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The Venture Bros. and The Curse of the Haunted Problem Recap

Two Years Ago

Jonas Jr. leads an expedition into the desert. The workers find the remains of a crashed space station in the desert, and Jonas Jr. assures the workers that there's nothing to worry about. There's a demonic statue nearby, but Jonas Jr. says that it has to do with the supposed "cursed temple" in the area. Jonas Jr. enters the wreck and dusts off a sign--"Problem"--on a computer bank and says that he knows the perfect place for it.

The Present

Later, Hatred is showing the computer off to a touring group of Scouts. He explains that it's a monument to Jonas Sr.'s ingenuity. One Scout steps on a dead bug on the floor. When another bug comes over, the Problem computer unit extends a metal tentacle and grabs it.

Rusty is woken up by a hologram of Jonas Jr. and is unable to ignore it. A TV comes on in Dean's room, showing the demonic statue.

Brock wakes up as the temperature drops in his bedroom and the windows frost over.

The TV turns on in Rusty's room and won't turn off.

Dean unplugs the TV and looks at a phrase appearing on his chest.

Brock tries to turn up the temperature, and a ghostly hand reaches out of the control panel. When the door swings back and forth, Brock jumps through it. Helper is in the hallway, and vomits out rats.

Dean looks in the mirror and sees ghostly images.

Dusty tries to go back to bed, and the Jonas hologram comes on again. The bed drops Rusty into the chamber safety chamber. Brock and Dean find their way there as well, and wonder where Hank is.

Hank wakes up from a nightmare in Sirena's bedroom. When Rocco yells for Sirena, Hank jumps out the window into his hoverpod. He kisses Sirena goodbye and flies off, and Sirena complains to Rocco when he arrives at her door. Rocco points out that she's wearing a Victoria Secret's bra, and she complain and then goes to take a shower. The bodyguard sees Hank's pizza delivery hat on the bed.

Brock points out that they've been haunted by strange visions for the last week. Rusty doesn't believe it, points out that everything is computer controlled and has a scientific explanation. Hank arrive and figures that he's not being haunted because he's a good person. Rusty goes down to meet with his IT guy, Billy, and points out that everything was fine until Pete started updating the system. Pete has hacked into the mainframe and brings up the code. He can't tell if it's a virus and doesn't recognize the language. "Street Life" by the Crusaders plays, and Pete realizes that the song isn't in the music library. Pete warns Rusty that he's being hacked, and uses his Cyber-Snooper to find the hacker. He plugs it in and it starts loading.

Hank returns to the restaurant and discovers that the owner Vincenzo, has his hat. Vincenzo insists that Hank has to wear his hat, and fires him. He admits that Hank is a good worker but can't work there anymore, and feels his bruised eye. Vincenzo tells Hank that he's not the boss, and looks over at two of Wide Wale's men. Hank leaves the restaurant and Vincenzo runs after him and gives him a heart-shaped pizza by way of an apology. When Hank gets to his hoverpod, he discovers that someone has written "Stay away from Sirena" on it.

Hatred finds the trail of dead bugs. Hank comes in complaining about Wide Wale, and Hatred come over and asks him what's wrong. The boy explains that he's dating Wide Wale's daughter, and Hatred explains that he tried to get through to Princess Tiny-feet's father, Chief Justice, who wasn't happy when he learned Hatred and Princess were dating. Dean comes over and asks if the ghosts are there. The spirit of Dr. Orpheus appears and announces that the Order of the Triad is almost there.

Alchemist and Jefferson pull up outside and take Orpheus' physical body inside.

Hank watches Wide Wale through a sniper rifle from across the street. Sirena barges into Wide Wale's office and asks why his goons are welding bars to her windows. Wide Wale says that he's keeping her safe, and says that he's not family. Sirena doesn't want to date her family, and warns that Blue Morpho doesn't play by the rules. Brock finds Hank and asks what he's doing. Meanwhile, Dean talks to Orpheus' spirit form. Rusty comes in and is less than thrilled to see Orpheus there. Orpheus insists that Rusty is a friend in need, and Jefferson and Alchemist come in with Orpheus' body. Orpheus reenters it and explains that the Triad is staying oat a motor hotel. He warns that he has sensed an unseen presence and that the penthouse is possessed.

Pete continues checking the computer, and Billy complains that it's boring. The lights go out and images flash on the computer screen. The flash drive is ejected from the computer, and Billy goes home. Pete picks up the flash drive, and Helper knocks him out from behind.

Hank delivers a pizza to wide wale's apartment, and tells Rocco that he wants to bargain for Sirena's hand. He offers the pizza, and Rocco slams him against the wall and warns that he'll stab him with his electrical sword if he persists. Angry, Hank leaves.

The Triad perform a ritual with Rusty, Dean, and Hatred to make the spiritual presence visible. The lights flicker and spectral forms appear.

Colonel Gentleman and the others original Team Venture members are meeting for dinner when Gentleman's dog Mischa starts barking at Kano. Mischa takes Gentleman's food, and Billy comes home. Gentleman invites him to join them, and Billy describes what's happening. Gentleman drugs Rose unconscious and tells Action Man to fetch them an Uber, and asks how long Rusty has had the problem.

Spectral figures from the past appear, and Orpheus demands that the demon show itself. The figures disappear and jazz music starts playing from the Problem computer.

Rocco and the other men eat the pizza. Wide Wale is working in his office, and a shadowy figure moves outside. The crime lord grabs his gun and goes to investigate, and finds his bodyguards drugged unconscious. Hank whips the gun out of Wide Wale's hand and introduces himself as Enrico Matassa. He says that he came there to demonstrate his talents and want to work for him.

The Triad approach the computer, which sends Helper to attack them. Rusty shuts it down with his smartwatch, and Orpheus uses Jefferson's sword to start prying open the computer. Team Venture drives in and tells Orpheus to stop, but it's too late. Inside the computer is Jonas Sr.'s head, wired into the computer.

Wide Wale tells Hank that joining the family is a sacred covenant, and takes him to Blue Morpho tied to a chair. He then hands Hank his gun and says that he has to kill him.

Billy confirms that Problem and the comatose Jonas Sr. are hardwired into the building. The computer has been feeding Jonas Sr. bugs to keep him alive. Team Venture explain that "Problem" stands for Progressive Biological Life Extension Module, and Jonas sr. told them to place his head in the system if he died. The system never come on in 30 years. Jonas Sr.'s head speaks, calling to Rusty. Pete comes out and says that he traced the hack to Problem, and breaks the circuit. There's an explosion, and the building shakes. Orpheus tells everyone to run.

Written by Gadfly on Aug 6, 2018

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