THE VENTURE BROS (S7E5): “The Inamorata Consequence”

One of the joys of watching The Venture Bros. is the way in which the show constantly evolves and changes in a completely organic way. Characters become more mature, relationships strengthen or fade, and we learn a lot about these characters that give us insight into why they are the way that they are.

Probably the character who has grown and changed the most throughout this show is Dean Venture. Beginning as the nerdier and sweeter of the two brothers, Dean has gone through quite a transformation along the way. He was the first one to learn about the clones, which sent him to some dark places, and while he is still sweet and kind, he is prone to a little darkness now and then. He is also one of the characters in this show who doesn’t want to play in the big game that everyone else is playing in.

He doesn’t want to be a super scientist or join the OSI. He wants a normal life away from arches and Treaties of Tolerance, and yet he can’t escape his destiny as a Venture.

Venture Older and Younger

This episode showed that he has a few more things in common with his father than he realises. While Rusty Venture is running the second signing of the Treaty of Tolerance (the forming of the rules of conduct between the OSI and the Guild), Dean wanders off to see Ben. Last featured in the Halloween special, Ben was a scientist who helped Jonas with the clones and he was the one who revealed to Dean his clone-hood. However, Ben is in New Zealand and the only one in his shack is a red HELPeR robot (voiced by Rhys Darby). Over the course of their conversation, they discuss that Dean is a clone, but when they say goodbye HELPeR reveals that he thought he was talking to Rusty.

So, while they might not agree on Dean’s future, father and son have something very important in common: they are both clones though I’d wager Rusty doesn’t know that. This is one of those wonderful Venture Bros. reveals that feels completely definite but also with enough wriggle room to not be stated outright

The joy of this show is that these cool reveals aren’t the blood of the show. Think about something like Westworld where the whole show is waiting for answers. The Venture Bros. has a huge, rich mythology full of secrets but that’s not what the show is about, so when we get answers (or sort of answers) to questions like who killed Jonas and is Rusty a clone? it is a cool surprise instead of something that we’re only watching the show for.

The Peril Partnership

As well as giving us some cool developments with Dean and Rusty, the episode seems to be setting the course for the rest of the season with the reveal that The Peril Partnership (mentioned previously in “Every Which Way but Zeus”) has a mole in the Guild.

A new set of villains will be a great addition to the show, especially if it leads to more scenes like tonight where we see our villains and heroes socialising and working together, like a pair of football teams that can hang around off the field but are all business when the whistle blows.

Final Thoughts – The Inamorata Consequence

Another fantastic episode, The Venture Bros. has amassed such a deep bench of incredible supporting characters that they can just put Shore Leave, Phantom Limb, and Red Mantle in a scene and let it happen, knowing that gold will be the outcome.

It was also great to see Rusty get a win tonight as he was the one who managed to work out how to solve some of the animosity between the OSI and the Guild long enough for them to sign the new treaty and part of good/bad terms. It’s not often that Rusty is the voice of reason, but it suits him.

I feel like we’re building up to some big changes this season. A lot of the internet chatter seems to be pointing to Hank or Dean turning to super-villainy (most theories are Hank, while I would lean more towards Dean), and I can’t imagine we’re not going to get more insight into the work of Jonas Venture.

Either way, if the episodes continue to be as good as they’ve been so far, I’m all in.