The Venture Bros./The Terrible Secret of Turtle Bay

The Terrible Secret of Turtle Bay
Pilot
Airdate	February 16, 2003
Production Number	001
Written by	Jackson Publick
Directed by	Jackson Publick
— N/A	1x01 → Dia de los Dangerous
The Venture Bros. — Season One

The Terrible Secret of Turtle Bay is the pilot episode of The Venture Bros., and the first episode overall.

Guest stars: Lisa Hammer (Prostitute), Richard Liebmann-Smith (U.N. Science Director), Christopher McCulloch (Dr. Girlfriend, Mr. White, Master Billy Quizboy, Mugger #1 and #2, Transit Cop, Drug Pusher,), Peter McCulloch (Mummy, Monarch Henchman #1, U.N. Guard, Solar Powered Car Scientist, General Manhowers), Michael Sinterniklaas (Otaku Senzuri, Monarch Henchman #2 and #3), James Urbaniak (Kikai, Taxi Driver)

Plot Overview

Dr. Venture and the gang are headed to New York City for a super-science convention when the Monarch launches his latest nefarious scheme. Once in New York there's still the not so small matter of a ninja with a rather odd fetish.

Notes

• This being the pilot episode, the cast is somewhat different from its final form. Doc Hammer does not appear.

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• Dr. Venture builds an "Ooo Ray" as part of a peace conference at the United Nations, but when demonstrated, the ray completely melts a small model city. He is thrown out of the conference.

• The Venture twins are kidnapped by a ninja (Otaku Senzuri) but later left on the streets of New York City to fend for themselves. They meet a prostitute, and eventually make their way back to the United Nations, where they assist in the capture of Otaku Senzuri.

• Otaku Senzuri is arrested for masturbating on Dr. Venture's Ooo Ray.

• Brock has sex with the prostitute.

Characters

• Dr. Venture performs an experiment that involves stripping the boys' dog Scamp of all of his skin. This is Scamp's first and last appearance.

• Dr. Venture has a dream of himself as a fetus in his mother's womb.

Trivia

The Show

• This episode was animated in Flash at Noodlesoup Productions in New York City, as opposed to the traditionally animated series.

References

• Turtle Bay: The title of the episode is taken from its location. Turtle Bay is a neighborhood in Manhattan (New York City), extending between 42nd and 53rd Streets, and eastward from Lexington Avenue to the East River. Turtle Bay itself was a real bay that was filled in to build the United Nations headquarters (where Dr. Venture is giving his speech). The origin of the name "Turtle Bay" is disputed; there was either a creek inhabited by turtles that emptied into the bay, or the name is a corruption of the Dutch word "deutal" (a bent blade, describing the shape of the bay).

• Otaku: The name of the ninja is an actual Japanese word. An otaku is a type of geek, the word derived from an honorific term for another's house or family. In Japan (but not abroad), the word has negative connotations, meaning an obsessive fan with some deviant tendencies. Otaku Senzuri's technology fetish fits this definition well.

• Times Square: Hank and Dean meet a prostitute in Times Square. Times Square is a neighborhood in Manhattan, centered on the intersection of the streets 7th Avenue and Broadway at 42nd Street. It has been referred to as "The Crossroads of the World". Starting in the Great Depression, the neighborhood was overrun with peep shows, pornographic movie theaters, and prostitutes. Starting in the mid-90's the neighborhood became more upscale, with the sleazy establishments moving away or shutting down completely. A major symbol of this rebirth was the opening of a Disney store on 42nd Street alongside the reopening of the New Amsterdam theatre (also owned by Disney). When Hank and Dean visit Times Square they are surrounded by "Brisby" billboards and signage, a parody of the Disney company.