Before this season of The Venture Bros., I binge rewatched season 6. These newer seasons have leaned more into serialisation, and when I watched season 6 in one sitting (over two days), I found that episodes I thought were weak on my first watch, worked much better in the context of the bigger season-long arc.
“The Unicorn in Captivity” definitely felt like one of those episodes. In a vacuum, it was fine, not stellar in any way, but good. However, once the season is over and we can see the whole thing, I have high hopes that it will play a big role in the bigger story.
The Real Venture Bros.
As there were no appearances of Hank and Dean in this episode, it seems as though the theories about the sibling relationship between Rusty and The Monarch are going to bear fruit this season. This episode definitely put the spotlight on them with Rusty having a weird reference-heavy, mythology baiting plotline while The Monarch got an action-packed story filled with odd characters and a Joker-influenced Mark Hamill guest spot. Actually, both plots had some Hamill, which is a smart move by the creators because if you can get Hamill on the team, make him do as many voices as possible (see also, The Simpsons).
If the season is building to a familial reveal, this episode will work in the greater context by showing that the real leads of the show have been these nemeses all along, a move that will essentially reboot the show/possibly piss off a lot of people.
I’m hoping next week we get the boys back as the love triangle seeded a few episodes back needs to start bearing fruit soon, as this season races to its finale.
Teleporter
The other plot thread that seems ripe for more story is Rusty’s invention of the teleporter he’s been talking about since season 2 (or possibly even season 1). A gamechanger invention that sets the plot in motion, the teleporter leads to a handful of deaths, Rusty believing himself to have joined the Illuminati, and finally ends up in the hands of Gary and The Monarch, two characters who will definitely find some use for it.
Not to belabour my original point but if the teleporter ends up playing a big role in the rest of the season, this episode won’t feel as throwaway as it does on first viewing.
Final Thoughts – The Unicorn in Captivity
It’s not often that a Venture Bros. episode feels like filler, but “The Unicorn in Captivity” definitely felt like the creators were moving pieces into place for the endgame of this season in a few weeks. There were some good gags, and the after credits sequence definitely fixed the weird and occasionally off-putting Rusty plotline.
I have high hopes for what comes next as we barrel towards the finale and the eventual two-year wait for more episodes.
Did you see “The Unicorn in Captivity”? Did you feel as if it was filler, or a potential game changer later in the season? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
Does content like this matter to you?
Become a Member and support film journalism. Unlock access to all of Film Inquiry`s great articles. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about cinema - get access to our private members Network, give back to independent filmmakers, and more.