The Mantis-Eye Experiment

Summary

Dr. Venture finally learns the secret of his recurring womb nightmares when a stomach tumor turns out to be something far more sinister. In a fit of jealousy over their mistaken belief that their father is pregnant, the boys run away from home. But their newfound freedom is short lived once they fun afoul of the law and land themselves in a "Scared Straight"-style outreach program headed by none other than the recently incarcerated Monarch.

Capsule

We start off outside the Venture Compound with a voice-over of a 911 emergency call as the X-1 lands:

OPERATOR
Nine one one.

CALLER
Please, Rocky is killing people! It's Rocky!!

OPERATOR
Sir, calm down, now where are you.

CALLER
It's a big movie theater on main. Oh my god Rocky has a knife!!

OPERATOR
You're watching Rocky? Rocky what, Rocky 4 with Ivan Drago?

CALLER
HORROR!!

This will all become clear as we go on. And if not it will be explained in the notes. Anywho, the team departs the X-1, each dressed as a member of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Dr. Venture, wearing what appears to be a proton pack, has an unusually swollen stomach as he complains about the lack of money they got from the movie theater job since the ghost turned out to be old man Johnson the whole time (Scooby Doo, anyone?).

Just then the Doc has a severe stomach cramp and Brock (finally) notices the large lump in his gut. Dr. Venture tells him it's probably a hernia and there's no cause for worry, but Brock insists they go to the hospital.

DEAN
This is serious.

HANK
You can say that again. Dad's becoming a real fatty.

DEAN
No Hank, I think pop is... pregnant!

HELPeR
[beeps]

Fade to Venture Brothers logo, then back to scene. No opening credits in this episode, kids.

In the hospital there are a large number of folks in severe amounts of pain who also happen to be dressed as Rocky Horror characters. Brock runs in with Dr. Venture in his arms, yelling for a doctor:

BROCK
Medic!

ER DOCTOR
What's this? Another one! Were you guys at the Rocky Horror show?

DR. VENTURE
[groan of agony]

BROCK
Yeah. Uh, could you please help him.

ER DOCTOR
Orderly! Put him in O.R. three.

ORDERLY
The O.R.'s all full, doctor, and they just keep comin'! The cineplex just called and they found a few more in the projection booth!

ER DOCTOR
Okay. You'll have to put him in maternity. [he leads BROCK away]

HANK
Maternity. You weren't kidding, Deano. Pop really is having a baby!

DEAN
I think I need a cigarette.

The orderly takes the Doc to maternity on one of those beds with wheels. The doctor stops Brock, saying only medical personnel can go into maternity. There's a bit of a confusion where the doctor thinks Brock and the Doc are, uh, partners, which Brock is quick to clear up.

Meanwhile, in prison, the Monarch talks to his henchmen, rattling off his checklist of deeds for them to perform:

THE MONARCH
Have you destroyed the giant cocoon headquarters?

FAT HENCHMAN
Not yet.

THE MONARCH
Have you sent the charred remains of Wonder-boy to his beloved Captain Sunshine?

FAT HENCHMAN
Yes.

THE MONARCH
Rewound and returned the directors cut of Working Girl!

SKINNY HENCHMAN
We tried, but-

THE MONARCH
Unleashed the herpes-smeared sex-bots among the traitorous members of the Guild?

FAT HENCHMAN
Yeah.

THE MONARCH
Filled Phantom Limb's garage with clingy static-charged styrofoam packing peanuts?

SKINNY HENCHMAN
No.

THE MONARCH
Sent apology letters to each of my sponsored Ugandan foster-children?

FAT HENCHMAN
Check!

THE MONARCH
Have you... killed the Venture brothers?

Back at the hospital Hank and Dean discuss the prospect of a new baby brother or sister (they aren't very bright) when Brock walks in, causing everyone in the room to run in fear. Dean asks Brock if the Doc has 'had it yet', to which Brock tells him no, and not to worry because his dad's a 'tough little dude'. Brock then pulls some money out of his shorts (since that's the only thing he's wearing) and tells the boys to take a taxi home where Dr. Orpheus will look after them until he gets back.

Thusly, back at the compound (in specific, in Dr. Orpheus's place), the good necromancer has cooked up some pizza rolls and weird green tea for the Venture boys. Dean inquires if Triana is around, but she's off at an 'electronic music recital' and won't be home until much later. Also, Dr. Orpheus isn't sure when Brock and Dr. Venture will be getting back, so the boys may be hanging around for a while. They can watch TV, but the remote has 'vanished from the material sphere' so it's stuck on Animal Planet. I really can't do Dr. Orpheus' dialog any justice, it's so spectacular.

Back at the hospital the ER doctor has performed a successful surgery. Except for one problem. The tumer they removed is gone. In a strange event, which is probably not an odd coincidence, the X-1 takes from the parking lot and can be seen from the window behind the ER doctor. Nobody notices.

ER DOCTOR
The tumor was benign. It's just that... well. [clears throat] We cannot find it.

DR. VENTURE
What do you mean you 'can't find it'?

ER DOCTOR
Well we took it out and, I don't know. When I finished sewing you up I turned around and it was... just gone.

DR. VENTURE
Gone. Well. I want a second opinion. Oh wait, I'm a doctor! I can give myself one! You suck, and I'm leaving.

Back at casa de Orpheus, the boys lay in their sleeping bags in from of the fire. Hank says that, now that their father has a new baby, he'll probably forget about them. Dean disagrees, but Hank says he's not sticking around to find out.

HANK
I'm outta here! I'm not gonna play second... banana-fiddle to some stupid old baby.

DEAN
Well not me! I'm staying right here. I'll be sleeping in a room right next to Triana. And then she'll hear like, thunder or something, and, and she'll run into my room all scared and stuff, and I'll be like, 'hush my darling, it's just ionized air molecules expanding'. And she'll be like, 'oh, hold me', and I'll like-

HANK
Dude! If we stay here that means we'll be Dr. Orpheus' kids. And that means Triana will be your sister. And that means you two will have extra-retard babies.

DEAN
Huh. I never thought of that. [he stands up] Alright, I'm with you!

Back at the hospital, Brock and the Doc get set to leave. They head out to the parking lot to get back on the X-1 only to find it's not there. Brock asks the orderly if he's seen it, in rather hilarious fashion, but it's a big no. Yes, this is why we use the Club, people.

Back at Dr. O's, morning is here (actually it was here in the last scene too) and Triana is home:

DR. ORPHEUS
Pumpkin, you're up early, and you've changed out of your jam-jams into... the clothes you wore last night. How frugal of you. Did you just get home?

TRIANA
Kim was totally plastered, and then we were like-

DR. ORPHEUS
Sweetie, let me love you, don't make this hard for us. Now we have the Venture twins staying with us, and they're not in the den. I sense something is amiss. Is there, something else you forgot to tell daddy?

TRIANA
They ran away.

DR. ORPHEUS
[dramatic gasp]

TRIANA
They said they were going to the city to become famous lion tamers...

DR. ORPHEUS
Mister Venture trusted me with his offspring. I have failed him! For even now they could be in peril!

TRIANA
Remember when I ran away? I just went to Rachel's house. So try not to embarrass them. For me?

DR. ORPHEUS
Don't worry, pumpkin. It is not my intention to shame them. I just have to keep them safe. I will be their shadow! Nay, their unseen guardian angel! Pumpkin!! Get me my cloak!

TRIANA
Why don't you wear the uh-

DR. ORPHEUS
Alright fine. Get me my BLUE WINDBREAKER!!

The boys, meanwhile, are speeding (well, not really) away on their hover bikes. Dean stops to point out a haunted mansion on a mountain. Hank points out that Dean is still thinking like the old Dean. Dean agrees that they need a new image and a new life, and they are about to do a 'Go Team Venture!' when they realize they can't be Team Venture. Go Team... brothers? Guys? Needs work.

Back at the compound Brock puts Dr. Venture in bed and goes back down to the kitchen to make him some soup. Dr. Venture barks requests the whole time when Brock notices that the oven is missing. A small blur jets by on the kitchen floor and into the hangar (which is connected to the kitchen I guess). Brock follows it only to find the X-1 parked and in good shape. Brock warns Dr. Venture that there's someone around on his watch when he's knocked out by a large wrench, knocking his Rocky wig off. Dr. Venture, self-absorbed as always, asks about Brock bringing the big TV up to his room.

Commercial.

At a roadside Diner, Dr. Orpheus sits, watching the boys. The waitress walks over to his table and asks if he wants to order something. Dr. O replies that he has purchased a 'Homeboy' figurine from the sitting room vending machine. She tells him to order something or leave. He orders a moxy tonic. In a shocking twist they don't have that. Birch beer? Nope.

Across the diner, Hank orders some pancakes (even though it's noon) and a lamb dinner and fries for Dean. Dr. O, meanwhile, attempts to get a Mr. Pibb, which they also don't have, so he finally settles on a grape soda. Hank and Dean, after ordering, talk about their ladies. Hank's being the waitress (he may just let her 'kick the tires of the old Hank-machine'... yeah) and Dean's being Triana of course, even though Triana is probably not privy to this knowledge. Two local rednecks, meanwhile, notice Dr. O. Uh oh.

Next we are treated to another, and possibly the last, fetus eating dream of Dr. Venture. This time the chomping fetus engulfs the smaller one, resulting in a brief stomach ache, and followed by a fire fart which morphs into an image of Jonas Venture.

JONAS VENTURE
Hello Rusty.

FETUS RUSTY
Daddy? What are you doing in mommy's womb?

JONAS VENTURE
I came to tell you son. [spooky voice] There is another Venture.

FETUS RUSTY
Why're you talking like Yoda?

JONAS VENTURE
This is your dream, Rusty. You tell me.

With that he punches fetus Rusty in the gut, causing real Rusty to wake up with a scream. Only he's not alone. He looks up to see a robotic man with a head similar to his father's standing over him with his foot planted on his body.

JONAS
Hello Rusty.

DR. VENTURE
Who the hell are you?

JONAS
Don't you recognize me Rusty? It's been a while, I know.

DR. VENTURE
I get it, you're supposed to be my father, right? And I'm still dreaming.

JONAS
This is no dream.

DR. VENTURE
Fine, hallucination, whatever. I must be still woozy from the painkillers though, I got your head all wrong.

JONAS
Forty-three years ago you tried to kill me.

DR. VENTURE
Forty-three years ago I wasn't even bo-

JONAS
I'll give you a hint. We used to share a cramped little one-bedroom down on mommy street.

DR. VENTURE
Is that my oven? And that bit there, that's the capacitator for my robot! Just what is going on here, mister!?

JONAS
[grabbing Dr. V by the neck] Consider these small bits of crap I've stolen the first installments of what you owe me, Rusty.

[DR. VENTURE hits a button on his nightstand, causing his bed to open and him to fall from JONAS' grip]

JONAS
That's okay, Rusty. I've waited this long. I can wait a few minutes more.

Back at the diner, Dean plays with a straw wrapper while Hank builds a silverware structure. The two rednecks, meanwhile, question Dr. O, calling him a faggot and 'boy'. Dr. Orpheus suggests that they take their 'local color' elsewhere. Things never work out for rednecks though.

DINER HICK 1
What are you gonna do about it?

DINER HICK 2
You're wearin' panty-hose!

DINER HICK 1
Whut?

DINER HICK 2
He is. 'Cause, he's a gay boy.

DR. ORPHEUS
Consider this your final warning. You do not know the risk you are taking. For a whisper from my lips could open your mind to a world of arcane tortures!!

DINER HICK 2
Ffffaggot.

A loud sound is heard and a flash of light follow. Hank and Dean, oblivious to it all, call for the check.

Dr. Venture meanwhile, calls for Brock on his watch. However, Jonas answers the watch instead, telling him Brock won't be saving him this time. Dr. Venture taunts the mystery man, saying the walls of the room he's in (the panic room, which you might remember from 107) are solid steel. However, this new nemesis knows the entrance code and the door slides open. Dr. Venture runs in horror, as his foe tells him that he knows all of Dr. V's tricks.

The boys, meanwhile, speed along once again on their hoverbikes. This time they get pulled over for going 15 in a 65. Dean tells the trooper that their dad can clear it all up, but Hank tells Dean they don't have a father. This only makes the trooper question further, plus he notices they're riding hover bikes. He accuses them of selling weed to their classmates, but this only causes Hank to reveal that they don't even go to school (they have beds that teach them everything).

TROOPER
Oh I get it now. Dust head. Let's get off the floating chopper.

DEAN
He's not a dusty-head, we really do have beds equipped with audio-suggestive learning aids.

TROOPER
Dabbling in super-science, huh? Alright you two. I know just the place for boys like you.

Much to Dr. Orpheus's dismay (who has been following the boys in his black Beetle... the classic kind, not the crappy new version), the cop carts the boys away in the back of his car, leaving their bikes on the roadside.

Brock finally comes to. He's chained to the roof of his Charger and unable to break free. Dr. Venture, now fleeing from his attacker in the lab, asks who he his assailant is:

JONAS
I'm your brother, Rusty. Your twin brother.

DR. VENTURE
That's impossible, I don't have a-

JONAS
You sucker-punched me in the womb. I've been inside you all your life. Watching, listening, planning, waiting.

DR. VENTURE
You jury-rigged my body, that's why I have all these blackouts. I thought it was the pills.

JONAS
Your body's a mess! It's become absolutely uninhabitable.

DR. VENTURE
Yeah, well I don't remember asking you to live in me! Wait a minute. You're why I've been having all these f'ed up dreams. You're probably why I lost my hair too, aren't you! You stole my hair!!

In prison:

THE MONARCH
You're probably wondering why you're here. You're here because you done fucked up too many times! You think you're hot shit in a champagne glass, but you're really cold diarrhea in a Dixie cup. And if you keep up like you've been doing, this is where you're headed.

[one of the kids listening starts to laugh]

THE MONARCH
Oh that's funny to you, right? Cause you're so fuckin' bad? I know your type. You think 'I'll just get me a costume, rip off the neighborhood kids'. Next thing you know, you've got a jet shaped like a skull with lasers on the front.

[ANOTHER] KID
This is totally gay.

THE MONARCH
What!? Ya think this is gay, huh? Is that what you fuckin' said you scrawny piece of shit? Oh this isn't gay. But King Gorilla over there is! And I bet he just can't wait to snap off a piece of your dick in his ass! [he points over at King Gorilla who makes kissing noises. he then points at Dean] You! Get up! I said get the fuck up!! [he grabs Dean and pulls him up] What's your name?

DEAN
Dean Ven-

THE MONARCH
Your name is bitch!! And I own you. You're property! And when I'm tired of having sex with every hole god drilled in your slender frame- King Gorilla! You got a cigarette? [he takes the cigarette from King Gorilla and pushes Dean into his arms] There. I just sold you for a cigarette. And I don't smoke! [he realizes something] Holy shit! You're Dean fucking Venture! King, I gotta buy my bitch back. H-here's your cigarette.

KING GORILLA
Fuck you, gimme a dollar.

Back in the hangar HELPeR pops out from behind some crates. Brock tells him that Dr. Venture is in trouble and HELPeR has to drive the Charger to help him. HELPeR, sadly, does not know how to drive stick, but he'll make due. After crashing into the wall (and causing the car to catch fire), HELPeR is finally on his way. Mostly. Probably would have been easier if Brock had just told him to unchain him from the car. HELPeR has to know how to work a blowtorch, right?

Back at prison the kids are getting a lecture from a new teacher. This time it's an evil scientist with a red face thanks to some exploding plasma earlier in his career. The Monarch, meanwhile, talks to the Venture boys:

THE MONARCH
What the fuck are you boys doing in the big house?

DEAN
Well, our dad had a baby, so we ran away.

HANK
And then we got arrested for not speeding enough.

THE MONARCH
You shouldn't even be alive.

DEAN
Huh?

THE MONARCH
I... put out a hit on you. Super-sorry. But, you know, I'm in mother-fucking prison here. My life is fucked. Dr. Girlfriend left me.

DEAN
Why would you want to kill us?

THE MONARCH
Because she needs her space! Like I didn't give her space! She had the whole fucking cocoon!

King Gorilla, in the meantime, lectures the kids some more. He steals everyone's shoes and the wallet of one kid in order to show them what it feels like to be a victim of super-villainy. Not very convincing I guess.

Back at the lab, Dr. Venture attempts to fend off his brother with what looks like a modified leaf blower. Jonas only taunts him, since he knows it doesn't work. He, on the other hand, has a perfectly working weapon (which looks like a modified Nerf gun). Dr. Venture calls his bluff, but apparently Jonas is the better scientist as he got the gun working when Dr. Venture could not.

He is about to get his revenge on Dr. Venture for stealing his life when Brock's flaming car smashes through the lab windows as doves fly out of nowhere. Brock, still chained to the roof, grabs Dr. Venture and flips him to safety. Jonas fires a few shots at the car, but they prove useless and it smashes into him, ending in a big explosion.

Back at the prison once more:

THE MONARCH
You boys don't wanna end up in here, this place is full of fucking animals. [HANK opens his mouth] I don't mean King Gorilla, Hank. I mean this place will chew you up and spit you out. [Hank opens his mouth again] No, I'm not talking about Mecha-Mouth, Hank.

DEAN
[sighs] This was a big mistake.

THE MONARCH
Fuckin' a, right! This is all wrong, you boys are the fucking Venture brothers. You've had your little adventure, now go the hell home.

HANK
Fuck that shit!

DEAN
Hank Venture! What is wrong with you!? You're changing into an extra-bad person! Do you even know how many baby angels you just killed by saying that?!

HANK
Oh by glory! You're right! What's happening to us. We searched for freedom, and it landed us in jail.

DEAN
I bet dad's worried sick. And Brock. He loves ya, Hank, I just know it.

THE MONARCH
Oh this is just gay. Look, I gotta get back to yelling at regular kids, alright?

Back at the compound Brock, still dressed as Rocky, and now de-mulleted (thanks to the explosion I assume), emerges from the wreckage. Jonas, now separated from his robotic body, is laying on the ground. He's quite small and appears to be wearing a diaper. Brock walks over to him and is about to squish him when Dr. Venture stops him.

JONAS
Looks like botched attempted fratricide runs in the family.

DR. VENTURE
So does this mean we're even now?

JONAS
No, not by a long shot, Rusty. I think you owe me something for forty-three years of hell.

DR. VENTURE
Fine whatever, I'll give you the old Venture compound on Spider-Skull Island. Just please, stop calling me Rusty, I haven't been called that since I was out of college. Wait a minute, what do I call you?

JONAS
Jonas. Jonas Venture, Jr.

[DR. ORPHEUS enters]

DR. ORPHEUS
Hellooo? My apologies, Dr. Venture, I'm loathed to intrude while you're entertaining [he looks at JONAS] uhhhhhwuhhhh- guests. But there's a matter that needs your urgent attention. What is-

BROCK
That's Doc's deformed twin brother he absorbed in the womb who's come back for revenge but now they made up, so...

DR. ORPHEUS
'Kay.

So, with everything back to normal (more or less), the four drive down the highway in Dr. O's Beetle, with the new Venture brothers conversing in the back seat. Dr. Venture offers Jonas more things as payback, including the X-2 (the boat) and Dean. He can carry him on his back, like Master Blaster.

Dr. Venture then question's Dr. O's slow driving speed, which Dr. O responds that he things allowing the boys (who are on their hover bikes) to drive ahead of them after their embarrassing ordeal will return some of their well-earned independence. Only he says it more dramatic, as is the way of Dr. Orpheus.

HANK
I can't believe we have a new baby uncle. Every Christmas he's probably gonna give us a Jovan Musk gift pack. And we'll have to pretend he's not all creepy looking. Aww, I bet we're gonna have to kiss him!

DEAN
Right? Dude, did you shake his hand? It was like shaking hands with a chicken dinner.

At this point the Monarch henchmen drive by in the Monarchmobile. It seems they've completed all the items on the list except for 'kill the Venture brothers'. The fat one mentions they should pull over to get ammo for the gun strapped behind them.

In Dr. O's car, Brock notices the homeboy on his dashboard. Dr. Orpheus tells him to be careful with it, since it houses the souls of two foul-mouthed rednecks! The Monarchmobile passes them.

The fat henchman complains that his hair is in his goggles again. He's growing a ponytail. The skinny one tells him he's getting a trim at the next place. He pulls up next to the Venture brothers, not knowing they're the Venture brothers (apparently), to ask them if they know of a place where they can get a haircut. The fat one grabs the gun and points it out the window, asking where they can get ammo for it as well. The boys only wave as the fat one gets in the way of the driving of the skinny henchman and the gun goes off.

The flaming bikes crash to the side of the road without the boys on them and explode. A billow of smoke rises from them as the camera zooms out and the credits begin to roll over the scene. A folkish song plays instead of the normal credits song as the scene slowly fades to black:

Two angels are plucked from the heavenly sky
In an instant they're gone, in the blink of an eye
If you listen close you'll hear cherubs cry
Ooohhhhh, look away

We fade in to Dr. Orpheus weeping and the camera pans to the left revealing the boys laying in the road. Dean's body is entirely charred black and Hank's is bent into an awkward position while his bandana thing hangs from a tree branch in the road. Brock and Dr. Venture stand over them.

DR. VENTURE
Alright... get their clothes.

Notes

• This episode actually had two previous titles before it got its current name. The first two were My Brother's Creeper and Vanishing Twin Syndrome, which were changed because it was felt they gave the surprise away. However, My Brother's Creeper appeared on the AS site for a little while, so some people might have known already. D'oh.
  
  
• Interestingly enough, not only is this episode an extra minute or so of footage thanks to the lack of the opening credits, but it's actually a minute longer than that. To compensate for this (since the max length of an episode is 23:15), the animation was sped up by 4%. The more you know!
  
  
• If you haven't deduced from the episode number, this episode was also written eleventh in the order, coming before Past Tense and Trial of the Monarch. There's not really a big story behind it other than the writers were a bit behind schedule and needed to hand in a script. They already had this episode planned out beforehand, so they wrote it and then thought of what would take place in the other two episodes, though clearly they Monarch would have to go to jail in one of them and break up with Dr. Girlfriend in another. To save time those events happened in the same episode. I just made that last part up.
  
  
• Here's the explanation of the opening 911 call I promised. Straight from the Publick's mouth, or webpage. Whatever:

  When we first see the Venture family, they're returning from the very Scooby-Doo-ish mission of apprehending "The Phantom of the Cineplex". To accomplish this, they went undercover and attended a midnight screening of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" in costume. When the Phantom made his appearance, Brock, dressed as Rocky, basically went nuts and started beating the crap out of him...and everyone else in the theater. This is why everyone in the hospital waiting room is in Rocky Horror gear, why they're injured, and why they cower in fear when Brock walks in. There used to be a scene in the hospital that explained this better (the doctor was to have held up an X-ray of Old Man Johnson's rectum, which had a rubber Phantom of the Opera mask shoved into it) but I cut it at the animatic stage because it was too talky and the episode was incredibly long already, so it never got animated. It wasn't until we got the show back from Korea that I realized I'd removed an important bit of exposition in the process--so we tried to rectify the situation with the voiceover of the panicked 911 phone call while the X-1 lands and taxis in the opening. Whoops.

• The end sequence of the episode (before the credits) is a shot-for-shot spoof of the 1969 movie Easy Rider which is about two damn dirty hippies who bike from LA to New Orleans. I guess that spoils the ending of the movie for any of you who haven't seen it. Unless you haven't seen this episode. The boys die! Ahaha! I'm such a jerk.
  
  
• Furthering the Easy Rider references, Katharine has informed me that the rednecks at the diner (the ones Dr. O traps in his homeboy figure) are also right out of Easy Rider, and indeed they (as well as some of their lines) are. She passed along a website with a transcription that you can check out as well. Thanks Katharine!
  
  
• Speaking of the ending, the song played during the credits was written and performed by Nick DeMayo, who is an animation director with VB. For those of you who really dug that tune, you can head over to Venture Bros.com and download a copy of your very own. If you still can't get enough, Doug Nelson went and figured out the song on guitar and he was nice enough to send it along to me. Be sure to check out Doug's tablature right here.
  
  
• Speaking of movie parodies, the sequence in jail is a parody of Scared Straight! (it might even be more or less verbatim, but I've never seen it) which is a program where, well, guys in jail tried to scare the shit out of troubled kids in hopes of making them go straight. Straight as in, not be a bad guy any more. They can still be gay of course. We're not judging them. Except when it comes to them being troubled.
  
  
• But wait, there's more! In the jail you'll see the character/prop designers in cartoon form. Chris George, Phil Rynda, and animatic director Steffen Vala are all there! No I don't know what they look like, so I can't help you past that. Also, those of you with the keen (or not so keen) eye might notice the two kids who mugged the boys in the pilot are in the Scared Straight program as well. Damn delinquents.
  
  
• Some new villains are of course King Gorilla and Mecha-Mouth. Along for the ride are Dr. Septapus, Shame Face (the guy with the red face) and Mr. Monday. Good times.
  
  
• And since I've had several people write in about this, Dr. Septapus is actually not a reference to the Home Movies character of the same name. Jackson has addressed this on his LiveJournal, and it's just a case of people (in this case Jackson and Brendan Small) coming up with a similar idea independently.
  
  
• Getting back to movie references, the scene where Brock and HELPeR crash through the window to rescue Dr. Venture is an homage or tribute to John Woo films, where stuff moves in slow motion and there are doves for no real specific reason other than they're John Woo's trademark. Much like in that sequence.
  
  
• Keeping it going, the boys, Doc, HELPeR and Brock are dressed as characters from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. This episode first aired on Halloween, so it works quite well. If you don't know what the Rocky Horror Picture Show is, then you probably don't want to know.
  
  
• For the more observant and knowledgable of you (like Greg Frost, who reminded me that I forgot to add this), when Brock carries Dr. Venture into his room, there is a painting of a woman on the wall. That's actually a painting by Doc Hammer (or a scaled down version anyway), which you would know if you checked out his deviantART page once in a while.
  
  
• Something of a tiny technical note, Paul Boocock, who voiced the state trooper in this episode, also voiced Dr. Venture's father (Jonas Venture Sr., as of now) but did not get any credit for that. Nobody did though, so I guess it's okay.
  
  
• Another show, another weird medical thing. This time around it's vanishing twin syndrome, which happens when one or more fetuses disappears in a multi-fetus birth. In other words, one fetus actually absorbs (along with the mother) another fetus. I don't think there have been any cases of a fetus remaining inside the one that absorbed it and maturing and developing speech and all the funky stuff that happened in this episode. Chris Thompson was nice enough to drop me a line and mention that this medical situation can get extremely weird however:

  I am sorry to say I had prior knowledge of this phenomenon before seeing this episode of VB. During one session of insomnia-inspired surfing late one night I found a special on Discovery Health (or somesuch network) regarding a condition called "fetus-in-fetu", wherein a twin absorbs the other in the womb and the internal twin develops as more of a parasite. The special itself was very unsettling and showed pictures of vertebrate tumors off of which the concept of Jonas Jr. appears to have been modeled. See for yourself: http://www.thefetus.net/page.php?id=287
  
  One example on the special had a tumor taken out of a child which had developed hair, multi-fingered hands and feet and even something eerily reminiscent of a face, but it seems they never have brains.

  So that is some truly freaky stuff right there. Thanks Chris! I think.

• Dr. Orpheus purchases something called a 'Home Boy' at the diner. I'm sure that's a reference to a similar plastic figurine variety of toy sold in vending machines for a quarter called Homies. Why they used home boy instead of homie, I can't tell you, but it's safe to assume copyright issues probably.
  
  
• Speaking of Dr. O, early in the episode he says (I didn't quote this): "Good night, you princes of Venture, you kings of sleep-overs". That's actually a reference to The Cider House Rules. I didn't know that until I listened to the commentary on one of my Futurama DVDs which parodied the same line. Who says cartoons aren't educational?
  
  
• At the end of the episode Dr. Venture does not say 'Alright... get their clones'. He says clothes. This is fact, so please write it down. There might be a quiz later.