Journey into Mystery
May 31, 2013 10:05 AM Subscribe
Why the Venture Bros. creators want you to know nothing about Season 5. Not sure what happened in the last 4 seasons? The story so far (video).
Thank goodness for Archer, or I'd never have been able to wait this long for Season 5. Which I still have to wait for, because I don't have cable. Arrrrrrrrrrrgh.
posted by davejay at 10:18 AM on May 31, 2013
posted by davejay at 10:18 AM on May 31, 2013
Anything that keeps Patrick Warburton talking through the lips of an animated character I am all for! More animated Warburton please, I think you missed a spot over there.
posted by QueerAngel28 at 10:22 AM on May 31, 2013 [11 favorites]
posted by QueerAngel28 at 10:22 AM on May 31, 2013 [11 favorites]
thanks for posting! I didn't know it was coming out so soon. I'm very excited!
posted by rebent at 10:24 AM on May 31, 2013
posted by rebent at 10:24 AM on May 31, 2013
Awkward Confession: Venture Bros. is totally in my wheelhouse and I loved seasons 1 and 2 to death, but I kinda think that somewhere in season 3 the show started to disappear up its own ass.
How many Hail Unterbites must I say to absolve myself of this sin?
posted by robocop is bleeding at 10:27 AM on May 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
How many Hail Unterbites must I say to absolve myself of this sin?
posted by robocop is bleeding at 10:27 AM on May 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
What's awesome about the story so far video is that it does give you everything, but there's just so much more to it than that.
The weather is supposed to be craptacular here this weekend again, so it looks like a marathon to prepare for the new episodes is in order, like Arrested Development last week. We are truly living in a golden age of TV.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:32 AM on May 31, 2013
The weather is supposed to be craptacular here this weekend again, so it looks like a marathon to prepare for the new episodes is in order, like Arrested Development last week. We are truly living in a golden age of TV.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:32 AM on May 31, 2013
Also, as mentioned in Wired's recent interview with Publick and Hammer, their every-week-a-new-t-shirt Shirt Club is back.
posted by Doktor Zed at 10:34 AM on May 31, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by Doktor Zed at 10:34 AM on May 31, 2013 [4 favorites]
How many Hail Unterbites must I say to absolve myself of this sin?
Many. We just watched "Everybody Comes to Hanks"/"Bright Lights, Dean City" from S4 back to back to prepare for this Sunday, and just. You will have to say so very many of them.
(What I love best about Venture Brothers is that it isn't just hilarity like Archer is? I mean, at its funniest, I'd say that VB is probably about 80% of a prime Archer episode in hilarity, but the writers of VB actually really, really care about the characters and view them as storytelling tools, not just ways to a punchline. And it comes through. If you'd told me in S1 that I would be super-invested in the marriage of The Monarch and Dr. Girlfriend or that I would have been super-upset when Hatred replaced Brock, I would have looked at you so, so, so funny.)
posted by joyceanmachine at 10:36 AM on May 31, 2013 [14 favorites]
Many. We just watched "Everybody Comes to Hanks"/"Bright Lights, Dean City" from S4 back to back to prepare for this Sunday, and just. You will have to say so very many of them.
(What I love best about Venture Brothers is that it isn't just hilarity like Archer is? I mean, at its funniest, I'd say that VB is probably about 80% of a prime Archer episode in hilarity, but the writers of VB actually really, really care about the characters and view them as storytelling tools, not just ways to a punchline. And it comes through. If you'd told me in S1 that I would be super-invested in the marriage of The Monarch and Dr. Girlfriend or that I would have been super-upset when Hatred replaced Brock, I would have looked at you so, so, so funny.)
posted by joyceanmachine at 10:36 AM on May 31, 2013 [14 favorites]
Sometimes people think I'm joking when I say The Venture Brothers has slowly turned into "Mad Men With Superpowers" but I'm not even joking a little.
posted by The Whelk at 10:37 AM on May 31, 2013 [17 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 10:37 AM on May 31, 2013 [17 favorites]
Is this where I can admit that I've actually come to like Dermott? He's just such a spot-on example of that friend you had in junior high. The one who threw ninja stars at the littler kids and huffed gasoline behind the school's garage.
posted by Eddie Mars at 10:43 AM on May 31, 2013 [13 favorites]
posted by Eddie Mars at 10:43 AM on May 31, 2013 [13 favorites]
If you'd told me in S1 that I would be super-invested in the marriage of The Monarch and Dr. Girlfriend
Or the fact that, after the end of Season 4, Hank and Dean have no backup clones means... shit suddenly got real.
posted by KokuRyu at 10:44 AM on May 31, 2013 [9 favorites]
Or the fact that, after the end of Season 4, Hank and Dean have no backup clones means... shit suddenly got real.
posted by KokuRyu at 10:44 AM on May 31, 2013 [9 favorites]
Anything that keeps Patrick Warburton talking through the lips of an animated character I am all for!
posted by DU at 10:44 AM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by DU at 10:44 AM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
If you'd told me in S1 that I would be super-invested in the marriage of The Monarch and Dr. Girlfriend.
My wife hates this kind of show and STILL cares deeply about Brock, The Monarch and Dr Mrs The Monarch.
posted by DU at 10:46 AM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
My wife hates this kind of show and STILL cares deeply about Brock, The Monarch and Dr Mrs The Monarch.
posted by DU at 10:46 AM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
I hope we get a new Jasper McVain song this season.
posted by prize bull octorok at 10:47 AM on May 31, 2013
posted by prize bull octorok at 10:47 AM on May 31, 2013
He's just such a spot-on example of that friend you had in junior high.
oooh yeah, the instant he started appearing on the show I knew exactly what his living room couch looked like. It's so exact.
posted by The Whelk at 10:48 AM on May 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
oooh yeah, the instant he started appearing on the show I knew exactly what his living room couch looked like. It's so exact.
posted by The Whelk at 10:48 AM on May 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
Yeah, robocopisbleeding, I totally hear your complaint about disappearing up its own ass in Season 3. But I feel like it did so so deeply that it came out the other end...
No, that metaphor doesn't work.
What I'm saying is I totally agreed with you until I totally didn't. Something wasn't clicking for me and then all the sudden it started to again strongly. (I guess if I'm reading you wrong and you didn't give up on it than I'm preaching to a choir already bored by the sermon... and now I'm losing my point to the metaphor again.)
Eddie Mars: "Is this where I can admit that I've actually come to like Dermott? He's just such a spot-on example of that friend you had in junior high. The one who threw ninja stars at the littler kids and huffed gasoline behind the school's garage."
No... in fact, we had that discussion at home recently where I said how much he was like a certain "bad" friend growing up and said to my partner that, knowing what I knew about him, that he probably had a friend like that too. He informed me that he actually was that friend and so much about his youth made more sense.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:49 AM on May 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
No, that metaphor doesn't work.
What I'm saying is I totally agreed with you until I totally didn't. Something wasn't clicking for me and then all the sudden it started to again strongly. (I guess if I'm reading you wrong and you didn't give up on it than I'm preaching to a choir already bored by the sermon... and now I'm losing my point to the metaphor again.)
Eddie Mars: "Is this where I can admit that I've actually come to like Dermott? He's just such a spot-on example of that friend you had in junior high. The one who threw ninja stars at the littler kids and huffed gasoline behind the school's garage."
No... in fact, we had that discussion at home recently where I said how much he was like a certain "bad" friend growing up and said to my partner that, knowing what I knew about him, that he probably had a friend like that too. He informed me that he actually was that friend and so much about his youth made more sense.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:49 AM on May 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
Season 3 wasn't great, but it did give us Dr. Dugong, who fucking rules the world.
posted by COBRA! at 10:54 AM on May 31, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by COBRA! at 10:54 AM on May 31, 2013 [4 favorites]
The strange thing is, I know so few people IRL who actually *get* Venture Bros. (although there are a number of people who like Archer). I seldom if ever mention the show, as I hate to come across as "that guy who insists you watch his favourite tv show."
posted by KokuRyu at 11:00 AM on May 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by KokuRyu at 11:00 AM on May 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
Anything that keeps Patrick Warburton talking through the lips of an animated character
Be careful what you wish for
posted by filthy light thief at 11:00 AM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
Be careful what you wish for
posted by filthy light thief at 11:00 AM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
I totally hear your complaint about disappearing up its own ass in Season 3. But I feel like it did so so deeply that it came out the other end...
What the other side of the ass looks like, we may never know.
posted by Nomyte at 11:01 AM on May 31, 2013
What the other side of the ass looks like, we may never know.
posted by Nomyte at 11:01 AM on May 31, 2013
I'd agree with the interview - the end of the Season 4 finale is one of the greatest things ever.
posted by Artw at 11:01 AM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Artw at 11:01 AM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
The strange thing is, I know so few people IRL who actually *get* Venture Bros. (although there are a number of people who like Archer). I seldom if ever mention the show, as I hate to come across as "that guy who insists you watch his favourite tv show."
I experience the same thing. I actually almost ended a friendship when I told one of my friends that he absolutely had to watch it, and he thought I was mocking him/fucking with him.
To be fair, he does look exactly like Dr. Venture, which I somehow didn't realize until after he was already mad.
posted by COBRA! at 11:02 AM on May 31, 2013
I experience the same thing. I actually almost ended a friendship when I told one of my friends that he absolutely had to watch it, and he thought I was mocking him/fucking with him.
To be fair, he does look exactly like Dr. Venture, which I somehow didn't realize until after he was already mad.
posted by COBRA! at 11:02 AM on May 31, 2013
Also, the reason "Why the Venture Bros. creators want you to know nothing about Season 5" is because they want you to enjoy the show as its broadcast, not wait for that thing you know will happen to happen.
In other words, they're not fond of spoilers.
posted by filthy light thief at 11:03 AM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
In other words, they're not fond of spoilers.
posted by filthy light thief at 11:03 AM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
or that I would have been super-upset when Hatred replaced Brock
Yeah I have an emotional investment in the Brock/Venture bros relationship but I was also kinda upset by this because the Hatred molesty humor grew pretty tired for me.
posted by shakespeherian at 11:03 AM on May 31, 2013 [5 favorites]
Yeah I have an emotional investment in the Brock/Venture bros relationship but I was also kinda upset by this because the Hatred molesty humor grew pretty tired for me.
posted by shakespeherian at 11:03 AM on May 31, 2013 [5 favorites]
I'd agree with the interview - the end of the Season 4 finale is one of the greatest things ever.
Though I'm also very fond of Powerless in the Face of Death. For me that's where the show transcended being a Sealable/Aqua Teen Hunger Force random wackiness type thing.
posted by Artw at 11:04 AM on May 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
Though I'm also very fond of Powerless in the Face of Death. For me that's where the show transcended being a Sealable/Aqua Teen Hunger Force random wackiness type thing.
posted by Artw at 11:04 AM on May 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
This was actually kind of a terrible interview, and the writer was a pretty big hack — you have to have some other questions than, "What's going to happen?" and "Wasn't that great?"
Jason Public and Doc Hammer are pretty entertaining, but that's in spite of the interviewer, not because of him.
posted by klangklangston at 11:06 AM on May 31, 2013 [4 favorites]
Jason Public and Doc Hammer are pretty entertaining, but that's in spite of the interviewer, not because of him.
posted by klangklangston at 11:06 AM on May 31, 2013 [4 favorites]
Though I'm also very fond of Powerless in the Face of Death.
Yeah, for me it was the one-two of Powerless and Hate Floats. That opening scene where 21 puts the costume back on? So good.
The strange thing is, I know so few people IRL who actually *get* Venture Bros.
Archer has a few "ins" for people who otherwise wouldn't watch an animated show, but I'm not sure how I'd sell the Ventures to a friend. So, thanks to all who talked this show up in that recent Archer thread, it gave me just enough time to watch the entire series twice-over before seeing this announcement.
posted by Lorin at 11:08 AM on May 31, 2013
Yeah, for me it was the one-two of Powerless and Hate Floats. That opening scene where 21 puts the costume back on? So good.
The strange thing is, I know so few people IRL who actually *get* Venture Bros.
Archer has a few "ins" for people who otherwise wouldn't watch an animated show, but I'm not sure how I'd sell the Ventures to a friend. So, thanks to all who talked this show up in that recent Archer thread, it gave me just enough time to watch the entire series twice-over before seeing this announcement.
posted by Lorin at 11:08 AM on May 31, 2013
I'm also very fond of Powerless in the Face of Death. For me that's where the show transcended being a Sealable/Aqua Teen Hunger Force random wackiness type thing.
The opening with Everybody's Free is pretty memorable.
posted by KokuRyu at 11:09 AM on May 31, 2013 [14 favorites]
The opening with Everybody's Free is pretty memorable.
posted by KokuRyu at 11:09 AM on May 31, 2013 [14 favorites]
shakespeherian: Yeah I have an emotional investment in the Brock/Venture bros relationship but I was also kinda upset by this because the Hatred molesty humor grew pretty tired for me.I had always been waiting to discover that Brock is actually the (test tube-genetic material) "mother" of the two boys, for some fucked-up Doc Venture science reason, and that's why he feels such huge loyalty to the family. In fact, he's referred to them as 'family', so I became pretty sure of it...
posted by IAmBroom at 11:09 AM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
I have to ask: does Archer get less like Family Guy as the show progresses? My wife and I started watching from the very beginning, and it just made us feel awkward. It was even worse, we were watching Bob's Burgers before trying Archer. For us, the voice of H. Jon Benjamin is Bob.
posted by filthy light thief at 11:10 AM on May 31, 2013
posted by filthy light thief at 11:10 AM on May 31, 2013
"that guy who insists you watch his favourite tv show."
gave up on not being that guy long ago, anxiously awaiting the Harvey Birdman MMORPG
posted by Potomac Avenue at 11:15 AM on May 31, 2013 [4 favorites]
gave up on not being that guy long ago, anxiously awaiting the Harvey Birdman MMORPG
posted by Potomac Avenue at 11:15 AM on May 31, 2013 [4 favorites]
Jon Benjamin will always be Coach McGuirk.
posted by shakespeherian at 11:16 AM on May 31, 2013 [12 favorites]
posted by shakespeherian at 11:16 AM on May 31, 2013 [12 favorites]
For us, the voice of H. Jon Benjamin is Bob.
Well, that's because Archer is Bob. You saw that episode, right?
posted by Nomyte at 11:17 AM on May 31, 2013 [2 favorites]
Well, that's because Archer is Bob. You saw that episode, right?
posted by Nomyte at 11:17 AM on May 31, 2013 [2 favorites]
The greatest show that ever showed. Ever.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 11:20 AM on May 31, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by bitter-girl.com at 11:20 AM on May 31, 2013 [4 favorites]
It is difficult to articulate my love for the Venture Bros but man, the writers are unbelievable in their ability to cram in references to all their inspirations. Unnamed Pirate Captain always going on about his rubber monster masks? Professor Impossible? Strung-out Johnny Quest? The GI Joe references with Sphinx? Goddamn those guys are good.
posted by GuyZero at 11:23 AM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by GuyZero at 11:23 AM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
I have a good friend who is as big a fan of VB as I am and I have been pestering him with every Season Five related link I can find. What I'm saying is, once the new season starts, I won't have more links to pester him with.
Also, I will be going "squeee" for twelve weeks, assuming its a twelve week season.
posted by Joey Michaels at 11:25 AM on May 31, 2013
Also, I will be going "squeee" for twelve weeks, assuming its a twelve week season.
posted by Joey Michaels at 11:25 AM on May 31, 2013
Unnamed Pirate Captain always going on about his rubber monster masks?
Speaking of, the captain's Degrassi reference killed me. I am dead from that reference.
posted by jason_steakums at 11:26 AM on May 31, 2013 [6 favorites]
Speaking of, the captain's Degrassi reference killed me. I am dead from that reference.
posted by jason_steakums at 11:26 AM on May 31, 2013 [6 favorites]
It is difficult to articulate my love for the Venture Bros but man, the writers are unbelievable in their ability to cram in references to all their inspirations.
I like the fact that Dr. Quymn's twin daughters are named Nancy and Drew almost as much as, in the same episode, the reference to cheesy 1970's Clint Eastwood movies with the boxing orangutan.
posted by KokuRyu at 11:28 AM on May 31, 2013 [2 favorites]
I like the fact that Dr. Quymn's twin daughters are named Nancy and Drew almost as much as, in the same episode, the reference to cheesy 1970's Clint Eastwood movies with the boxing orangutan.
posted by KokuRyu at 11:28 AM on May 31, 2013 [2 favorites]
If you'd told me in S1 that I would be super-invested in the marriage of The Monarch and Dr. Girlfriend or that I would have been super-upset when Hatred replaced Brock, I would have looked at you so, so, so funny.
Or that there was a deeply tragic and emotionally affecting history behind White and Billy's partnership.
posted by jason_steakums at 11:30 AM on May 31, 2013
Or that there was a deeply tragic and emotionally affecting history behind White and Billy's partnership.
posted by jason_steakums at 11:30 AM on May 31, 2013
To be fair, he does look exactly like Dr. Venture, which I somehow didn't realize until after he was already mad.
When I found out that my (kinda short, really skinny) coworker had once dressed as Dr Venture for Halloween, I knew that he was the most awesome coworker ever.
posted by epersonae at 11:32 AM on May 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
When I found out that my (kinda short, really skinny) coworker had once dressed as Dr Venture for Halloween, I knew that he was the most awesome coworker ever.
posted by epersonae at 11:32 AM on May 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
Speaking of, the captain's Degrassi reference killed me. I am dead from that reference.
Shore Leave should be terrible but he ends up being the goddamn best supporting character of all time.
"We have a pretty cool job."
posted by GuyZero at 11:33 AM on May 31, 2013 [9 favorites]
Shore Leave should be terrible but he ends up being the goddamn best supporting character of all time.
"We have a pretty cool job."
posted by GuyZero at 11:33 AM on May 31, 2013 [9 favorites]
And can I just say, for the record, that Doc Hammer's band is the most amazing band ever and they never play outside NYC (which lead to me pulling a 30-hr road trip wherein we drove from Cleveland to NYC and immediately back to see them play) and aaaaagh. This album is my favorite but the new one (Alate) is brilliant, too.
If you get the jokes in the VB eps, chances are you are of the correct age and disposition to love the hell out of Weep. Go. Go buy it. I'll be over here trying to talk myself down from this season's VB t-shirt club.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 11:34 AM on May 31, 2013 [2 favorites]
If you get the jokes in the VB eps, chances are you are of the correct age and disposition to love the hell out of Weep. Go. Go buy it. I'll be over here trying to talk myself down from this season's VB t-shirt club.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 11:34 AM on May 31, 2013 [2 favorites]
The Venture Brothers is my favorite show. Ever. Other than maybe Louie it's just about the most auteur thing on TV, and the soundtrack is by Jim "Fetus" Thirlwell, which is bonus points. If you haven't seen it, the first season is on Netflix- watch "Ghosts of the Sargasso" and "Tag Sale, You're It!"
That opening scene where 21 puts the costume back on? So good.
I have introduced more people to this show with this scene than any other. It is one of the greatest moments of the show.
posted by Pope Guilty at 11:35 AM on May 31, 2013 [12 favorites]
That opening scene where 21 puts the costume back on? So good.
I have introduced more people to this show with this scene than any other. It is one of the greatest moments of the show.
posted by Pope Guilty at 11:35 AM on May 31, 2013 [12 favorites]
bitter-girl, it only makes me love Weep all the more that they did an absolutely incredible cover of my favorite song.
posted by Pope Guilty at 11:36 AM on May 31, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Pope Guilty at 11:36 AM on May 31, 2013 [2 favorites]
I have to ask: does Archer get less like Family Guy as the show progresses? My wife and I started watching from the very beginning, and it just made us feel awkward.
It's not for everyone. If you feel uncomfortable, it doesn't get any better.
It was even worse, we were watching Bob's Burgers before trying Archer. For us, the voice of H. Jon Benjamin is Bob.
You should watch the most recent season opener of Archer, where Archer is amnesiac and "playing" Bob Belcher. It really hammers home how good H. Jon Benjamin is, because (as I've mentioned here before), the voices are the same except that they're totally not.
posted by Etrigan at 11:37 AM on May 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
It's not for everyone. If you feel uncomfortable, it doesn't get any better.
It was even worse, we were watching Bob's Burgers before trying Archer. For us, the voice of H. Jon Benjamin is Bob.
You should watch the most recent season opener of Archer, where Archer is amnesiac and "playing" Bob Belcher. It really hammers home how good H. Jon Benjamin is, because (as I've mentioned here before), the voices are the same except that they're totally not.
posted by Etrigan at 11:37 AM on May 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
But wow, that's actually kind of a boring interview and I like the Wired one better.
posted by epersonae at 11:38 AM on May 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
Getting to your original point, I don't think that's really the point of an interview, to find out what's going to happen. You could find out how we write, you could find out what the show is about in broader terms, we could talk about all the past seasons. I'm not sure, I think you might be incorrect. I just want to point that out.No kidding.
posted by epersonae at 11:38 AM on May 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
This one, Pope Guilty? (hahahahaha oh god, ONLY Doc Hammer could make me like a RIHANNA SONG).
Warning: that's a self-link, I taped that video at Projektfest in Cambridge last year along with several others. I booked a teaching gig in Boston JUST to have an excuse to go see Weep play...
posted by bitter-girl.com at 11:38 AM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
Warning: that's a self-link, I taped that video at Projektfest in Cambridge last year along with several others. I booked a teaching gig in Boston JUST to have an excuse to go see Weep play...
posted by bitter-girl.com at 11:38 AM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
I'd say it's all good, but Season two is were they truly nailed it on so many episodes.
IGNORE ME
posted by slapshot57 at 11:41 AM on May 31, 2013 [10 favorites]
IGNORE ME
posted by slapshot57 at 11:41 AM on May 31, 2013 [10 favorites]
I loved the Venture Brothers for, I don't know, the first couple seasons? But it seemed to gradually change from "naive innocent enthusiastic bumblers surrounded by dark comedy in a fish-out-of-water way", which I liked, to "nastiness of questionable comedic value that happens to once in a while show those naive innocent enthusiastic bumblers". I mean, it seemed like the "dark comedy" just got meaner and meaner over time, until it was just mean, not comedy. And the brothers themselves, who were integral as a juxtaposition for the darkness, just kind of faded into secondary or even tertiary characters.
Am I off base here? Does anyone else feel this way?
posted by Flunkie at 11:42 AM on May 31, 2013
Am I off base here? Does anyone else feel this way?
posted by Flunkie at 11:42 AM on May 31, 2013
Okay, first, "Shut up and Drive" is a totally awesome song. And two, if I had seen that happen, I would have exploded on the spot.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 11:42 AM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by MCMikeNamara at 11:42 AM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
I should say, I don't think I've actually seen season 4. So I think my perception of "slide from dark comedy to nastiness" is probably based on season 3.
posted by Flunkie at 11:43 AM on May 31, 2013
posted by Flunkie at 11:43 AM on May 31, 2013
Well *I* liked the non-interview interview. *Sniff*.
posted by Artw at 11:44 AM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Artw at 11:44 AM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
Incidentally, great title Artw.
posted by wittgenstein at 11:45 AM on May 31, 2013
posted by wittgenstein at 11:45 AM on May 31, 2013
You should watch the most recent season opener of Archer, where Archer is amnesiac and "playing" Bob Belcher....
WHAT? Jesus, waiting for stuff to come out on Netflix is the worst.
posted by IAmUnaware at 11:45 AM on May 31, 2013
WHAT? Jesus, waiting for stuff to come out on Netflix is the worst.
posted by IAmUnaware at 11:45 AM on May 31, 2013
(Oh, and MCMikeNamara, "Shut Up and Drive" is on the last album, Worn Thin, if you...ahem...need a copy). It has a lot of boom in the back.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 11:47 AM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by bitter-girl.com at 11:47 AM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
If we don't get to hear more of Rusty's musical this season, the show is p much dead to me.
I just skimmed through an episode guide to seasons 3 and 4 and I honestly can't begin to relate to people who felt the quality slipped, a lot of these episodes are my favourite TV comedy ever and at least on par with the absolute best of the earlier stuff.
posted by emmtee at 11:50 AM on May 31, 2013 [2 favorites]
I just skimmed through an episode guide to seasons 3 and 4 and I honestly can't begin to relate to people who felt the quality slipped, a lot of these episodes are my favourite TV comedy ever and at least on par with the absolute best of the earlier stuff.
posted by emmtee at 11:50 AM on May 31, 2013 [2 favorites]
This one yt , Pope Guilty? (hahahahaha oh god, ONLY Doc Hammer could make me like a RIHANNA SONG).
Hahaha, goddamn, that was great.
Flunkie, Season 3 is basically one story with some diversions along the way. First and foremost, it's the story of the Monarch and Dr Girlfriend getting their shit together and beginning to operate (and relate!) as equals rather than #1 and #2. So a fair bit of the season is nastiness because quite a bit of it goes into what makes people who think dressing up in costumes and committing crimes and being bad guys is not only a good hobby, but a lifestyle in and of itself.
It's also got "The Lepidopterists", which is one of the best episodes of the series and the one that really lays out how 21 and 24 work before the season 3 conclusion kills all the clones and 24.
posted by Pope Guilty at 11:51 AM on May 31, 2013 [6 favorites]
Hahaha, goddamn, that was great.
Flunkie, Season 3 is basically one story with some diversions along the way. First and foremost, it's the story of the Monarch and Dr Girlfriend getting their shit together and beginning to operate (and relate!) as equals rather than #1 and #2. So a fair bit of the season is nastiness because quite a bit of it goes into what makes people who think dressing up in costumes and committing crimes and being bad guys is not only a good hobby, but a lifestyle in and of itself.
It's also got "The Lepidopterists", which is one of the best episodes of the series and the one that really lays out how 21 and 24 work before the season 3 conclusion kills all the clones and 24.
posted by Pope Guilty at 11:51 AM on May 31, 2013 [6 favorites]
Anything that keeps Patrick Warburton talking through the lips of an animated character I am all for!
Well, Rules of Engagement is still on the air...so...there's that...
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 11:56 AM on May 31, 2013
Well, Rules of Engagement is still on the air...so...there's that...
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 11:56 AM on May 31, 2013
Season 3 has Dr. Killinger and his magic murder bag.
posted by Artw at 11:56 AM on May 31, 2013 [9 favorites]
posted by Artw at 11:56 AM on May 31, 2013 [9 favorites]
I love the implication that Killinger actually is Kissinger in a mask.
posted by Pope Guilty at 11:58 AM on May 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by Pope Guilty at 11:58 AM on May 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
OK watched a few clips, now I'm hooked. Netflix has S1 only; any tips on where/how to watch other seasons?
posted by Mister_A at 11:59 AM on May 31, 2013
posted by Mister_A at 11:59 AM on May 31, 2013
I should say, I don't think I've actually seen season 4. So I think my perception of "slide from dark comedy to nastiness" is probably based on season 3.
Season 4 has some really sweet in a fluffy, bittersweet, growing-up-and-rites-of-passage, life-will-never-be-the-same way. The boys graduate from the educational beds school, Dean gets an internship in the city, and Hank starts a retail "store".
Granted, Doc Venture is made out to be a huge sack of self-absorbed dipshittery, but there's a lot of joy and dancing and OH GOD IF THEY ILL THE BOYS I AM NEVER FORGIVING THEM NOW THAT THEY ARE PLAYING FOR KEEPS.
posted by joyceanmachine at 12:00 PM on May 31, 2013
Season 4 has some really sweet in a fluffy, bittersweet, growing-up-and-rites-of-passage, life-will-never-be-the-same way. The boys graduate from the educational beds school, Dean gets an internship in the city, and Hank starts a retail "store".
Granted, Doc Venture is made out to be a huge sack of self-absorbed dipshittery, but there's a lot of joy and dancing and OH GOD IF THEY ILL THE BOYS I AM NEVER FORGIVING THEM NOW THAT THEY ARE PLAYING FOR KEEPS.
posted by joyceanmachine at 12:00 PM on May 31, 2013
Yeah, but season 4... what about the greatest line ever from Doe and Cardholder? "Where do you keep the shit tickets in this dump?"
We're still using that one in our house to this DAY.
Also, Mister_A, this is one show you WANT to have on DVD, because the commentary tracks (by Publick & Hammer) are as funny or sometimes funnier than the actual show. I honestly recommend watching every episode all the way through then circling back and doing them all again with commentary. WORTH IT.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 12:01 PM on May 31, 2013 [2 favorites]
We're still using that one in our house to this DAY.
Also, Mister_A, this is one show you WANT to have on DVD, because the commentary tracks (by Publick & Hammer) are as funny or sometimes funnier than the actual show. I honestly recommend watching every episode all the way through then circling back and doing them all again with commentary. WORTH IT.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 12:01 PM on May 31, 2013 [2 favorites]
I admit I did not see all of season 4. After that turn in 3 and the weird release schedule for 4, it fell off my radar.
Will say my Unterbites and watch 4 in its entirety ASAP.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 12:03 PM on May 31, 2013
Will say my Unterbites and watch 4 in its entirety ASAP.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 12:03 PM on May 31, 2013
Mister_A, check out Adult Swim video, which has a ton of clips and a handful of episodes at any given time. I generally recommend watching the series all in a row, which to do legally requires that you get the DVDs (until the rest of the series goes up on Netflix, as we all pray it will), and yeah, the commentaries are fantastic.
Also, Season four has Rusty telling Hank the story of his 16th birthday.
posted by Pope Guilty at 12:04 PM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
Also, Season four has Rusty telling Hank the story of his 16th birthday.
posted by Pope Guilty at 12:04 PM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
Oh god, I just remembered the Monarch's song to the Butterglider! Professor Impossible gassing Underbheit in the cab, and the end of that episode where we find out where Rusty went! Shore Leave's genital formalwear!
I seriously need to make the time for a rewatch of like, most of the show before Sunday.
posted by emmtee at 12:05 PM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
I seriously need to make the time for a rewatch of like, most of the show before Sunday.
posted by emmtee at 12:05 PM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
I super love the "Everybody Comes to Hank's" episode. Seriously.
The one with the er, malformed Dean character, AVOID AVOID.
Otherwise, definitely one of my top five shows ever!
posted by Glinn at 12:06 PM on May 31, 2013
The one with the er, malformed Dean character, AVOID AVOID.
Otherwise, definitely one of my top five shows ever!
posted by Glinn at 12:06 PM on May 31, 2013
Shore Leave's genital formalwear!
"I AM NOT PROPERLY DRESSED!"
posted by Pope Guilty at 12:06 PM on May 31, 2013
"I AM NOT PROPERLY DRESSED!"
posted by Pope Guilty at 12:06 PM on May 31, 2013
Pope Guilty: "I love the implication that Killinger actually is Kissinger in a mask."
zat is unly vat you are lead to belif.
posted by boo_radley at 12:09 PM on May 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
zat is unly vat you are lead to belif.
posted by boo_radley at 12:09 PM on May 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
The one with the er, malformed Dean character, AVOID AVOID.
Except that is also the prog rock one, and therefore amazing.
posted by Artw at 12:10 PM on May 31, 2013 [9 favorites]
Except that is also the prog rock one, and therefore amazing.
posted by Artw at 12:10 PM on May 31, 2013 [9 favorites]
Five Things You Might Not Know About The Venture Brothers
I'm posting a lot, aren't I? When I said that TVB is my favorite show ever? That was in no sense an exaggeration.
posted by Pope Guilty at 12:11 PM on May 31, 2013 [6 favorites]
I'm posting a lot, aren't I? When I said that TVB is my favorite show ever? That was in no sense an exaggeration.
posted by Pope Guilty at 12:11 PM on May 31, 2013 [6 favorites]
Oh my god, I'd forgotten about the genital formalwear.
We're never going to get it, but I would watch the hell out of an animated sitcom about Sphinx.
posted by joyceanmachine at 12:11 PM on May 31, 2013
We're never going to get it, but I would watch the hell out of an animated sitcom about Sphinx.
posted by joyceanmachine at 12:11 PM on May 31, 2013
PLEASURE TOAST.
posted by Artw at 12:11 PM on May 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by Artw at 12:11 PM on May 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
This is Pope Guilty's link, only fixed.
posted by klangklangston at 12:13 PM on May 31, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by klangklangston at 12:13 PM on May 31, 2013 [2 favorites]
Oh damn. Thanks, klang.
posted by Pope Guilty at 12:14 PM on May 31, 2013
posted by Pope Guilty at 12:14 PM on May 31, 2013
Happy to help
posted by klangklangston at 12:16 PM on May 31, 2013
posted by klangklangston at 12:16 PM on May 31, 2013
Apparently The Monarch enjoys Game of Thrones
posted by Pope Guilty at 12:18 PM on May 31, 2013 [6 favorites]
posted by Pope Guilty at 12:18 PM on May 31, 2013 [6 favorites]
I thought season 1 was fairly enjoyable and got an episode and a half into season 2 before giving up. It didn't quite click with me. Maybe it's about time to give it another go? I have full faith that it's as unusual and good as people say it is, and I would very much like to like it too. It's just been a difficult one to get into, for whatever reason.
posted by Rory Marinich at 12:27 PM on May 31, 2013
posted by Rory Marinich at 12:27 PM on May 31, 2013
"First published in 1969, The Journal of Venture Studies (JoVS) was one of many prominent publications covering developments in super-science throughout the mid-20th century.
Long defunct, we have recently brought the Journal back into print to pursue deep inquiry and advanced research around the animated television series "The Venture Bros."
posted by Pope Guilty at 12:28 PM on May 31, 2013 [4 favorites]
Long defunct, we have recently brought the Journal back into print to pursue deep inquiry and advanced research around the animated television series "The Venture Bros."
posted by Pope Guilty at 12:28 PM on May 31, 2013 [4 favorites]
Handsome Ransom is seriously contending for my favourite single episode here. I am just so unbelievably in love with the concept, that if you transplant a completely innocent, earnest and well-meaning superhero in the Golden Age Batman/Superman vein into a world that is even capable of being (quite reasonably) suspicious of him, every single damn thing the poor well-meaning chump does will make him look like an enormous child molester.
Also the Monarchs are 100% ON FIRE that entire episode. "How much'd those mecha-pillars set us back?" "Eh, coupla mil" "This isn't Antiques Roadshow, dick!" "...literally threw me right into the yard at the state prison. Yells up to the warden 'looks like this one won't be causing any more trouble!', then he flies off with this gay little salute. Apparently no-one ever told him what due process was."
posted by emmtee at 12:29 PM on May 31, 2013 [5 favorites]
Also the Monarchs are 100% ON FIRE that entire episode. "How much'd those mecha-pillars set us back?" "Eh, coupla mil" "This isn't Antiques Roadshow, dick!" "...literally threw me right into the yard at the state prison. Yells up to the warden 'looks like this one won't be causing any more trouble!', then he flies off with this gay little salute. Apparently no-one ever told him what due process was."
posted by emmtee at 12:29 PM on May 31, 2013 [5 favorites]
I think it's the density of references they have to things outside the show and the show's detailed worldbuilding and backstory and willingness to have non-linear storytelling makes it a hard show to "get into". There is also the issue of tone, VB occupies a liminal state of being completely straight-faced and serious about totally goofy, bonkers reality.
posted by The Whelk at 12:30 PM on May 31, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 12:30 PM on May 31, 2013 [4 favorites]
One of the things that changed between seasons 1 and 2 and season 3 was that Jackson and Doc started writing all of the episodes, while Ben Edlund of The Tick fame and I think a couple of other writers contributed one-off scripts. So, 3 and 4 have a lot more "arc" episodes than monster of the weeks.
Venture Brothers is my favorite show on television, and you are all my brothers and sisters. Go Team Venture!
posted by vibrotronica at 12:32 PM on May 31, 2013 [2 favorites]
Venture Brothers is my favorite show on television, and you are all my brothers and sisters. Go Team Venture!
posted by vibrotronica at 12:32 PM on May 31, 2013 [2 favorites]
I keep coming back to the thought that, some time after college, Rusty grew up into the only sane man in an insane world, and it completely broke him. My money's on the birth of his children being the event that triggered it. There are still glimpses of this actual, fully-realized adult in him that come out from time to time, a man with the potential to be greater than his father if he had the strength to fix himself, and you know on some level he really knows how broken he is and he pushes that part of himself away every time it shows itself because it hurts.
There's weirdly a touch of the concept of Peter Pan as seen in Hook to his life, the idea of Peter Pan fully changed by the real world and forced to deal with Neverland from that perspective. Except Rusty can neither fully embrace the insanity of Neverland like Peter does, nor can the sane man inside actually live in Neverland, and there's no "real world" to escape back to, so he's perpetually in this schizoid state somewhere in the middle.
posted by jason_steakums at 12:33 PM on May 31, 2013 [9 favorites]
There's weirdly a touch of the concept of Peter Pan as seen in Hook to his life, the idea of Peter Pan fully changed by the real world and forced to deal with Neverland from that perspective. Except Rusty can neither fully embrace the insanity of Neverland like Peter does, nor can the sane man inside actually live in Neverland, and there's no "real world" to escape back to, so he's perpetually in this schizoid state somewhere in the middle.
posted by jason_steakums at 12:33 PM on May 31, 2013 [9 favorites]
I tend to say "it's kind of like if Watchmen was an episode of Archer, kinda."
posted by The Whelk at 12:34 PM on May 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 12:34 PM on May 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
Popshifter has an interview with some info I haven't seen posted here.
Handsome Ransom is seriously contending for my favourite single episode here. I am just so unbelievably in love with the concept, that if you transplant a completely innocent, earnest and well-meaning superhero in the Golden Age Batman/Superman vein into a world that is even capable of being (quite reasonably) suspicious of him, every single damn thing the poor well-meaning chump does will make him look like an enormous child molester.
The fact that Captain Sunshine is played by Kevin Conroy, AKA "the voice of Batman in basically every animated source for twenty years now", is icing on the cake.
Also, re: Ben Edlund, Edlund claims that The Venture Brothers, Dr Horrible, and The Tick are all the same universe.
posted by Pope Guilty at 12:34 PM on May 31, 2013 [11 favorites]
Handsome Ransom is seriously contending for my favourite single episode here. I am just so unbelievably in love with the concept, that if you transplant a completely innocent, earnest and well-meaning superhero in the Golden Age Batman/Superman vein into a world that is even capable of being (quite reasonably) suspicious of him, every single damn thing the poor well-meaning chump does will make him look like an enormous child molester.
The fact that Captain Sunshine is played by Kevin Conroy, AKA "the voice of Batman in basically every animated source for twenty years now", is icing on the cake.
Also, re: Ben Edlund, Edlund claims that The Venture Brothers, Dr Horrible, and The Tick are all the same universe.
posted by Pope Guilty at 12:34 PM on May 31, 2013 [11 favorites]
Anything that keeps Patrick Warburton talking through the lips of an animated character I am all for!
Warburton was also Sheriff Stone on Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated, which was way better than a Scooby Doo show had any right being.
posted by JHarris at 12:45 PM on May 31, 2013 [4 favorites]
Warburton was also Sheriff Stone on Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated, which was way better than a Scooby Doo show had any right being.
posted by JHarris at 12:45 PM on May 31, 2013 [4 favorites]
Oh god wait I forget that adults who aren't total animation nerds don't watch children's TV for fun - if you one of those people I recommend you pick up Mystery Incorporated.
Velma is SASSY and Fred is an IDIOT. It's so freaking charming.
posted by The Whelk at 12:53 PM on May 31, 2013 [2 favorites]
Velma is SASSY and Fred is an IDIOT. It's so freaking charming.
posted by The Whelk at 12:53 PM on May 31, 2013 [2 favorites]
Can't wait to see the new season!
posted by happysocks at 12:57 PM on May 31, 2013
posted by happysocks at 12:57 PM on May 31, 2013
I'm sometimes annoyed with shows that take old kids programming and "update" them to the modern age. Yeah, a lot of kids programming doesn't make coherent sense, thanks Robot Chicken, go take a long jump off a tall cliff why don't you.*
But Venture Bros. is loveable and works so well because it both mocks and adores its chosen subject. The real world exists in Venture World, but so does the 60s two-fisted action heroes and super science world, and a lot of energy is derived from figuring out how the two can co-exist. Which leads to things like the episode we saw last night, where Billy is led on to believe he's being abducted to be turned into a vampire, but really it's just to perform heart surgery on Monstroso, who being kind of a super crimelord criminal just happens to do everything in a super creepy way regardless of what people think.
* You know what's much better than Robot Chicken? Twisted Toyfare Theater, the feature in the now-defunct magazine Toyfare that did kind of the same thing but with stills and a lot more wit and love for the original properties. I think RC grew out of TTT in some way, it's a shame that its charm didn't make the jump with it.
posted by JHarris at 12:59 PM on May 31, 2013 [2 favorites]
But Venture Bros. is loveable and works so well because it both mocks and adores its chosen subject. The real world exists in Venture World, but so does the 60s two-fisted action heroes and super science world, and a lot of energy is derived from figuring out how the two can co-exist. Which leads to things like the episode we saw last night, where Billy is led on to believe he's being abducted to be turned into a vampire, but really it's just to perform heart surgery on Monstroso, who being kind of a super crimelord criminal just happens to do everything in a super creepy way regardless of what people think.
* You know what's much better than Robot Chicken? Twisted Toyfare Theater, the feature in the now-defunct magazine Toyfare that did kind of the same thing but with stills and a lot more wit and love for the original properties. I think RC grew out of TTT in some way, it's a shame that its charm didn't make the jump with it.
posted by JHarris at 12:59 PM on May 31, 2013 [2 favorites]
Oh god wait I forget that adults who aren't total animation nerds don't watch children's TV for fun - if you one of those people I recommend you pick up Mystery Incorporated.
Velma is SASSY and Fred is an IDIOT. It's so freaking charming.
And! They're real characters, with real motivations and their actions have consequences! I was so completely blindsided by that show, having my expectations set by everything Scooby Doo shows were before that.
posted by jason_steakums at 1:00 PM on May 31, 2013
Velma is SASSY and Fred is an IDIOT. It's so freaking charming.
And! They're real characters, with real motivations and their actions have consequences! I was so completely blindsided by that show, having my expectations set by everything Scooby Doo shows were before that.
posted by jason_steakums at 1:00 PM on May 31, 2013
Velma is SASSY and Fred is an IDIOT. It's so freaking charming.
Well it's weird and actually kind of like a Venture Bros.-esque deconstruction. Fred has a very specialized and obsessive kind of intelligence. It's amazing, but the show made Fred into the most interesting character, freed from being just the blank hunky leader of the gang they not only gave him a real personality, but such a strange one. One can only imagine that his and Daphne's sex life is extra kinky.
But it's probable that the gang's minds were subtly warped by SPOILERS in a way similar to how most of the townsfolk were inspired to dress up as monsters and commit crimes. Except at the end [SPOILERS]....
posted by JHarris at 1:06 PM on May 31, 2013
Well it's weird and actually kind of like a Venture Bros.-esque deconstruction. Fred has a very specialized and obsessive kind of intelligence. It's amazing, but the show made Fred into the most interesting character, freed from being just the blank hunky leader of the gang they not only gave him a real personality, but such a strange one. One can only imagine that his and Daphne's sex life is extra kinky.
But it's probable that the gang's minds were subtly warped by SPOILERS in a way similar to how most of the townsfolk were inspired to dress up as monsters and commit crimes. Except at the end [SPOILERS]....
posted by JHarris at 1:06 PM on May 31, 2013
(Yes, I've been considering a FPP on Mystery Incorporated, but I'm waiting until I've seen all the episodes.)
posted by JHarris at 1:06 PM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by JHarris at 1:06 PM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
Harlan Ellison playing himself!
posted by The Whelk at 1:07 PM on May 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 1:07 PM on May 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
Also, as it has not been mentioned, the numerous and often very subtle David Bowie references are GENIUS.
All the way from the first episode to the wedding of The Monarch and beyond...
posted by GuyZero at 1:09 PM on May 31, 2013
All the way from the first episode to the wedding of The Monarch and beyond...
posted by GuyZero at 1:09 PM on May 31, 2013
One can only imagine that his and Daphne's sex life is extra kinky.
She's just not as excited by traps.
posted by Artw at 1:27 PM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
She's just not as excited by traps.
posted by Artw at 1:27 PM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
Has Eno arrived?
Here come the warm jets!
posted by jason_steakums at 1:27 PM on May 31, 2013 [5 favorites]
Here come the warm jets!
posted by jason_steakums at 1:27 PM on May 31, 2013 [5 favorites]
Yes, the moment I fell in love with Venture Brothers, was the Major Tom episode, where Jonas Venture says "I've got a message from the Action Man," and then there's a freakin' guy standing behind him with a big A on his helmet! I pretty much lost it right there. And rather than just leaving that as a (admittedly pretty funny) one-off, they make him into a returning character! These guys seriously care about their show.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 1:33 PM on May 31, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 1:33 PM on May 31, 2013 [4 favorites]
I have to ask: does Archer get less like Family Guy as the show progresses?
I don't really get what's similar about the two, to be honest.
posted by Hoopo at 1:34 PM on May 31, 2013
I don't really get what's similar about the two, to be honest.
posted by Hoopo at 1:34 PM on May 31, 2013
High concentration of "ironic" misogyny, for one.
posted by klangklangston at 1:37 PM on May 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by klangklangston at 1:37 PM on May 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
Also, what other show would bring in freaking Klaus Nomi with sonic scream powers? So amazing. God, that Showdown at Cremation Creek two-parter was solid gold. The Order of the Triad used mystical powers to bring Nien Nunb to life from a Star Wars trading card!
posted by jason_steakums at 1:38 PM on May 31, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by jason_steakums at 1:38 PM on May 31, 2013 [2 favorites]
I'm not filling up this thread with comments because the Ventures have been in my head so long that there's not much I feel like I can say about them. It's just so, so great.
posted by JHarris at 1:39 PM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by JHarris at 1:39 PM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
Lest we forget: what about the time Nathan Fillion was on VB? Squeeee.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 1:48 PM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by bitter-girl.com at 1:48 PM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
Nathan Fillion? Really?
Also, Dr. Mrs. The Monarch... I'm still undecided on whether she's a terrible caricature of a female character or the absolute best female character in all of animated television.
Also, when 21 and her... well, I wouldn't want to spoil it. But Assisted Suicide was amazing.
posted by GuyZero at 1:51 PM on May 31, 2013
Also, Dr. Mrs. The Monarch... I'm still undecided on whether she's a terrible caricature of a female character or the absolute best female character in all of animated television.
Also, when 21 and her... well, I wouldn't want to spoil it. But Assisted Suicide was amazing.
posted by GuyZero at 1:51 PM on May 31, 2013
Season 3 has Dr. Killinger and his magic murder bag.
The more I think about S3, I think that, yeah, while it's not quite as strong as the others, anyone saying it's bad is guilty of stinkin' thinkin'.
posted by COBRA! at 1:53 PM on May 31, 2013
The more I think about S3, I think that, yeah, while it's not quite as strong as the others, anyone saying it's bad is guilty of stinkin' thinkin'.
posted by COBRA! at 1:53 PM on May 31, 2013
I have found (and you can see in this thread) that the show loses a lot of people in the transition between seasons. If you look at the arc of the show, it changes a lot between the beginning of season 1 and the end of season 4.
A lot of people frankly are not prepared for a show to change. Most shows do not change in any meaningful fashion. The difference between an early and a late episode of any given show is trivial. So in the transitions between seasons, you have that knee-jerk reaction of "This is different, it's disconcerting, blecch!"
Add to that the fact that the change was that the show got a lot darker, more character-driven, more complex, more willing to grapple with difficult issues and characters. And less reliant on funny quips and silly situations. That alone is going to lose a lot of people.
I think there is a lot of truth to the statement that each season is basically one big episode. It's not until you get to the end that you can really assess the whole thing properly. A lot of the things that are problematic at the beginning of a season will be resolved (and resolved so satisfactorily) by the end.
If you have watched and enjoyed any part of the show, I urge you to stick with it. Have a little faith. Be prepared to accept the show's changes, and reserve judgment until you have seen an entire season through.
The later episodes are not nearly as light-hearted and quip-tastic as the earlier (more superficial) seasons. But they are really amazing in other, better ways.
posted by ErikaB at 1:55 PM on May 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
A lot of people frankly are not prepared for a show to change. Most shows do not change in any meaningful fashion. The difference between an early and a late episode of any given show is trivial. So in the transitions between seasons, you have that knee-jerk reaction of "This is different, it's disconcerting, blecch!"
Add to that the fact that the change was that the show got a lot darker, more character-driven, more complex, more willing to grapple with difficult issues and characters. And less reliant on funny quips and silly situations. That alone is going to lose a lot of people.
I think there is a lot of truth to the statement that each season is basically one big episode. It's not until you get to the end that you can really assess the whole thing properly. A lot of the things that are problematic at the beginning of a season will be resolved (and resolved so satisfactorily) by the end.
If you have watched and enjoyed any part of the show, I urge you to stick with it. Have a little faith. Be prepared to accept the show's changes, and reserve judgment until you have seen an entire season through.
The later episodes are not nearly as light-hearted and quip-tastic as the earlier (more superficial) seasons. But they are really amazing in other, better ways.
posted by ErikaB at 1:55 PM on May 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
Oh yes, Nathan Fillion.
In an episode that not only has the beginnings of the Rusty Venture musical but also Worst. Internship. Ever. Poor Dean! I'm just glad he's finally gotten a cute haircut this season.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 2:05 PM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
In an episode that not only has the beginnings of the Rusty Venture musical but also Worst. Internship. Ever. Poor Dean! I'm just glad he's finally gotten a cute haircut this season.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 2:05 PM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
High concentration of "ironic" misogyny, for one.
Is Sterling Archer much worse than Rusty Venture in that sense? They're both kinda misogynistic scumbag antihero-types.
posted by Hoopo at 2:14 PM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
Is Sterling Archer much worse than Rusty Venture in that sense? They're both kinda misogynistic scumbag antihero-types.
posted by Hoopo at 2:14 PM on May 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
For those that don't remember (hello me!) H. John Benjamin also plays a role in Venture Bros. as The Master.
posted by tychotesla at 2:17 PM on May 31, 2013
posted by tychotesla at 2:17 PM on May 31, 2013
It may be me, but I always get the feeling from Family Guy that it's misogynistic jokes cloaked in irony, whereas in Archer and Venture Bros the characters are awful people and the joke is at their expense.
posted by shakespeherian at 2:18 PM on May 31, 2013 [14 favorites]
posted by shakespeherian at 2:18 PM on May 31, 2013 [14 favorites]
whereas in Archer and Venture Bros the characters are awful people and the joke is at their expense.
Not only that, but The Venture Bros at least is very heavily invested in what made these people awful, and the incremental redemption (or at least process where he gets marginally less shitty) of Rusty as a human being is the dominant plot arc.
posted by COBRA! at 2:21 PM on May 31, 2013 [6 favorites]
Not only that, but The Venture Bros at least is very heavily invested in what made these people awful, and the incremental redemption (or at least process where he gets marginally less shitty) of Rusty as a human being is the dominant plot arc.
posted by COBRA! at 2:21 PM on May 31, 2013 [6 favorites]
Yeah, Archer & Venture Bros don't seem to be shows that hate women, whereas Family Guy totally does.
posted by shakespeherian at 2:23 PM on May 31, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by shakespeherian at 2:23 PM on May 31, 2013 [4 favorites]
Add to that the fact that the change was that the show got a lot darker, more character-driven, more complex, more willing to grapple with difficult issues and characters.
"The Venture Bros: A Very Special Episode"
posted by KokuRyu at 2:43 PM on May 31, 2013
"The Venture Bros: A Very Special Episode"
posted by KokuRyu at 2:43 PM on May 31, 2013
whereas in Archer and Venture Bros the characters are awful people and the joke is at their expense.
Yeah, no, one of my favorite parts of the show is how it is how we're all a little selfish and self-absorbed and weird (Ray and Lana, the gay guy and the black girl!), and some of us are really selfish and really weird (Cheryl and Pam), but the most selfish and most self-absorbed are also the most entitled I'M RICH AND WHITE AND GOODLOOKING AND THEREFORE DESERVE GOOD THINGS.
I mean, the show spends a lot of time talking about how Sterling and Mallory are legit the worst people ever. Even the murderous, illegal science-experiment conducting Adolf Hitler clone isn't the focus of so much YOU'RE A GROSS HUMAN BECAUSE YOU BLEW THE HEALTH CARE BUDGET ON THIS TROPICAL HARDWOOD CONFERENCE ROOM TABLE THAT, LIKE, TWELVE PEOPLE DIED TO BRING YOU stuff.
posted by joyceanmachine at 3:34 PM on May 31, 2013 [2 favorites]
Yeah, no, one of my favorite parts of the show is how it is how we're all a little selfish and self-absorbed and weird (Ray and Lana, the gay guy and the black girl!), and some of us are really selfish and really weird (Cheryl and Pam), but the most selfish and most self-absorbed are also the most entitled I'M RICH AND WHITE AND GOODLOOKING AND THEREFORE DESERVE GOOD THINGS.
I mean, the show spends a lot of time talking about how Sterling and Mallory are legit the worst people ever. Even the murderous, illegal science-experiment conducting Adolf Hitler clone isn't the focus of so much YOU'RE A GROSS HUMAN BECAUSE YOU BLEW THE HEALTH CARE BUDGET ON THIS TROPICAL HARDWOOD CONFERENCE ROOM TABLE THAT, LIKE, TWELVE PEOPLE DIED TO BRING YOU stuff.
posted by joyceanmachine at 3:34 PM on May 31, 2013 [2 favorites]
The last episode of Season 4 (especially that wonderful, amazing end sequence set to Pulp's "Like A Friend") was one of the best things I've ever seen on TV. I would have been perfectly content for that to have been the final episode of the series. I mean, I would have missed the series like crazy, but that would have been a perfect, beautiful ending. That final sequence really only works in context of the whole episode and, perhaps, in context of the whole rest of the series. Its just perfect in every way. Every show runner should be made to watch it, not to emulate it, but so they know what a perfect ending feels like.
posted by Joey Michaels at 4:33 PM on May 31, 2013 [10 favorites]
posted by Joey Michaels at 4:33 PM on May 31, 2013 [10 favorites]
The last episode of Season 4 (especially that wonderful, amazing end sequence set to Pulp's "Like A Friend") was one of the best things I've ever seen on TV.
I cannot count the number of times I've watched this scene...
posted by combinatorial explosion at 4:41 PM on May 31, 2013 [2 favorites]
I cannot count the number of times I've watched this scene...
posted by combinatorial explosion at 4:41 PM on May 31, 2013 [2 favorites]
I feel like this show will come to be regarded as a definitive expression of early 21st-century adulthood. Like the protagonists, we are trapped in a reality we built with memories of flimsy and cheap pop culture approximations of life from the mid-20th century. And like the protagonists, we have the choice of stumbling ever deeper into that empty labyrinth or facing a future increasingly devoid of any of the baubles (either jetcars or affluence) showcased in our childhood entertainment. We're faced with the dilemma of failing inwardly or failing outwardly.
On a more personal level, Doc and Jackson astonish me with their profound understanding of what it means to be a hopeless, wretched nerd.
Dean fawns endlessly over Triana, hopelessly, cluelessly chaste. Rusty doesn't lose his virginity until he's 24 and out of college. Billy Quizboy is deformed, stunted, but still has the useless libido of a full-sized man ("Escape to the House of Mummies Part II" is heartbreaking and gut-bustingly hilarious at the same time). And yes, Dermot tries so hard to emulate a hard-edged masculinity he has no way of understanding that you can't help but like him.
I never read comic books growing up, but I know from failure. These characters are me. Go Team Venture.
posted by DeWalt_Russ at 7:58 PM on May 31, 2013 [7 favorites]
On a more personal level, Doc and Jackson astonish me with their profound understanding of what it means to be a hopeless, wretched nerd.
Dean fawns endlessly over Triana, hopelessly, cluelessly chaste. Rusty doesn't lose his virginity until he's 24 and out of college. Billy Quizboy is deformed, stunted, but still has the useless libido of a full-sized man ("Escape to the House of Mummies Part II" is heartbreaking and gut-bustingly hilarious at the same time). And yes, Dermot tries so hard to emulate a hard-edged masculinity he has no way of understanding that you can't help but like him.
I never read comic books growing up, but I know from failure. These characters are me. Go Team Venture.
posted by DeWalt_Russ at 7:58 PM on May 31, 2013 [7 favorites]
Ahhhh, my people.
If you are at all a fan of the music in the show, which is written by J.G. Thirwell, I highly recommend checking out his band that performs it, Steroid Maximus. It is some of the most amazing music on the planet.
posted by daq at 1:05 AM on June 1, 2013 [3 favorites]
If you are at all a fan of the music in the show, which is written by J.G. Thirwell, I highly recommend checking out his band that performs it, Steroid Maximus. It is some of the most amazing music on the planet.
posted by daq at 1:05 AM on June 1, 2013 [3 favorites]
The first episode I came across was in Season 1 where Rusty has built his Joy Can, which is a sort of Fantasy Island in a can, powered by the soul of an orphan or something like that (can't quite recall). I loved the episode. Dr. Byron Orpheus had moved into the Venture compound and the boys save Brock from the Joy Can by pissing on a towel and wrapping it around his head (there are far more details but it was so long ago).
The next day I was explaining the episode to my then girlfriend and she just couldn't believe such a show existed.
I've watched it since then of course and like others, had some trouble with Seasons 3 and particularly Season 4, but only because the time between them was so large I was taken out of the flow. In anticipation of Season 5 I've started from the beginning over the last few months and agree with others that Season 4 has some of the best episodes. I don't expect I'll be let down by Season 5 whatsoever.
posted by juiceCake at 10:14 AM on June 1, 2013
The next day I was explaining the episode to my then girlfriend and she just couldn't believe such a show existed.
I've watched it since then of course and like others, had some trouble with Seasons 3 and particularly Season 4, but only because the time between them was so large I was taken out of the flow. In anticipation of Season 5 I've started from the beginning over the last few months and agree with others that Season 4 has some of the best episodes. I don't expect I'll be let down by Season 5 whatsoever.
posted by juiceCake at 10:14 AM on June 1, 2013
He is the definition of a cool dude.
They definitely respect and love their fans, that's for sure. I'm not much of a "comic book person" or whatever, but I would dearly love to go to DragonCon and dress up as a Venture Bros. character. It seems like such a hoot.
That reminds me... For Halloween a couple of years ago, the bag boy at our neighbourhood supermarket dressed up as Henchman #21. It was an awesome costume. He was the only employee that dressed up for Halloween.
posted by KokuRyu at 11:11 AM on June 1, 2013 [1 favorite]
They definitely respect and love their fans, that's for sure. I'm not much of a "comic book person" or whatever, but I would dearly love to go to DragonCon and dress up as a Venture Bros. character. It seems like such a hoot.
That reminds me... For Halloween a couple of years ago, the bag boy at our neighbourhood supermarket dressed up as Henchman #21. It was an awesome costume. He was the only employee that dressed up for Halloween.
posted by KokuRyu at 11:11 AM on June 1, 2013 [1 favorite]
Things get all SyFy Orginal movie very quickly
posted by The Whelk at 11:41 PM on June 2, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 11:41 PM on June 2, 2013 [3 favorites]
STUFENT GREEN IS PEOPLE.
posted by The Whelk at 11:44 PM on June 2, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 11:44 PM on June 2, 2013 [4 favorites]
"Don't take this the wrong way, but working for you and the monarch, it's sort of the same thing."
So basically we're starting season 5 on the same level of quality as the best of season 4. I am A-OK with this.
posted by Pope Guilty at 11:55 PM on June 2, 2013 [3 favorites]
So basically we're starting season 5 on the same level of quality as the best of season 4. I am A-OK with this.
posted by Pope Guilty at 11:55 PM on June 2, 2013 [3 favorites]
I love how Venture Brothers' this felt, in the sense that, in order to cover his ass, Rusty accidentally creates an entire Time Machine/Sci Fi mutation plot that he remains totally oblivious to the extent of and then takes credit for solving the problem he barely understood.
Also Emo Dean is best Dean.
( so wait Rusty waking up with a huge beattle monster, that's ....his feverish roofie dream?)
posted by The Whelk at 12:01 AM on June 3, 2013 [3 favorites]
Also Emo Dean is best Dean.
( so wait Rusty waking up with a huge beattle monster, that's ....his feverish roofie dream?)
posted by The Whelk at 12:01 AM on June 3, 2013 [3 favorites]
"Eat the pennies."
"I'm not eating pennies!"
"EAT THE PENNIES, BILLY!"
Yeah, this show's quality has remained exactly the same. That being, brilliant. I also loved the line with 21 aptly observing that The Monarch and Dr. Venture are basically two versions of the same narcissistic buffoon. And I hope Sgt. Hatred's tits are somehow a major plot arc.
posted by DecemberBoy at 12:01 AM on June 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
"I'm not eating pennies!"
"EAT THE PENNIES, BILLY!"
Yeah, this show's quality has remained exactly the same. That being, brilliant. I also loved the line with 21 aptly observing that The Monarch and Dr. Venture are basically two versions of the same narcissistic buffoon. And I hope Sgt. Hatred's tits are somehow a major plot arc.
posted by DecemberBoy at 12:01 AM on June 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
and solves then takes credit for solving the problem he barely understood.
Dude, ALL problems can be solved with a mixture of antibiotics and roofies.
posted by DecemberBoy at 12:02 AM on June 3, 2013
Dude, ALL problems can be solved with a mixture of antibiotics and roofies.
posted by DecemberBoy at 12:02 AM on June 3, 2013
I love Augustus St. Cloud cause in any other show he would dominate the weirdness quota but here he's just another guy.
And also cause I think I know him.
posted by The Whelk at 12:04 AM on June 3, 2013 [3 favorites]
And also cause I think I know him.
posted by The Whelk at 12:04 AM on June 3, 2013 [3 favorites]
I love Augustus St. Cloud cause in any other show he would dominate the weirdness quota but here he's just another guy.
Who is he parodying? It's someone. I feel like it's right on the tip of my brain.
Also, The Monarch and Dr. Mrs. The Monarch are pretty much the best screen couple ever. They're so cute. Her dressing up as Rocky, sexually, with Tim-Tom as Mickey? Getting high as hell on the roofie gas, and him cooing "You're so great! You're like my best friend!"? I love them.
posted by DecemberBoy at 12:07 AM on June 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
Who is he parodying? It's someone. I feel like it's right on the tip of my brain.
Also, The Monarch and Dr. Mrs. The Monarch are pretty much the best screen couple ever. They're so cute. Her dressing up as Rocky, sexually, with Tim-Tom as Mickey? Getting high as hell on the roofie gas, and him cooing "You're so great! You're like my best friend!"? I love them.
posted by DecemberBoy at 12:07 AM on June 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
( so wait Rusty waking up with a huge beattle monster, that's ....his feverish roofie dream?)
That's a joke about the end of the season 4 season finale, "Operation P.R.O.M." Rusty (after, at the end of "Assisted Suicide", telling Hank about the horrors of his dad hiring prostitutes for his 16th birthday) hires prostitutes and accidentally turns them into fly mutants while trying to poison them with "homemade spanish fly". Apparently not only did he turn her into a mutant, she still slept with him.
posted by Pope Guilty at 12:23 AM on June 3, 2013
That's a joke about the end of the season 4 season finale, "Operation P.R.O.M." Rusty (after, at the end of "Assisted Suicide", telling Hank about the horrors of his dad hiring prostitutes for his 16th birthday) hires prostitutes and accidentally turns them into fly mutants while trying to poison them with "homemade spanish fly". Apparently not only did he turn her into a mutant, she still slept with him.
posted by Pope Guilty at 12:23 AM on June 3, 2013
Can this wait till morning? My voice gets all raspy if I don't get enough sleep.
posted by Artw at 12:44 AM on June 3, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by Artw at 12:44 AM on June 3, 2013 [5 favorites]
Artw: “Though I'm also very fond of Powerless in the Face of Death.”I quite literally watched just the opening sequence of this episode about 30 times in a row when it came out. I eventually bought the Aquagen feat. Rozalla single. It's in my regular playlist now.
posted by ob1quixote at 1:21 AM on June 3, 2013 [3 favorites]
Hank, upon hearing Dean had a dream about making out and wishing it were real: "Try looking at your watch! It worked for me!"
posted by JHarris at 3:44 AM on June 3, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by JHarris at 3:44 AM on June 3, 2013 [3 favorites]
Yeah but why that's funny is the best part, JHarris! (Callback to Hank recording that he had sex on the watch so he wouldn't forget post-memory wipe in "Everybody Comes To Hank's," -- AND we got to see HankCo in full effect again last night? Glorious).
posted by bitter-girl.com at 3:53 AM on June 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by bitter-girl.com at 3:53 AM on June 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
Like, a dozen kinds of nerdy all at once. But not in a Family Guy jam-in-the-reference type way.
posted by Artw at 4:23 AM on June 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Artw at 4:23 AM on June 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
Yeah it's not " hey remember the thing? Here is the thing you remember." it's more " subtle weaving of about eight different references that inform the themes and characters while at the same time being totally able to be read straughtly without knowledge of said things being referenced."
posted by The Whelk at 7:30 AM on June 3, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 7:30 AM on June 3, 2013 [2 favorites]
Also I think Augustus St. Cloud is a combination of James Mason from North by Northwest, Blofeild, and ...Herbie
posted by The Whelk at 7:33 AM on June 3, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 7:33 AM on June 3, 2013 [4 favorites]
Can this wait till morning? My voice gets all raspy if I don't get enough sleep.
But then the Monarch is surprised by it! He's all "What? Really?"
Dr Mrs The Monarch's crazy man voice is the absolute longest running gag in the show that everyone simultaneously acknowledges and at the same time completely accepts.
Also - the bumper that basically said to go back and watch the Halloween episode because continuity-wise it goes about a third of the way into the season 5 premiere? How crazy is that? I wonder what they'll do on the DVD.
posted by GuyZero at 10:26 AM on June 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
But then the Monarch is surprised by it! He's all "What? Really?"
Dr Mrs The Monarch's crazy man voice is the absolute longest running gag in the show that everyone simultaneously acknowledges and at the same time completely accepts.
Also - the bumper that basically said to go back and watch the Halloween episode because continuity-wise it goes about a third of the way into the season 5 premiere? How crazy is that? I wonder what they'll do on the DVD.
posted by GuyZero at 10:26 AM on June 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
They note it in the episode; there's a point where Dean talks about Halloween when he's confiding with the girl, just before she reveals her extra arms.
posted by JHarris at 11:35 AM on June 3, 2013
posted by JHarris at 11:35 AM on June 3, 2013
Augustus St. Cloud has been seen before, in fact many times going back to Tag Sale, You're It. He's long been one of the shows most prominent background characters.
posted by JHarris at 11:38 AM on June 3, 2013
posted by JHarris at 11:38 AM on June 3, 2013
I'm not much of a "comic book person" or whatever, but I would dearly love to go to DragonCon and dress up as a Venture Bros. character. It seems like such a hoot.
Monarch Henchmen are a common sight at DragonCon. They're called "The Fluttering Horde."
posted by JHarris at 11:50 AM on June 3, 2013 [2 favorites]
Monarch Henchmen are a common sight at DragonCon. They're called "The Fluttering Horde."
posted by JHarris at 11:50 AM on June 3, 2013 [2 favorites]
Oh one more thing -- did anyone notice the voice of the henchman at the Monarch's control panel? Looks like Scott Hall is back in!
posted by JHarris at 11:50 AM on June 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by JHarris at 11:50 AM on June 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
One more more thing --
I recently obtained a Wii U (it was to replace a broken Wii so we can still play Tennis, Golf and Bowling, don't judge me). It turns out it has this weird chat room feature called "TV Tag" where it figures out when shows you specify are on the air and makes little chat rooms for them, with real-time stills from the show displayed on a timeline. I tried it out during the show and it seems interesting, although a bit wonky. There were a half-dozen other Venture fans discussing it there.
Rather a weird feature, I mention it mostly to establish its existence and see if anyone else with one of the things is reading this, if they want to join in next time.
posted by JHarris at 11:59 AM on June 3, 2013
I recently obtained a Wii U (it was to replace a broken Wii so we can still play Tennis, Golf and Bowling, don't judge me). It turns out it has this weird chat room feature called "TV Tag" where it figures out when shows you specify are on the air and makes little chat rooms for them, with real-time stills from the show displayed on a timeline. I tried it out during the show and it seems interesting, although a bit wonky. There were a half-dozen other Venture fans discussing it there.
Rather a weird feature, I mention it mostly to establish its existence and see if anyone else with one of the things is reading this, if they want to join in next time.
posted by JHarris at 11:59 AM on June 3, 2013
Butterdote.
posted by Joey Michaels at 12:51 PM on June 3, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by Joey Michaels at 12:51 PM on June 3, 2013 [3 favorites]
The first episode I came across was in Season 1 where Rusty has built his Joy Can, which is a sort of Fantasy Island in a can, powered by the soul of an orphan or something like that (can't quite recall). I loved the episode.
The exchange where Orpheus drags the sordid secrets of the can's construction out of a reticent Rusty made me laugh to the point of tears when I first saw it, and will still crack me up just remembering. "I didn't use the whole thing!"
posted by FatherDagon at 4:15 PM on June 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
The exchange where Orpheus drags the sordid secrets of the can's construction out of a reticent Rusty made me laugh to the point of tears when I first saw it, and will still crack me up just remembering. "I didn't use the whole thing!"
posted by FatherDagon at 4:15 PM on June 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
That was incredible. I'm so used to being disappointed by TV, I almost don't know what to do other than watch it again. Most shows I enjoy end up being "great, but ..." after a few seasons. No buts about this. I wish I were clever enough to work in a reference to "push" here, because seriously, where did they even get that?
posted by Lorin at 5:08 PM on June 3, 2013
posted by Lorin at 5:08 PM on June 3, 2013
Am I nuts, or is Augustus St. Cloud a Dan Clowes character (visually, at least)?
posted by COBRA! at 6:54 AM on June 4, 2013
posted by COBRA! at 6:54 AM on June 4, 2013
I thought both Augustus St. Cloud and the college girl, whose name I cannot remember but whom I loved, were Dan Clowes references. "You think this is going to be something sexual, but it's not."
posted by vibrotronica at 7:44 AM on June 4, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by vibrotronica at 7:44 AM on June 4, 2013 [2 favorites]
Oh one more thing -- did anyone notice the voice of the henchman at the Monarch's control panel? Looks like Scott Hall is back in!
I don't think that sounded like Scott Hall... Scott Hall's voice sounds like it comes from further back in the throat.
I liked that Aziz Ansari voiced a character!
Also - the bumper that basically said to go back and watch the Halloween episode because continuity-wise it goes about a third of the way into the season 5 premiere? How crazy is that? I wonder what they'll do on the DVD.
IIRC, they had originally planned for the Halloween episode to be the fourth episode or so of season 5, but couldn't get everything done quickly enough to have it be shown at Halloween, so they just took it out of season 5 and ran it as its own special episode. I thought that they'd keep the its place in the chronology, but in this first episode they gave Dean lines telling his new girlfriend that he's a clone, and that made the whole thing really confusing. I watched it on iTunes, so I didn't get the bumper and thought it was just a bizarre inconsistency.
posted by painquale at 9:35 PM on June 4, 2013
I don't think that sounded like Scott Hall... Scott Hall's voice sounds like it comes from further back in the throat.
I liked that Aziz Ansari voiced a character!
Also - the bumper that basically said to go back and watch the Halloween episode because continuity-wise it goes about a third of the way into the season 5 premiere? How crazy is that? I wonder what they'll do on the DVD.
IIRC, they had originally planned for the Halloween episode to be the fourth episode or so of season 5, but couldn't get everything done quickly enough to have it be shown at Halloween, so they just took it out of season 5 and ran it as its own special episode. I thought that they'd keep the its place in the chronology, but in this first episode they gave Dean lines telling his new girlfriend that he's a clone, and that made the whole thing really confusing. I watched it on iTunes, so I didn't get the bumper and thought it was just a bizarre inconsistency.
posted by painquale at 9:35 PM on June 4, 2013
painquale, the Halloween episode happens but is unshown during the premiere. Notice the change of seasons- when Dead is telling the girl about finding out that he's a clone, he's only just found out about it.
posted by Pope Guilty at 11:14 PM on June 4, 2013
posted by Pope Guilty at 11:14 PM on June 4, 2013
Yeah, I figured it out from the discussion here, but I didn't follow during the episode, because I didn't really grasp that a long passage of time took place during that montage. It was a weird choice to change their original intent... they could have easily set the Halloween episode after this premiere, chronologically. (It reminds me of the structure of the new Arrested Development. Complicated, non-linear and non-chronological narration is the next wave in TV: I call it.)
posted by painquale at 6:13 AM on June 5, 2013
posted by painquale at 6:13 AM on June 5, 2013
Oh my god.
So I picked up a copy of Telltale Games' gonzo "Poker Night At The Inventory" game, which was basically an excuse to stick four completely unrelated characters in a single game: Max (from Sam & Max), The Heavy from Team Fortress 2, Tycho of Penny Arcade and Strong Bad. So yeah I'm a sucker for weird ideas like that.
So I was just about to start it up and I notice on Steam that Telltale is selling pre-orders for Poker Night At The Inventory 2, which has for characters Claptrap from Borderlands 2, Ash from Army of Darkness, Sam from Sam & Max natch, and... please excuse the use of the blink tag... .
posted by JHarris at 12:29 AM on June 6, 2013
So I picked up a copy of Telltale Games' gonzo "Poker Night At The Inventory" game, which was basically an excuse to stick four completely unrelated characters in a single game: Max (from Sam & Max), The Heavy from Team Fortress 2, Tycho of Penny Arcade and Strong Bad. So yeah I'm a sucker for weird ideas like that.
So I was just about to start it up and I notice on Steam that Telltale is selling pre-orders for Poker Night At The Inventory 2, which has for characters Claptrap from Borderlands 2, Ash from Army of Darkness, Sam from Sam & Max natch, and... please excuse the use of the blink tag... .
posted by JHarris at 12:29 AM on June 6, 2013
Pre-orders? It's been out for a couple of weeks.
posted by Pope Guilty at 2:45 AM on June 6, 2013
posted by Pope Guilty at 2:45 AM on June 6, 2013
(You forgot to mention GlaDoS, who really is the star of the show.)
I think Brock's inclusion in there might be a proof of concept for a Telltale Venture Bros game. There are a few lines about how Doc was the one invited but Brock came in advance just to scope things out.
Telltale gets the best properties.
posted by painquale at 7:50 AM on June 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
I think Brock's inclusion in there might be a proof of concept for a Telltale Venture Bros game. There are a few lines about how Doc was the one invited but Brock came in advance just to scope things out.
Telltale gets the best properties.
posted by painquale at 7:50 AM on June 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
Aah, the notice I saw made it seem like it was still sometime in the future.
posted by JHarris at 2:21 PM on June 7, 2013
posted by JHarris at 2:21 PM on June 7, 2013
DecemberBoy: "Who is he parodying? It's someone. I feel like it's right on the tip of my brain."
This has been bugging me, too, and after rewatching it just now, I think it's because he's essentially Comic Book Guy but with ice-cool supervillain hubris that only a trust fund could procure.
posted by Dr. Zira at 7:39 PM on June 7, 2013
This has been bugging me, too, and after rewatching it just now, I think it's because he's essentially Comic Book Guy but with ice-cool supervillain hubris that only a trust fund could procure.
posted by Dr. Zira at 7:39 PM on June 7, 2013
Gillian Jacobs this episode! I didn't realize it was her until the credits.
posted by painquale at 11:14 AM on June 10, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by painquale at 11:14 AM on June 10, 2013 [2 favorites]
Hank's war journal, entry number one...
posted by Artw at 9:20 PM on June 10, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by Artw at 9:20 PM on June 10, 2013 [3 favorites]
This is basically the payoff to that episode where Hank tries to join SPHINX, so Hunter and Shore Leave start putting him through a battery of insanely difficult, insanely dangerous tests, each of which he aces.
posted by Pope Guilty at 9:37 PM on June 10, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Pope Guilty at 9:37 PM on June 10, 2013 [2 favorites]
I've been thinking for a little while that Hank is destined to become a henchman. This episode made me think he could actually end up being a lead hero or villain. (Hank arching Dean is a funny thought.)
posted by painquale at 9:48 PM on June 10, 2013
posted by painquale at 9:48 PM on June 10, 2013
And now that I think of it, Dermot would pretty clearly be Hank's henchman.
posted by painquale at 9:50 PM on June 10, 2013
posted by painquale at 9:50 PM on June 10, 2013
But Dermot would totally think Hank was the henchman.
posted by Pope Guilty at 10:10 PM on June 10, 2013
posted by Pope Guilty at 10:10 PM on June 10, 2013
Well, he'd say that Hank is the henchman. But I think he knows his lot in life. He knows that Hank is the star Venture Bro and that he could only be a henchman. (Why else is he doing the tailoring at HankCo?)
posted by painquale at 10:48 PM on June 10, 2013
posted by painquale at 10:48 PM on June 10, 2013
Hank's moral centers are Brock and Batman, though. No way Hank's going villain. But with 21 roaming around the property, who knows what kind of advice he'll give Dean if he's the Venture son teetering on the edge of villainy... I would love, love to see 21 and Killinger as the angel and devil on Dean's shoulders. I can totally see Dean going down that path this season as his expression of teenage angst and Hank, Brock, 21 and a reluctant Rusty having to fight him and talk him down. I wonder if he'll hook up with Triana's friend Kim from the double date episode? She seemed impressed by supervillainy in exactly that teen-angsty way.
posted by jason_steakums at 7:58 AM on June 11, 2013
posted by jason_steakums at 7:58 AM on June 11, 2013
Oh god wait I forget that adults who aren't total animation nerds don't watch children's TV for fun - if you one of those people I recommend you pick up Mystery Incorporated.
Thanks for recommending this. No Scooby Doo incarnation has ever been particularly enjoyable to me in the past (though I did watch a fair amount of the original and Pup Named... as a kid), but this has been fun cotton candy viewing the past few days.
posted by sparkletone at 7:31 PM on June 11, 2013 [2 favorites]
Thanks for recommending this. No Scooby Doo incarnation has ever been particularly enjoyable to me in the past (though I did watch a fair amount of the original and Pup Named... as a kid), but this has been fun cotton candy viewing the past few days.
posted by sparkletone at 7:31 PM on June 11, 2013 [2 favorites]
I've been going through my Venture Bros dvds lately, listening to the commentary again - it's nothing short of inspiring how small a crew makes this show. It really is held together with duct tape and hope, but they keep at it until it meets their expectations and god, so perfect.
posted by jason_steakums at 8:31 PM on June 11, 2013
posted by jason_steakums at 8:31 PM on June 11, 2013
I wonder if he'll hook up with Triana's friend Kim from the double date episode? She seemed impressed by supervillainy in exactly that teen-angsty way.
Kim went to rehab, moved to Florida, and hangs out with the preppies now.
posted by Pope Guilty at 9:58 PM on June 11, 2013
Kim went to rehab, moved to Florida, and hangs out with the preppies now.
posted by Pope Guilty at 9:58 PM on June 11, 2013
sparkletone, did you start from the beginning (of Mystery Incorporated) and watch from there? Because if you are, man, is this show going to shock you....
posted by JHarris at 3:37 AM on June 13, 2013
posted by JHarris at 3:37 AM on June 13, 2013
sparkletone, did you start from the beginning (of Mystery Incorporated) and watch from there? Because if you are, man, is this show going to shock you....
Yeah. Hadn't seen it before, so started from the beginning. I think I'm up through 11 or 12 or so. I think Netflix only has the first 26 though.
posted by sparkletone at 6:41 PM on June 13, 2013
Yeah. Hadn't seen it before, so started from the beginning. I think I'm up through 11 or 12 or so. I think Netflix only has the first 26 though.
posted by sparkletone at 6:41 PM on June 13, 2013
I don't want to spoil anything. Just, in my mind, THIS is now the canonical take on these characters. It is so good.
posted by JHarris at 6:57 PM on June 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by JHarris at 6:57 PM on June 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by ob1quixote at 1:28 AM on June 17, 2013 [2 favorites]Venture Bros fans: As he has in the past, @toddalcott is recapping/analyzing the new season. HUGELY recommended. toddalcott.com— James Urbaniak June 17, 2013
Looks like they're going to start exploring the Monarch's backstory, which they've hinted at for a long time now. He's one of the few characters who hasn't evolved very much in the past seasons (since his wedding), and he's been getting stale, so it's a welcome development. I think there's a good chance they'll ORB his storyline (i.e. make it seem important but then come to nothing), but I hope not. He's due for a serious character shakeup like almost everyone else has gone through.
posted by painquale at 1:55 AM on June 17, 2013
posted by painquale at 1:55 AM on June 17, 2013
I don't want to spoil anything. Just, in my mind, THIS is now the canonical take on these characters. It is so good.
I finished the first season yesterday and holy crap.
HOW DID I END UP SO EMOTIONALLY INVESTED IN A FUCKING SCOOBY DOO REBOOT. HOW. IT DOESN'T. MAKE. SENSE.
posted by sparkletone at 10:47 AM on June 17, 2013 [6 favorites]
I finished the first season yesterday and holy crap.
HOW DID I END UP SO EMOTIONALLY INVESTED IN A FUCKING SCOOBY DOO REBOOT. HOW. IT DOESN'T. MAKE. SENSE.
posted by sparkletone at 10:47 AM on June 17, 2013 [6 favorites]
Finally got to see this week's episode. Curious where this Monarch thing goes... I've noticed for a while that the Monarch and Rusty are drawn to have really similar facial structures, so I figured some shoes might drop.
posted by COBRA! at 6:23 PM on June 19, 2013
posted by COBRA! at 6:23 PM on June 19, 2013
They've hinted at some kind of family relation between them before. Red hair is another giveaway.
posted by painquale at 6:49 PM on June 19, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by painquale at 6:49 PM on June 19, 2013 [1 favorite]
Maybe it's not just Dermot... every generation has its own secret Venture Brother.
posted by painquale at 6:50 PM on June 19, 2013
posted by painquale at 6:50 PM on June 19, 2013
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posted by DU at 10:18 AM on May 31, 2013 [4 favorites]