‘The Boys’ Composer Christopher Lennertz Talks Eric Kripke Collaboration, ‘Supernatural’ Reunion, And The Emotional Impact of Episode 7

Tia speaks with music composer Christopher Lennertz about ‘The Boys‘ season five. Lennertz has worked with ‘the Boys’ and ‘Supernatural’ creator Eric Kripke for decades, so it was an absolute treat to talk to him about his inspiration, what it was like composing the emotional end of episode seven, and the ‘Supernatural’ reunion in episode 5.

Tia: Oh, cool. Awesome. By the way, Chris, love your glasses.

Christopher Lennertz: Thank you. Appreciate that. Thank you.

Tia: First of all, I’m Tia. I’m from Geek Vibes Nation. Thank you so much for even taking the time to do this. I’m sure you’ve had a very busy day.

Christopher Lennertz: All good, all good.

Tia: As of recording this, we are only one episode away from The Boys finale, so…

Christopher Lennertz: Unbelievable, isn’t it?

Tia: Insanely exciting. Yesterday at noontime, I watched the seventh episode, and I was like, “Oh my God.” The ending of it was…

Christopher Lennertz: Oh, I know. Oh my God, I know. I’ve got to tell you, that was a gut punch. I didn’t know it was coming until we started working on that episode. When we sat and watched it, I could feel it coming. I was like, “Oh no, you’re going to kill Frenchie, aren’t you? No!”

I could feel myself starting to get teary. Honestly, him and Kimiko, there are so many things I love about the show, but I just think their relationship is so sweet and good.

Tia: Sure. Sure.

Christopher Lennertz: From the get-go, their chemistry has been amazing. Karen and Tomer are amazing, and they just nailed it. To see him, and the way he said “mon coeur” at the end, I was like, “You’re killing me. Just killing me.”

To write the cue that led up to that, and then have it be silent after that, was even more gut-wrenching.

Tia: I don’t know if you go on TikTok, but everyone was saying they just had to watch the end credits after that in silence, like, “I can’t believe it.” As soon as Frenchie started talking about, “I love Kimiko. I can’t live without her,” I was like, “You guys are killing her. You’re killing him off, aren’t you? This is what’s going to happen here.”

First of all, you are the composer and musician behind The Boys, and you’ve already described a little bit of what that was like, putting together the sound for that scene and the silence. But what was that like for you? Did you expect that this huge character, who has been there since day one, was going to be killed off?

Christopher Lennertz: Yeah, well, I think that’s what we knew. I’ve known Eric long enough to know there’s no way we’re going to end the show without a lot of people dying. I just knew it. I was like, “There’s just no way.” I know how his brain works, and I know the kind of stakes he likes to have.

At the beginning of Season 5, I thought, “We’re going to have a lot of death.” What I was wrong about, and what I’m actually glad I was wrong about now that I’ve done all the music, is that I thought there were going to be a lot of giant action cues, battle cues, and horror cues because people were going to be dying.

But the thing that became apparent pretty quickly, right when A-Train died at the end of episode one, was that there actually wasn’t going to be more horror-style music. There was going to be more emotional music. One of the things that’s most different about this season is that there’s a lot more music that really tears at your heart.

We had that when A-Train went, but also the scene leading up to when Firecracker gets killed. That was another one, because she’s literally the only person who ever really loved Homelander.

Tia: Yeah, and that episode was so crazy because you don’t expect to feel for Firecracker. But then you see how her devotion leads her to her death.

It’s funny you say that, because you won an Emmy for one of your songs. I believe it was “Put Christ Back in Christmas.”

Christopher Lennertz: “Put Christ Back in Christmas,” yep. It was.

Tia: The Boys has always been known for this very off-the-wall humor. But as you said, this season has more emotional beats. Was that refreshing for you, or do you like both because they balance each other out?

Christopher Lennertz: I do like both, because I think one of the things that’s made the show so fun and so effective is that it does both well, and one really sets up the other.

The reason the massacre of blood and bodies torn in half all over an ice rink from Homelander works so well as shock is because for the last three minutes, we’ve literally been singing and skating around with donkeys. It whips you from one extreme to the next.

I think the same thing goes for the violence and then going right back to emotion. That’s something Eric has always done really well. Even Supernatural was a great example. The reason that show went so long was because the scary parts were actually scary, the funny parts were actually funny, and the really heartfelt parts, whether with Dad and Mom at the beginning or with Castiel and that relationship in the later seasons, were believable.

I think the same thing happens with The Boys, and then you take it one step further because now you have politics and social commentary about greed, corruption, and power. The show is, at the same time, really smart and really stupid; really shocking and really heartfelt.

Tia: The show is fantastic at it…

Christopher Lennertz: …and the arc with A-Train is such smart storytelling. Frenchie’s journey is just as layered, messy, and emotional, which is why it hits so hard.

Tia: You mentioned Eric Kripke and your history on Supernatural. How did The Boys come about for you?

Christopher Lennertz: I went to college with Eric. We were fraternity brothers, lived next to each other, and did student films together. We went to Sundance, drove around in vans, and stayed in tiny apartments. That history led to Supernatural, then Revolution, and eventually The Boys.

I was actually working on Sausage Party when Seth Rogen told me Eric was making The Boys and wanted me involved. I read the graphic novel and immediately said yes.

Tia: That’s amazing. It really is a small world.

Tia: I also wanted to ask about Vought Rising. Are you involved?

Christopher Lennertz: Yes, I am working on it. We’ve already started music. It takes place in the 1950s with Soldier Boy and Stormfront. It’s going to be really fun musically and creatively.

Tia: Speaking of Soldier Boy and Jensen Ackles, did you enjoy the Supernatural reunion episode?

Christopher Lennertz: Absolutely. It was incredible. Getting everyone back together, including Jared Padalecki and Misha Collins, was special. There’s a real family bond from Supernatural, and it carries into The Boys.

Tia: That episode was wild in the best way.

Christopher Lennertz: That’s what Eric does so well—he lets actors play against expectations while still honoring the fans.

Tia: I hate to wrap up, but thank you so much for your time. This was amazing.

Christopher Lennertz: Absolutely. I would love to.

Tia: Thank you, Chris. Have a great one.

Christopher Lennertz: Take care. Thanks so much.