The Boys' Stars Were Seriously Confused By This Fresca Joke
Pop culture references to food and drink, in movies and television are hardly new. Who could forget Sloth's delight with Rocky Road ice cream in "The Goonies" or E.T. gobbling up Reese's Pieces in "E.T."? Whether product placement or a not-so-subtle plot point, these scenes are memorable — memorable and sometimes confusing, even to the stars of the show. Such is the case with Fresca in "The Boys."
In the second season of this dark drama about corrupt superheroes and a group of violent vigilantes who try to take them down, a down-on-his-luck "supe," The Deep, gets recruited into a cult, the Church of the Collective. Throughout his recruitment, he is offered a Fresca by different church members, with the camera zooming in on the label on the can in several instances (via Men's Health). Subsequent scenes featuring the church and its members also include cans of the zero-calorie sparkling flavored soda, once even poured over ice at a fancy dinner. Fans were confused as to the meaning behind the Fresca reference, creating numerous Reddit board discussions on the point. So, what's its meaning?
Even the stars of 'The Boys' were confused
According to CBR, during a panel at New York Comic Con 2021, several cast members brought up the issue of Fresca, and how they were equally in the dark as to its meaning. As Erin Moriarty, who plays Starlight, said, "Yeah, I think we're all waiting for like 'Okay, they'll tell us what the Fresca is about. We'll get there.' What's with the Fresca?" Even Chace Crawford, who pays The Deep, admitted he's equally confused. "Kripke explained it to me one time and I still don't understand it. So, there you have it. I'm serious, I don't know what it is."
According to showrunner Eric Kripke, there is no real meaning behind the Fresca — it's origin was somewhat accidental, as it seemed like "the drink of cult members" and then it became a running joke all season long (via CinemaBlend). Fans of the beverage (and there are fans) might not be amused by the running joke, but at least they've moved past the shortages during the pandemic that made it difficult to find Fresca. Parent company Coca-Cola also has good news for Fresca fans, announcing that not only will it not eliminate the brand, but it will also offer them in larger sizes. All the better for recruiting new fans of Fresca, of course!