If a cartoon animation series runs from 1969 to the present, then you know it’s doing something right. That’s Scooby Doo for you, the culmination of the talking Hanna-Barbera dog as started by Astro of the Jetsons.
Scooby Doo found its way in the lap of Hanna – Barbera Productions through its writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears, CBS executive Fred Silverman, and character designer Iwao Takamoto with the show Scooby Doo, Where Are You? What set apart Scooby Doo from all the rest of the cartoon animation series of its time was its horror-mystery format together with four young adults called Mystery Inc.
Mystery Inc. is composed of Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and Scooby’s nephew Scrappy Doo. Together they drive around the country by way of their Mystery Van, in search of their next great problem/adventure to solve. Scooby Doo has gotten various show incarnations throughout the years. The original series ran from 1969 to 1976 where it moved from CBS to ABC from 1976 to 1986. In 1988, the series was jumpstarted to cater primarily for kids with A Pup Named Scooby Doo. This lasted until 1991.
New production for the Scooby Doo franchise pushed through in 2002 with What’s New, Scooby Doo? By 2006, Cartoon Network produced Shaggy and Scooby Doo Get a Clue! And most recently, Scooby Doo – Mystery Inc. gets to premiere this 2009.
With this success of Scooby Doo throughout the years, it wasn’t able to receive artistic recognition during its first season. Over four decades it was only able to receive a 1989 Emmy nomination for A Pup Named Scooby Doo and a 2003 Daytime Emmy for What’s New, Scooby Doo? Among critics, the Scooby Doo franchise was heavily blasted because of its low production values – a running criticism of Hanna-Barbera’s cost-cutting animation techniques. Moreover, the New York Times once commented that its mysteries are not mysterious while its humor is not humorous at all.
Well tell that to children and nostalgic adults which have become the fan base of the Scooby Doo franchise. As co-creator Fred Silverman planned, the monsters of the show were more slanted towards humor. David Kleeman of the American Center for Children and Media commented that Scooby Doo “creates just enough fun to make it fun without getting them worried or giving children nightmares.” From 2004 to 2005, the Scooby Doo franchise held the Guinness record for most episodes produced by an animation series.
Stability, wise men say, is a key to success – and that’s just what the Scooby Doo franchise has been doing through all the years. Here’s the formula of the Scooby Doo shows which almost never changes:
ype of evil ghost or monster, which they learn has been terrorizing the local populace and is the local ‘ghost story’.
2: The teens offer to help solve the mystery behind the creature, but while looking for clues and suspects, the gang splits up in two groups. In first group are Fred, Velma (sometimes she isn’t in this group) and Daphne. The second group are Scooby and Shaggy (sometimes Velma accompanies them).
3: Scooby and Shaggy find food and eat, but they run into the monster, who always gives chase. Scooby and Shaggy try to lose the monster.
4: Meanwhile, Fred, Velma and Daphne investigate some places by themselves and find the clues, but they also run into monster. Daphne very often ends up being captured by the monster. Sometimes Daphne is rescued by Scooby and Shaggy, but usually is rescued by Fred and Velma. Velma often ends up dropping her glasses and unable to see anything. Velma then reunites with her glasses.
5: Scooby and Shaggy lose the monster and then reunite with Fred, Velma and Daphne.
6: However, after analyzing the clues they have found, the gang determines that this monster is simply a mere mortal in disguise. They capture the monster, often with the use of a Rube Goldberg-type contraption built by Fred, and bring him to the police.
7: Upon learning the villain’s true identity, either the only person they had met or someone they hadn’t seen before, the fiendish plot is fully explained, and the apprehended criminal would utter the famous catchphrase, or a variation thereof: “And I would have gotten away with it, if it wasn’t for you meddling kids!”
8: The gang finally relax and have fun. Shaggy tries to eat something, but Scooby defeats him and eats.
Now, here is the intro sequence of the original series Scooby Doo, Where Are You? Enjoy!
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