backstory adds a ton of depth to the show's developing world. As the A.V. Club put it, it's the first sign of the show's "nerdgasm levels of continuity," and there's a Brock Samson lightsaber duel to boot.

Season 1: Episode 13, "Return to Spider Skull Island" In the first of the show's many major-setpiece-finales-ending-with-a-cliffhanger, Dr. Venture's tumor needs to be removed but it's not as straightforward as it seems. Beyond its positioning as a classic season-capper, this episode is a good example of two eventual Venture Bros. staples. First, a willingness to unexpectedly make the Venture family more complicated. And second, the show's ability to deliver true emotional lows. Be warned, the last scene is as much of a sad blow as watching any beloved character suffer on farmore serious dramas. Actually, because The Venture Bros. has established itself as a group of somewhat sadly flawed loser heroes and villains, this might hit even harder.

Season 2: Episode 8, "Fallen Arches" Dr. Venture's tenant, necromancer Dr. Orpheus, is finally recognized by the Guild as arch-worthy. So he must assemble his old squad, the Order of the Triad, made up of Jefferson Twilight (Blaxploitation-inspired Blackula hunter) and The Alchemist, a 19th century expert and one of the show's many elder gay male characters. They spend the episode interviewing potential villains, which of course drives a jealous Dr. Venture insane (the Monarch looks pretty tame compared to options like Torrid, a flame-on brute with the ability to transport his victims to an island in the tropics). It's an early