Venture Bros 4x02 (Grade and Discuss)

Broccoli · October 25 2009, 11:29 PM

Will Hank meet his hero? Kevin Conroy guest stars on tonight's Venture Bros! I've been looking forward to this one for a while.

"Handsome Ransom"
The Monarch's abduction and ransom of Hank and Dean, part of his newest scheme to hurt Dr. Venture, inadvertently catches the attention of semi-retired super-hero Captain Sunshine. As Dr. Venture and The Monarch squabble over the rules of kidnapping, Hank must decide if he's ready to become Captain Sunshine's newest young and supple sidekick.

In case you miss it, the episode hasn't been loaded online, yet. I'm sure it will be sometime within the next week or so. Check the official Venture Bros. website.

Is it me, or does the casting of Kevin Conroy as Captain Sunshine have the potential for several meta-gags in this episode?

Thespeckledkiwi · October 26 2009, 08:30 AM

Oh God...that was absolutely brilliant...Though I do have to wonder about the money.

Mr Light · October 26 2009, 01:19 PM

Hilarious episode! It's kinda weird to suddenly introduce a character with Superman-level powers though. Have they ever shown someone with bona fide super powers before...? But in any case, excellent episode. This show sure does love its pedophilia. Why wasn't Brock in this episode? I forgot the last episode already is he still on the run from OSI?

SeerSGB · October 26 2009, 02:01 PM

Brillant episode, and the Monarch was just classic.

Mr Light wrote:

Hilarious episode! It's kinda weird to suddenly introduce a character with Superman-level powers though. Have they ever shown someone with bona fide super powers before...? But in any case, excellent episode. This show sure does love its pedophilia. Why wasn't Brock in this episode? I forgot the last episode already is he still on the run from OSI?

Yep, he's working for Sphinx now.

MeanJoePhaser · October 26 2009, 06:01 PM

Wondered early one "is this episode just going to be one long gay pedophile joke?" And yes, it was.

I found the part where Monarch is dressed as the sidekick and goads Sunshine on was sickly funny.

Why did they take a taxi at the end?

Mr Light wrote:

Hilarious episode! It's kinda weird to suddenly introduce a character with Superman-level powers though. Have they ever shown someone with bona fide super powers before...?

Yeah, the Fantastic Four parodies, the Impossibles, though their powers are mostly afflictions rather than useful.

SeerSGB · October 26 2009, 06:06 PM

The Monarch going for the nut shot and then running like hell with the money, that's just classic Venture right there. Loved the bit with the Monarch wondering why they were wasting time arching Venture and the Dr. Ms The Monarch's follow up comment.

Broccoli · October 26 2009, 06:34 PM

While it was funny, I am disturbed by the amount of pedophilia jokes these guys like to throw into episodes, especially since Sgt. Hatred is/was VB's resident pedo. Capt. Sunshine being that seemed redundant. Although, I will admit, the pedo stuff seemed to be more of a bait and switch kind of joke (for example, you think the lube is for anal sex, when it turns out it is for the slide/costume switch).

MeanJoePhaser wrote:

Mr Light wrote:

Hilarious episode! It's kinda weird to suddenly introduce a character with Superman-level powers though. Have they ever shown someone with bona fide super powers before...?

Yeah, the Fantastic Four parodies, the Impossibles, though their powers are mostly afflictions rather than useful.

Don't forget the original Team Venture had superpowered characters.

SeerSGB · October 26 2009, 06:45 PM

I know they laid it on pretty heavy that Sunshine is a pedo, but maybe it's more of a over protective childlike like mother. Granted all the rest of the gang read it as pedo, which is the joke, but he struck me more in the Norman Bateish sort of crazy vein than Sgt. Hatred type.

And speaking of Sgt. Hatred, the part with Billy and the whole "So it's legal for me to feel..." was really well played for what it was.

Awesome Possum · October 26 2009, 09:01 PM

TheGallifreyanSith wrote:

I know they laid it on pretty heavy that Sunshine is a pedo, but maybe it's more of a over protective childlike like mother. Granted all the rest of the gang read it as pedo, which is the joke, but he struck me more in the Norman Bateish sort of crazy vein than Sgt. Hatred type.

And speaking of Sgt. Hatred, the part with Billy and the whole "So it's legal for me to feel..." was really well played for what it was.

You also have to remember that the Monarch killed his last sidekick, which almost explains his overprotectiveness.

Having him sound like Batman was just icing on the cake. I was at a panel at Dragon*Con last year and the creators said that they made him sound more like Batman during the recordings.

Thespeckledkiwi · October 26 2009, 10:17 PM

Personally I think it was a satire on the old Batman than the new Batman...

Broccoli · October 26 2009, 10:37 PM

I think it was a little of both. There totally was the camp value. On the other hand, the fact that Kevin Conroy (who voiced a darker Batman) was voicing the character, made it humorously ironic.

jep316 · October 27 2009, 01:09 AM

Loved it...missed Brock though I hope he isn't gone for too long.

I think the cringe worthy way they play is he or isn't Captain Sunshine a pedo was

but in the end I don't think he is...also the ideal of entire superhero team being a local nightly news team in there secret ids was brilliant.

The Monarch and company were as funny as ever..loved 21 in his "Wolverine" getup.

I'm guessing White and Billy must have won some sort of injury lawsuit to get their money but why they gave it to Rusty is beyond me they had to know they'd lose it.

Still not crazy about Sgt.Hatred as the new bodyguard..but I think thats the point we're not supposed too were supposed to want Brock back.

SeerSGB · October 27 2009, 01:40 AM

Maybe they were paid off by OSI?

Myasishchev · October 27 2009, 01:28 PM

Ghost Robot was awesome.

Overall, an enjoyable episode, unfortunately weighed down, as others have said said, by the redundancy of the pedophilia jokes when Sergeant Hatred's already right there. I mean, they were still funny, but I was like... hey, they already have someone to do this schtick.

The Monarch went from awesome to kind of stupid in a split second. The horrible mindfuck he laid on Sunshine was killer, but then went retarded and hit the solar man with a solar ray. I mean, come on. VB is cleverest when its characters are wise to the tropes of their own stories. The Monarch is pretty bright ordinarily, but even a cursory analysis would probably suggest that shining ultraviolet light, on a guy who is known to be powered by said light, is probably going to, you know, power him.

So, I gave it above average.

Broccoli · October 27 2009, 04:19 PM

^ But that is Monarch's problem. He doesn't think things through.

View Poll Results: Grade VB 4x02
Go Team Venture! (Excellent)	11	55.00%
Brock (Above Average)	7	35.00%
Hank & Dean (Average)	2	10.00%
Dr. Venture (Below Average)	0	0%
The Traitorous Phantom Limb (Terrible)	0	0%
Voters: 20. You may not vote on this poll

October 26 2009, 08:30 AM	#2
Thespeckledkiwi Vice Admiral Location: TheBolianChef is no more! It's theSpeckledKiwi now!	Re: Venture Bros 4x02 (Grade and Discuss) Oh God...that was absolutely brilliant...Though I do have to wonder about the money.

October 26 2009, 01:19 PM	#3
Mr Light Admiral Location: Pennsylvania	Re: Venture Bros 4x02 (Grade and Discuss) Hilarious episode! It's kinda weird to suddenly introduce a character with Superman-level powers though. Have they ever shown someone with bona fide super powers before...? But in any case, excellent episode. This show sure does love its pedophilia. Why wasn't Brock in this episode? I forgot the last episode already is he still on the run from OSI? __________________

October 26 2009, 06:06 PM	#6
SeerSGB Admiral Location: Tennessee	Re: Venture Bros 4x02 (Grade and Discuss) The Monarch going for the nut shot and then running like hell with the money, that's just classic Venture right there. Loved the bit with the Monarch wondering why they were wasting time arching Venture and the Dr. Ms The Monarch's follow up comment. __________________ - SeerSGB - Fans want to watch the movie, listen to the music, look at the pretty pictures, read the story. They are not looking to assimilate-- Colleen Doran

October 26 2009, 06:45 PM	#8
SeerSGB Admiral Location: Tennessee	Re: Venture Bros 4x02 (Grade and Discuss) I know they laid it on pretty heavy that Sunshine is a pedo, but maybe it's more of a over protective childlike like mother. Granted all the rest of the gang read it as pedo, which is the joke, but he struck me more in the Norman Bateish sort of crazy vein than Sgt. Hatred type. And speaking of Sgt. Hatred, the part with Billy and the whole "So it's legal for me to feel..." was really well played for what it was. __________________ - SeerSGB - Fans want to watch the movie, listen to the music, look at the pretty pictures, read the story. They are not looking to assimilate-- Colleen Doran

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October 26 2009, 10:17 PM	#10
Thespeckledkiwi Vice Admiral Location: TheBolianChef is no more! It's theSpeckledKiwi now!	Re: Venture Bros 4x02 (Grade and Discuss) Personally I think it was a satire on the old Batman than the new Batman...

October 26 2009, 10:37 PM	#11
Broccoli Vice Admiral Location: Broccoli	Re: Venture Bros 4x02 (Grade and Discuss) I think it was a little of both. There totally was the camp value. On the other hand, the fact that Kevin Conroy (who voiced a darker Batman) was voicing the character, made it humorously ironic. __________________ "That which can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence." -- Christopher Hitchens

October 27 2009, 01:09 AM	#12
jep316 Fleet Captain Location: The Venture Compound	Re: Venture Bros 4x02 (Grade and Discuss) Loved it...missed Brock though I hope he isn't gone for too long. I think the cringe worthy way they play is he or isn't Captain Sunshine a pedo was but in the end I don't think he is...also the ideal of entire superhero team being a local nightly news team in there secret ids was brilliant. The Monarch and company were as funny as ever..loved 21 in his *"Wolverine"* getup. I'm guessing White and Billy must have won some sort of injury lawsuit to get their money but why they gave it to Rusty is beyond me they had to know they'd lose it. Still not crazy about Sgt.Hatred as the new bodyguard..but I think thats the point we're not supposed too were supposed to want Brock back. __________________ " Don't attend your own funeral as a guy named Phil Shiffly." Direct TV ad "Just when I think you've said the stupidest thing ever,you keep on talking." Hank Hill

October 27 2009, 01:40 AM	#13
SeerSGB Admiral Location: Tennessee	Re: Venture Bros 4x02 (Grade and Discuss) Maybe they were paid off by OSI? __________________ - SeerSGB - Fans want to watch the movie, listen to the music, look at the pretty pictures, read the story. They are not looking to assimilate-- Colleen Doran

October 27 2009, 01:28 PM	#14
Myasishchev Rear Admiral Location: America after the rain	Re: Venture Bros 4x02 (Grade and Discuss) Ghost Robot was awesome. Overall, an enjoyable episode, unfortunately weighed down, as others have said said, by the redundancy of the pedophilia jokes when Sergeant Hatred's already right there. I mean, they were still funny, but I was like... hey, they already have someone to do this schtick. The Monarch went from awesome to kind of stupid in a split second. The horrible mindfuck he laid on Sunshine was killer, but then went retarded and hit the solar man with a solar ray. I mean, come on. VB is cleverest when its characters are wise to the tropes of their own stories. The Monarch is pretty bright ordinarily, but even a cursory analysis would probably suggest that shining ultraviolet light, on a guy who is known to be powered by said light, is probably going to, you know, power him. So, I gave it above average. __________________

October 27 2009, 04:19 PM	#15
Broccoli Vice Admiral Location: Broccoli	Re: Venture Bros 4x02 (Grade and Discuss) ^ But that is Monarch's problem. He doesn't think things through. __________________ "That which can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence." -- Christopher Hitchens