1. Operation: P.R.O.M.
November 21, 2010
Caught me trying to get all Feng Shui on you. Good eye, son!Great, Als in there. Oh, but how cute is that kilt, he looks like a little Braveheart! Admittedly, this is a little bit of a cheat. Season two and threes finales were off-limits, since they were two-parters. This is not a two-parter, but the episode itself is twice as long. Operation: P.R.O.M. was a long time coming. Over a year passed between seasons three and four. They took a nine-month break in the middle of season four. And then there was a month between the penultimate episode and Operation: P.R.O.M. But Holy God, was it worth the wait. Season fours finale demonstrates how far Publick and Hammer have come as storytellers. While I wouldnt use this episode as a way to bring in new viewers (too much reliance on established characters), Operation: P.R.O.M. demonstrates how magical The Venture Bros. can be. First off, you have your great premise: homeschool prom. While thats going on, you have 21 dealing with the ghost of 24, as well as Hunter Gathers playing superspy with OSI and Sphinx (Sphinx!). The every-day blends seamlessly with the outrageous genre material. Next, theres all the great comedy. Shore Leave swiftly became one of my favorite characters, and he and the Alchemist are as good a comedy team as you could possibly want. With hilariously misplaced confidence, Hank finally asks out the mail carrier. Colonel Gentlemans dog-mounted battleship model. Shallow Gravy. The Venture Bros. supporting cast is in top form. Hunter and General Treister are spectacular, the Monarch and Dr. Girlfriend make excellent contributions, and I could watch intoxicated Dr. Orpheus all day. The show looks and sounds gorgeous; the lighting in the prom-ified hangar, the costume design, Molotovs final battle with Brock, all this and more. Compare the range of facial expressions in this episode to what you see in the Terrible Secret of Turtle Bay and its remarkable how far Publick and Hammer have come. Also, General Treisters departure is one of the single best exits Ive ever seen. Its the characters that make this episode so divine. Way back when, everybody was one-dimensional. Hank and Dean were mentally challenged goofs, Brock was a badass, the Doc uncomfortably pathetic. Four seasons later, they are real people with hopes, hearts and histories. Rusty Venture excels in Operation: P.R.O.M. At first, he seems intent on giving the boys the prom he never had. In no time at all, it becomes apparent that he wants to give himself the prom he never had, and the dance fills up with hookers and middle-aged losers. Meanwhile, the three Venture brothers head out on their own adventure, and at the end of the night, Dean becomes a man. Without a doubt, the real homerun moments are with 21 and Brock. Its incredible that an episode containing a prolonged discussion about repulsive hypothetical sexual acts could also be touching. Like, genuinely touching. The way 21 finally comes to grips with 24s death is goofy, unsentimental and authentic. Brocks showdown with Molotov Cocktease culminates in an honest, heartbreaking goodbye. And the look in his eyes as Brock races home, convinced hes too late and that everyone he loves is dead. And of course, Pulp. Operation: P.R.O.M. sets a high bar for The Venture Bros. I hope that it is a sign of great things to come, and not a peak. I guess well find out on Sunday.