Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? is probably the most popular cartoon in the history of American television. The series is over 50 years old, and continues to see various updates, reimaginings, and mass quantities of media produced for it today, with no signs of stopping anytime soon. Chances are likely that you've grown up with Scooby and the gang in some form during your childhood, or you're possibly still catching up with the franchise to this date. Thus, I'd like to ask if you have a favorite period of content from the Scooby-Doo oeuvre? Scooby Deuvre, if you will.
I've decided to leave off the 60's, as Where Are You? only started near the end of the decade, and instead, let's focus on the other five decades he's had active content. If you want a crash course of what each decade offered, I'll attempt to do so right now:
1970's- Only the last 10 episodes of Where Are You? aired in 1970, so it's your call if you want to add the entire show into the run or not. The 70's also saw The New Scooby-Doo Movies, an hour long return to the characters which featured famous guest stars in each episode; The Scooby-Doo Show, a more straight forward return to the Where Are You? format (part of it is technically considered SDWAY's third season, but that's not exactly relevant here); Scooby's All-Star Laff-a-Lympics, which featured Scooby and Shaggy competing in weekly competitons with others from the Hanna-Barbera family; and all but the last episode of Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo, which introduced his nephew Scrappy into the mystery format. The first "movie" also premiered in 1979, Scooby Goes Hollywood, although that's more of a TV special.
1980's- While the first handful of Scooby series were scattered over the air in the 70's, the 80's were a little more consistent. Scooby and Scrappy Doo was retooled from a traditional monster of the week series to a collection of shorts focusing on just Scooby, Shaggy, and Scrappy. These were noticeable for not always containing mysteries, and occasionally even featuring real monsters. The New Scooby and Scrappy-Doo Show would follow after this and slightly go back to basics, bringing back mysteries in the center and returning Daphne, who would join the gang once more for the 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo, which retooled things again to focus on a collection of ghosts unwittingly released by Scooby and Shaggy. This series was notable for featuring Vincent Price as Vincent Van Ghoul, and the controversial character Flim Flam. A couple of years after that, three made for TV were made- Scooby-Doo and the Boo Brothers, Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School, and Scooby-Doo and the Reluctant Werewolf. One last series was made by the end of the decade, the fan favorite A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, which featured the return of Fred and Velma to the series, albeit with the cast aged down to children.
1990's- A lighter decade for the Great Dane, but not insignificant. The last handful of episodes of Pup aired by 91, but besides those, Scooby's most important roles on television were a crossover with Johnny Bravo, and the Blair Witch Project parody The Scooby-Doo Project. Movies were a bigger deal here, with the made-for-TV film Scooby-Doo in Arabian Nights premiering in 94, and his first DTV feature, Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island in 98, followed by Scooby-Doo and the Witches Ghost in 99. Those last two are pretty beloved, so I can see the 90's get some votes for them alone.
2000's- Zombie Island started an important and profitable phase in Scooby's career- from Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders in 2000 to Scooby-Doo and the Samurai Sword in 2009, a total of 11 DTV features were made, with at least one every year. Other features include- Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase, the Legend of the Vampire, the Monster of Mexico, the Loch-Ness Monster, Aloha! Scooby-Doo, Scooby-Doo! in Where's My Mummy, Pirates Ahoy!, Chill Out, Scooby-Doo, and Scooby-Doo and the Goblin King. The 2000's also featured a new venture for the characters- live-action! Two feature films were released in 2002 and 2004, along with a live-action origin film airing on Cartoon Network in 2008.. But this decade also saw the return of Scooby in TV series, with What's New Scooby-Doo, a return to the classic mystery format, and Casey Kasem's last series-length voice work as Shaggy; as well as Shaggy and Scooby-Doo Get a Clue!, a unique series which completely drops the mystery format to focus on... Shaggy's rich uncle leaving him as his benefactor at his fabulous mansion? This one rarely shows up, but I'm sure has its fans.
2010's- From Scooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo to Scooby-Doo! Return to Zombie Island, there were a total of 20 DTV features released over the decade, as well as six half hour specials bundled with classic episodes on DVD. Warner released at least two each year, and please feel free to look these up to see if you have any favorites from this period. There was also a sequel to Cartoon Network's live-action Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins, entitled Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster, as well as a live-action Daphne & Velma spin-off film. Besides all of these, a Lego special made for TV and the popular Supernatural crossover, there were three series made with the characters- Scooby-Doo: Mystery Incorporated, an easy fan favorite which took the mystery format and helped make for an ongoing narrative that many still consider to be among the franchise's best; Be Cool, Scooby-Doo, a sillier series which traded continuity and character development for faster paced humor, but still kept the mystery in; and Scooby-Doo and Guess Who, a decidedly throwback series which features a different celebrity teaming up with the gang each week. A half hour version of The New Scooby-Doo Movies, basically.
Please feel free to vote for your favorite decade/era of Scooby, and to share your thoughts on each. Do you think the films released in 2020, Scoob and Happy Halloween, Scooby-Doo! will inspire a strong new decade for the gang? Let us know!
I've decided to leave off the 60's, as Where Are You? only started near the end of the decade, and instead, let's focus on the other five decades he's had active content. If you want a crash course of what each decade offered, I'll attempt to do so right now:
1970's- Only the last 10 episodes of Where Are You? aired in 1970, so it's your call if you want to add the entire show into the run or not. The 70's also saw The New Scooby-Doo Movies, an hour long return to the characters which featured famous guest stars in each episode; The Scooby-Doo Show, a more straight forward return to the Where Are You? format (part of it is technically considered SDWAY's third season, but that's not exactly relevant here); Scooby's All-Star Laff-a-Lympics, which featured Scooby and Shaggy competing in weekly competitons with others from the Hanna-Barbera family; and all but the last episode of Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo, which introduced his nephew Scrappy into the mystery format. The first "movie" also premiered in 1979, Scooby Goes Hollywood, although that's more of a TV special.
1980's- While the first handful of Scooby series were scattered over the air in the 70's, the 80's were a little more consistent. Scooby and Scrappy Doo was retooled from a traditional monster of the week series to a collection of shorts focusing on just Scooby, Shaggy, and Scrappy. These were noticeable for not always containing mysteries, and occasionally even featuring real monsters. The New Scooby and Scrappy-Doo Show would follow after this and slightly go back to basics, bringing back mysteries in the center and returning Daphne, who would join the gang once more for the 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo, which retooled things again to focus on a collection of ghosts unwittingly released by Scooby and Shaggy. This series was notable for featuring Vincent Price as Vincent Van Ghoul, and the controversial character Flim Flam. A couple of years after that, three made for TV were made- Scooby-Doo and the Boo Brothers, Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School, and Scooby-Doo and the Reluctant Werewolf. One last series was made by the end of the decade, the fan favorite A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, which featured the return of Fred and Velma to the series, albeit with the cast aged down to children.
1990's- A lighter decade for the Great Dane, but not insignificant. The last handful of episodes of Pup aired by 91, but besides those, Scooby's most important roles on television were a crossover with Johnny Bravo, and the Blair Witch Project parody The Scooby-Doo Project. Movies were a bigger deal here, with the made-for-TV film Scooby-Doo in Arabian Nights premiering in 94, and his first DTV feature, Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island in 98, followed by Scooby-Doo and the Witches Ghost in 99. Those last two are pretty beloved, so I can see the 90's get some votes for them alone.
2000's- Zombie Island started an important and profitable phase in Scooby's career- from Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders in 2000 to Scooby-Doo and the Samurai Sword in 2009, a total of 11 DTV features were made, with at least one every year. Other features include- Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase, the Legend of the Vampire, the Monster of Mexico, the Loch-Ness Monster, Aloha! Scooby-Doo, Scooby-Doo! in Where's My Mummy, Pirates Ahoy!, Chill Out, Scooby-Doo, and Scooby-Doo and the Goblin King. The 2000's also featured a new venture for the characters- live-action! Two feature films were released in 2002 and 2004, along with a live-action origin film airing on Cartoon Network in 2008.. But this decade also saw the return of Scooby in TV series, with What's New Scooby-Doo, a return to the classic mystery format, and Casey Kasem's last series-length voice work as Shaggy; as well as Shaggy and Scooby-Doo Get a Clue!, a unique series which completely drops the mystery format to focus on... Shaggy's rich uncle leaving him as his benefactor at his fabulous mansion? This one rarely shows up, but I'm sure has its fans.
2010's- From Scooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo to Scooby-Doo! Return to Zombie Island, there were a total of 20 DTV features released over the decade, as well as six half hour specials bundled with classic episodes on DVD. Warner released at least two each year, and please feel free to look these up to see if you have any favorites from this period. There was also a sequel to Cartoon Network's live-action Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins, entitled Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster, as well as a live-action Daphne & Velma spin-off film. Besides all of these, a Lego special made for TV and the popular Supernatural crossover, there were three series made with the characters- Scooby-Doo: Mystery Incorporated, an easy fan favorite which took the mystery format and helped make for an ongoing narrative that many still consider to be among the franchise's best; Be Cool, Scooby-Doo, a sillier series which traded continuity and character development for faster paced humor, but still kept the mystery in; and Scooby-Doo and Guess Who, a decidedly throwback series which features a different celebrity teaming up with the gang each week. A half hour version of The New Scooby-Doo Movies, basically.
Please feel free to vote for your favorite decade/era of Scooby, and to share your thoughts on each. Do you think the films released in 2020, Scoob and Happy Halloween, Scooby-Doo! will inspire a strong new decade for the gang? Let us know!
