The Venture Bros./A Very Venture Christmas

A Very Venture Christmas
Special 1
Airdate	December 19, 2004
Production Number	S1
Written by	Jackson Publick
Directed by	Jackson Publick
← 1x13 Return to Spider-Skull Island	2x01 → Powerless in the Face of Death
The Venture Bros. — Season One

A Very Venture Christmas is a special episode of The Venture Bros., and the fifteenth episode overall.

Voice Talent: James Urbaniak (Dr. Venture), Patrick Warburton (Brock Samson), Michael Sinterniklaas (Dean Venture), Chris McCulloch (Hank Venture/The Monarch/Henchman 24/Mr. White), Doc Hammer (Dr. Girlfriend/Master Billy Quizboy), Steven Rattazzi (Dr. Orpheus), Dana Snyder (The Alchemist), Lisa Hammer (Triana Orpheus)

Plot Overview

Dr. Venture is a bit behind on his shopping, but he's excited about hosting his annual Christmas Eve shindig. Brock turns out to have some sentimental Yuletide traditions. Dean and Hank, who still believe in Santa Claus, accidentally unlock a magical demon who threatens to ruin Dr. Venture's annual Christmas party and murder all his guests. Dr. Billy Quizboy and Mr. White hit on Triana, Dr. Orpheus' underage daughter. Meanwhile, The Monarch plans the ultimate gift for Dr. Girlfriend--the destruction of the entire Venture Compound.

Notes

Special Episode

• Even though this aired after season 1, it takes place between Past Tense and Trial of the Monarch. Adult Swim made this clear the night of broadcast.

• This episode has no epilogue and is 15 minutes long.

Stinger

• The Noodlesoup logo features a snowing background.

Arc Advancement

• Because the entire episode is a dream, it is unknown how much of it reflects the real world.

Happenings

• The X-1 crash lands in the middle of Bethlehem on Christmas. Dr. Venture sleeps through the flight, having a dream about a Christmas party at the Venture Compound.

Characters

• The boys perform a Christmas story for the guests at their father's party every year. Last year they did The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.

• Billy Quizboy thinks Pete White is "totally gay".

Referbacks

• The Party: The guests at the party have all appeared in previous episodes: Steve Summers and Sasquatch (1x03); Mandalay (1x04); Mr. and Mrs. Impossible (1x08); Master Billy Quizboy and Pete White (1x08, 1x09, 1x10); the Action Man (1x06, 1x11); Col. Horace Gentleman and Kano (1x11).

Trivia

References

• CBS Special Presentation: The beginning features an AstroBase Go! intro parodying the CBS Special Presentation identifier. A CBS Special Presentation was usually a premiere movie or holiday special aired on the network CBS, such as A Charlie Brown Christmas.

• Christmas Television: Dr. Venture's dream sequence is inspired by a variety of holiday television specials. His heart grows like the Grinch's in How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Hank carries the Christmas tree from A Charlie Brown Christmas, and Dean appears as a misfit toy from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Various elements are also taken from the story A Christmas Carol, in which the miserly main character of Ebenezer Scrooge learns to change his ways after being visited by three spirits who show him visions of the past, present, and future. Over thirty adaptations have been made of the story to stage and screen, and are often seen on television during the holiday season.

• Jokermobile: The Jokermobile was a vehicle used by the villain Joker in Batman comics during the 1950's. Several toy versions of this have been made, though none for an extended period of time and few intended for children (Corgi recently released a die-cast model of the Jokermobile).

• Green Machine: The Green Machine was a brand of recumbent bicycle manufactured by Huffy. Recumbent bicycles put the rider in a seated position close to the ground. Though not in production for a long time, Huffy started selling these again a few years ago.

• Life Day: Dr. Orpheus equates Christmas to Life Day, a Wookiee holiday first mentioned in the Star Wars Holiday Special aired in 1978. The plot of the holiday special included Chewbacca trying to break through an Imperial blockade to reach his family on the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk. Like Christmas, individuals gather together with their loved ones and give gifts on Life Day.

• Kwanzaa: Dr. Orpheus also mentions Kwanzaa at not being very real. Though it is a holiday celebrating African-American heritage, it has only been in existence since 1967 and is not directly rooted in African tradition. This is a source of constant criticism.

• Bauhaus: Pete White says he was the first DJ at his college radio station to play Bauhaus. Bauhaus is a British rock band, pioneers of goth rock. They were formed in 1978 and broke up in 1983, so Pete dates himself with this comment. He mentions them to Triana because she is dressed in a goth style.

• The Grinch: Hank and Dean are looking for a Christmas story to tell at the party, and mention that they did the Grinch the previous year. How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a story by Dr. Seuss that was later adapted into an animated TV special and a live-action movie. The story revolves around a green man who sneaks into Whoville one night to steal every single Christmas-related item with the intent of ruining the town's Christmas.

Quotes

• Dr. Venture: What kind of kinky Christmas spirit is that?
  Dr. Orpheus: It is Germanic in origin...

• Hank: That gay albino is hitting on your not-girlfriend.