Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated (2010–2013) User Reviews

Some reviewers don't seem to get it.

[homestar17 · 9/10 · 5 November 2012]

First off, I NEVER give anything a perfect score -- there is always room for improvement. I grew up watching Scooby Doo in reruns, because I'm not old enough to have seen it firsthand, and I'm a huge fan.

This incarnation is a reboot -- something which many viewers/reviewers don't seem to understand (especially the above reviewer, ctyankee1) -- and often goes into a darker, more serious storyline. It's not the same one from the 60s or 70s & it's not trying to be. I love it because of its "neo-retro" (modern & oldschool at the same time) look. Everything is connected, from one episode to the next & I think they did a fantastic job paying homage to the original series (from canon flashbacks to past villains).

After reading some negative reviews, I can tell that most of the reviewers don't really watch the show or have only watched an episode or two -- which is sad. With the overarching story lines, you have to watch it from the beginning of the series, or you really lose so much. Give it the chance it deserves before brushing it off as garbage.

It's the best since the original ...

[powersx2 · 9/10 · 9 November 2010]

I am surprised by some of the negative reviews on here. This is the best incarnation yet of the original show. The Scooby Doo Mystery ones with the special guests were pretty horrible, the Scooby/Scrappy show was a disaster, and the most recent "What's New Scooby Doo's" were decent but a little too trendy and trying to be hip to the 2000s. Therein lies the beauty of this show. It is a new show, with new stories, new relationship drama, and new villains and mysteries. However, it keeps the old look & feel too. The show is darker now than it's been since the original series (when almost every episode happened in the creepy night time) and you feel that darkness when you watch it. It's spookier than the hackneyed villains of "What's New" and certainly far less goofy than the ones with the special guests. I cringe when I see those awful episodes with The Globetrotter and Phyllis Diller. Sure, the relationship stuff is more "adult" than the past but for those of you pointing out that the costumes are 70s again ... that's cool! So is Fred playing an 8-track on a record player ... that was funny, and meant to be! You've got to get the joke. Look, no one likes change all that much. I'm a marketing exec and I know this more than anything but change, when presented with elements that make us still feel comfortable, is great. Kudos to the writers for this fresh take on a great show that still makes me feel at home. (Oh, and I love the "Mr. E" stuff. It's a nice creepy sub-plot that now has me tivo'ing the show for myself, not just my kid!)

Potential Fulfilled

[TheMailOnSunday · 8/10 · 6 April 2014]

The villains are frightening. The characters are fleshed-out. the plot is dynamic. The art style is unique, and its universe has depth. Put simply, this is Scooby-Doo living up to its fullest potential.

I know my Scooby. I grew up with all the incarnations of the show, and while it's generally held a place in my mind as being fun, I probably would never have considered myself a true fan. I didn't doodle Scooby on my class notes.

But some genius came along and changed the rules. This show is true expansion, not a retelling of the original story. Not a remake. It's not trying to be hip, or modern. It's trying to be iconic; it's trying to be bold. They flashback to scenes straight out of the original series, and build their universe brick by brick, staying true to the core elements of Scooby (including the ridiculous slapstick), while introducing intrigue, fear, tension, development - and humor, like you've never seen in Scooby before.

I think the moment I realized that I might be watching something incredible came along when Velma was giving a tour of her family's Spook Museum, and casually resting in the background was the opening monster from the Scooby-Doo live action film. It never came up; it was just *there*.

That was a tell-tale sign of a groups of creators that loved their material - both good and bad. It takes guts to recognize the embarrassments of a franchise, and then continue onward, using elements of that embarrassment to produce something wonderful. Passion is oozing from the seams in this show.

Fantastic New Start!

[danmasucci · 10/10 · 1 August 2010]

I have been a Scooby-Doo fan for 30 years and get to still enjoy it with my sons. This new cartoon has outstanding animation that is much more moody with a spooky atmosphere than any attempt at the franchise since the early days. The stories are great and I'm glad to see Matt Lillard voicing Shaggy. Casey Casum will always be the best but his voice has changed too much. The camera angles are chosen with care and are interesting to watch. I also like that they live in the town of Crystal Cove rather than Coolsville and that the kids are kids in high school rather than adults. Scooby-Doo has serious longevity and it is my sincere hope that this new series is long lived.

For old fans and people new to the show, this is sure to delight!

One of the most mature and well-written story lines of a show I've ever seen. Better than many adult shows. #SDMISeason3

[dylanmk · 10/10 · 25 April 2022]

This show was so well done, it's was one of my favorites. Although I'm a too old for kids shows, I find myself absolutely enraptured in the universe the show created. I need more!!!

Please, please, please give this show a fair chance. It's almost a hidden gem.

[ryanrogo-21193 · 8/10 · 20 March 2020]

I will start by saying this, I am not at all a fan of previous Scooby-Doo TV shows, and one of the biggest "complaints" I have heard about this show is that it isn't like the previous shows. In my opinion that is a good thing, it dares to break free from the former chain of reboots that are all the exact same episode after episode. So if you were a die hard fan of the original Scooby show when you were a kid, then this show may not be for you. Please do not form an opinion one thing just because it isn't like something else, that is not an opinion.

Okay, now on to my actual thoughts on the show. Mystery Incorporated immediately changes up the Scooby-Doo formula by having an ongoing plot from episode to episode. You might be able to watch the first half of season 1 with no context but when watching the second half of S1 and most of S2 you will need prior knowledge to understand what is going on. This not only brings the story a serious feeling, (the show has some really dark undertones and themes) but gives opportunities to create new characters never before seen in the Scooby-Doo franchise. The original 5 are still here slightly more likable than before but mostly the same. The original 5 help show off the new characters, and the new characters are great in my opinion. Mr. E, Angel, Sheriff Stone, Hot Dog Water, Brad and Judy, Mayor Jones, Vincent Van Ghoul, Skipper, and especially Professor Pericles all feel so natural in this world. Plus constant recurring characters that will come back later because they have some sort of importance. The writing of the show show is good for the most part but it can have its kind of awkward moments with an overused joke or two. Another reason I love this show as a Scooby-Doo show is because of the plot. The plot of this show (Late S2 especially) is so complicated and twisted just to explain why Scooby can talk. I think this works really well in ways and poorly in other ways.

Now what do I not like about this show. In many cases the animation can look odd. When moving 3D models are used against the 2D characters the overall look feels very unpolished. The animation doesn't look odd at all times just once maybe every 5 or 6 episodes. My other problem would have to be sometimes it's tone is all over the place. For example when nova starts talking about her ancestors it's a little challenging to take seriously. I don't think these problems at all ruin the entirety of the show though.

In all Scooby-Doo Mystery Incorporated is, in my opinion, the best Scooby show out there. With a good story, good characters, and breaking free from 10+ shows before it that all followed the exact same formula every single episode, this show is well worth a watch.

One of the better Scooby Doo incarnations...

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 24 July 2011]

I say this as a big fan of Scooby Doo. I watched Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated not expecting much, and I was shocked at how surprisingly good it. To me while not as good as the classic Scooby Doo! Where Are You?, Mystery Incorporated is one of the better Scooby Doo incarnations, and much better than Shaggy Doo: Get a Clue!(the worst of anything to do with Scooby Doo)

If there is one thing that I wasn't crazy about, I did find at first that Velma's personality here took a while to get used to. However, I loved the animation, the colours and backgrounds are very colourful and stylistic while having a glossy sheen to them. In general Mystery Inc look similar in design to the other incarnations, except for Fred and to a lesser extent Velma, and they are convincing. Plus I found the villains funky in look.

The music is great as well, the main theme is memorable and the background music sometimes has a cinematic feel to it. The writing is funny and moody and in one episode poignant too(when Fred finds out about his father), while the stories are set up quite nicely with the darkest atmosphere of any Scooby show since the original, something refreshingly new in idea to mixing some elements of what made the original work so well and trying something different and one of the least predictable and hackneyed of any show to do with the iconic character.

The characters are great. Velma as I have said takes some getting used to, but I loved the development to Fred, I liked how they made Daphne stronger and more resourceful here and Shaggy and Scooby still make me smile and laugh. In terms of villains, most are great, but some are disappointing, especially the Creepers/Gators who were very predictable and obvious. The voice acting is fine too, the new voice actor for Shaggy does a very worthy job in particular and Frank Welker is still going strong.

Overall, I wasn't expecting to like Mystery Incorporated, but I actually love it. It made the most of a good idea and got/is getting stronger. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Scoob back

[Jlliott · 10/10 · 5 April 2019]

Mystery incorporated is the best scooby series ever, it is the frist scooby series to take it seriously if you a fan of the darker scooby flims like zombie island or witch's ghost this is the Scooby Doo show for you

New "Mystery Incorporated" starts out on a high note.

[brittonwa · 8/10 · 12 July 2010]

Finally, character development for the Scooby-Doo Gang. Despite the fact that Fred and Daphne are back in their old late 60's outfits, new life has been breathed into Scooby's supporting cast. Norville "Shaggy" Rogers and his pet Great Dane, Scooby-Doo, have always been the most developed of the five characters and display their usual hijinks and slapstick, with one exception...Shaggy has a secret involving one of the members of the gang. Freddy Jones, the son of the town's Mayor in this story line, no longer has the Mr. Perfect persona, but is a precocious and eager yet likable teen who loves the thrill of mystery solving to the point that he gets carried away. Daphne Blake's personality is very sweet and endearing. Her character is more reminiscent of the original Daphne from the sixties only this Daphne is a cheerful optimist when it comes to her friends but is easily dishearten when it comes to Fred's cluelessness of her affections. The real surprise is Velma Dinkley! Her appearance seems to be modeled after the live-action version as her features looks more feminine. Although she's still extremely short in stature, Velma has more of a slender build making her noticeably busty. And though Velma still wears the usual outfit, her turtle neck sweater plunges slightly lower, revealing her neck. She now sports a fluffier hairstyle with small hair ribbons. As for her personality, she is sarcastic, opinionated, slightly quick-tempered, and (surprisingly) flirtatious. This new change in her character is well suited for the flow of the show and rounds out the cast quite nicely. Even with all the changes, "Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated" takes you back to the original Scooby-Doo roots, with enough of it's own originality to bring it up to date. However, with more attention directed towards the lives of the characters rather than the mystery, it leaves the story of how the mystery was executed half explained. Still, the writers seem to know what their doing and if they keep to this format, this show has the potential to be almost as popular as the classic "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?".

The best Scooby Doo series ever!

[friendsforever-40431 · 31 July 2018]

Out of all 11 tv shows for Scooby so far, this one will probably always be my favorite! This show introduced me to Scooby and I loved it! It has more then just the regular unmasking a person in a mask. It has a huge plot line, character development, and the monsters are actually really scary. This show leaves you wanting more each week. It's so amazing! I love basically everything about this show. The only thing that bothered me about this show is the relationship in the beginning with shaggy and Velma. It just felt wrong in my opinion, But *SPOILER* you only have to see moments with them together for like two of the episodes and it's easy to ignore it for those two episodes. However, everything else in the show was perfect. I loved Fred's comedic obsession with traps, Velma's clever sassiness, Scooby and Shaggy being their normal hilariously hungry self, and Fred and Daphne's cute & funny relationship! It's all so amazing and the overarching mystery will leave you on the edge of your seat until the very end of the show. If you're a fan of Scooby, you have to watch this show!! You owe it to yourself.

........Wow. Just wow.

[wile_E2005 · 7/10 · 15 November 2011]

This is definitely not your usual Scooby-Doo. After a very cruel cartoon producer named Sander Schwartz came to Warner Bros. Animation and made that awful revival series known as "What's New Scooby-Doo" (and the studio followed up with the Loonatics version: "Shaggy and Scooby- Doo Get a Clue!"), I haven't trusted Warner Bros. Animation these days. So early last year when this new Scooby series and its sister show, "The Looney Tunes Show," were announced, I was skeptical, nervous they would screw it up all over again. But this review only focuses on the Scooby-Doo series (I will write another review about Looney Tunes as well.)

To start off, this is MUCH different from the past two shows. It's a lot better, too, though still not as good as the classic "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?" This show is much darker, realistic and scarier, not to mention VIOLENT. There have been quite a few instance where the villain nearly murders someone (even coming close to killing the gang!), things are often breaking or blowing up, people actually die, there's a bit of visible blood, one episode even has a very graphic train wreck sequence! I am very surprised the show was rated TV-Y7-FV; if anything, it should be at least PG (like "The Looney Tunes Show" wound up with.) For once, the villains have often become much more scarier and menacing, even if most of the time they are not even real (like always!)

Additionally, the plots are still in most cases the usual "just a guy in disguise" format, with some lampooning (or none at all!) I do get a bit annoyed by how they still must always have to parody the meddling kids thing to death ("And I would've gotten away with it too if it weren't for you meddling *insert random noun here*!") But, unlike "What's new Scooby-Doo?", this show also shows more about the characters. We get to see them with their families, at home, on a date, even at school! (Surprisingly, their high school actually ALLOWS SCOOBY-DOO INSIDE THE BUILDING!) The whole "Mr. E" thing was also a nice touch, and kept me hooked to the show (even if a mention isn't done until the end.)

Fred was initially dumbed-down here, practically to "A Pup Named Scooby-Doo" levels! (They gave him that obsession with traps, he doesn't know how to work a record player, etc.) but he's improved with the second season. Daphne is still pretty much the same, and I enjoyed seeing her with her family or romance involving Fred. Velma has changed quite a bit, though. If you thought Velma's attitude was different in "What's New Scooby-Doo," here you will get quite a surprise. She had a crush on Shaggy (which he does not seem to return,) and is sometimes felt left out of the gang, and tends to have more of a devil-may-care attitude. She reminds me somewhat of Judy Funnie from "Doug." Shaggy and Scooby are pretty much the same, though. This series usually gives everyone a moment in the spotlight (unlike "What's New," which usually focused on Fred, Daphne and Velma, and the "Get a Clue" which just starred Shaggy and Scooby.) Sometimes the episodes will vary the focus on one character, sometimes the episode may be mostly about Fred, sometimes about Velma, sometimes about Daphne and her family, and we even got some pretty decent episodes about Scooby-Doo himself! Three of the best episodes so far for me was the one involving a dream sequence where Scooby-Doo teams up with the Funky Phantom, Captain Caveman, Speed Buggy and Jabberjaw to save the humans for their respective mystery-solving teams, as well as one episode featuring a return appearance by the Hex Girls (unlike their appearance in the disastrous What's New episode "The Vampire Strikes Back," this one is more faithful to their "Witch's Ghost" appearance), as well as one where Scooby-Doo and Shaggy are invited to dinner at the home of Vincent Van Ghoul (from "The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo!")

The voices aren't too bad. Matthew Lillard's Shaggy still sounds good, and fits pretty well with this slightly younger Shaggy here; Grey DeLisle's Daphne still sounds the same since 2001, and Mindy Cohn's Velma still the same since 2002. Frank Welker's Scooby-Doo still at times sounds more like Brain from "Inspector Gadget" (I know, I compare it to Brain a lot) but I have gotten more used to it by now, and he can still voice Fred really well. In fact, in that crossover episode I mentioned, Frank Welker also reprises the role of Jabberjaw and does an excellent job with it! Being more "realistic," the use of the old Hanna-Barbera sound effects can vary wildly; some may have quite a few of them, some with a LOT (such as the crossover episode or the Dynomutt one), some with none at all. It seems to be more situational here, unlike with "What's New" and "Get a Clue's" more realism-driven scenarios.

Now to the animation. Even though they pretty much just write a script and then ship it off to Korea, the character designs aren't too bad. They have that "retro" look to them; in fact, it reminds me of the character redesigns utilized in the excellent 2001 Flintstones revival special "Flintstones on the Rocks." The gang is back in their classic 1969 outfits (big plus here!), with Velma wearing a couple of bows in her hair as well. Other characters also tend to have that 1970s H-B look to them, compared to the previous two shows which drew them in their typical WB "house" style.

Overall, a major step up for Scooby-Doo. It's still not as good as some of the made-for-video Scooby-Doo movies WB has been churning out since last year, though.

I can see why there are diverse opinions

[cthulhu-32 · 8/10 · 18 October 2010]

I happen to quite like this series (thus far) as does my family and yet I can see why some people have a problem with it. First a bit of background: both my wife and I grew up with Scooby-Doo and our kids independently decided they liked the various instances of the show as well so, for good or bad, I've seen probably 99% of the Scooby oeuvre.

Certainly it should first be noted that this series is a "reboot" and not inherently placed in temporal or any other relationship to previous series. On the other hand, it is also often parodies what has come before. This has been done to some extent in the live action movies and the direct to video animated movies but in the present case, the basic world that the characters inhabit is more of an alternate reality. In the original series the chief fantastical element was that Scooby could talk; the present series supposes a town where monsters are big business and the kids get in trouble for SOLVING mysteries, for example. Structurally the show is more about action and character arcs with the mystery element largely on the second tier. In could be argued that the mysteries in Pup Named Scooby-Doo were a bit less obvious than some in S-D:MI (but the obviousness is also part of the parody, e.g., the gator episode).

As to the characters, Fred, Daphne and Velma all are pretty different from previous incarnations, as is Scooby who evidences far more social insight and complex dialog. Shaggy has never really varied much series to series and nothing much changes here (One has to go back to his very earliest existence to find him more adept and only mildly fearful). In general, these are not realistic or even particularly functional characters; great role models, they are not. If you are looking for that, the direct to video movies will be more your cup of tea. But if you are open to a different mythology with a more oddball yet somewhat more adult approach, you might find it a cool take.

I personally like the animation style and think the direction is on par with the upper echelon of current animated action shows. There's a bit of an irony in that the original Scooby-Doo was created in response to parental pressure against violence in animated shows of the 60's (e.g., Space Ghost, Jonny Quest) while this show is probably the most dark and violent Scooby yet. I guess things have come full circle.

In summary, I'd say give it a chance for a few episodes but if it isn't to your liking and you want something more classic/less dark/more realistic, I believe they are on a schedule of at least one new direct to video movie each year. Further, it appears we can probably count on new series productions for another 40+ years so you can always wait for the next one...

On the fence

[NewEnglander56 · 6/10 · 15 August 2010]

I'm still deciding how much I like this (or not). I've watched all the episodes to date. Actually I'm currently watching an hour of it on Sunday afternoon.

Not awful by any means. Not fantastic either. I gave it a 6 of 10 for now.

I do like that we get to see more background on this gang. I almost forgot that they had parents. Duh.

So far, Episode 3: Secret of the Ghost Rig is my favorite. It's got a Stephen King sorta vibe to it. Overall, the series reminds me of Tim Burton.

I'll keep watching.

______

Well,it's now October.

Things I like about the series after an almost-full season: 1) Shaggy 2) Scooby

Thing I DON'T like about the series after an almost-full season: 1) Daphne being WAY too love-struck with practically NO good dialog. 2) Fred being an imbacile, obsessed not with traps but his own stupidity. 3) Velma being rude and crude to Shaggy and Scooby. *I* would take Scooby as best bud too. 4) No mystery about the real baddie. Easy to figure out by 'half-time'.

I've downgraded by rating from 6 to 3 because I feel generous today.

I like the plot line about the early "Mystery Inc." gang but the series needs to move that alone. I can handle Mr E. and the mystery surrounding him. It's the ONE thing this show does very well ('cept for Shaggy coughing up bits of paper in his candy).

BEST Scooby-Doo Show OF ALL TIME

[danny-phantom1 · 10/10 · 16 August 2022]

This the best Scooby-Doo show out of all the other canon series or reboots and I personally recommend watching this your going to love it.

Once again best BEST Scooby-Doo Show OF ALL TIME.

GREAT Scooby Doo story

[itsjustin-85666 · 9/10 · 12 May 2020]

I don't know how I ever missed this gem of a show. Seeing in how it was made in 2010 I'm super disappointed there won't be new episodes.

That being said, I've been a fan of scooby doo since I was a kid, and out of all the shows I've seen, this has one of the best stories ever. If your a scooby doo fan, you've got to watch it!

Best incarnation of the classic series

[conallturley · 10/10 · 26 February 2018]

Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated is my favourite Scooby series. Whilst the original SDWAY is irreplaceable, Mystery Inc. is, in my opinion, the strongest entry in the franchise so far. Here's why I think so.

As well as staying true to the main essence of the show, with monster-of-the-week episodes, humour, action, and likeable characters, MI introduced an over-arching story/mystery. Handled much more capably than in 13 Ghosts, the over-arching plot here is intriguing to follow and watch unravel as the show progresses. With the ball rolling from the very first episode and spanning the entirety of the 52 episodes, this aspect of the show is without a doubt one of its main strenghts.

The characters of Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and of course Scooby-Doo, and the journey they take as individuals, and also as friends, is another great aspect of the series. They are fleshed out much more than in early seasons, especially Fred and Daphne, and each member of the gang is given family members who we get to learn more about throughout the show. Also explored are the romantic relationships between Fred and Daphne, and Velma and Shaggy. As someone who is a lifelong Scooby fan, the "Fraphne" relationship is one of my favourite elements of the show and I was so glad for it to finally be explored in depth. Velma and Shaggy's relationship is also developed, and the impact of such on Scooby, but you'll have to watch to see how that pans out.

Moving forward, I simply love the art style of this series. It is noticeably darker than say WNSD or BCSD, and I just love it. So much care is taken to form gorgeous backdrops, and the character designs are my favourite for a series since the original SDWAY (retaining their classic outfits, but with a new twist regarding the look of the characters). The animation is near perfect, and is just a pleasure to watch.

Lastly, I'll just touch on a few other things. The opening theme is short but sweet. Very catchy and original. I actually like just an instrumental theme, it suits the tone of the show well. The monsters in the show are actually pretty scary, with episodes to match (if you don't believe me just watch "The Creeping Creatures"). Whilst there are no musical chase scenes, the action sequences are just as good. And finally, there are plenty of nods and references to the franchise's long history, e.g. the exhibits in the Crystal Cove Spooky Museum, the character of Vincent Van Ghoul, as well as THE HEX GIRLS!! (Lol), and much more.

Overall, I would highly recommend this series to anyone, Scooby fan or not. It is such a great addition to the franchise, and definitely earns the title as one of the best series in the Scooby franchise.

Amazing

[pongping-64605 · 10/10 · 26 May 2020]

You don't have to be a Scooby doo fan to enjoy this show ;)

All I could ask for

[medy2729 · 10/10 · 24 May 2020]

I grew up on Scooby-Doo shows and movies. I watched all of them many times, including this gem. This show has the most complex storyline you can get with Scooby-Doo and it really brings out the mysteries, and gave a chance for characterdevelopment. Worth every second.

This has to be the best Scooby Doo show out there!

[stefanantonie · 10/10 · 31 December 2021]

I have absolutely no words! Season 1 was ok, but then the season two left me speechless! Who in the world would've thought that a show that used to be silly can get this serious & smart, just like Ben 10: Alien Force?! I tell you; nobody! This show was an unnexpected pleasure to me, love every second of it! Oh yeah, and ignore the negative reviews, they're just lifeless haters.

Best TV recreation Scooby yet

[greg2-880-657818 · 6/10 · 28 October 2010]

This is the first made-for-TV Scooby Doo series that I've liked since the 1969-1970 shows. The voice acting of the main characters and animation is better than the other recreation attempts I've seen. The stories are good and well implemented. There are some new elements which are good if taken in small doses--the parents, Mr. E., and the intragang romance (drama). I don't like the contrived scenes with the gang's parents--the parents are all made to be "interesting" but I think they've all fallen short, except some with Velma's mother. The romance is a bit overdone, but at least isn't too hokey. I'd like to see a tiny bit of substance to the parent characters and Mr. E or I'd rather time wasn't spent on them at all. I am enjoying the series and plan to continue to watch it.

Zoinks & Jeepers, this rocked!

[Wildoates13 · 10/10 · 17 July 2010]

What a great reboot. Like "Battlestar Galactica" and "Batman Begins", Scooby Doo gets re-imagined in a way that just really freaking works. The writing is a great mix of serious, funny, scary, silly, spooky, and even with some amours shenanigans thrown in. It's also like watching "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", "Farscape", or a John Carpenter movie, basically a great blend of dark, serious adventure with some funny and touching moments. The art and production design would make Iwao Takamoto proud, and with a style like some great cinematographer shot it through a 1970's lens.

But as much as I've referenced others, there's also some great originality to the writing and art as well. Every character personality gets quality time, and there are some nice quirks thrown in (Velma's sarcasm is the best). And the overall look of the show is amazing.

I love that the largest influence out of all of the previous incarnations seems to be "Scooby Doo, Where Are You?". And there are just enough great references to previous incarnations as well. Daphne trying to get into the storage closet, Don Knotts standing in the crowd, the museum with mostly the classic monsters but also that phantom from the first live action movie in the background, the Vincent VanGhoul movie, and probably a dozen others I have to go back and watch for. It'll be cool if they keep that up (just as long as Scrappy doesn't get too much reference time).

So glad someone decided to take Scooby Doo seriously. Looking forward to more.

Good potential wasted

[akriti-sondhi · 6/10 · 8 May 2019]

As a kid, I absolutely LOVED Scooby Doo. Even as an adult, I go back to watching some of my favourite movies (Zombie Island is a favourite). I started doing a bit of research to see if there have been any spin-offs that were more for adults who grew up loving Scooby Doo (I would LOVE to see it as a Netflix show, perhaps?).

Anyway, I stumbled upon this show which looked promising and it is quite a bit of what I was hoping for. The show is not just about the 'gang' but also about the individuals - Fred, Velma, Daphne, Shaggy and Scooby. However, I find some basic flaws in their personalities. I was a bit disheartened to see how Daphne is portrayed as a Fred-worshiping, jealous person? Velma is shown as someone who is no longer motivated to solve mysteries but more motivated to change Shaggy (I can never imagine Velma asking Shaggy to choose between her and Scooby?!), Fred being completely obsessed with "traps" and also being absolutely clueless about Daphne's feelings for him.

I understand that the writers wanted to put in more effort into the characters' individual personalities but why oh why were they made this shallow?

Bad Fanfiction With Breathtaking Art Direction

[LonghairedGerman · 2/10 · 30 August 2010]

The newest "Scooby Doo" incarnation "Mystery Incorporated" is an insult to every real Scooby fan. Okay, technically it's still better than "The 13 Ghosts Of Scooby Doo" or "Shaggy & Scooby Doo Get A Clue", but these two never tried to be the definitive version of Scooby Doo. And as hard as "Mystery Incorporated" tries to be it, as hard it fails.

Let's start with the good stuff: Matthew Lillard, who recently became the official voice of Shaggy after Casey Kasem retired, does a very good job! That's no big surprise, considering how good he already was in the live action movies, but since then he got even better. Also the art direction of the show is awesome! Seriously, "Mystery Incorporated" is maybe the visually most stunning cartoon on TV right now! The background design is brilliant and how the show plays with colour and shadow is mind blowing! Too bad that that's everything good I can say about it.

As wonderful as the background art and colour pattern are, the character design is just plain awful. Fred has now such a huge, rectangular chin, that even Jay Leno would make fun of it. And Velma became way too skinny. (I guess there is no place for chubby girls in modern kids TV anymore. Hooray for anorexia!) And if the changes on the outside weren't bad enough, they also changed them from the inside too!

Fred is now a bumbling idiot. If you belong to the people who think that he was already in "What's New" too dumb, "Mystery Incorporated" could make your head explode! We are talking "A Pup Named Scooby Doo" stupidity here! He not just has a way too creepy obsession with traps of all kind, that makes him blind for everything that goes on around him, in one episode he even tries to play an 8-track tape on a turntable! Daphne made a few steps backwards in terms of emancipation and is now doing nothing else than adoring Fred, like a 10 year old girl adores a boygroup star. 99% of her dialogue in this show is about nothing else than how much she loves Fred. And he is of course too dumb to get it. And don't get me started with Velma. They took the smart and lovable girl we all know and turned her into an angry, mean-spirited, shallow sitcom nag, who is now Shaggy's girlfriend (Yay!), but is criticizing everything about him. How he talks, how he dresses, how he eats - and even how close he is with Scooby! Not to mention that she never used her brain in this show so far and even desecrated a cemetery when she got mad at Shaggy!

All this is wrapped up into some lame, cliché-filled and heavy handed teeny-drama, which is full of sitcom plots like "I heard a short, completely out of context bit of something you said and now I think you hate me". The writers call it "character development", but stripping everything that we liked away from the characters and turning them into hollow personalities, who only act like the next cheap plot device commands them to, is more a stultification of the audience.

Seriously, if you love Scooby Doo and especially the characters, don't watch "Mystery Incorporated". It will give you a headache and make you feel insulted. Too bad that the kids, who eat up every bad fanfiction and teen bopping drama on the CW will love it.

Good upgrade to a done-to-death formula.

[Animany94 · 9/10 · 10 April 2020]

Scooby-Doo is cute and all that, but after years of the same formula done over and over, we got a reboot with a darker tone, rounder personalities to the gang and more complex relationships between them and the supporting characters.

Fred especially is hilariously obsessed with traps and is super awkward when he is to express his feelings towards Daphne who is all over him and their interaction make the biggest laughs in the entire series.

And the usual villain in a mask is expanded to span all 52 episodes with clues spread all over to add up to one big mystery with many great turns and twists along the way making this easy to binge. Not everything or everyone is necessarily what it appears to be.

Along the way, we also see funny takes on the franchises own tropes and frequent inclusions of different pop culture elements in an often hilarious mockery way.

While I wasn't that keen on the character designs which at times could be uncomfortable in their pointy abstract nature, I can't say anything bad about this well done upgrade in the storytelling of the done-to-death formula of the orherwise beloved gang.