Set sail for adventure!
Dean and Hank Venture are adventurers, crimesolvers, and part of a super science team! The sons of Dr. Venture (the son of the famed scientist adventurer Jonas), the Venture Brothers find themselves travelling the globe and even into space. With villains like the Monarch, his lover Dr. Girlfriend, and Baron Underbheit gunning for the Ventures and their body guard Brock, the Ventures will continue the fight!
The Venture Bros.—Season 1 aired from August 7, 2004 to October 30, 2004 with a pilot being released on February 16, 2003. The series was met with critical acclaim and gained a rabid following.
All hail Brock…god of war!
I grew up on Jonny Quest. It was one of my favorite cartoons as a kid. If you watch Jonny Quest now, you might notice that it isn’t the most P.C. show you’ve ever seen…and The Venture Bros. take advantage of that.
The stories are all very much like Jonny Quest stories with the Ventures travelling to exotic lands to see adventure. Unlike the Quests and friends, the Ventures are barely able to survive. They’re saving grace is their no-nonsense bodyguard Brock. The series takes all the extremes, all the joke, and all the fun of Jonny Quest and turns it on its side…an example is in the pilot when the Bandit stand in “Scamp” has all his skin removed by Dr. Venture (and the kids are ok with it). The series does more to build up super-villains which wasn’t a big aspect of Jonny Quest (it actually feels a bit more like The Tick in this sense).
If the Six Million Dollar Man and sasquatch can find love, can’t you love the Venture Bros?
The smart cast is merged with fun and extreme animation. The series has pretty modern art but the character designs are very retro and resemble art from the ’60s like Jonny Quest and other Hanna-Barbera cartoons. It is the contrast of modern vs. retro that helps propel the show (like Archer) and strong voice actors also help.
The Venture Bros. is a quick fun show. While Jonny Quest seems to be primary target, it goes all over the place touching on things like Doc Savage, Scooby-Doo, and even a great homage to The Six-Million Dollar Man (specifically vs. Bigfoot). It is for adults and honestly, most of the jokes are meant for people who grew up with the shows that are being mocked, so kids probably wouldn’t enjoy it much. The first season shows a ton of potential, but watching it, you can tell it is the type of series that gets better as the characters and jokes develop.
The Venture Bros.—Season 1 Complete Episode Guide:
“Terrible Secret of Turtle Bay”
1.0 The Terrible Secret of Turtle Bay Airdate: 02/16/03
Professor Venture has a new invention and his deadliest enemies want it. Otaku Senzuri and the Monarch want the experiment, and Professor Venture’s trip to the U.N. could be the perfect opportunity.
“Dia de Los Dangerous”
1.1 Dia de Los Dangerous! Airdate: 08/07/04
The Monarch’s men kidnaps Dean and Hank and take down Brock in the process. With Hank and Dean as his prisoners, the Monarch is forced to face his past when Dr. Venture’s rescue plans are slow to develop.
“Careers in Science”
1.2 Careers in Science Airdate: 08/14/04
The Ventures are headed to space! An emergency on the space station Gargantua-1 (which was created by Dr. Venture’s father) needs Venture to fix it. Hank and Dean worry that Gargantua-1 is haunted.
“Home Insecurity”
1.3 Home Insecurity Airdate: 08/21/04
Brock goes camping leaving the Ventures vulnerable to attack. When the Monarch and Baron Underbheit attack, the Ventures find themselves trapped in the panic room by Dr. Venture’s security robot G. U. A. R. D. O. who thinks everyone is an enemy.
“The Incredible Mr. Brisby”
1.4 The Incredible Mr. Brisby Airdate: 04/28/04
The Ventures travel to Brisbyland…but Hank and Dean get the bad news that they can’t enjoy the park. Roy Brisby seeks the secret to immortality from Dr. Venture’s father’s cloning experiments. Brock teams up with Russian agent Molotov Cocktease to stop Roy Brisby’s plans.
“Eeney, Meeney, Miney…Magic!”
1.5 Eeney, Meeney, Miney…Magic! Airdate: 09/04/04
Sorcerer Doctor Byron Orpheus begins working out of the Venture Compound and finds himself drawn into the Ventures’ adventures when Dr. Venture creates a “Joy Can” which can give the people inside their wildest dreams.
“Ghosts of the Sargasso”
1.6 Ghosts of the Sargasso Airdate: 09/11/04
The retrieval of sunken experimental ship in the Bermuda Triangle has Dr. Venture diving to the ocean floor while the X-2 is captured by pirates. As Brock tries to free the X-2, a ghost from the past could return.
“Ice Station: Impossible”
1.7 Ice Station—Impossible! Airdate: 09/18/04
Dr. Venture goes to work for Richard Impossible at his base in the Arctic…discovering Impossible’s secret team of mutations. Brock discovers Race Bannon has died while stopping a transport of the Goliath formula. With Hank exposed to Goliath and threatened with exploding, Brock must get an antidote to the serum from Impossible.
“Mid-Life Chrysalis”
1.8 Mid-Life Chrysalis Airdate: 09/25/04
Dr. Venture sets out to break his dry spell with a trip to a strip club…but becomes the target of Doctor Girlfriend who is undercover for the Monarch. Brock learns that his license to kill is expired and that he must complete an exam to get it back.
“Are You There God? It’s Me, Dean”
1.9 Are You There, God? It’s Me, Dean Airdate: 10/02/04
Dean, Hank, Dr. Venture, and Brock are held by the Monarch, but when Dean begins to suffer pain, the Monarch is forced to release Dean and Dr. Venture. Calling Billy Quizboy and Peter White for help, Dr. Venture works to help Dean. Brock and Hank are held hostage by the Monarch and find it is the Monarch’s birthday.
“Tag Sale–You’re It!”
1.10 Tag Sale—You’re It! Airdate: 10/09/04
Dr. Venture is having a big sale to get rid off all his old experiments he no longer needs…and it is a buyer’s market for his enemies.
“Past Tense”
1.11 Past Tense Airdate: 10/16/04
Jonas’ Team Venture is called back into action when Dr. Venture, Brock, Baron Underbheit, and Pete White are kidnapped due to a college rift.
“The Trial of the Monarch”
1.12 The Trial of the Monarch Airdate: 10/23/04
The Monarch is on trial for murder. As the events of the crime are revealed, the Monarch is in a fight for his freedom…and not even a court of law can save him!
“Return of Spider-Skull Island”
1.13 Return of Spider-Skull Island Airdate: 10/30/04
After a sting at The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Dr. Venture finds himself pregnant. Dean and Hank find themselves under the watchful eye of Orpheus while Dr. Venture learns that the baby he was carrying was actually his twin. When Dean and Hank end up in prison, the Monarch’s scared straight program could spell their doom.
“A Very Venture Christmas”
Special—A Very Venture Christmas Airdate: 12/19/04
The Ventures are celebrating Christmas with their friends but the Monarch is plotting his own attack! When Dean and Hank accidentally summon the Krampus, the Monarch’s plan might be sped up!
Related Links:
The Venture Bros.—Season 2 Review and Complete Episode Guide
The Venture Bros.—Season 3 Review and Complete Episode Guide
