Paul Reiser appearing in The Boys season 3 as the debaucherous fixer The Legend is quite weird after seeing him as Dr. Owens in Stranger Things season 4. The legendary actor is having quite the summer appearing in two popular shows in a short span. The Legend first appears in The Boys season 3, episode 5, and is one of the original comic book characters and reader favorites. Paul Reiser’s new role is very different from his more serious role as Dr. Owens in Stranger Things, a complete contrast between the different tones of both shows.
The Legend in The Boys comics is a crucial character, providing help to Butcher and the team. Sometimes referred to as “Old Legend,” the character is a Vought comic book writer who lives under his comic shop and has a vast knowledge of all of the supes under Vought’s umbrella. He is often seen as a caricature of Marvel creator Stan Lee, showing more exaggerated behavior and a perverted edge. Given the character’s importance, many think he is joining the series surprisingly late in the story.
Paul Reiser’s role as The Legend comes directly between the Stranger Things season 4 split, just when viewers got the main cast return of Dr. Owens. The actor’s range is not in question, but seeing him portray such a different character so soon is a little jarring for audiences who likely still have the caring and fatherly Dr. Owens on the brain. His portrayal of The Legend in The Boys TV show also differs from the comic version, creating an even more significant disparity between the two roles.
In The Boys, The Legend is the former Vice President of Hero Management at Vought, a position he did not have in the published material. While he retains the recognizable Stan Lee-inspired glasses and cigar, the show has taken some liberties with the character to adapt him to the screen. Reiser’s version is that of a sketchy old playboy with a penchant for partying and seemingly giving up any information that will save his hide. While his Vought title was “Vice President,” the episode conveys the idea he was more of a sleazy fixer than anything so white-collar. It’s a stark contrast to his role in Stranger Things, contributing to the strangeness of seeing him in the superhero satire.
In Stranger Things, Dr. Owens is an obsessive scientist who eventually goes too far with his ambition and then finds his redemption arc. He took on more of an antagonistic role in his introduction in Stranger Things season 2 but eventually aligned himself with the protagonists, even gaining some of their trust. Unlike The Legend in The Boys, who is all too willing to divulge information, Dr. Owens knows more in Stranger Things than he’s willing to reveal, and even putting himself in harm’s way to keep Eleven safe rather than save his own skin.
Given that Stranger Things season 4, volume 1 is so fresh, it might be hard for some to digest the difference between the work-obsessed Dr. Owens and the washed-up entertainer The Legend. The Boys will undoubtedly feature the character more, given how important he is to the source material, so it’ll be worth watching to see what nuances are added to the character. Meanwhile, Dr. Owens is trying to stave off world destruction in Stranger Things season 4, volume 2, the show’s penultimate season.
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Stranger Things season 4, volume 2 returns July 1st on Netflix. New episodes of The Boys are released Fridays on Prime Video.
