The last two episodes of “The Venture Bros.” have set a new tone for the show’s seventh season. As always, the series is all about fathers, but this season is specifically about moving out of their shadows… and maybe killing them.
Two weeks ago, Adult Swim’s “The Venture Bros.” completed a three-episode arc that it described (after it started) as “The Morpho Trilogy.” The episodes wrapped up the events of Season 6, in which the Monarch (Christopher McCulloch) took on the role of the anti-hero Blue Morpho and started killing rival supervillains. The trilogy also dealt with a bunch of history and lore Season 6 introduced and teased — like the identity of the original Blue Morpho (Paul F. Tompkins), who turned out to be the Monarch’s father, and what ultimately happened to Jonas Venture Sr. (Paul Boocock), the father of series protagonist Rusty Venture (James Urbaniak), who supposedly died years earlier.
The Morpho Trilogy revealed all kinds of new info about an event that had been discussed way back in Season 1, in the episode “Careers in Science.” That event was “Movie Night,” a massacre that occurred on Jonas’ space station, Gargantua-1. The original story of Movie Night was almost that of an urban legend — most of the staff of the huge space station was gathered in the cargo bay to watch the Burt Reynolds movie “Sharky’s Machine,” when someone opened the bay to space. Almost everyone was sucked out and killed.
We learned during the second episode of The Morpho Trilogy that Movie Night actually happened, and that part of it was an attack by a group of supervillains attempting to take hostages. Many of the villains were killed in the massacre, too, but bad guys Red Death (Clancy Brown) and Vendata (Doc Hammer) survived.
The final episode in the trilogy, aptly titled “Arrears in Science,” paid off a lore debt the show had been building up since it first mentioned Movie Night. As it turned out, Jonas’ death, which had been discussed but never explained, occurred during the massacre. He was seemingly killed by Vendata, who was the original Blue Morpho, turned into a cyborg called Venturian by Jonas after being was killed in a plane crash.
The supervillain Dr. Z found Venturian and reprogrammed him to turn him against Jonas, creating Vendata — and it was Vendata, seemingly, who opened the bay doors and killed Jonas and a whole bunch of other people. Vendata hated Jonas because senior Venture had been blackmailing him for years as the Blue Morpho, forcing him to do Jonas’ dirty work. While Jonas called the Morpho his friend, it turned out Jonas was actually a pretty terrible guy.
The Morpho Trilogy revealed that Jonas’ disembodied head had survived in a special life-preserving machine aboard Gargantua-1, and was brought back to Earth and unknowingly installed in the Ventures’ New York building, Ventech Tower. Meanwhile, Vendata remembered his Blue Morpho persona and showed up to confront Jonas. It turned out, both Rusty and the Monarch’s fathers were still alive.
Then “The Venture Bros.” pulled its best move in the whole Morpho Trilogy. The end of “Arrears in Science” found the Monarch attacking Ventech while the two cyborg dads had their showdown. Vendata wound up grabbing the computer that was preserving Jonas’ head, the Monarch accidentally triggered Vendata’s robotic jet boots, and the two dads and the villain went flying out of the tower to crash across the street. Vendata, dressed as the Blue Morpho, was killed, as was Jonas’ head. That resolved the issue of removing the Blue Morpho, who other villains were trying to hunt down and kill, and got rid of both resurrected dads.
“The Venture Bros.” spent three episodes finally running down a ton of lore about what happened to Jonas, who the original Blue Morpho was, what happened on Movie Night and more — and then literally threw it all out the window, propelled by rockets.
It’s a move that shows what’s important in “The Venture Bros.” The show is ridiculously aware of its own history and lore, and one of the best things it does is call back small, seemingly throwaway ideas, jokes and references and spins them out into something deeper and more elaborate. Movie Night was one such throwaway gag, a minor joke from Season 1, that turned out to be much more involved.
But while the show is aware of its history, that’s not the story creators Jackson Publick and Doc Hammer want to tell. What’s important isn’t that we finally found out what happened to the previous generation of superheroes and villains — ironically, no one cares. The show instead moved on to deal with its current crop of failure-ridden protagonists and their mental baggage. It’s all about dad issues, but in Season 7, we’re dealing with some other dads.
The very next episode, “The High Cost of Loathing,” shows where the season is really going. The episode largely focuses on Dean Venture (Michael Sinterniklaas) as he heads to college, hoping to finally figure out who he is. Rusty wants his son to follow in his footsteps as a super scientist, but Dean wants to study anything else. Just like Rusty when he was young, Dean wants nothing to do with the nonsense superhero/supervillain life Rusty has forced on him — and yet, he can’t seem to escape it.
That experience is echoed by a new character, Professor Victor Von Helping (Gary Cole), who convinces Dean to take a science class despite his reservations of being stuck with a career in super-science. Von Helping is, himself, the son of a supervillain, and rejected his dad’s plan for him. But when the Monarch shows up to attack Von Helping, his anger causes him to revert back to his supervillain alter-ego, Victor Von Hellfire. It’s Dean who has to convince Von Helping not to slip back into his old patterns — something Dean is struggling with.
In “Arrears in Science,” Rusty (and the Monarch) got some fairly definitive closure on his relationship with Jonas, who has always overshadowed him. But while Rusty freed himself from his dad in Season 7 — at least to some degree — it’s still clear he’s unable to stop himself from becoming his father. Season 7 feels like a realignment of “The Venture Bros.” to refocus on the actual Venture brothers and their attempts to grow up.
Rusty might have finally confirmed that his father is dead and he can move on, but there’s obviously no shortage of dad issues going forward on “The Venture Bros.”
“Venture Bros.” airs Sundays at midnight on Adult Swim.
TV Shows You Should Binge-Watch Right Now, From 'Succession' to 'Riverdale'
Need something new to watch? You're in the middle of what might be the the most optimal time to watch TV ever (when you can't go out because there's a pandemic). Fortunately, there's no shortage of awesome shows out there across a number of streaming services. Here's every streaming show you should absolutely make time for.
"Succession" (Seasons 1-2 on HBO Go) -
This extremely dry comedy about a billionaire family full of clownish jerks -- everybody tends to compare them to the Murdochs -- is one of the most memeable shows on television.
"Brooklyn Nine-Nine" (Seasons 1-7 on Hulu) -
Likewise, "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" is a sitcom with real heart, where all the main characters always have good intentions and just wanna help each other. And also it's really funny.
"Modern Love" (Season 1 on Amazon Prime Video) -
If you just want something super nice and sweet to watch, this fairly short anthology series really hits the spot. It's just a series of stories about people who form surprising relationships that aren't necessarily based in romance. It'll make you feel good!
"Homeland" (Season 1-7 on Netflix, and 1-8 on Showtime Anytime) -
This series, about a bipolar CIA agent who gets involved in some really messy situations, just ended its run on Showtime. So right now you'll get a lengthy show to watch that you know will eventually have a conclusion.
"The Plot Against America" (Season 1 on HBO Go) -
It's really nice, in times of great collective stress, to experience a story that helps you contextualize the real world while pretty far removed from the present moment. And this story, which depicts an alternate history in which Charles Lindbergh defeated FDR for the presidency in 1940, definitely fits that bill.
"Jack Ryan" (Seasons 1-2 on Amazon Prime Video) -
This John Krasinski action drama based on the famous Tom Clancy character is certainly very corny, but sometimes that's what you need.
"Dickinson" (Season 1 on Apple TV+) -
The easy highlight of the Apple TV+ slate so far. This sort of modernist teen comedy version of Emily Dickinson's formative years is super clever.
"The Purge" (Season 1 on Hulu, Season 2 is purchasable from digital retailers) -
The two seasons of "The Purge" we got on USA Network were more than worthy entries in the franchise alongside the movies. In some ways they're even better, since we get more time to explore this strange utopia.
"Sweet Magnolias" (Season 1 on Netflix) -
It's as though "Riverdale" had a surprisingly wholesome Southern baby. It might not be the glossiest show, but it's oddly effective as comfort food.
"Prison Break" (Seasons 1-5 on Hulu) -
This show is so crazy in a very network TV kind of way, but it's full of characters that you'll become very attached to very quickly. Even the horrible ones.
"Outlander" (Season 1-3 on Netflix, Season 1-5 on Starz) -
We all need a grand romantic adventure in our lives, right? And it doesn't get much more grand or romantic than Starz's flagship series about an early 20th century woman who accidentally travels to the distant past and falls in love there.
"Riverdale" (Seasons 1-3 on Netflix) -
This odd teen drama based on the Archie Comics characters is just about the trashiest show imaginable. And that's why it's so, so good.
"Designated Survivor" (Seasons 1-3 on Netflix) -
The story of a reluctant successor taking the presidency after a tragedy that destroys the government is full of positive American idealism. "Designated Survivor" combines a little bit of "The West Wing" with "24" to make something that's extremely watchable, and the Netflix-exclusive third season got so real in exactly the right way.
ABC
"The Young Pope"/"The New Pope" (Both on HBO Go, HBO Now) -
Jude Law is the first American pope in HBO's dark comedy about religion, authority, politics and backstabbing. And then John Malkovich popped in as his successor in "The New Pop." A thoroughly brilliant bit of casting if you ask us.
"Santa Clarita Diet" (Seasons 1-3 on Netflix) -
Drew Barrymore is a suburban realtor who suddenly dies, then comes back with a taste for human flesh in Netflix’s gory comedy. Not quite a zombie, she struggles to carry on life as usual with her husband, Timothy Olyphant, as they find themselves killing their neighbors to keep her fed so she won’t go full evil.
"The Runaways" (Seasons 1-3 on Hulu) -
Hulu's first Marvel show stands apart from a lot of the other superhero offerings on TV by following a group of diverse teen protagonists. After they discover their parents might basically be supervillains, a group of kids start discovering they have strange abilities of their own. "The Runaways" is a great change of pace from the usual superhero show.
"Glow" (Seasons 1-3 on Netflix) -
Netflix's comedy heads back to the 1980s for the historic formation of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling show, hitting on some ridiculous situations as a group of women with no wrestling experience try to come together to make something amazing. "Glow" sports a hysterical cast, and its first season is a quick binge that's totally worth the investment.
Netflix
"Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events" (seasons 1-3 on Netflix) -
Netflix's adaptation of the children's book series is a blast, featuring great performances from a variety of visiting stars, from Joan Cusack to Don Johnson. They're all led by a hilariously evil Neil Patrick Harris.
Netflix
"Altered Carbon" (season 1-2 on Netflix) -
If you're looking for a huge, beautiful, expansive sci-fi vision, "Altered Carbon" is a good place to start. Netflix's adaptation of the book of the same name imagines a world where bodies are interchangeable and people are stored as digital versions of themselves. There's a whole lot to absorb in this hard-boiled sci-fi murder mystery.
Netflix
"The Expanse" (Seasons 1-4 on Amazon Prime Video) -
Syfy's return to space opera is like "Game of Thrones," but with interplanetary travel. Mixing a murder mystery and a Cold War conspiracy story, "The Expanse" is full of zero-gee special effects and characters flying around the solar system, trying to prevent a war that could end humanity. The first season is available to stream on Amazon, while the second season recently wrapped up on Syfy.
Syfy
"Bosch" (seasons 1-6 on Amazon) -
Amazon's police procedural follows a troubled cop as he struggles to solve a decades-old child murder. Amazon has three seasons at the ready right now, with a fourth season confirmed on the way.
Amazon
"Dark" (seasons 1-2 on Netfix) -
A dark story about a small German town where kids keep disappearing, "Dark" picks up speed when secretive sci-fi elements start to impact the lives of everyone in town. Think a darker, more adult "Stranger Things."
Netflix
"The Path" (seasons 1-3 on Hulu) -
Things are spiraling out of control in the cult known as Meyerism in Hulu’s drama. Aaron Paul loses his faith and tries to get out, leaving behind his family of believers. Oh, and Hugh Dancy is an unhinged cult leader who’s losing control and murdering folks.
Hulu
"Travelers" (seasons 1-3 on Netflix) -
Time travelers from the future walk among us in "Travelers," executing secret orders in order to change the future. This Netflix show has some cool ideas about dealing with the pressures of saving the world, along with the ways messing with the present can affect the future.
Netflix
"Shut Eye" (seasons 1-2 on Hulu) -
Hulu’s latest original series is about grifters in the Los Angeles psychic reading business. But then Jeffrey Donovan takes a blow to the head, and suddenly he might actually be seeing the future. The machinations and dark humor pile up as he and his family try to get out from under the thumb of their crime lord bosses.
Hulu
"The Man in the High Castle" (season 1-4 on Amazon) -
What if the Nazis had won World War II? The newly released second season of "The Man in the High Castle" takes us back to an alternate universe where the U.S. is divided between Japan and Germany. And the four-season run of this big-budget series is a wild one.
Amazon
"Portlandia" (seasons 1-8 on Netflix) -
The IFC surrealist comedy, starring Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein, is really something. In the meantime, though, the rest of the series is available to watch straight through on Netflix.
IFC
"Catastrophe" (seasons 1-4 on Amazon Prime Video) -
With only six half-hour episodes in each of its four seasons, Amazon’s acclaimed sitcom “Catastrophe” is an easy binge. From creators Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney, who also star.
Amazon
"Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" (seasons 1-4 on Netflix) -
The Tina Fey-created, Ellie Kemper-starring comedy is definitely a must-watch, with four seasons and a movie available on Netflix right now. Predicated on the premise that the titular Kimmy escaped being kidnapped and held in a bunker and is now picking her life up where she left off, "The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" is full of ridiculous situations in the vein of shows like "30 Rock."
Netflix
"Ozark" (Seasons 1-3 on Netflix) -
Think "Breaking Bad" but if the whole family was in on the crimes, and you've got an idea of what "Ozark" is like. It follows a money launderer as he's forced to head from Chicago to Missouri and make big moves to keep a drug cartel off his back. The first season is a tense crime drama, and among the best shows on Netflix.
Netflix
"Luke Cage" (seasons 1-2 on Netflix) -
The latest installment in Marvel's street-level universe (which also includes "Daredevil" and "Jessica Jones") stars Mike Colter as a bulletproof hero bringing justice to Harlem. Besides action and social commentary, it has the best soundtrack of any superhero series ever.
"Jessica Jones" (seasons 1-2 on Netflix) -
Marvel’s "Jessica Jones" won audiences and critics over with its rich storytelling, strong female lead, and intense action sequences.
"The Punisher" (seasons 1-s on Netflix) -
This series spins off from Season 2 of "Daredevil" to take a closer look at the Punisher, a superhero known for dishing out pain to criminals through nothing but sheer willpower. This might be the best of Marvel's shows, though, as it's more about folks working through their emotional trauma than shooting guys.
"Jane the Virgin" (season 1-5 on Netflix) -
The CW’s charming, telenovela-esque comedy has proved itself to be binge-watching candy. If you haven't checked out "Jane the Virgin," you can get lost in the first three seasons available on Netflix.
"The Get Down" (Season 1-2 on Netflix) - Baz Luhrmann’s stylish look at the birth of hip-hop in New York City is musical and charged with excitement. "The Get Down" deliver something that’s pretty different from other streaming fare, with its 1970s New York setting and the drama surrounding an emerging, exciting art form.
"Difficult People" (Seasons 1-3 on Hulu) -
The darkly comical "Difficult People" made its debut on Hulu at the end of the summer of 2015, impressing critics thanks to the lead performances of Billy Eichner and show creator Julie Klausner.
"Silicon Valley" (Seasons 1-6 on HBO Now and HBO Go) -
The fourth season for HBO’s "Silicon Valley" continues its parody of the tech-industry with its loveable band of nerd-entrepreneurs trying to keep their heads above water. Season 4 of the show just wrapped up, so there's plenty of comedy to be had on HBO Go and HBO Now.
"The Crown" (seasons 1-3 on Netflix) -
If you spend all your free time worrying about the Queen of England's health, this is the series for you. It looks at the last days of Winston Churchill, and how Elizabeth II took on the burden of the crown.
"Better Call Saul" (Netflix, season 1-4 only) -
The “Breaking Bad” spinoff may not quite carry its predecessor’s legendary status, but with Vince Gilligan’s writing and Bob Odenkirk’s acting, "Better Call Saul" really is just as good.
"Rick and Morty" (Seasons 1-4 on Hulu) -
Dark and ridiculous, "Rick and Morty" might be animated, but it's definitely not for children. The Adult Swim cartoon is about Rick, an often-drunk super-scientist, and his grandson Morty, who accompanies him on ridiculous adventures.
Adult Swim
"The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" (seasons 1-3 on Amazon) -
A hilarious story about a former housewife in the 1950s who discovers she's a dynamite stand-up comedian, there's a reason "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" has been an awards darling since its first season.
Amazon
"The Good Wife" (seasons 1-7 on Hulu and CBS All Access) -
Juliana Margulies plays Alicia Florrick, who joins her ex-boyfriend's law firm after her disgraced husband, the Illinois attorney general (Chris Noth) is caught in a prostitution scandal. "The Good Wife" is part relationship drama, part legal procedural -- and always surprisingly funny.
"Broad City" (seasons 1-5 on Hulu) -
Comedy Central’s hilarious, New York-based sitcom had a stellar five-season run. Created by and starring Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson.
"13 Reasons Why" (Seasons 1-3 on Netflix) - High school drama "13 Reasons Why" tells the story of a girl who commits suicide, and the tapes she leaves behind for all the people in her life that drove her to that decision. And then it continued to deal with the fallout in the subsequent seasons.
"You're the Worst" (seasons 1-5 on Hulu) -
The FX comedy about two anti-relationship people (Chris Geere and Aya Cash) in a toxic romance made a positive impression on critics in its first two seasons, which are currently available to stream on Hulu.
"BoJack Horseman" (seasons 1-6 on Netflix) -
"BoJack Horseman," Netflix’s hysterical animated social satire, didn’t do so great in its first season, but made vast improvements when it came back. Now considered one of Netflix's best, you can stream all six "BoJack" seasons right now, plus a Christmas special.
"Transparent" (seasons 1-5 on Amazon) -
Jill Soloway’s Golden-Globe-winning dramedy "Transparent" has received acclaim for its wonderful performances, acerbic writing, and sensitive direction.
"Black Mirror" (seasons 1-5 on Netflix) -
The darkly, darkly satiric series looks at how technology robs us of our humanity -- or just gives us excuses to abandon it. The series has gotten somewhat more hopeful in recent years, and the "Bandersnatch" interactive movie thing is a real trip.
"The Walking Dead" (seasons 1-9 only on Netflix) -
As AMC’s most-watched program, "The Walking Dead" has built a large fan base over the course of its many, many seasons. While its newest season has yet to be available for streaming, people can watch the first nine seasons of “The Walking Dead” for now, on Netflix.
"Making a Murderer" (Season 1 on Netflix) -
This intensive documentary series covers the story of Steven Avery, who was exonerated of a rape accusation before being arrested for murder. The sorted story is spread out over 10 episodes, raising plenty of questions about whether Avery is guilty along the way.
"Stranger Things" (Seasons 1-3 on Netflix) -
Channeling 1980s sci-fi and supernatural hits like "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," "ET," "Gremlins" and the works of Stephen King, "Stranger Things" perfectly captures an aesthetic of awesome movies gone by. It's also a suitably spooky story of a group of kids who have to go up against monsters, and the government, to save their town.
"The Handmaid's Tale" (Seasons 1-3 on Hulu) -
A dystopian world that subjugates women is the setting for "The Handmaid's Tale." The dark series' focus on the feminist struggle of Elizabeth Moss feels especially poignant in today's political climate.
Hulu
"Orange is the New Black" (Seasons 1-7 on Netflix) -
Netflix's acclaimed show tackles some really tough issues through its prison inmate humor, and there's plenty of "Orange" to watch when you need a deep dive into a show.
"Big Little Lies" (Seasons 1-2 on HBO Go and HBO Now) -
HBO's scandal- and rumor-fueled dark comedy "Big Little Lies" also became a whodunit as its drama unfolded. Its star-studded cast includes Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Alexander Skarsgard and Laura Dern.
"Insecure" (Season 1-4 on HBO Go and HBO Now) -
Issa Rae channels some hilarious but relatable experiences as she and her friend Molly deal with their own insecurities and flaws in "Insecure."
"Game of Thrones" (seasons 1-8 on HBO Now and HBO Go) -
A lot of folks weren't too happy with the final season of the huge hit fantasy series, but it was a pleasure to take this ride nonetheless.
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Looking for your next obsession? Try these shows
Need something new to watch? You're in the middle of what might be the the most optimal time to watch TV ever (when you can't go out because there's a pandemic). Fortunately, there's no shortage of awesome shows out there across a number of streaming services. Here's every streaming show you should absolutely make time for.
