The Boys fans ‘heartbroken’ over Simon Pegg’s Episode 5 performance

What did you miss?

The Boys can do gore well, it can shock well, but let it not be said that it can't also move viewers to tears well, which is exactly what happened with season 4's fifth episode.

Episode 5 proved to be a wild experience for viewers, with the titular Boys fighting to survive against manic, Suped-up barnyard animals, a big return from Giancarlo Esposito's Stan Edgar, and tensions beginning to arise between Homelander (Antony Starr) and his son Ryan (Cameron Crovetti).

But it was Simon Pegg's emotional performance as Hugh Campbell, Hughie's (Jack Quaid) dad, that left many viewers in tears. Before we explore how and why, be warned that this article contains spoilers for episode 5.

What, how, and why?

The episode sees Hughie bring Compound-V, the drug that turns people into Supes, to his father's death bed, Hugh had been in a coma and was at risk of being taken off life support after giving Hughie's absent mother Daphne (Rosemarie DeWitt) power-of-attorney. In the end, Hughie tells his mother about the drug, and she is the one to give it to him — but soon all is not well.

Pegg's character becomes confused and frightened by his ability to walk through walls, doors, even people. He begins to wreak havoc and acts violently to several patients and staff members, struggling to remember the last few years of his life and not recognising Hughie because he thinks he's still a child.

When Hughie and his mother try to stop his violent rampage he lashes out against Daphne, emotionally telling her how difficult it was for her to abandon the family and how it broke Hughie as a child. The character's breakdown and moving reconnection with Hughie and Daphne left viewers distraught.

Sharing their thoughts on X, one said: "Simon Pegg was probably the best part of todays episode. This man genuinely broke my heart with some of the stuff he said".

Another wrote: "What an emotional scene this was with Hughie and his parents. His dad deserved sm better. Simon Pegg, Jack Quaid, and Rosemarie DeWitt gave it their all. The way hughie broke down while holding on to his mom."

The same user also said: "That scene of hughie’s dad was so heartbreaking. He did not deserve any of that IM SOBBING Simon Pegg the actor you are". While one viewer tweeted Simon Pegg directly to say: "awesome job in #TheBoys thank you for such a personal performance."

Another person said: "Simon Pegg is the MVP of Episode 5. Phenomenal performance that starts off terrifying then tugs on your heart strings."

Calling for the actor to win an award for his performance, another fan wrote: "If Simon Pegg doesn't win an Emmy for his performance on Ep5 of Season 4 of The Boys, then there's no justice in this world!"

What else happened on The Boys?

As mentioned, episode 5 featured a number of different storylines one of which saw members of The Seven take part in a fan convention to announce their "next phase" of projects, which was a clear, tongue-in-cheek nod to how Marvel announces its content.

This was a dig that was not lost on viewers, with one writing: "The Boys making fun of the MCU with this stacked slate at V52 Expo is pure gold", and another saying the joke had "me in tears"

The compound-V tested barnyard animals were also a big topic of conversation with viewers, namely for how mad the whole sequence was when the characters faced off against rabid chickens, sheep and cows that were out for their blood.

Referencing Ti West's X film series, and its lead character Maxine "Max" Minx (Mia Goth), one person wrote: "I know she was the one really running that crazy a** farm", while another jokingly said: "Kimiko was fighting for her life with that chicken".

The Boys season 4 airs every Thursday on Prime Video.

Read more:

• Homelander just had his most disturbing episode yet on The Boys

• The Boys season 4 review: Brutal, obscene and just as diabolical as ever

• Why The Boys became a culture war flashpoint