| "Momma's Boys" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Episode no. |
Season 5 Episode 6 | ||
| Directed by | Jackson Publick | ||
| Written by | Doc Hammer | ||
| Original air date | July 7, 2013 | ||
| Episode Chronology | |||
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| List of The Venture Bros. episodes | |||
Momma's Boys is the sixth episode of the Season 5 and the overall sixty-first episode of The Venture Bros.
Plot
Hank and Dermott play a phone prank on Doctor Venture, reviving the tactic Hank took in Any Which Way But Zeus with the Teddy Talk-To-Me Doll to sneak out and play Shallow Gravy gigs, but their time of fun comes with disastrous results. Meanwhile, Dean is having secret night visits with a mysterious woman at a mental asylum who is revealed to be his "mother" Myra who has sinister plans in stored for the young man. Thinking Dean to be in danger Hank, Dermott, H.E.L.P.eR., and Henchman 21 pretend to rob a bank in a scheme to be committed to Dunwitch Asylum. While Hank and 21 are sent to the asylum for dressing up like the "villains" Enrico Matassa and The Viceroy (respectively), Dermott (as "Flying Sidekick") and H.E.L.P.eR. (as "CrimeRobot") are instead sent to jail. Also Dermott finally learns Dr. Venture is his father, after being helped out of jail by Dr. Orpheus.
At the mental asylum, Hank and 21 meet various inmates (including Teddy, the man who voices Doc's teddy bear) and learn that since that day was Mother's Day they had to be good for their mother. At night, the inmates hold a ceremony where it is revealed their "mother" is actually Myra, who has put all the inmates under her control as "Momma's Boys". Myra holds Dean hostage with the intent of having one of the inmates travel in time to his birth in order for her to finally give birth to him, revealing she is not the Venture brothers' real mother. Overhearing this, Hank exposes Myra as a liar and with 21's help they incite the other inmates to rebel and escape the asylum. As this happens, Hank and 21 retrieve Dean and slip outside where Dean laments once again not knowing who their real mother is. Hank then cheers him up by mentioning it was good that their mother was not really a lunatic like Myra. They quickly flee the area as Guild Wasp helicopters searching for the escaping inmates appear.
Meanwhile, Hatred and Dr. Venture drive to save "Teddy" who unbeknownst to Doc is merely a teddy bear with a voice recorder. Upon getting stuck in a ravine, Dr. Venture and Hatred have a death bed confession contest with Venture revealing he tricked Myra into believing she was his sons' mother while Hatred admits to somewhat enjoying his new breasts. Doc then decides to share his most personal secret by admitting "Hank's friend Dermott, that's my illegitimate son!" something that allows victory over Hatred who is shocked to learn this. Later Dr. Venture tells Hatred about Teddy and recalling Thaddeus' fake hostage situation, Hatred tries to inform him about his supposed friend. However, the vehicle almost falls into the ravine but they are saved by the real Teddy and Thaddeus bids the latter farewell. After he leaves, Venture questions as to what Hatred wanted to tell him about him as the latter covers up his explanation by saying Teddy was a burn victim, something Doc agrees with.
At the end of the episode, Thaddeus is eating breakfast with all his sons and tells them of his night with Hatred as Hank tells him they saved Dean from Myra who they discover is not their real mother. Thaddeus admits to saying he wanted his sons to have free daycare as children and reminisces on his affair with Myra, which garners the disgust of Dermott who decides to leave for work as Dr. Venture continues relating their affair, which now disgusts Hank.
However, this is soon forgotten when a leaving Dermott states "Oh, uh, later... Dad !" which greatly shocks the Ventures, who become completely silent.
Episode Cast
- James Urbaniak: Dr. Venture, Dr. Jonas Venture Jr.
- Mike Sinterniklaas: Dean Venture
- Chris McCulloch: Hank Venture, Sgt. Hatred, Teddy, Cop 1, Radical Left, Cuckoo Clocker
- Doc Hammer: 21, Dermott
- Joanna P. Adler: Myra Brandish
- John K. Hodgman: Guard, Maybe Man, Cop 2
- Steven Rattazzi: Dr. Orpheus
Cultural References
- Dunwitch Asylum is a reference to Arkham Asylum, a mental institution used to hold the criminally insane in the DC Universe (mainly the Batman series).
- When Hank answers Myra's phone call to Dean, he says "Bula Vinaka, Beachside". This is a reference to a 1988 commercial for AT&T telephone service.
Bewitched (1964-1972)
- When Dermott asks H.E.L.P.eR. who he can call and H.E.L.P.eR. suggests mentally summoning Dr. Orpheus, Dermott asks "Like Dr. Bombay?" Dr. Bombay was a recurring character on the TV sitcom Bewitched. He was a doctor that treated the ailments of witches (that is, a witch doctor) who could be summoned by reciting a particular phrase.
- "Grumpy Bandersnatch" is a reference to the video game Brataccas. Brataccas is believed to be the remains of the much hyped vaporware project "Bandersnatch," which was partially developed by Imagine Software. The cover for the game was drawn by none other than Roger Dean, whom Dr. Venture implied was Dean Venture's namesake in the episode Perchance to Dean.
- Dunwitch Asylum is a reference to the works of cosmic horror author H.P. Lovecraft, as both Arkham (the namesake of DC's Arkham Asylum) and Dunwich are fictitious settings in his works.
- "Grumpy Bandersnatch" is a reference to the Bandersnatch, a fictional creature in Lewis Carroll's 1871 novel Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There and his 1876 poem The Hunting of the Snark.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
- When the Native American inmate Giant Indian rips the water fountain out of the floor and throws it through the window to escape, it is a reference to the climactic scene from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
Pink Floyd's The Wall (1979)
- When turning the Momma's Boys against Myra Brandish, Henchman 21 says "Mother helped build the wall! Tear down the wall!" This is a reference to the songs "Mother" and "The Trial" from Pink Floyd's 1979 double album The Wall.
Connections to Other Episodes
Powerless in the Face of Death
- Henchman 21 goes by the name "Viceroy", a title he first suggested in the support group for former henchmen in Powerless in the Face of Death.
- In Tears of a Sea Cow, Dermott believed he was Brock Samson's son but finally learns that he is actually Dr. Venture' son. At the end of the episode, he calls him "Dad" right in front of Hank and Dean much to their individual shock.
- Dr. Venture mentions his being held captive along with Teddy, which (sort of) took place in Any Which Way But Zeus.
- Hank first deceived his father with the Teddy Talk-To-Me Doll while attempting to torture him in Any Which Way But Zeus.
- This episode marks the second time Hank has learned of his father and Dermott's relationship. The first time was in Everybody Comes to Hank's but Hank's memory was wiped afterwards.
From the Ladle to the Grave: The Shallow Gravy Story
- Dr. Venture confirms his knowledge of his relationship with Dermott in his death bed competition with Sergeant Hatred. It was hinted that Dr. Venture learned of his relationship with Dermott in the From the Ladle to the Grave: The Shallow Gravy Story by estimating his age and recognizing his last name.
- In A Very Venture Halloween, Dr. Venture stated "I have my reasons" when Dr. Orpheus noted he was very harsh with Dermott. In this episode he confirms that those "reasons" have to do with Venture being Dermott's illegitimate father.
- Hank mentions the destruction of S.P.H.I.N.X. Headquarters and its factory from SPHINX Rising.
- Henchman 21 goes by the name "Viceroy", his chosen title when he lead S.P.H.I.N.X.
"The Morpho Trilogy"
- First appearance of Hank's Latin playboy supervillain alter ego Enrico Matassa, who doesn't appears again until "The Morpho Trilogy" of Season 7 (The Venture Bros. & The Curse of the Haunted Problem, The Rorqual Affair, and Arrears in Science.)
Trivia
- This episode introduces Radical Left as an inmate at Dunwitch Asylum. Other inmates include Maybe Man, Big Time, and Teddy.
- It's confirmed that Myra Brandish is not Hank and Dean's real mother as she mentions not having given birth to him. As this was happening, Dr. Venture confirmed to Sergeant Hatred in a near-death confession that he took advantage of Myra's mental condition in order to have a free daycare for his sons.
Goofs
- Dr. Orpheus appears to just learn that Dermott is Dr. Venture's son even though he found out in Everybody Comes to Hank's.
| Preceded by: "O.S.I. Love You" |
The Venture Bros. episodes Original Airdate: July 7, 2013 |
Followed by: "Bot Seeks Bot" |