The Venture Bros. - CaB Rewatch

[Stinky Lomax]

It's a first watch for me, so I'll appreciate any efforts to spoiler tag big stuff, but I'm aware that it's a 20 year old (to the day!) cartoon so I can't really get mad if stuff slips through...

[Agent Dunham]

Just checked on the C4 site and they do have the VB specials in a different category to the seasons, so we're good for everything. The final movie is up there, too, in its own category. So...

Go Team Venture

Indeed.

[madhair60]

so just to clarify @Agent Dunham, you're okay to head this up? I've been mulling it over and I think I could do it in a pinch, but I'm grateful. this will be a lot of fun to revisit

[Agent Dunham]

Maybe we can bat this between us. Sometimes I disappear for a week or even a month when required by my work and it's sometimes difficult to keep tabs. Hopefully, the calendar I posted will keep the thread running on its own steam (from every Wednesday). So, this week's viewing is:

August 07th - S01E01 Dia De Los Dangerous + S01E02 Careers In Science

[Stinky Lomax]

01 Dia De Los Dangerous
My first ever Venture Bros! I like the art style and the voice acting. The writing's fun, though it feels a little scattershot. This might be because we skipped the pilot, but it was only by the end of the episode that I really had an idea of how all the characters and concepts slotted together, and what the thrust of the show is. Also, the pace is really fast - not in a bad way, not in that Invader Zim way where it feels like I'm being screamed at for 20 minutes, but I think it'll be more satisfying when the show elements have coalesced. Looking forward to the next ep!

02 Careers In Science
Ooh, a Ben Edlund credit! This one was fun as well. I think part of what tripped me up with the first episode was that it's called Venture Bros which made me think it'd focus on the two boys, like The Hardy Boys or whatever. Anyway, I'm not completely blown away by the first two episodes like I was with, say, the Heat Vision And Jack pilot, but I enjoyed them and I'm looking forward to the show developing. Also interested to read what long-term fans think of them!

[Agent Dunham]

it was only by the end of the episode that I really had an idea of how all the characters and concepts slotted together, and what the thrust of the show is.

This is why rewatches are so worthwhile. This is a kind of rule of thumb in many episodes, though; the whole episode balanced on a single apparent action or word that didn't even register as an important detail at the point it emerged (I don't mean this episode particularly).

But also, I like how it unfolds things piecemeal and leaves you with questions. There's so much to explain about the characters that just having the usual intro scenes you'd get in a series wouldn't really work. The first episode opens with Brock and, more than any other character serves as an intro to him, although his character is due a few tweaks as time progresses. Doc "Rusty" Venture gets a good airing too and seems to be fairly well-tuned into the character he will be throughout (maybe a bit cleverer than he'll settle into being, but a smartarse with an evil tinge). The boys are a bit more of an experiment at this point, although this is mostly true of Dean; the true Hank is already starting to shine through. The Monarch and Dr Girlfriend are still in need of a tweak, too; mostly the Monarch.

it's called Venture Bros which made me think it'd focus on the two boys

Let's see how this pans out.

[Agent Dunham]

Oh, BTW, did you watch the bits after the end credits? Really important not to miss these.

[Stinky Lomax]

I got the first one, might have missed the second, will pop back and check. Ta!

[Agent Dunham]

I got the first one

Essential knowledge about Rusty's priorities.

[Agent Dunham]

Oh, BTW, did you watch the bits after the end credits? Really important not to miss these.

I'm sure there's other shows that did this over the years, but I think this may have been the show that inspired Rick and Morty to follow suit.

[selectivememory]

Does feel like a fairly understated opening couple of episodes for the series, but still, quite a bit of good stuff in there. I really liked The Monarch straight away. I can't remember much about how he develops, but he's already a very funny and ridiculous character. His origin story was a highlight.

Rusty is the only other one that really seems to be fully formed at this point, the other characters probably not quite there yet. Early days, but I do remember it taking me a few episodes before it started to click with me.

[Dirty Boy]

"He was like an ANGEL! A beautiful guardian ANGEL"

Currently in the middle of s4, so my main takeaway is how stilted it seems, as if the dialogue was all recorded separately. Some funny moments, but very much finding it's feet. As i've already said, it wasn't until toward the end of the season where it really gelled for me and i began to realise i was watching something special.

I really liked The Monarch straight away. I can't remember much about how he develops, but he's already a very funny and ridiculous character. His origin story was a highlight.

I forgot we get that in the first episode! And also Rusty's nightmare that will become kinda important later on (i don't need to spoiler that surely?)

Re: opening titles I recognise Underbite and Molotov, who's the third one meant to be?

[Agent Dunham]

Re: opening titles I recognise Underbite and Molotov, who's the third one meant to be?

All three look like prototypes; not quite Underbheit but has the artificial jaw, not quite Molotov and isn't missing one eye, third is a character that didn't make it and doesn't ring any bells.
They're using the same opening titles as they did in the pilot which was probably some time before they went into full production and character design.

I forgot we get that in the first episode!

We get more details filled in later down the line. I noticed he talks about his toxicity due to his diet when amongst the butterflies, but I'm not sure this is ever brought up again.

[sprocket]

Jackson Publick on the Monarch's origins.

Spoiler alert

[close]

[Poirots BigGarlickyCorpse]

I noticed he talks about his toxicity due to his diet when amongst the butterflies, but I'm not sure this is ever brought up again.

Given that we see young Monarch sicking up the milkweed as he says this, I think this is supposed to be a delusional belief of the Monarch's that couldn't possibly be true. It ties in with the rest of his character. He's this grandiose, aggressive, posturing villain, but his theme is a butterfly - an insect most people don't consider toxic or poisonous. He arches Dr. Venture because... actually I can't remember why exactly, but I think it's really stupid and petty, isn't it? And Dr. Venture himself is also a pathetic figure living off (and selling off) his dad's legacy. Not exactly a beloved superhero, or even super-scientist to the superheroes.

[Agent Dunham]

Jackson Publick on the Monarch's origins.

Spoiler alert

[close]

This is excellent. I think  have this book in PDF form somewhere and never got round to reading it. Makes perfect sense that he's just delusional about his time with the butterflies. Magnificent.

Just watched episode one and the first thing I want to say is Dr Girlfriend one of my favourite characters, maybe the best, maybe of anything. And she hits the ground running. Also, best voice ever (thank you Doc Hammer). Love this completely misguided woman.

As mentioned earlier some of the voice acting is a tiny bit stilted. James Urbaniak (Rusty) is always fantastic, though. Likewise Patrick Warburton (Brock). I think it's just a bit of ironing out as to what sounds the most effective. It never sounds phoned in, just a bit wooden. What's more jarring as a fan of the series is the visuals; the facial expressions. Lots of unnecessary detail in the expressions of The Monarch that soon get ditched. Likewise, soundwise, Brock isn't too far off his final form. However his facial expressions in this first episode are fucking psycho at times (the twitching!)
A long way to go in the first ep but the seedlings of greatness are poking through.

[madhair60]

Enjoyed these more than I expected to - that is to say, I remember them being rusty (Venture) but there's quite a lot of the series DNA in place already.

Spoiler alert

Of course, Careers in Science ended up becoming a whole hell of a lot more important than it initially seems; I'd forgotten a lot of the detail and was pretty delighted as a VB lifer to get that filled in.

[close]

Not sure what the joke was with Lt Baldavich's face, not sure if that was a reference or just weird quasi-misogyny. Also the first appearance of the overarching theme of season 1 - piss.

[madhair60]

also, as the rewatch goes on, i'll post the relevant page from the book and any tidbits I can scrape together.

[Stinky Lomax]

Not sure what the joke was with Lt Baldavich's face, not sure if that was a reference or just weird quasi-misogyny.

I thought it might be a reference to Ms. Sara Bellum from The Powerpuff Girls. She's essentially the same gag - a curvy woman with big hair whose face you never see - and even puts up with an incompetent lovestruck boss (though a more sympathetic one). There's never implication that she's ugly, though, so I thought Baldavich might be a riff on that - here's why a show wouldn't ever be able to show you someone's face.

Thanks for posting the book pages, madhair - it's interesting to see that the rough edges I was noticing were at least semi-intentional! Also, the stuff about Doc Hammer reminded me of Nick Frost's start in Spaced - a very funny friend who they get in because he's innately talented, knowing they can get him past the technical stuff and his nerves.

[Agent Dunham]

While Baldavitch is doing the nasty with Brock, Hank (thinking she's the phantom spaceman) says something about her face being hideous, but he doesn't recognise her, despite the whole team balking at her appearance earlier.

[madhair60]

the book is fucking brilliant by the way. seriously worth picking up, though i am assuming it's expensive now as it's OOP. of course it has been digitised, so you can find it if you look around.

[13 schoolyards]

Yeah, it's like the perfect version of one of these guides / behind-the-scenes art books, it covers everything you want and then throws in a bunch of bonus awesome stuff you didn't expect to find

[backdrifter]

the book is fucking brilliant by the way. seriously worth picking up, though i am assuming it's expensive now as it's OOP. of course it has been digitised, so you can find it if you look around.

It really is. I just hope they release an updated version (or an addendum) which includes the final season and movie.



For those who haven't seen the pilot (and don't intend to) here's some highlights:

Though it doesn't include my favourite line:

Spoiler alert

Well, well, well. It looks as if these Venture boys are not quite as young and innocent as I thought. They seem to have already discovered the fleshy jig of the mommy and daddy dance.

[close]

[Agent Dunham]

I've found some commentaries by Doc Hammer and Jackson Publick for seasons 1-6. Not all episodes (not for the first 4 in season 1). I'll see if I can extract them.

For those who haven't seen the pilot (and don't intend to) here's some highlights:

Though it doesn't include my favourite line:

Spoiler alert

Well, well, well. It looks as if these Venture boys are not quite as young and innocent as I thought. They seem to have already discovered the fleshy jig of the mommy and daddy dance.

[close]

Spoiler alert

Something they appear to have lost all knowledge of in episode S01E02

[close]

[Stinky Lomax]

For those who haven't seen the pilot (and don't intend to) here's some highlights:

That looks pretty good! (Also seems like a more standard character intro.) What's so duff about it that people didn't want to start with it?

[Agent Dunham]

For me it seems like it was designed to pander to AS execs and their perceived target audience, especially the payoff (eyes roll upward), and VB was always more than that. As mentioned above, it isn't entirely canon, even if it is proof of concept.

It did give birth to the opening credits (even featuring proto-versions of characters in development).

[Agent Dunham]

also, as the rewatch goes on, i'll post the relevant page from the book and any tidbits I can scrape together.

Love this story as it parallels my own career (in science); getting pulled into a field I had no training for, by pros who just liked my amateur vibe.

[MojoJojo]

I didn't remember that the dart guns were lethal.

I really like the "Not again" joke with the bathtub full of ice.

Stuff that comes up later that I didn't realise was mentioned so early:

Spoiler alert

Bud's spooky story is the Movie Night Massacre.
Rusty hallucinating(?) his Dad's ghost hits different.

[close]

[Agent Dunham]

I didn't remember that the dart guns were lethal.

Hank and Dean survived their darting. Brock survived his. Poor old Speedy was simply put to sleep to make his death-by-Samson a little less agonising (saddest and most horrifying part of the episode). Who knows where they disposed of the coughing henchman who attracted The Monarch's ire earlier.

[Agent Dunham]

I've found some commentaries by Doc Hammer and Jackson Publick for seasons 1-6. Not all episodes (not for the first 4 in season 1). I'll see if I can extract them.

I've found a place where they're all conveniently extracted already:

https://thedirectorscommentary.tumblr.com/post/177024438565/the-venture-bros-season-1-6-all-commentaries