cosmo and Wanda are from a fairy realm and, as already stated, can use magic to grant wishes. But, as Timmy, Viv and now Hazel all learn, magic isn’t necessarily all it’s cracked up to be.

Sure, the godparents can make Hazel friends with her teachers or turn her into a fly so she can fly to visit her brother. But sometimes, those wishes have unintended consequences, such as making her teachers so immature the entire school nearly fails a test or getting caught in a Venus fly trap.

The good news is that Hazel learns from these wishes gone wrong. She realizes that just because she’s mature for her age doesn’t mean she’s mature enough to be an adult. And yeah, waiting for Antony to visit may not be fun, but there are other fun things she can do to pass the time.

Parents should also note that Cosmo and Wanda, who have been married for about 10,000 years, occasionally gender bend. In the original Fairly OddParents, Timmy wishes for the couple to have a baby; due to the way that fairy reproduction works, Cosmo becomes pregnant instead of his wife, Wanda. And that gender fluidity continues in A New Wish. While playing pretend, Cosmo dresses up as a princess so that Hazel (who plays a knight) can rescue him. So it wouldn’t be surprising if similar content shows up later in the series, too.

The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish is mostly cute, animated fun with some good lessons about growing up. But the concerns noted above might keep some families at bay until their kiddos are old enough to discern fantasy from reality.

(Editor’s Note: Plugged In is rarely able to watch every episode of a given series for review. As such, there’s always a chance that you might see a problem that we didn’t. If you notice content that you feel should be included in our review, send us an email at letters@pluggedin.com, or contact us via Facebook or Instagram, and be sure to let us know the episode number, title and season so that we can check it out.)

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No, we don’t claim to know whether or not Will is a good driver. But he is in charge of Valley Forge Automotive Center, a struggling mechanic shop, the kind that would make you dread getting your oil changed.

Part of that feeling comes from its miserable employees. The  worst of the lot is Shane, who isn’t afraid to make sexually inappropriate remarks in front of customers—especially if they’re women.

But, as the boss, Will is ultimately to blame when things go south. The poor, anxious man can hardly stumble his way through a sentence, let alone run a shop. Case in point: he’s busy trying to save face with the franchise higher-ups (one of whom is his father) after accidentally ordering a costly 500 tires to the shop.

The franchise is aware that this branch isn’t profitable. If Will doesn’t get his crew in gear and pull a U-Turn soon, they’ll all be out of jobs.

Is Will worried? Yes. But he’s certain he can make a change.

Because when the rubber meets the road…

…ah, who are we kidding? He’ll probably mess up then, too.

Many Names for the Same Thing

There are many ways you might describe a worthless car.

Rust bucket. Clunker. Lemon. Jalopy. Hunk of Junk.

Helpfully, those are all acceptable adjectives to describe Netflix’s Tires.

The first six-episode season of the series appears similar to a beat-up car well past its prime sputtering into a mechanic’s shop under a false hope that a worker will be able to help squeeze a few more miles out of it. But there’s not enough duct tape in the world to fix the problems with it.

Each episode relies on a belief that what viewers have desperately been craving are frequent sex jokes, crude language and…did I mention references to sex? Tires quickly becomes … ahem … tiresome as you begin to recognize that what the show considers variety boils down to whether its characters are talking about breasts or butts.

Tires refers to the rubber coverings that go around a wheel. But it might just leave viewers looking for family friendly fare feeling a little run over.

(Editor’s Note: Plugged In is rarely able to watch every episode of a given series for review. As such, there’s always a chance that you might see a problem that we didn’t. If you notice content that you feel should be included in our review, send us an email at letters@pluggedin.com, or contact us via Facebook or Instagram, and be sure to let us know the episode number, title and season so that we can check it out.)

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But an hour before Lucy and William went to the airport for their return trip, their lives became sweeter than Italian gelato.

William met pop star Francesca Fortuna and fell in love. Shortly after, the two married, and William and Lucy moved to Rome.

Although Lucy misses her best friend, Kyla, she’s thrilled to experience adventures abroad. And during their daily video calls, Lucy tells Kyla all about her commutes past the Colosseum, trips to the Forum and sampling of real Italian cuisine.

But Lucy’s new life comes with its challenges. After an embarrassing first day of school, a popular girl named Charlotte teases Lucy, making it difficult for her to find friends there. Still, with the support of her dad and Francesca, Lucy feels inspired to be true herself.

Despite its difficulties, Lucy feels her life in Rome is magnifico.

BRAVO FOR BLENDED FAMILIES

While media frequently depicts dysfunctional families, Home Sweet Rome! presents a positive portrait of a newly formed family. Although Lucy misses her birth mother, who died when she was younger, she has a healthy relationship with her stepmom, who makes an active effort to connect with Lucy. Additionally, Lucy and her dad display a positive relationship through their ability to rectify misunderstandings and apologize for mistakes.

While its messages are primarily positive, Home Sweet Rome! comes with its caveats. Lucy seems to have a healthy relationship with Kyla; however, Kyla’s tone sometimes comes across as blunt, and her advice often seems careless. Additionally, students at Lucy’s school call one another names, and a few teens seem to place an unhealthy emphasis on their social media presences.

However, despite its content concerns, Home Sweet Rome! offers sweet messages about family and being true yourself.

(Editor’s Note: Plugged In is rarely able to watch every episode of a given series for review. As such, there’s always a chance that you might see a problem that we didn’t. If you notice content that you feel should be included in our review, send us an email at letters@pluggedin.com, or contact us via Facebook or Instagram, and be sure to let us know the episode number, title and season so that we can check it out.)

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“Before long, the supernatural became the totally normal,” Izuku Midoriya recounts.

In Midoriya’s day, roughly 80% of the world has some form of superpower, or “quirk.” Many of these, which often develop by kindergarten, are minor—the ability to lengthen your nose or telekinetically float a small object—and cause no real ruckus. Others, however, are much more powerful, enough for their wielders to become superheroes … or villains.

The most famous superhero is All Might, a Superman-like figure whose desire is justice and who has a smile that toothpaste brands would kill to take credit for. He’s also Midoriya’s idol, and Midoriya can’t wait for his own quirk to emerge so that he can become a hero and fight villains just like All Might.

Only…Midoriya ends up being in the 20% of people who don’t have a quirk.

The news is devastating to Midoriya when he first hears it. That devastation is further compounded when he finally meets All Might and is told that he can’t be a superhero without a quirk.

He’s so busy feeling sorry for himself that he hardly realizes when he’s walked into the middle of a villain attack. And as he looks up, he recognizes that it’s his childhood bully, Kacchan, who’s being held hostage by a gloopy sludge monster.

Without a quirk and without thinking, Midoriya finds himself running straight at the beast, desperate to save the boy.

Anyone Can Be a Hero

Well, Midoriya doesn’t really do much actual saving. It’s not until All Might steps in that Kacchan is rescued. But Midoriya’s actions make All Might realize that the boy really does have what it takes to be a hero.

He lets Midoriya in on a secret. Due to a battle scar obtained long ago, he’s unable to maintain his super muscly hero form for longer than a few hours before reverting to his true identity—that of a scrawny, blood-coughing man. And those hours are trickling down as the injury worsens and the days go by.

That’s why All Might has been looking for a worthy successor. See, his quirk, called One For All, was given to him by a previous wielder. And as it passes from person to person, the power becomes stronger and stronger, which is why the wielder must be pure of heart. And All Might thinks Midoriya is just that person.

As Midoriya soon realizes, One For All is a really powerful quirk. So strong, in fact, that he initially can’t even use a fraction of it without breaking his arm—even with All Might’s extensive training!

But he’ll need to train as fast as possible. Because a new threat, the League of Villains, is rising in power. And if Midoriya can’t master his newfound abilities soon, everything he knows and loves may be lost.

Going Plus Ultra

You could argue that anime entered a sort of golden age in the 2010s. Well-known titans in the genre such as, well, Attack on Titan, Sword Art Online and Demon Slayer emerged during this time. Rising along with them was My Hero Academia.

The superhero saga follows Izuku Midoriya as the world’s most powerful superhero passes his powers onto the boy, forcing him to train hard in order to fill the sizable shoes of his predecessor. He, along with his fellow heroic classmatesat U.A. High School (Japan’s top hero school), are thrust into hero work when a villainous organization suddenly threatens society.

As you might expect, My Hero Academia offers some positive messages about self-sacrifice and about fighting for those who cannot protect themselves. It also contains a whole lot of superhero-based violence, including a primary antagonist whose quirk allows him to decay whatever he touches to dust (which can be rather frightening when he does it to a person). Another villain drains people of their blood so she can assume their identities. Blood and death are real concerns.

What you might not initially expect are the occasional sexual references. One boy in Midoriya’s class is obsessed with girls and frequently attempts to see his female classmates naked. A few female heroes have powers or suits that are quite sensual (one woman even intentionally dresses like a dominatrix), and one male hero struggles with a quirk that allows him to phase through objects—including his own clothes. Naked rears are occasionally seen, too.

My Hero Academia strives to show how anyone can be a hero who stands up for justice. But be warned: Hero work, as this show reveals, can be a bit messy.

(Editor’s Note: Plugged In is rarely able to watch every episode of a given series for review. As such, there’s always a chance that you might see a problem that we didn’t. If you notice content that you feel should be included in our review, send us an email at letters@pluggedin.com, or contact us via Facebook or Instagram, and be sure to let us know the episode number, title and season so that we can check it out.)

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