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Adult Swim on Cartoon Network is infamous for its over-the-top, risqué shows that have been hindering it viewers from adult hood since 2001. Arguably the most amazing show on this line up is currently The Venture Brothers; Four episodes into the third season and I realize I am seeing some of the most epic and hilarious writing to ever grace a cartoon, nay, television.

A quick catch up for those have never heard of The Venture Brothers. The show is a very satirical take on a grown up boy adventurer named Dr. Thaddeus “Rusty” Venture (think Johnny Quest) who lives his adult life in the shadow of his deceased super-scientist father’s success. Rusty has two illegitimate kids, Dean and Hank (the brothers that the show’s title alludes to), a massive and brutal bodyguard named Brock Samson and a tenant/necromancer, Dr. Orpheus, whom Rusty rents a laboratory converted apartment to for extra cash. On the flip side of the spectrum there is the Guild of Calamitous Intent and its league of super villains including The Monarch, Dr. Girlfriend and Phantom Limb. The Guild has a special contract that matches villains with “heroes” like Dr. Venture and company.

While the comic idea of seeing superheroes, super scientists and super villains dealing with day-to-day issues like paying bills, raising normal teenagers, and dealing with sexuality has presented itself before (think Austin Powers and Dr. Evil), series creator Jackson Publick never limits himself to this concept (which is still hilarious yet arguably could have grown old after the 5th episode of the first season). Again, three seasons in, the show has taken a life of its own with jokes and plot lines coming more organically.

So far in the third season, we’ve seen newlyweds The Monarch and the newly christened Dr. Mrs. The Monarch settle in to their new home and have other domestic quarrels, Dr. Venture teeter on the brink of super-villainy as he struggles to find his own way in life devoid of his father’s image, and the twisted and incredible history of one of the show’s most sinister arch villains. Much of the shows raunchy humor has taken a back seat in this season to stellar writing, jaw dropping plot twists and, oddly enough for a cartoon or Adult Swim show, dynamic characters the viewer sincerely feels an affinity and interest for. Many viewers I’ve talked to say the hair on the back of their necks stood up when they found out how Phantom Limb lost his limbs or when Dr. Venture adorned his would-be villain costume. Writer Publick capitalizes off of the rich material built in the previous seasons and knocks it home with back-story, more subtle humor and care for his characters. The latest episode finds itself falling into its old ways; again, the writers masterfully keeping it interesting by hanging a right when we’re sure they are going left.

With the Monarch married to Dr. Girlfriend and no longer the arch nemesis of Dr. Venture, he is at a loss. Stuck in a gated community of arch villains he feels alone and longing for his true life’s work: not just being an arch nemesis, but being the arch nemesis of Dr. Venture. Meanwhile back at the Venture compound, Sergeant Hatred comes a knockin’ as Dr. Venture and Co.’s new arch villain. He is quaint, polite and accommodating, far different from the Monarch’s obsession at Venture destruction. Dr. Venture seems bored at the idea of this polite treatment almost as if he secretly longs to be the object of obsessive destruction. Psychology seems to play a big part in the writing and development of these characters (see episode 2, season 3 where Dr. Venture is forced into a psychoanalysis and uncover his faults at super science stem from penis envy of his father). Again the series creators find an amazing way at balancing humor, plot and character development. We, the audience, long for the yin and yang that is the Venture/Monarch combat and get a moment of pleasure as Monarch slips a detonator chip on Dr. Venture’s back at a cocktail part hosted by Sergeant Hatred.

Said episode exposes a universal question in its humor: are we made for something in this life? Can we experience joy without hardship? In the end, the philosophy, psychology, character dynamism and twisted, uber hip humor of The Venture Brothers is so dead on that it is a sure fire television obsession. Watch with caution.