EPISODE 3.1  SHADOWMAN 9: IN THE CRADLE OF DESTINY The awesome back story of The Monarch and Dr. Mrs. The Monarch (formerly Dr. Girlfriend) is revealed in this hilarious season opening episode in which The Guild of Calamitous Intent has kidnapped them and brought them to a tribunal/interrogation (“but really more of a crucible”) to determine the fate of The Monarch.  This was the episode that proved to me that The Monarch is far and away my favorite character, as I found myself not really missing The Ventures at all in this episode…and it’s only a perfect character that can do that! Episode Rating: 5.0/5.0

Favorite Lines: The Monarch/Shadowman 9 to Phantom Limb:  “Am I 9?  I thought I was Shadowguy 6.”

24 to 21 regarding Brock Samson:  “Maybe his name is a killing word.”

Monarch to his henchmen:  “Kill everyone!  God will recognize his own!”

EPISODE 3.2  THE DOCTOR IS SIN.  With the Venture family in financial trouble Dr. Venture tries to woo the military with his “super scientific stuff”.  When that plan fails, Dr. Henry Killinger offers his assistance as a pro bono consultant. Killinger helps Dr. Venture confront his past, his fear of failure and success, and ultimately nearly succeeds in turning Dr. Venture into a villain.  Episode Rating: 4.5/5.0

Favorite Line: Henry Killinger to Hank:  “This man stole from your father – teach him the meaning of loyalty!”

EPISODE 3.3  HOME IS WHERE THE HATE IS Dr. Venture has been assigned a new arch nemesis in the form of Sgt. Hatred, who treats him with a respect and consideration that The Monarch never dreamed of.  After introducing himself by way of a gift basket Hatred invites Dr. Venture to a house party for a get to know you with his friends and neighbors.  The party is a who’s who of super villains, all mingling together to hilarious effect.  When The Monarch realizes Dr. Venture will be there he happily attends and is disappointed to learn that Hatred plans to treat Dr. Venture as his best pal in order to get back at The Monarch whose henchmen have been stealing his stuff for years.  Episode Rating: 5.0/5.0

Favorite Lines: Dr. Mrs. The Monarch to a random henchman:  “Okay, that’s not even close to the way linens is spelled, but those go in the hall closet upstairs.”

The Monarch to the moppets:  “What are you two cats?!  You’re not sleeping at the foot of my bed.  There are 20 rooms in this house – pick one!”

EPISODE 3.4  THE INVISIBLE HAND OF FATE The origins of Billy The Quiz Boy and White are explored when Billy regains his memory after hitting his head in the toilet.  There are also some choice flashback scenes with Brock and his mentor Hunter, as well as a quick look at baby Hank and baby Dean.  Episode Rating: 3.5

EPISODE 3.5  THE BUDDY SYSTEM Dr. Venture opens up a day camp for ‘boy adventurers’ and recruits his friends to help him out, the results, as expected, are chaotic and include the death of at least one young boy adventurer.  Hank meets a teenager that intrigues him and pushes all Brock’s buttons.  It’s suggested at the end of the episode that this may be Brock’s son, unbeknownst to Brock.  This episode also marks the debut of Dr. Mrs. The Monarch’s awesome new Monarch themed costume.  Episode Rating: 5.0/5.0

Favorite Lines: Billy to a boy at day camp:  “Good job, you’re a genius, you’ve solved the case of ‘let’s hurt the unpaid volunteer’s feelings’”

Dr. Venture to Hank Venture:  “This isn’t all about you Hank…these kids are here to see RUSTY Venture, maybe when there’s a cartoon called The Venture Brothers it’ll be different.”

EPISODE 3.6  DR. QUYMN, MEDICINE WOMAN While in the jungle Dr. Venture’s childhood sweetheart, Dr. Quymn saves his life and they begin to tentatively rekindle their decades old relationship.  Quymn’s teenage twins Nancy and Drew are smitten for Dean, while Hank finds either of them perfect for himself.  Tensions rise between Dr. Quymn and her bodyguard Virginia as Dean tries to solve the mystery of the Wereodile.  Episode Rating: 4.0/5.0

Favorite Lines: Dean Venture to Hank Venture:  “You’ve gone soft on me Henry Allen so called Venture!  You used to be all GO! TEAM! VENTURE! But now, now you’re all GO! TEAM!….boobies!”

Dr. Venture:  “Oh my god.  I almost fucked a wereodile.”

EPISODE 3.7  WHAT GOES DOWN, MUST COME UP When an accident traps Brock in a sealed nuclear fallout shelter and Dr. Venture in the surrounding tunnels with a group of morlock devotees to his father Jonas Venture the boys enlist Dr. Orpheus and The Order Of The Triad to help.  Episode Rating: 3.5/5.0

Favorite Line: Dr. Venture into an emergency phone:  “Hello, Police?!  Batman!?!”

EPISODE 3.8  TEARS OF A SEA COW As The Monarch continues to search for a hero worthy of arching 21 and 24 try to comfort him by taking him on a mission to raid the Venture Compound while Dr. Venture is away.  Episode Rating: 4.0/5.0

Favorite Lines: The Monarch to Dr. Dugong:  “Give us the cuttle fish!!!”

The Monarch to Dr. Mrs. The Monarch:  “Yes, please, belittle me in front of my henchmen, it’s a real morale booster.”

EPISODE 3.9  NOW MUSEUM – NOW YOU DON’T J.J. Venture holds a gala on Spider Skull Island to promote the J.J. Venture Museum of Jonas Venture but all hell breaks loose when the original Team Venture and some old nemeses show up and J.J.’s crew of former pirates decide to become pirates again.  Episode Rating: 4.0/5.0

Favorite Line: Dr. Venture to Brock:  “I mean you get a bunch of short fused costumed idiots together in one room like this and what do you think is going to happen?  Any minute stuff’s gonna be blowing up, guys’ll be throwing each other into other guys…”

EPISODE 3.10  THE LEPIDOPTERISTS When The Monarch decides to start arching J.J. Venture and J.J. returns the favor with unexpected lethal force The Monarch sends #21, #24, and #1 (aka Scott Hall) to infiltrate Spider Skull Island.  While J.J. deals with the red tape of trying to kill The Monarch, The Monarch finds a loophole (Protagonist Level 8!) that will allow him to arch Dr. Venture again based on J.J.’s actions.  Episode Rating: 5.0/5.0

Favorite Lines: The Monarch to Dr. Mrs. The Monarch in regards to 21 and 24:  “I know it sounds crazy, but they both have that rare blend of both expendable and invulnerable that makes for perfect henchmen.”

The Monarch to 21 and 24:  “I hate that you’re my best men, honestly.”

EPISODE 3.11  ORB Billy decodes a message in the Rusty Venture television show that leads to a location on the Venture Compound.  This leads to even more clues that eventually lead them to a mysterious orb.  Upon discovering that Kano likely killed Jonas Venture because of the Orb years ago, Brock is ordered to kill Dr. Venture if he tries to use the orb, and Brock reluctantly begins following Dr. Venture to fulfill his orders.  However, Dr. Venture surprises everyone (for the first time ever perhaps) by recognizing the potential danger of the orb and acting responsibly.  Regardless, with the discovery of the orb, Brock believes he has been “terminated” by OSI and makes plans to flee.  Episode Rating: 4.0/5.0

Favorite Line: Dean Venture:  “I think I have heatstroke.” Dr. Venture: “You have lollygaggers syndrome.”

EPISODE 3.12  THE FAMILY THAT SLAYS TOGETHER, STAYS TOGETHER (PART I) Molotov Cocktease shows up at the Venture Compound to warn Brock that three assassins have been dispatched by OSI to take him out and Brock sends the Venture Family to Spider Skull Island so they will be safe.  Things go awry however and Brock ends up on the run with the Ventures in tow.  While Brock battles for his and The Ventures lives against supposed OSI assassins a small contingent led by The Monarch and Dr. Mrs. The Monarch storm the empty Venture Compound where Dr. Mrs. The Monarch attempts to council a suicidal Sgt. Hatred.  Episode Rating: 4.5/5.0

Favorite Line: Hank Venture to the assassin Le Tueur:  “Seriously, ask yourself, what would Batman do?”

EPISODE 3.13  THE FAMILY THAT SLAYS TOGETHER, STAYS TOGETHER (PART II) The Ventures and Brock have been arrested and are being questioned for the murder of Le Tueur, but are sprung from jail by The Cleaner and Molotov Cocktease.  Brock sets up a showdown between The Monarch and OSI, in hopes that they will take each other out and eliminate both his problems.  The battle results in the death of #24, the release and destruction of the clones, and Brock quitting the secret agent gig – and The Ventures.  It’s revealed after the credits, that perhaps Molotov Cocktease and her Black Hearts, as well as Brock’s former mentor Hunter may actually be behind the assassination attempts, and not OSI.  Episode Rating: 4.5/5.0

Favorite Lines: Dr. venture to Sgt. Hatred:  “My father made me kill a man – KILL A MAN! With a house key!”

Dr. Venture to the police during interrogation:  “Do we get socked on the lips every time we talk or just when we make a point?”

Brock to Molotov:  “That’s how you dress when you’re not Catwoman-ing around?  I may have to rethink this whole relationship.”

STAND OUT EPISODE: For me The Monarch really stole the show this season and he deserves the win for his awesome premiere episode Shadowman 9: In The Cradle Of Destiny

WEAKEST EPISODE: Though it was fun to see Billy and White’s origin, The Invisible Hand of Fate is the episode that produced the least laughs for me. 

BEST EPISODE RATING: 5.0/5.0

WEAKEST EPISODE RATING: 3.5/5.0

OVERALL AVERAGE SEASON RATING: 4.5/5.0

Season Four of The Venture Brothers premiered on Sunday, October 18^th @ midnight on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim.  Season Four will be broken into two parts, the first half showing this fall (2009) and the second half premiering in 2010.

Seasons One, Two, and Three are all available on DVD (Season Three is also available on Blu-Ray); and if you’ve somehow missed out on this show, you can catch up with clips and a few full episodes online at Adult Swim.

Related posts:

1. The Venture Brothers: Season Two
2. The Venture Brothers: Season One
3. Glee Season Premiere