The Venture Bros.: Arrears in Science
August 20, 2018 7:37 AM - Season 7, Episode 3 - Subscribe

The Morphic Trilogy reaches its stunning conclusion in a decades-spanning tale of friendship, betrayal, and mass murder that overwrites Venture history.
posted by The Man from Lardfork (27 comments total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
I'd literally forgotten about the teased connection between Vendata and Blue Morpho in S05 -- looks like I need to rewatch "Bot Seeks Bot" tonight.

It's interesting that they haven't yet fully pulled the trigger on the question of The Monarch's true parentage, which I was almost certain was going to be spilled in full here. I wonder if we're being set up for a double (triple? quadruple?) fake down the line.
posted by Strange Interlude at 8:50 AM on August 20, 2018


Well this was a hell of an episode.

"it was me, Stab Girl, Laugh Riot, Mr Fahrenheit The Supersonic Man, Hate-Bit and Vendata"

Another awesome set of villains. Also, Action Man yelling "TOAST!"
posted by GuyZero at 8:57 AM on August 20, 2018 [4 favorites]


Also, Jonas Sr was a huge dick.
posted by GuyZero at 8:59 AM on August 20, 2018 [3 favorites]


+1, GuyZero. We've always known he's been the absent father for Rusty, but this episode takes it to new levels. And Blue Morpho/Venturion/Vendata! Bot seeks Bot call back! Toast! Brock and the Venture logo falling off the building! Movie Night on Gargantua 1! The little toy cowboy!

I almost (alllllmost) want someone to do a supercut history of all the elements/characters in these past few episodes to see how the stories interweaves. But I wonder if I could get the same benefit from a full series binge rewatch.

And Laugh Riot was clearly a take on the Comedian. I'm assuming the other villians were based on 80's "new wave" comics?

Gah, the plotting is so good and the worldbuilding is so clever. It looks like Doc Hammer was supposed to be at Dragon*Con this year, but had to cancel. The games how panels he was on were always hilarious.
posted by Hermeowne Grangepurr at 9:09 AM on August 20, 2018 [3 favorites]


They are heavily implying Malcolm and Rusty are brothers right? Also- what happened on the movie night massacre? Did Vendata? or... Oh god this was so good! Oh god the look on Dr. Mrs. the monarch's face when she sees Her husband over his father's body- This was SO GOOD.

"It has a Dr Strange window!"

pffft
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 9:51 AM on August 20, 2018 [5 favorites]


So, who actually opened the cargo bay doors? My bet is it was a young Bud Manstrong did it accidentally while watching the Jonas/Blue Morpho/Jill St John/Stella Stevens sex tape, leading to his fear of sex that kept him away from Lt. Baldavich.
posted by fings at 9:54 AM on August 20, 2018 [9 favorites]


Vendata did it, driven by a combination of his subconscious resentment of Venture blackmailing him plus just being plain evil. What with good vs evil switch and all.
posted by GuyZero at 9:59 AM on August 20, 2018 [1 favorite]


Shrill Spector and Scary Nilsson!
posted by jason_steakums at 10:16 AM on August 20, 2018 [6 favorites]


Shrill Spector and Scary Nilsson!

A weirdly obscure reference.
posted by GuyZero at 10:18 AM on August 20, 2018


This season is hitting them out of the park. Incredible episodes each one, so densely packed with good stuff.
posted by Ashwagandha at 10:51 AM on August 20, 2018 [4 favorites]


"It has a Dr Strange window!"

Somehow knowing that Byron Orpheus exists in a world where people are also aware of Dr. Strange, and make jokey references about him, makes me like Dr. O even more. It takes a lot of integrity to both realize that you are a goofy knock-off of an already fairly ridiculous comic book character, and to be secure enough in who you are to fully embrace that fact.

This season is hitting them out of the park. Incredible episodes each one, so densely packed with good stuff.

Given that the Morphic Trilogy is apparently the original intended season finale for S06, I do kind of wonder if the next seven episodes will seem kind of small-potatoes in comparison. As always, I trust Doc and Jackson.
posted by Strange Interlude at 10:59 AM on August 20, 2018 [3 favorites]


to both realize that you are a goofy knock-off of an already fairly ridiculous comic book character

Or maybe there's a real Dr Strange?

Also, it's apparently a real former synagogue.
posted by GuyZero at 11:05 AM on August 20, 2018 [4 favorites]


Freddie Mercury is canonically in the Guild!
posted by elr at 12:04 PM on August 20, 2018 [8 favorites]


Is that SCSI?!
posted by ursus_comiter at 8:26 PM on August 20, 2018 [10 favorites]


Oh, motherfucker! I have been using Mr. Fahrenheit (Freddy Mercury wearing the costume of Firestar from Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends and possessing all of the powers enumerated in Don’t Stop Me Now) as my go-to character for superhero rpgs since 2010. Looks like that’s over.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 8:53 PM on August 20, 2018 [13 favorites]


These first three episodes have been incredible. I want to watch them all again before I can fully process them.
posted by vibrotronica at 1:05 PM on August 21, 2018


If they bring back Jonas-- it's just too messed up. He's a monster and while it seems like the careless accidental death is somewhat fitting, keeping him stowed away is fine for now.
posted by provoliminal at 5:16 PM on August 21, 2018


Yeah I think all the cloning tanks have been destroyed twice over.
posted by GuyZero at 5:25 PM on August 21, 2018


Parasite Unseen, that is the very best. BEST. Overpowered character, though, to literally be able to turn the world inside out (as well as travel at the speed of light, make a supersonic man out of you, become both a race car and a rocket, and have a good time).
posted by thesmallmachine at 7:17 PM on August 21, 2018


I think they're setting up Kano as the guy who flipped the switch. It ties back to the ORB episode when Brock asks him about who killed Jonas Venture. Jonas forces him to come work for him. Kano kills Venturion out of pity and then meets Vendata on G1, and kills JVSr as revenge for what happened to BM

Maybe at the end of this season they'll reveal Dean/Hank's mother.
posted by Query at 8:36 PM on August 21, 2018


Maybe at the end of this season they'll reveal Dean/Hank's mother.

Or Rusty's mother!
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 8:39 PM on August 21, 2018 [2 favorites]


Or Rusty's mother!

Totally heard this in Gary's voice.
posted by whuppy at 5:36 AM on August 22, 2018 [4 favorites]


Overpowered character, though, to literally be able to turn the world inside out (as well as travel at the speed of light, make a supersonic man out of you, become both a race car and a rocket, and have a good time).

If you have ever played using the Champions (HERO System RPG) game system you will not be at all surprised to learn this this is actually remarkably easy to accomplish.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 2:57 PM on August 22, 2018 [2 favorites]


Having re-watched the entire series this past winter, I'm always floored by how many references I am completely missing, yet that the plot and character building and pacing is not dependent on them.

My favorite "joke specifically for one-hundred viewers" is Hank in Season 6 answering the phone in his bedroom, "Bula Vinaka, Beachside!"

Anyway, loving this season so far.
posted by not_on_display at 3:52 PM on August 22, 2018 [9 favorites]


If you have ever played using the Champions (HERO System RPG) game system you will not be at all surprised to learn this this is actually remarkably easy to accomplish.

A friend of mine once said that the HERO System is the only RPG ruleset in which you could build a fully working automobile, down to the tinest details of the engine, steering, suspension and electrical system, using just the standard character creation rules. Which would make it perfect for a character like Truckules...
posted by Strange Interlude at 1:13 PM on August 23, 2018


My favorite "joke specifically for one-hundred viewers"

"What, did Henry Darger write this??"
posted by FatherDagon at 6:35 AM on August 24, 2018 [7 favorites]


I wasn't talking about cloning. Jonas plans to use the carcass of Venturion and only being confined to a box and not part of some system is stopping him from continuing whatever mad scientist schemes he's been plotting to keep going.
posted by provoliminal at 5:44 PM on August 27, 2018


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