Here at Techland, only one television program manages to tie into so many of our geeky obsessions all at once. Superheroes, mythical creatures, action figures and barely believeable sci-fi all flop onto each other on the glorious cavalcade that is The Venture Bros. Cartoon Network’s just started airing the series from the start and Techland’s Hive Mind is taking the occasion to re-watch the exploits of Hank, Dean, Brock and Dr. Thaddeus Venture. Join us as we witness how Venture Bros. evolved over its four stellar seasons.
[Programmming note: Anyone who’s been actually watching the Venture Bros. re-runs has noticed by now that they’re not showing the series in order. Rather than jump around the continuity, the Joint Venture feature’s going to keep going on in series order. This is because we love you, dear reader.]
This week, Michelle Castillo and Graeme McMillan talk about Season 1/Episode 6: “Ghosts of the Sargasso”
GRAEME: It’s kind of surprising that it took six episodes to get to completely eviscerating Scooby-Doo – especially considering that Hank dresses like Fred all the way through the end of the third season – but “Ghosts of The Sargasso” really doesn’t disappoint. By the point, the show’s really come into its own with the mix of outright parody (Dean’s dead-on exclamation of “G-g-g-g-ghost pirates!” or the Pirate Captain’s outright disdain for Dean noticing that they weren’t actually really ghosts: “What gave it away? Was it THE ZIPPER?”), more subtle comedy of failure (Rusty’s journal entries) and pop-culture references.
MICHELLE: Don’t forget how we find out Kato (from The Green Hornet) is Doctor Venture’s caretaker, kind of like how the brothers have Brock Samson. Nice little tidbit for those of us who recognized the character name.
GRAEME: Talking of pop culture references: This episode really might have the greatest opening in Venture Bros history. The (bad) David Bowie impersonation hints at where they’re going from the very first line, but as soon as they get to the original Doctor Venture yelling “Ground Control to Major Tom!”, it’s gone to a special place of pop genius. Especially when Action Man says “Ashes… to Ashes” at the end of the scene.
MICHELLE: I like how we get to see Jonas Venture interacting with young Rusty. He’s a warm and loving all-American Dad, completely different from how Doctor Venture treats his two boys. We’ll learn more about why Rusty is especially cold and bitter as the series progresses. From his dialogue from when he’s looking for the saucer, we realize Doctor Venture is obsessed with trying to show that he’s better than everyone else and even tried to mimic his successful father by wearing his old terry cloth jumpsuit and having not one but two sons in order to make himself not feel worthless and better than everyone else.
GRAEME: I love that this episode so neatly encapsulates each of the core cast’s character: Brock’s deadpan nature (“Oh, hey, wait. I think I see something that makes no sense,” he says, sounding bored at the very idea) and uber-violence, Hank’s desperate innocence (“If pirates really exist, then Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy could really exist! I mean, all bets are off!”), Hank’s attempts to be more like Brock, and Rusty’s greedy, cowardly lack of real ambition: Again, we see his invention work, but he doesn’t really notice how valuable it could be, because he’s too busy thinking about the “fat greenbacks” his dad’s failed saucer could bring. There really is something downright tragic about the way Rusty can never manage to really see past his hero worship of his father, isn’t there?
MICHELLE: The daddy issues are also especially evident through the interaction of Dean and the Pirate Captain. Dean’s constant search for some parental affection is especially pathetic this episode. He’s got a touch of Stockholm syndrome, aided by the fact that his real father seems to loathe his presence. He’s lonelier than the real ghost pirate… err ghost pilot who shows up in the episode who keeps wailing for his wife even though she’s already moved on with his best friend. At least Hank has somewhat of a connection with Brock, who although recognizing that the kid is basically useless does believe he has some elements of heroism deep inside him and lets him try to save the day… once in a while… if there is no choice.
Oh, and though there’s a ton this week – the references to swabbing the poop deck made me snicker – “If there was ever a time I needed you not to be Hank, it’s now” is this week’s winner for best line of the show for me.
GRAEME: Best line of the ep? I don’t know. I mean, “If there was ever a time I needed you not to be Hank, it’s now” is great – and I know that you love it – but there’s just something great about “Cancel mission abort! Rebort!” for me.
More on TIME.com:
Six Things You Didn’t Know You Wanted To Know About Team Venture