When The Venture Bros. left us in Episode 0, which was basically an extended Star Wars reference, Dr. Venture inherited his brother’s multi-billion dollar business empire. This is followed by a rather stylish montage of the three Ventures moving to their new NYC compound. The Mary Sue has compiled some quick season recaps for your viewing pleasure. The entirety of Episode 0 is also available to watch at Adult Swim.
The whole episode feels like getting the band back together, as the OSI assigns Brock back to the Ventures. Hank and Dean get their own independent storylines, The Monarch attempts to continue ‘arching’ with disastrous results, and Dr. Mrs. The Monarch tries to head up the Council of 13. The dynamics return to what fans love. The relationship between Dr. Venture and Brock works especially well. Gotta love Bock’s relentless cursing.
Now with the Venture family relocated in New York there’s an entirely new opportunity for the writers do whatever they want. Hilarious superhero and super villain characters pop up out of nowhere. One great example is The Crusaders Action League. The trio of ‘professional’ superheroes (who charge for their services) consists of a Hispanic Wonder Woman, an overly sexualized Captain America, and a purple Arrow who shoots feet from his bow. They of course meddle where they’re not wanted, causing more harm than good. These are the kind of problems comic books and movies usually gloss over with traditional superheroes. Got to love that dose of reality.
The highlight of this episode, which mostly consists of setting up characters, is Dr. Mrs. The Monarch. This badass lady shoulders a lot of the responsibility of The Council of 13. Her experiences with all of her male colleges have her torn between her career, and her life with The Monarch. Dr. Mrs. The Monarch isn’t anyone’s companion anymore; she’s her own super villain. Dr. Mrs. The Monarch will probably rise to head of the Council of 13, but at what cost? Female viewers take note here. There’s ample opportunity to continue to develop Dr. Mrs. The Monarch over Season 6, bring it on Venture Bros.
