45 of 47 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Go Team Venture!, March 4, 2007
This review is from: The Venture Bros. - Seasons One and Two (DVD)
The Cartoon Network is known for its kooky Adult Swim, with everything from "Robot Chicken" to superhero lawyers. But few of their shows can match the comic brilliance of "The Venture Brothers," whose first two seasons are combined here -- it unabashedly spoofs "Jonny Quest" and other kiddie adventure fare, with plenty of sarcasm and weird characters.
It's about the adventures of Thaddeus "Rusty" Venture, who was once a child genius, but is now a fortysomething has-been who is still overshadowed by his adventurous dad's legacy. Now he has two not-so-bright teenagers of his own, Dean and Hank ("Go Team VENTURE!"), as well as the sweet robot H.E.L.P.eR. And finally there's his lusty, secret-agent, mullet-haired Swedish bodyguard Brock.
In these two seasons, the Venture Brothers (plus Rusty and Brock) face the Monarch, a second-rate villain who desperately wants to be Dr. Venture's nemesis, and his deep-voiced sidekick Dr. Girlfriend. They also have to deal with a crazy Walt-Disneyesque mogul, the steel-jawed Baron Underbheit, and the Guild of Calamitous Intent (whose leader is someone we're all familiar with).
And they must also deal with many other problems -- mummies, chupacabras, the repeated deaths of the twins, failing space stations, evil Egyptian cults, bad porn, testicular torsion, necromancers, Japanese demons, "Venturestein," aliens, sex changes, ghost pirates, and even a Christmas episode where they get crashed by a strange Christmas spirit.
A series like "Jonny Quest" is just asking for a spoof, and "Venture Brothers" happily obliges. But in fact, it also mocks all unrealistic action-adventure, from the Fantastic Four to the "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen." Where else can you find a villain's henchman arguing who would win in a "crazy fantasy fight-fight between Anne Frank and Lizzie Borden"?
And while many series get lamer as they get on, "Venture Brothers" starts off well -- in the pilot, which is included -- and gets progressively funnier. Even the death of main characters is treated with irreverant sarcasm. t's full of adolescent gross-out humor (the Monarch and porta-potties), gory action, and occasionally a sex scene for Brock.
But what's REALLY brilliant about this series? The scripting, which is often crazy and unabashedly sarcastic: "I have watched you pull a man's eyes from his head and make him dance like a marionette with his own optic nerves!" " At least I didn't break his heart." If anyone says anything serious, it's just a windup to the punch line ("What's he doing now?" "He's making his dramatic exit").
Patrick Warburton and James Urbaniak are utterly perfect as the indestructible super-agent Brock and the bitter Venture, with Michael Sinterniklaas as the ultra-naive Dean. Christopher McCulloch does several roles, particularly the know-it-all Hank and the whiny-voiced Monarch. And Steven Rattazzi gets a special mention as the melodramatic necromancer/single dad Dr. Orpheus. Love that guy.
"The Venture Brothers" have exactly the kind of adventures that kids dream of NOT having, but the adults will love the first two seasons of this richly absurd show. GO TEAM VENTURE!
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dude! Stop wailing on my junk!, February 18, 2008
This review is from: The Venture Bros. - Seasons One and Two (DVD)
The Venture Bros. is currently the funniest animated show on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim roster. It's equal parts Jonny Quest (and characters from that show make hilarious cameos from time to time), Reservoir Dogs, Harvey Kurtzman-era Mad magazine and something completely original all at once.
Jackson Public and Doc Hammer have created a unique world of neurotic, pill-popping super-scientists (the type who invent anti-gravity rays and make backups of their death-prone teens in an underground cloning lab), equally neurotic costumed villains with highly dysfunctional romances, and ultra-violent government agents who aren't happy unless they're snapping necks and slaughtering waves of henchmen. The show manages to integrate old-school pulp fiction with post-punk humor and tons of pop-culture references, and the result is hysterically funny. Think Austin Powers as written by Hunter S. Thompson, and you'll get an idea of how funny this show is.
The DVD's include commentary on some episodes, as well as deleted scenes, a hilarious mockumentary on the history of Astrobase Go, and most importantly, the original pilot for the show and the insanely brilliant Xmas special.
If you're a fan of the show, this is the best way you can spend $42.99. If you're not a fan of the show - god help you.
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8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is a ripoff..., July 24, 2008
This review is from: The Venture Bros. - Seasons One and Two (DVD)
...in the sense that the way things are priced right now, you'd be better off buying seasons one and two separately. The combined package is just seasons one and two shrink-wrapped together, but they charge $10 more for it.
But yeah, buy these. Watch them. Love them.
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