The Venture Brothers

I have discovered a new cartoon.

I am not a habitual cartoon watcher (its all a bit too American for me), but you cant deny that some of the cartoons are aimed solely for adults Futurama, Family Guy, South Park. And some are for teens and young adults The Simpsons or Samuri Jack.

With with the advent of animated movies like Shrek and the PIXAR movies animators are not just aiming at the kids. We expect self-referential tricks, satire, and spoof that we adults will get a kick from. If we dont get it, then we dont watch it. If we do, then we watch in droves. Shrek II is the 8th highest grossing film of all time with $880 million.

I have discovered The Venture Brothers. It is set in a 1960's ish world of mad scientists and super Villians. The Venture Brothers are two lame teenagers who act and dress totally square. The try to have really lame adventures that a 10 year old would solve and always say "Go Team Venture!". But if the show was about just about them it would be failure but the Venture brothers are a backdrop to the real fun, the rest of the family. Their father Doctor Venture is a real mad scientist with daddy issues. His father was the most sucessful Super Scientist in the world. Litte Rusty cant get out of his fathers shadow. Selling crappy death rays and clones to the US governemt, he has lost his mojo. He is protected by one of the greatest cartoon characters ever, Brock Samson. An ex Super Secret Agent, he is now the bodyguard for Dr Venture and the boys. They are his family. Voiced by the fantastic Patrick Warburton (the voice of Kronk from The Emporers New Groove!), Brock Samson is the most violent bodyguard ever. Baddies dont get beaten, they get pulped and killed in the most inventive ways ever. The body count in every episode is always high.

With a full cast of Super Villans like the Monarch (dress like a giant butterfly and flys a giant cocoon full of henchmen dressed like butterflys), or the Lord OverBeiht (with a metal jaw and a whole country of henchmen) it is a joy to watch. Silly yet knowing it spoofs every 1960's spy movie ever but with modern sensibilities. There are loads of henchmen jokes. The Monarchs two chief henchmen Number 24 and Number 26 are real sad nerds who attend Henchmans Anonymous and live with their Mums. Rival Henchman get drunk and stoned waiting for their bosses to finish a super evil meeting. Even the Fantastic Four get a good kicking.

Watch this if you get the chance. I cannot recommend it enough.

http://www.adultswim.com/shows/venturebros/