29/10/2025

LYFE WEDNESDAY | OCT 29, 2025

26

TV SHOW REVIEW

Gen V stumbles to finish

Ű BY MARK MATHEN VICTOR

C ONCEIVED to be the bridge in between The Boys ’ third and fourth season, Gen V’s first season two years ago was a great addition to the expanding universe of Prime Video’s best live action satirical superhero series. However, in its second season, similarly created to lead into The Boys ’ fifth and final season, Gen V starts strong but fails to give a proper end to its tiny corner of “The Boysverse”. After agreeing to align themselves with the pro-Homelander narrative involving the chaos at Godolkin University in the last season, Emma Meyer (Lizze Broadway) and Jordan Li (London Thor and Derek Luh) are released from their detention at Elmira Centre. Returning to the university as students, they not only have to grapple with Andre Anderson’s (Chance Perdomo) death but also mysterious new dean Cipher’s (Hamish Linklater) interest in them and Marie Moreau (Jaz Sinclair). Having escaped Elmira earlier, Marie is located by Starlight (Erin Moriarty), who tasks the blood-controlling young superhero with returning to Godolkin University for a mission: investigate what the university’s deceased founder Thomas Godolkin’s “Odessa Project” is. Meanwhile, Cate Dunlap (Maddie Phillips) and Sam Riordan’s (Asa Germann) belief in superpowered supremacy begins to waver. As they grapple with their guilt and come to

point of being overbearing in The Boys ’ fourth season. Taking into account Perdomo’s tragic real-life death and how the season had to be rewritten not only around selling his character’s off-screen demise with decency but also turning it into a core part of each character’s development, showrunner Michele Fazekas and the writers room pull off juggling not only those but also all the different plotlines impeccably. Though there are certainly moments where the narrative seems like it comes under the strain of having too much story, the pacing is never really affected as when one mystery is solved, another is introduced or a small piece of the puzzle involving the Odessa Project and Cipher is revealed. Despite its more deliberate pacing, character and story development, the end of the season feels less whole and more underbaked. The big reveal involving the Odessa Project, Cipher and Marie occurs within the season’s penultimate episode and is quickly wrapped up in the finale. As much as fans will welcome the bloody and violent revolution in The Boys ’ fifth season, this season of Gen V certainly caps off like a protest that ends prematurely.

o Strong start gives way to rushed conclusion as restrained season two closes out its corner of The Boys universe

Cipher’s (left) interest in Marie causes her blood manipulation powers to evolve. – PICS FROM PRIME VIDEO

Grounded return to Godolkin University Gen V’s second season is certainly a lot but it is also a little. It is a restrained season, dialling back

on the major conflict involving Homelander, focusing on the small dramatic beats and even somewhat pulls back on the adult humour that moved beyond the

terms with their mental health problems, both attempt to mend their relationships with Marie, Emma and Jordan, as all five descend into the Odessa Project rabbit hole.

Sean Patrick Thomas receives a bigger role in the second season as Polarity, the father of Andre, following Perdomo’s tragic death.

From left: Jordan, Emma, Sam, Cate, Annabeth and Marie receive unexpected help from a major character in The Boys .

Tame Impala explores fatherhood in new album Deadbeat

craftsmanship behind it is as strong as ever. Standout tracks include My Old Ways , a nostalgic groove that bridges his past and present sounds. Loser balances melancholy with hypnotic beats. Meanwhile, Dracula is a darkly entrancing cut that shows his enduring knack for mood-building. The closing track End of Summer wraps everything in a hazy warmth that feels like acceptance – the sound of an artiste growing older but still deeply in tune with his emotions. It is not a return to the psychedelic heights of Currents or Lonerism , nor does it try to be. Instead, this is Tame Impala at peace with change, still making terrific beats but from a quieter and more personal place.

longer trying to prove anything but simply express what remains unsaid. The album’s title and artwork suggest a personal reckoning, with several tracks hinting at his shifting priorities as a father and musician. The theme of family life is subtly woven throughout the record, most notably in the song Piece of Heaven , which references his daughter’s messy bedroom in what feels like an affectionate glimpse into his home life. While it might lack the high-octane spark of his earlier albums, the production remains immaculate. Parker’s attention to rhythm and layering keeps each song textured and alive, even when the pace slows. The album may mark a gentler phase in his evolution, but the

ALBUM REVIEW

Ű BY AMEEN HAZIZI

TAME Impala’s latest release Deadbeat trades the shimmering guitar layers and psychedelic highs of his earlier work for something more introspective and electronic. The result is an album that hums with technobeats and pulsing synths rather than the soaring riffs fans might expect. However, it still carries Kevin Parker’s signature atmosphere and emotional precision. At first listen, Deadbeat feels calmer, even restrained. The energy that once drove tracks such as Elephant or Let It Happen has given way to a reflective maturity – a sign that Parker is no

Parker with his daughter Peach featured

on the album cover.