Like ‘The Boys’? This Prime Video Superhero Satire Is for You

The superhero genre is filled with stories of heroism and adventure and some of the most terrifying examples of human depravity audiences have ever seen. Owed in large part to huge hits like The Boys and Invincible, the dark, gritty superhero subgenre has awed audiences with its more realistic view of what a world inhabited by superpowered humans could look like. Many of these series try to present grounded stories that their viewers can relate to, but none have excelled like Prime Video’sI’m a Virgo. Created by Boots Riley, this mind-bending series offers one of the most accurate portrayals of what superpowers in our world would actually look like.

I’m a Virgo roots itself in the experience of marginalized identities, telling a comedic story of a young giant trying to make his way in the world while intertwining real social issues that wouldn’t be erased simply because powers existed. Even more, it dissects the concept of heroism in a way no other series has, questioning what a privilege it would be to spare the time to try heroism and how one person deciding they were the true arbiter of justice could become something truly terrifying. I’m a Virgo depicts all of this through surreal, hilarious storytelling, creating a world of magic and monsters that viewers can actually see themselves within.

I’m a Virgo

A coming-of-age joyride about Cootie, a 13ft tall young Black man in Oakland, CA. Having grown up hidden away, Cootie soon experiences the beauty and contradictions of the world for the first time. He forms friendships, finds love, navigates awkward situations, and encounters his idol, a real life superhero named The Hero.

Main Genre

Drama

Seasons

1

Release Date

June 23, 2023

What Is ‘I’m a Virgo’ About?

Even before I’m a Virgo, fans of the superhero genre were raving over more serious (and often terrifying) stories that interrogate the tropes they’ve loved for years. While audiences have been thrilled by DC and Marvel’s stories for decades, many have called out how too many of these tales fail to consider humanity’s darker parts for the sake of telling plots filled with perfect heroes and happy endings. That refusal to base these stories in reality made The Boys such a cultural mainstay. Since this show first premiered, it has led to similar stories of more nuanced superheroes like the animated Invincible (with its story of intergalactic daddy issues) or the hilarious Extraordinary (and its concept of powers being an existential birthright), with each project showcasing a new vision of what a realistic “super-world” could look like. These are each amazing in their own way, yet none has truly mastered a portrayal that captures what it would really feel like living in a world with heroes and superpowers, often focusing on a gimmick rather than the human experience. Enter I’m a Virgo.

The mind behind this series is Boots Riley, whose previous groundbreaking work Sorry To Bother You first introduced audiences to the filmmaker’s unique method of using mind-bending comedy to discuss real social issues. The same is true for I’m a Virgo, which focuses on Cootie (Jharrel Jerome), a 19-year-old, 13-foot-tall teenager in Oakland who finally leaves his super-sized house to enter the world his parents kept him sheltered from. While he definitely shocks those around him with his gargantuan height and strength, viewers soon learn that he’s not the only super-powered person in this world; his future girlfriend Flora (Olivia Washington) moves super fast (one minute for everyone else is days for her) and tons of people love “The Hero” (Walton Goggins), a billionaire who built himself a super-suit and flies around fighting crime. This setting contains all the elements of your typical superhero story — an unlikely protagonist, a love interest, a big evil, and, of course, cool gadgets and powers — while making it clear that this story could never be typical, because only those with massive amounts of privilege ever really get the chance to try and play the hero.

‘I’m a Virgo’ Addresses the Harsh Reality of Everyday Life for Superheroes

Despite all of I’m A Virgo’s fantastical elements, the show recognizes that the horrors of the world would put a stop to most attempts at heroism. Early into the series, audiences learn that there have been many other giants throughout history and that almost all — especially those who were Black and brown — were experimented on extensively, used as lab rats or sideshow attractions by a public who saw them as more of a spectacle than a person, before being killed and having their body studied for research. This, paired with the show painting the real struggles of underserved communities in the U.S. (ones that face unjust policing, gentrification, etc.), shows a creative commitment to integrating this story of superpowers into a real history that many in its audience will actually see themselves in.

In a subgenre filled with depictions of superheroes, this harshness is portrayed as dramatized images of villains and monsters while failing to showcase the institutional severity faced by underserved communities daily. While other series may take a moment or so to discuss things like systemic racism or similarly destructive social realities, I’m a Virgo is the only one to make clear that the existence of magical abilities could never trump the horrid conditions humans have already created — making it even scarier when viewers learn that someone who benefits from those conditions has decided to be “The Hero.”

The Hero, as depicted in I’m a Virgo, is a rich white man born without abilities who decided he was what this world needed, donning a super-mechanical suit and going out to fight crime — while also starting a comic book and retail empire around his image to make himself even wealthier. His faux abilities pale when compared to Flora’s power to literally move at the speed of light, but while he had the freedom to invest in this narcissistic hobby, she was forced to use her abilities in the fast food industry to pay her bills. The series critiques any story featuring a “super-person” or “vigilante” given that deciding to be a superhero is a thoroughly privileged choice, because a person who actually has to work to live comfortably would never have the time to don a suit and spend hours every day fighting injustice. This portrayal brings a sense of capitalistic reality to the genre, reflected in how The Hero’s sense of justice is one that further disenfranchises underserved populations. Of course, he’d only work to defend the cruel institutions that gave him his only true power: money.

‘I’m a Virgo’ Proves That Powers Don’t Make The Hero

It’s easy to forget when watching that I’m a Virgo is technically a superhero story, with its powerful elements often being overshadowed by the social discussions at its core — and that’s what makes it so amazing. With its uncanny brand of humor and wild visuals, the series uses its superhuman abilities to point out the ridiculous inequities that exist in this country today. Even further, in a subgenre meant to critique your typical superhero fare, I’m a Virgo goes further by genuinely cementing itself in a human experience of the groups other shows rarely delve into, those communities already facing struggle and discrimination in a real world with no superpowers whatsoever.

This commitment to reality makes Cootie’s eventual decision to topple institutions and fight back so gratifying, though he doesn’t do this because of some superhero mentor or sage words from an older, soon-to-be-deceased relative. The lessons he learns from thoroughly human activists who fight back every day for the safety and happiness of their communities finally inspire this young man that his powers can be used to elicit real change. His journey to this conclusion makes for an expansive, compelling series, perfect for viewers who like superheroes who could impact the real world today.

I’m a Virgo is available to stream on Prime Video in the U.S.

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