Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
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Let's review each episode of the TV show The Venture Bros, the greatest adult animated series ever made!
Transcript:
In The Trial of the Monarch, the Monarch is accused of the disappearance and suspected murder of a police officer. But is there a darker secret behind this trial? The opening sequence is genius, where we're shown a flashback to one of Team Venture's many adventures, that we surprisingly don't see many of in a show parodying Johnny Quest, involving an ancient craft bin, a stone guardian, an even more evil Monarch, and Hank and Dean becoming a mecha transformer! And the best part is, given the surreal nature of the show, you have no idea what parts are real, and what Hank and Dean testifying at Monarch's trial just made up. It's a lot of fun! ...More fun than the rest of the episode. As I said, the plot is that the Monarch is being tried for the abduction of a police officer. But, if that first sequence is any indication, the actual trial is secondary to... Whatever the heck else is going on. A lot of the episode is made up of flashbacks, detours, and long winded rants that were probably funnier on paper. Including that Monarch's lawyer is a Southern version of Kuato from Total Recall. That's the joke. Laugh now. Also, because Venture thinks the trial is too graphic for his kids, Brock takes them outside under the pretense of solving a mystery. Where it feels like Hank and Dean have regressed back to their more one-note selves from the pilot, as they innocently try to solve what they think is a crime, even though they have no idea what they're looking for. Just sort of a thing that happens, then stops. A good descriptor for most of the events in this episode. But, as usual, the world building is the best part. The inciting action is that Henchmen 21 and 24 have ghost written and published a tell-all biography about the Monarch, a copy of which ends up in Monarch's hands, and he's rightfully pissed. Especially the sections about Doctor Girlfriend, which highlight her more risque history, causing them to break up and Doctor Girlfriend to run back to her ex-boyfriend Phantom Limb. That a drunk Monarch follows her to, becoming even more incensed, and leading to the confrontation with the officer that led to the trial. It's good stuff. ...It's just a shame that what's supposedly the main plot takes a back seat to what boils down to just filler. Heck, this episode is legendary among fans for having one of the most confusing endings in the show. The best anyone can gather is that the Monarch was set up to be framed for the disappearance of a cop who was paid off by the guild. And that the trial was all an ambush to abduct Monarch's lawyer. ...For reasons that are never really made clear, even later. But because Phantom Limb was leading the sting, he purposely waited until Doctor Orpheus read Monarch's mind to see the true story, then froze the court in place and brainwashed Orpheus to say Monarch is guilty so he could have Doctor Girlfriend to himself. And that's the best guess I have for everything as well. Especially since things conclude on that note. Yeah, this episode isn't great. It feels like they wrote the bits with Monarch and Doctor Girlfriend first, then struggled to figure out a framing device to support them. And what they came up with just isn't that good. I recommend just watching the flashback and the ending, and fast forward through the rest. Also, you think it's easier or harder to animate a character with invisible limbs?
Help Support the Channel: patreon.com/ZCInfinity
Let's review each episode of the TV show The Venture Bros, the greatest adult animated series ever made!
Transcript:
In The Trial of the Monarch, the Monarch is accused of the disappearance and suspected murder of a police officer. But is there a darker secret behind this trial? The opening sequence is genius, where we're shown a flashback to one of Team Venture's many adventures, that we surprisingly don't see many of in a show parodying Johnny Quest, involving an ancient craft bin, a stone guardian, an even more evil Monarch, and Hank and Dean becoming a mecha transformer! And the best part is, given the surreal nature of the show, you have no idea what parts are real, and what Hank and Dean testifying at Monarch's trial just made up. It's a lot of fun! ...More fun than the rest of the episode. As I said, the plot is that the Monarch is being tried for the abduction of a police officer. But, if that first sequence is any indication, the actual trial is secondary to... Whatever the heck else is going on. A lot of the episode is made up of flashbacks, detours, and long winded rants that were probably funnier on paper. Including that Monarch's lawyer is a Southern version of Kuato from Total Recall. That's the joke. Laugh now. Also, because Venture thinks the trial is too graphic for his kids, Brock takes them outside under the pretense of solving a mystery. Where it feels like Hank and Dean have regressed back to their more one-note selves from the pilot, as they innocently try to solve what they think is a crime, even though they have no idea what they're looking for. Just sort of a thing that happens, then stops. A good descriptor for most of the events in this episode. But, as usual, the world building is the best part. The inciting action is that Henchmen 21 and 24 have ghost written and published a tell-all biography about the Monarch, a copy of which ends up in Monarch's hands, and he's rightfully pissed. Especially the sections about Doctor Girlfriend, which highlight her more risque history, causing them to break up and Doctor Girlfriend to run back to her ex-boyfriend Phantom Limb. That a drunk Monarch follows her to, becoming even more incensed, and leading to the confrontation with the officer that led to the trial. It's good stuff. ...It's just a shame that what's supposedly the main plot takes a back seat to what boils down to just filler. Heck, this episode is legendary among fans for having one of the most confusing endings in the show. The best anyone can gather is that the Monarch was set up to be framed for the disappearance of a cop who was paid off by the guild. And that the trial was all an ambush to abduct Monarch's lawyer. ...For reasons that are never really made clear, even later. But because Phantom Limb was leading the sting, he purposely waited until Doctor Orpheus read Monarch's mind to see the true story, then froze the court in place and brainwashed Orpheus to say Monarch is guilty so he could have Doctor Girlfriend to himself. And that's the best guess I have for everything as well. Especially since things conclude on that note. Yeah, this episode isn't great. It feels like they wrote the bits with Monarch and Doctor Girlfriend first, then struggled to figure out a framing device to support them. And what they came up with just isn't that good. I recommend just watching the flashback and the ending, and fast forward through the rest. Also, you think it's easier or harder to animate a character with invisible limbs?
