The new Venture Bros?
Hank and Dean are dead…but the Venture Bros. live again? Through a strange turn of events the Ventures are reunited and the truth of Hank and Dean’s past is revealed. As the Ventures deal with the resurrection, The Monarch works to escape prison and reclaim Dr. Girlfriend from her new paramour the Phantom Limb. Meanwhile, the Monarch’s agents Henchman #21 and Henchman #24 have their own problems trying to keep the Monarch’s criminal empire afloat.
The Venture Bros.—Season 2 aired from June 25, 2006 to October 15, 2006 on the Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. The series continued to gain a cult following and critical acclaim.
Love some Dr. Henry Killinger
I enjoyed the first season of The Venture Bros., but when I watched Season 2 of The Venture Bros., I couldn’t remember if I enjoyed this season even more. With more and more in-jokes developing within the series, The Venture Bros. proves to be a fun, watchable show (and a brief warning ******Spoiler Alert****** in effect).
Growing up with Jonny Quest, there is a lot of stuff in The Venture Bros. that naturally makes you laugh, but this season continues to create more of its own background for the Ventures and their villains. I really enjoy the quick, fast early episodes of this season, but was not the biggest fan of the two part finale (though I do enjoy the fan-boy hallucination by Dean). It isn’t that the finale is bad, but I just enjoy more exploration and variety in the episodes like in the first part of the season.
Scooby?
This season also has the great reveal that part of the reason that Hank and Dean might be so dim is that they are clones upon clones. Throughout the series, you question how Hank and Dean could have lived this long (even with Brock’s protection)….the answer is that they die a lot. It proves that pits full of spikes and even carbon monoxide could be dangerous.
The Venture Bros. has a lot of laughs through the art. This season had some fun playing off of its Jonny Quest theme with a flashback to Dr. Venture’s childhood and it also brought in a group of Scooby-Doo clones which were not as “wholesome” as the stoners of Scooby-Doo. These little touches combine with other fun art to make a rounded show.
Dr. Venture knows how to party!
The Venture Bros.—Season 2 continues a strong run for the series. With short seasons that are kind of sporadic, you have to savor every episode (which also makes it a bummer if an episode isn’t that great). For the most part you do not have to deal with any bad episodes because even the weaker shows sometimes have fun subplots that raise the show. This season’s strength has me wanting to watch The Venture Bros.—Season 3 even more than I wanted to watch The Venture Bros.—Season 2 (and that is a sign of a fun series).
The Venture Bros.—Season 2 Complete Episode Guide:
“Powerless in the Face of Death”
2.1 Powerless in the Face of Death Airdate: 06/25/06
Hank and Dean are dead, and Dr. Orpheus vows to restore them to life…but Dr. Venture has a surprise for him. Venture finds his twin brother Jonas Jr. has stepped up in his absence, but a teleportation accident leaves Dr. Venture trying to restore himself. The Monarch tries to rally the other prisoners for a prison escape.
“Hate Floats”
2.2 Hate Floats Airdate: 07/02/06
The Monarch has escaped prison and vowed to win back Dr. Girlfriend from the Phantom Limb. When an attack at the mall has the Monarch’s new crew confronted with the Ventures, Dean and Hank find themselves teamed with Dr. Girlfriend while the Phantom Limb joins Brock in an attempt to rescue Dr. Venture from the Monarch.
“Assassinanny 911”
2.3 Assassinanny 911 Airdate: 07/09/06
Brock is forced on an assignment by his old department of intelligence and learns that his target is his mentor Colonel Hunter Gathers. As Brock is forced to stalk the man he sees as his father, Molotov Cocktease is assigned to protect the Ventures, and Hank finds himself in love.
“Escape to the House of Mummies Part II”
2.4 Escape to the House of Mummies Part II Airdate: 07/16/06
It’s time travel to the max! While Brock, Sigmund Freud, Caligula, Edgar Allan Poe, Hank, and Dean are stuck fighting an Egyptian cult, Dr. Orpheus and Dr. Venture find themselves in a competition to prove once and for all if magic or science is better.
“Twenty Years to Midnight”
2.5 Twenty Years to Midnight Airdate: 08/06/06
A video of Jonas Venture has Dr. Venture on a race against time to save Earth as the Grand Galactic Inquisitor sets to judge humanity. Forced to raid Professor Impossible’s home base, the Ventures find themselves at odds with the famed family as time begins to run out.
“Victor. Echo. November.”
2.6 Victor. Echo. November. Airdate: 08/13/06
Dean and Hank are on their first dates, but as fate would have it, they are at a restaurant where the Monarch finds his former love Dr. Girlfriend and the Phantom Limb are also on dates. While Dr. Venture and Brock find themselves fighting for their lives at home, Dean and Hank question if Triana and Kim could be their future girlfriends…or archenemies.
“Love Bheits”
2.7 Love-Bheits Airdate: 08/20/06
Coming back from a costume party, the Ventures crash in Ünderland, and Baron Ünderbheit mistakes Dean for a girl…who he promptly plans to wed. It is up to Brock, Dr. Venture, and Hank to free Dean and this might mean joining the underground rebellion against Ünderbheit.
“Fallen Arches”
2.8 Fallen Arches Airdate: 09/03/06
Dr. Orpheus learns that the Guild of Calamitous Intent has selected his team for an official arch-nemesis…but that means reassembling the Order of the Triad first. Dr. Venture wishes he was getting an arch-villain and is out to tempt the candidates. The Monarch tries to find a substitute for Dr. Girlfriend while Henchmen 21 and 24 question if they have head super-villain quality.
“Guess Who’s Coming to State Dinner”
2.9 Guess Who’s Coming to State Dinner? Airdate: 09/10/06
The Ventures are invited to Washington to attend the dinner honoring Colonel Bud Manstrong who survived the crash of the space station Gargantua-1. When Hank and Dean are warned by the ghost of Abraham Lincoln that Bud and his mother plan to assassinate the President, Hank and Dean must hop into action. Meanwhile, Brock deals with his rival security detail Agent Hauser, and Dr. Venture tries to sell the President on his new force field security field.
“I Know Why the Caged Bird Kills”
2.10 I Know Why the Caged Bird Kills Airdate: 09/24/06
Dean and Hank are kidnapped by a woman named Myra Brandish…who also claims to be their mother! The Monarch has a new henchman in the form of Dr. Henry Killinger, but Henchmen 21 and 24 wonder if Dr. Henry Killinger and his “Magic Murder Bag” are as altruistic as they seem. Dr. Venture finds himself teamed with Dr. Orpheus in search of the missing kids, and Brock and H.E.L.P.eR. are the only ones who seem to realize the true danger.
“¡Viva los Muertos!”
2.11 ¡Viva los Muertos! Airdate: 10/01/06
Dr. Venture has a plan for an army of resurrected warriors…with a henchman as his first resurrected warrior. Brock debates his role as Venture’s bodyguard when Venture requests more dead bodies and turns to Dr. Orpheus for help. Ted, Val, Patty, Sonny, and their dog Groovy have found a new mystery and if they uncover it, Hank and Dean could learn the truth about their resurrection.
“Showdown at Cremation Creek Part I”
2.12 Showdown at Cremation Creek Part I Airdate: 10/08/06
Dr. Girlfriend has agreed to marry the Monarch with one caveat: The Monarch must give up his quest to destroy Dr. Venture! When the Monarch’s agents manage to capture the entire Venture family for him, the Monarch must spin it into the wedding of the century…but Dr. Girlfriend’s former boyfriend the Phantom Limb might not be happy about it.
“Showdown at Cremation Creek Part II”
2.13 Showdown at Cremation Creek Part II Airdate: 10/15/06
The Phantom Limb has captured Dr. Girlfriend, and the Ventures must team with the Monarch to save her. Dean goes on an adventure with Giant Boy Detective in an attempt to save a magical kingdom while Hank disguises himself as a villain to join the rescue party. As Monarch and Venture face off against the Phantom Limb, they might learn the real truth of the identity of the Sovereign!
Related Links:
The Venture Bros.—Season 1 Review and Complete Episode Guide
The Venture Bros.—Season 3 Review and Complete Episode Guide
