When done right, a satire pays the proper respect to its subject matter. However, a vast majority of the satire on [adult swim] falls way short of the mark.
The Venture Brothers does not. Inspired by and a satire of Jonny Quest, the series chronicles the 2nd & 3rd generations of the Venture family, as Dr. Venture is actually the son of the original, and his fraternal twin sons are the real stars of the show. However, it has taken 11 years to get to six seasons, the 3 year gap between seasons 1 & 2 caused likely by [as]' uncertainty over renewing the series. There was a 2 year gap between seasons 2 & 3, and, well, you can see the pattern.
Christopher McCullough created the series under the pen name Jackson Publick, and voices a few characters, including one of the Venture twins. Patrick Warburton (Rules of Engagement) was heard as bodyguard Brock Samson, who looked more like he belonged in a wrestling ring than as a bodyguard, for the first three seasons. There really was no reason given for Samson being written out of the show. Then again, it's [as]. Rhyme & reason are foreign concepts.
Here's the open:
Fortunately, the early seasons are out on DVD, I do believe.
Rating: B-.
2 comments:
I've seen a few eps scattered here and there and yes, it does hit the satirical mark - particularly the earliest episodes. In fact, IIRC, they used the name of Jonny Quest and Race Bannon by name. The producers were told not to do that by the legal department, so Jonny Quest became, "Action Jonny".
Trouble is the later seasons have been punctuated with toilet humor and other distasteful jokes which make me recoil.
Did you ever see the episode in which we learn the brothers are in fact cloned from the originals?
SPOILER ALERT:
The original Hank & Dean were killed long ago in some stupid activity and Dr. Venture cloned them and kept a lab full of back up clones. We learn as the show goes on that there were several clones who died over the years!
I've read of that in doing research. As you note, it has fallen victim to [adult swim]'s preference for garbage humor, rather than stand out from the crowd.
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