Episode Recap of “Bright Light, Dean City”

October 11, 2010
Adult Swim

In this week’s episode of the Venture Bros, we learn the details of Dean’s internship at Impossible Industries in New York City. The episode takes place at the same time Hank was at home selling Rusty’s old junk, playing detective, and getting lucky.

It starts out with Phantom Limb narrating the demise of many characters including Jonas Jr, Girl Hitler, the Monarchs, and the Guild. Before we can digest this, the scene pans out. It was Limb’s revenge wish list that Professor Impossible calls a “bit killy.” Ünterbheit tries to have his say, but the other two insist he needs to prove his loyalty and he snaps his manservant’s neck. When Dean comes in to the room, Ünterbheit and Limb hide.

Dean seems to have replaced every other employee. His apartment is “cozy and a guy died in here”. It becomes even more cramped when Rusty decides to visit and write a musical based on his life. While he promises not to get into Dean’s way, he hangs his clothes everywhere and types his masterpiece through the night.

The Revenge Society is looking for new members. They get into a discussion about “SPAWM”, (speed, power, air, wind?, weather? water? and magic) the elementals of power needed in new recruits. Impossible shows them screaming Cody in flames and hooked up to a generator. He’s helping make Impossible Industries green.

During Dean’s break, Rusty tells him he needs him for “industrial espionage” consisting of making copies of the finished musical, “Rust!”. Impossible overhears and thinks Rusty is on to the Society. Ünterbheit poses as a taxi driver and picks up Rusty. It’s obvious he’s in danger, but not paying attention. The taxi fills with gas. Ünterbheit passes out. Rusty is rescued by Brown Widow, the friendly neighbor spider superhero. The oblivious Venture is annoyed, prompting the Brown Widow to call him a fucking tourist.

While delivering coffee, Dean finally sees the Revenge gang. He pulls out a baton and hits Underbheit in the knee. They overtake him and he wakes up in the flying car. Impossible launches into a lame excuse that Limb and Ünterbheit are participating in the new “Imposa-care Second Chance” employment program and he’s definitely not evil. He gives Dean a promotion and reassures him he’s still not evil.

The next day, Dean is busy trying to get a throng of super villains to form lines while they wait. We are treated to some new background villains like Mr. Polygamy and his many wives, Brick Frog, Ladyhawk Johnson, and Fat Chance, who has a question mark on his costume that lets him pull mostly useless junk out of space and time.

Back at the apartment, Dean notices that Rusty has put a tie on the door and there’s moaning. He finds Rusty on roller skates trying to dress up his musical with a Starlight Express angle. As Dean loses his patience, the scene flashes to Underbheit finding “Rust!” in the copy machine. At Dean’s place, Rusty sings a ballad. The Brown Widow drops by and Dean tells him he wants to be a “boy reporter”. The superhero starts to console him, but is distracted by the song and starts singing. Rusty proclaims he “found his Rusty!” The duet is interrupted by Fat Chance calling and pretending to be a producer.

At Impossible Industries, the lights are off and Rusty gets cornered by the Revenge Society. Everything turns to chaos, Fat Chance trips over Limb, and falls right on top of Rusty. Meanwhile Dean is trying to type a resignation letter. When the power shuts off, he investigates and finds Cody. Dean lets him out and Cody starts fires in his wake. Fat Chance gets up, Rusty’s gone, and Limb then sticks him hand in his portal trying to get Rusty back. Cody runs by with Dean following him, trying to put out the fires. Everyone leaves the building as Rusty’s musical burns.

After the credits, we see a similar scene from last week’s episode. Hank is stinting on his bed talking about what happened to him as Dean collapses on his own bed. The portal opens in the room, super awesome Rusty appears and regular old Rusty follows. Apparently, Fat Chance’s portal brought Rusty into a parallel “asshole” dimension. That dimension’s Rusty has more hair, more money, and a Broadway musical. Our “Untalented Mr. Ripley” Rusty learns that hitting him on the head with a rock and trying to steal his life isn’t going to work.