The Mo and The Ro

So you wouldn’t know it from the lack of posts, but I have been keeping up with The Venture Bros. this season.

In lieu of another post here, I’d like to direct you all to the Venture Bros. discussion thread on the messageboard. It’s been long enough so updating here seemed like a cop out.

For those of you into it as well, I have linked to an interesting podcast discussion by the group Television Zombies had regarding the show, and an interview with Dr. Rusty Venture himself!

If you will allow, this week I’d like to combine the last two episodes.

I will do so whether you grant permission or not.

First off, it’s nice to finally see Phantom Limb – he was obviously alive and on the run, but the length of time since we’ve seen him last made me wonder whether that character would ever return. What’s interesting however in his return is that while the potential was there to have him come back and be as ruthless and on the ball as he was in season 2, we end up having him being just as insane and now inept as the rest of the misfits in this show. It fits.

Also, if I keep seeing David Bowie as The Sovereign I’m about to start believing it.

Now on to “Self Medication” – I’m all about this episode. The guest voices, Action Johnny (always fun to have him on board), the batman “pow” references, more jokes about Sgt. Hatred being a raging sex offender….I had fun watching this one, more than any episode this season, aside form the opener but really that was more to get caught up with the story, and to figure out the backwards/forwards story lines. This episode was pure fun.

Boy adventurers have to have issues. Having them all in the same group therapy only makes sense. So many references in this group, it would be nuts to list them all, but we’ll just say that it’s a pop culture trivia gem.

That might be why I love this show so much, just picking out the references on second and third viewings alone makes this an entertaining show.

21 is back! Well, he was shown before in the season premiere, but we only got a glimpse of how messed up he had become since the big battle. I’ve been looking forward to seeing just how hard he took 24’s death – turns out it was big time, hence staying in his room all the time talking to a skull.

I was glad to see (well hear) him still being a klutz as he stalks around the Venture compound and rolls into the coffee table. You can pump him up and turn him mad, but he’s still 21, and even when he thinks he’s kicking ass, like everyone else in this show, he’s really inadvertently doing so as he bungles his way to the finish line.

Also Sgt Hatred? Man, this guy needs a bit more shame. The masturbation and pedophile references are piling up left and right. I have to say though, this is a character who knows who he really is. Turns out, it’s a masturbating “former” pedophile. Yikes. I know OSI had “fixed” him, but the jury is still out on that one.

All in all, I’m still waiting for this season to coalesce and head in one direction with some vision. With that said though, with the way the characters lives unfold in this world, this could very well be the season – everyone just gets older and more used to there lives,the mundane creeping into their lives in ever-increasing increments. I can only hope if this is to be the story this season, then at least half of them end up in some sort of rehab after hitting rock bottom.

For those of you interested in some in-depth Venture analysis, head to Todd Alcott’s livejournal. James Urbaniak (Dr Venture) linked to his really intense episode breakdowns. He really does his homework, or just talks circles around us and is faking it, just like I used to do in university for papers. Either way, enjoyable if you have some time to kill and are a fan of the show.

(Oh this is totally a cheap ploy to get more fans for the show, but in the vein of mentioning the voice actors, I might as well mention that Brock is voiced by Patrick Warburton – better known to most of you as Joe Swanson on Family Guy)

So once again a failure to abort a failed experiment (literally featuring a large red “abort” button), leads to mayhem, with prog rock, UPS, and The Shining references. No Brock except for a nonspeaking part in the opening that takes place in the past, setting the present conflict.

This compound is absolutely full of failed experiments. My favourites so far have included M.U.T.H.E.R. and the crazy ape that beats the kid to death.

I know, I know, season 4 has already started. To be fair though, I didn’t have this internet forum at that time tough, and really we’re only into episode 2 – the perfect time to get some more of you hooked.

Synopsis: Wry take on the Johnny Quest style super-scientist battling strange evil…only the whole thing is draped in failure and any success is either involuntary, or comes at the expense of someone else. Also, the style in the show is pretty boss and has often been the subject of comments and high fives and such as much as the plot of the show itself.

Take a look at the Adult Swim website for some more info – I will warn those in Canada that sadly you can’t view the video, but I’m sure you all have your ways around such issues that I neither condemn nor condone.

Also, for those of you in the know and who twitter, follow Dr. Venture.