Fans of The Venture Bros had their hearts broken when the cult classic series was canceled prematurely in 2020, and while an upcoming movie will tie up any remaining loose ends, there’s still a while to go before the movie’s release. It’s fun to go back and relive the adventures of the Venture family, but at some point or another you have to find a new show to fill the void. Sadly, there really aren’t too many shows that can replicate anything The Venture Bros did so well — all but one.
DCs Harley Quinn originally premiered in 2019 and was critically acclaimed, with many highlighting the violent action, dark humor, and well-rounded portrayal of the show’s eponymous protagonist. Despite the drastic differences between the two shows, they share many uncanny similarities, so much so that fans of The Venture Bros immediately feels at home in giving Harley Quinn a shot. With an upcoming Valentine’s Day special, there’s no better time to jump into the series. These are just some of the ways Harley Quinn is perfect for Venture Bros fans.
Both shows tackle self-improvement
The Venture Bros and Harley Quinn both share the common theme of self-improvement, as the protagonists of both shows struggle to form new, positive identities separate from their past traumas.
Super scientist and former boy adventurer, Rusty Venture spends most of the series as an embittered man living in the shadow of his father’s successes. After dozens of traumatic adventures as a child, he cynically accepts his place in life as he tries to survive whatever the world tries to throw at him. However, he grows up as the series progresses, realizing that despite his past, things could be worse – he has a loving family, a relatively stable income, and the ability to succeed if he really puts his mind to it.
The titular Harley Quinn, meanwhile, is trying to find her own place in life after serving as The Joker’s assistant. As she branches out, she finds herself exploring several of her own issues: a desire to join the Legion of Doom eventually turns into a desire to do good for Gotham; a professional relationship with Poison Ivy grows into something more personal and affectionate; and all the while struggling to find what suits “her” outside of serving the Joker’s whims. Her growth throughout the series is nothing to scoff at, with some of the series’ best episodes exploring how she deals with her internal issues.
The Venture Bros and Harley Quinn are reinventing comic book properties
Arguably one of the best aspects of both shows is how they use existing properties, for example DC’s aviator man or Johnny Quest – and give them a whole new spin, taking their original features and giving them a new perspective.
Kite Man was originally a Z-tier supervillain from the Silver Age of the 1960s Batman comics. His gimmick was kite-based weapons and he flew around Gotham with a giant kite on his back. It’s not really something anyone can take seriously these days. With his ridiculously green costume and laughable gadgets, how could you? Fortunately, the flight-based villain saw a significant revamp Harley Quinn, adopting a new-found confidence that allows him to shrug off insults while dating the elusive Poison Ivy. This relationship even gives him some depth as a human being, revealing a genuine desire for validation and acceptance by those he values.
Other way around, The Venture Bros’ a look at “Action Johnny” – a legally separate version of Jonny Quest – is just as interesting. Action Johnny, a former drug addict, is forced to cope with the traumatic “adventures” he endured as a child, including developing a healthy way of dealing with his former nemesis and tormentor, Dr. Z. After everything he’s been through, the two are finally able to make peace with each other.
Both shows have a huge respect for their source material, they can make fun of it while modernizing it for today’s tastes. To do both at the same time takes a lot of talent and care, something that fans of both series have acknowledged time and time again.
Both shows are hilarious and action packed
Plus, both shows share a similar genre: action comedy. Harley Quinn and The Venture Bros have a distinct sense of humour, compounded by well-choreographed action sequences.
The Venture Bros. raised the bar for animation quality on Adult Swim, featuring multiple memorable fight scenes often interspersed with esoteric gags and great choreography. There’s something particularly entertaining about a hulking Brock Samson mowing down dozens of henchmen with a sunset Dodge Charger and painting the floor in blood like he’s a gruesome artist. Or that time Samson squeezed an accomplice’s groin so hard that he found a possible cancerous tumor. It leads to a hilarious and serious discussion between the two when the now worried accomplice leaves to get tested. A weirdly specific sense of humor will get you into trouble outside of more serious moments.
Harley Quinn enjoy poking fun at the more bizarre aspects of the DCU, giving Harley, Ivy and their various cohorts a fresh personality. King Shark and Bane are easily some of the most hilarious characters in the series, with the former jumping between sweet charisma and psychotic rage and the latter threatening to blow up every little discomfort in his life. This, of course, concludes with visually stunning action sequences, taking full advantage of the powers and abilities each hero and villain brings to their creative scenarios.
Both shows can be seen in their entirety on HBO Max. The Venture Bros movie currently has no release date, but Harley QuinnThe Valentine’s Day special is scheduled for February 2023.