DVD review: Venture Brothers season three

Jackson Publick and Doc Hammer bring back their Jonny Quest parody “The Venture Brothers” for a third season, now on DVD. And while the show still has many laugh-out-loud moments, the increasingly “uncensored” nature of the show may make some uncomfortable.

“The Venture Brothers” of the title are Hank and Dean Venture, boy adventurers who fail at nearly everything, but are often bailed out by their superstrong bodyguard, Brock Sampson (Patrick Warburton). Dr. Thaddeus Venture, the brothers’ father, is a scientist and former boy genius who struggles with feelings of inadequacy, as he’s never become the hero his father was. This season’s focus is on Dr. Venture’s arch-villain, the Monarch, and his girlfriend, the manly voiced Dr. Girlfriend.

While the first two seasons of “The Venture Brothers” had moments of adult innuendo, the third season goes for full-frontal, with a lot more strong language and non-blurred-out animated nudity.

There are also fewer extras, which makes the DVD set feel less authoritative, though there are commentaries on the episodes. The packaging of the set remains top-notch, as the DVD menus have been made to resemble early 1980s video games. The season, presented on this DVD in 16:9 ratio, maintains its funny moments, but falls somewhat short of the quality of the first two seasons.

- Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman