Gen V – ‘#ThinkBrink’ – Review
Prime Video’s Gen V has shaken up the ‘supe’ narrative, focusing on a new generation of super-powered teenagers ready to take their shot at the big leagues. It’s all about to get very personal and messy when their very pusy parents drop by in Episode Three, ‘#ThinkBrink’.
It’s the night of the gala fundraiser, and many of our heroes have to face their biggest villains yet: their parents! Cate and Andre become closer than ever as they unravel the truth about Godolkin University. Marie makes an apology, and Andre sends Emma on a mission.
Gen V has gotten off to a hell of a start thanks to the spectacularly gory murder-suicide of celebrated supe professor Richard Brinkerhoff (Clancy Brown) at the hands of college heartthrob Luke Riordon/Golden Boy (Patrick Schwarzenneger). But tragedies can also lead to opportunities, and that’s exactly where we find ourselves in Episode Three, ‘ThinkBrink’ as Godolkin University and Vought International throw a lavish gala fundraiser to celebrate the life of the good professor. And this leads to the arrival of our lead characters’ parents, who all have a very pushy interest in their children succeeding to the top. Emotions run high in this episode, and there’s plenty of drama on display.
Through both The Boys and Gen V, audiences have come to see how a lot of the time, superpowers actually hinder our ‘supes’, more than help them. Throw in the pressure of endorsement deals, high society glamour, media pressure, and very pushy parents, and you’ve got as cocktail for disaster. With the arrival of Andre, Jordan and Emma’s parents, all of whom have agendas for their children’s future, things get uncomfortable pretty fast at Godolkin University, and it’s not a fun night for any of them. From Emma’s mum’s desire to see her in a hard-hitting reality show, to Jordan’s father shaming them for their female side, to Andre’s father Polarity’s own agenda, which takes a hell of a twist. None of it makes for a comfortable watch.
‘#ThinkBrink’ also focuses more on how savage our protagonist’s powers truly are and how, for all of them, their powers are often the result of significant trauma. From cutting to bulimia and everything else in between, all of our characters share a catharsis between one another, and all realise that each of them has had their own traumas to deal with, and that if they’re to make it through the ranks of Godolkin University they’ll have to stick together. Another big part of ‘#ThinkBrink’ focuses in on Luke Riordon’s younger brother Sam (Asa Germann), who was previously thought dead and who has been trapped in The Woods, a dangerous and mysterious institution buried beneath the corridors of Godolkin University. Sam has a real focus in the episode, and he’s certainly not right in the head.
It also wouldn’t be Gen V without a serious bit of R-rated fun. And we get a good serving in ‘#ThinkBrink’. From aggressive sex to churning gore, all of it is splattered over the screen in Episode Three of Gen V, and it adds an added layer of edge, to what is a very heavy episode.
With ‘#ThinkBrink’ we’re now all in with Gen V, and this is a series that’s becoming addictive. And audiences can’t look away.
Gen V streams on Prime Video.
Image: Prime Video
