Go Team VENTURE (Fifth Season)

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: 'The Venture Bros. - The Fifth Season' on Blogcritics.

Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim produces a number of animated series for adults. One of my all-time favorites of these is The Venture Bros., a take-off of Jonny Quest all grown up, which recently released its fifth season on Blu-ray. The show doesn’t air on a real regular basis, so while season four finished in November 2010, what this single-disc set contains are two specials from autumns of 2011 and 2012, as well as eight episodes from last summer and a minimum amount of special features.

“From the Ladle to the Grave: The Story of Shallow Gravy” is the first episode up by air date, though you’ll have to navigate to the Bonus Specials on the menu to find it. It’s not a traditional installment, being sort of a Behind the Music take on Shallow Gravy, Hank (Christopher McCulloch) and Dermot’s (Doc Hammer) band. There is one pivotal revelation about a character in the special, though, so definitely watch it before the rest of the season, as it informs other moments later.

Also included in this release is the band’s five-track album, Jacket. All five tracks of Jacket are called “Jacket,” basically different versions of the same tune over and over again. But if you’re a fan of this musical group, you’re amply covered here.

Next up, the discerning viewer will have a choice to make. The second special, “A Very Venture Halloween,” actually occurs eleven minutes into the season premiere, “What Color Is Your Cleansuit?” This made for a very confusing holiday celebration, as viewers hadn’t yet seen the set up of the fifth run, in which several characters’ situations had changed, so if you choose to watch “Halloween” first, you may be a tad bit lost. If you really want to do things right, watch the first act break of “Cleansuit,” flip over to “Halloween,” then flip back. Once you get to the second break of “Cleansuit,” though, everything proceeds normally, so you’ll be all set.

There aren’t many shows I would argue are worth such efforts in order to experience the proper flow of the story. The Venture Bros. is an exception. While appearing to be a simple cartoon, it is heavy on continuity and the various players do experience growth throughout. Because of this, I would strongly urge you to watch it all, preferably in chronological order.

As the season begins, Doctor Venture (James Urbaniak) begins a new secret project. Things go horribly wrong, of course, and Dean (Michael Sinterniklaas) ends up right in the middle. It’s too bad Team Venture isn’t up to set the situation right, the group being overall pretty ineffectual since Brock Sampson (Patrick Warburton) left to join S.P.H.I.N.X. But it all shakes out OK enough that the plot doesn’t take up the whole season.

Instead, we get a series of zany adventures with all the familiar faces, including Sgt. Hatred (McCulloch), The Monarch (McCulloch), Dr. Mrs. The Monarch (Hammer), Billy Quizboy (Hammer), Gary, a.k.a. the former 21 (Hammer), and many more. A new secret group arises, a hero is born, an abomination is discovered, the past is dredged up, and various factions continually get in one another’s way. It’s all very complex, so it’s hard to summarize without giving anything away, but long-time fans should be quite pleased. New viewers may find the show too dense, and should start back in season one to figure out what’s going on.

The real disappointment is in the extras. There are audio commentaries for every episode, which is fantastic and rarely seen any more, but then there’s are some deleted scenes and that’s it. I’d really like to see some behind-the-scenes stuff, but I guess that’s harder to do with cartoons, there being no set to tell stories about, and the commentaries sort of fill that void somewhat.

As far as deciding between the Blu-ray and the DVD, there isn’t a strong argument one way or the other. The Venture Bros. is not known for highly advanced special effects, using animation that matches an earlier era, and the soundtrack, while fun, is not anything demanding the intricacies of full surround sound. Being that the images are digitally created, shades and colors are likely similar between the two. But if you like having the best quality available, as I do, go for the Blu-ray.

Overall, The Venture Bros. – The Fifth Season is a rollicking good time, and the quality of the episodes has not lessened five seasons in. This title is available now.

THE VENTURE BROTHERS Put On a New "Cleansuit"

Article first published as THE VENTURE BROTHERS Put On a New "Cleansuit" on TheTVKing.

After a two-and-a-half-year hiatus, save for a pair of specials, The Venture Brothers finally returns to Cartoon Network's Adult Swim this week. In the hour-long season premiere, entitled "What Color Is Your Cleansuit?," Dr. Venture (voiced by James Urbaniak) ropes a bunch of college students into helping his team complete a ray shield in three months that the doctor has had years to deliver on. Unfortunately, unconcerned with the safety of his employees, Dr. Venture's project results in severe mutations and the formation of a new society.

The opening of "What Color Is Your Cleansuit?" is great because it reintroduces us to many of the major characters, taking us one by one through where they are on a typical morning. Some of the familiar faces have changed a little, so this sequence isn't all retread, and it's a good way to set up and kick start a fresh story.

We know that Dr. Venture can be callous, but this episode shows us all new levels of that characteristic. While previously we only see him being unsympathetic to a character or two at a time, here he is using a huge contingent of interns as fodder. Gary, the former 21, (Doc Hammer) remarks that working for Dr. Venture and working for the Monarch (Christopher McCulloch) isn't all that different, and now we see very clearly why. Both are self-involved and focused on their goals at the expense of others.

The difference is, the Monarch is learning his lesson. Throughout this season premiere, he pines for his departed 21, and makes a couple of attempts to woo him back. 21, it turns out, became more than just a lackey to Venture's archnemesis, and sorely in need of a friend, the Monarch seeks to regain the one he lost. Might this season see a flip between good and evil?

The Venture Brothers is nothing if not dynamic. Characters move on all the time, and seldom do things return to the status quo once they do. 21 is merely the latest person to find a new place in the larger fabric, now heading up, and being the sole member of, SPHINX on the Venture compound. While it's possible 21 will work with the Monarch again, he's certainly in no hurry to do so, and since he has become such a sympathetic personality, it's nice to see him on the side of good. Well, sort of good, considering Venture's recent ruthlessness.

Venture actually needs 21's help, though he'll never admit it. Team Venture has become pretty laughable since the departure of Brock (Patrick Warburton). I'm not saying that Sergeant Hatred's (also McCulloch) boobs make him weaker, but he does appear even less threatening because they look silly on him. 21 could be just what the Ventures need to keep their land safe from any intruders.

Being kept safe is a concern with this motley bunch. Hank (McCulloch) just wants to hang out with Dermot (Hammer) and avoid danger. Dean (Michael Sinterniklaas) is caught up in rebellion and new loves. Dr. Venture takes on dangerous tasks at the behest of his brother J.J. (Urbaniak). The Monarch is still launching attacks, although Dr. Mrs. the Monarch (Hammer) keeps them from being too lethal. And Billy Quizboy (Hammer), now a fixture at the compound, has a new archnemesis, which brings more trouble with it.

The Venture Brothers is always expanding their roster of players, and Billy's foe is the latest. I didn't like this one so much, but the benefit of having such a large cast is, even when a character is less than thrilling, we won't get too much of them. That being said, the new guy is a good pairing for the Quizboy, and it's nice to see an expansion of his role.

The story itself in "What Color Is Your Cleansuit?" is less important than the character development and gags, however, I still liked it a lot. It's well-thought out, mostly original, and sees Dean let loose in a way he normally doesn't. The two races concept is cool, and I love seeing how geek culture could explode into a society quite quickly. The ending might be a tad neat, but the genius behind the resolution should be commended, as it's both enjoyable and makes sense.

Also, the series might be going up in the world, as this episode features the voice talents of such performers as Aziz Ansari (Parks and Recreation) and Wyatt Cenac (The Daily Show). Nice!

The Venture Brothers is now back on a weekly basis, thank goodness. Let's hope it remains that way for awhile, and no more years-long breaks, OK? The Venture Brothers airs Sundays at midnight on Cartoon Network.

The Venture Brothers halfway through second half of season four

     If you thought the title of this article sounded a bit convoluted, it gives you a little bit of an idea of the humor of Cartoon Network's The Venture Brothers.  Part of Adult Swim, The Venture Brothers has produced four seasons in the last six years, including the 16 episode fourth season, which was split between last fall and this one.  It's a long wait between installments, but as the half hour animated episodes are among the best animation on television, it's well worth the wait.

     Tonight airs the fourth episode of this fall, leaving only four more weeks until the season finale.  So far, plenty has happened in the Venture continuum.  After the absence of Brock Samson (voiced by Patrick Warburton, Family Guy, Seinfeld, Rules of Engagement) for most of last year, the former Venture family bodyguard is back, working secretly at a the back of the Venture compound for his former boss.  Their group is called S.P.H.I.N.X., and hilariously, Hank (Christopher McCulloch) and Dean (Michael Sinterniklaas) kept finding them, and their memories have been erased, leading to some serious brain damage.

     The brothers themselves have now graduated high school (a.k.a. their beds), and are trying to figure out their place in the world.  Hank went through quite a bit of a rebellious stage when Brock left, but he's settling down now.  This past week, Hank and Dean staged the kidnapping of their father, Dr. Venture (James Urbaniak).  Don't worry, it was just to make him feel better.  But the good Doc admitted to Hank, without knowing it was son, that he saw a lot of himself in the boy, and was sad that he would probably end up having the same life as his father.  It was a rare touching moment in a series known for it's funniness, but not unheard of.  Unlike most cartoons, The Venture Brothers is fairly serial, with events changing circumstances from episode to episode, rather than resetting everything back to status quo at the end of the half hour.

     The related plot going on this week involved a former henchmen kidnapping heroes and villains alike and forcing them to fight for his amusement.  Billy Quizboy (Doc Hammer), Pete White (McCullough), S.P.H.I.N.X. agent Shoreleave, and the Monarch's Henchman 21 (Hammer).  21 has been undergoing quite a metamorphis since losing his best friends, 24 (McCullough) last year.  The two have been developed as full-fledged people, not just the nameless, numbered sidekicks, and 21 took 24's death hard.  He still carries around his friend's skull and talks with it, ala Yoric in Hamlet.  21, though, has also become quite a formidable foe, at times running the Monarch's organziation, and he was the key player in freeing all those who has been kidnapped.

     If you have not been watching The Venture Brothers, now would be a good time to jump into it.  As I said, it is serial, but it's still amusing, even if you don't know all of the background.  The Venture Brothers airs on Cartoon Network Sunday nights at 11:30pm, and reruns the episode throughout the week.

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