Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated-- I highly recommend this!

[martok2112]

Folks,

If you loved the Scooby Doo cartoons as a kid, you MUST watch the most recent animated series, Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated. (currently available on Netflix).

It is two seasons of pure fun! The way they've evolved the characters, the humor, and the always riveting pop culture references, especially toward the end of season two, this is indeed required viewing. The voice acting is top notch, the animation naturally surpasses the original, and the story arc is just really good.

 

[Christopher]

Mystery Incorporated is great fun. It's Scooby-Doo for people who don't like Scooby-Doo, a deconstructive, satirical take on the premise that goes to some really, really dark and creepy places as the series progresses. But it's also a deeply affectionate tribute to the show's history and tropes, doing terrific work with the characters and making them richer and more complex than they've ever been.

I'm a little uneasy with the turn it took toward the overtly paranormal in season 2, for reasons superbly spelled out in this ComicsAlliance essay that came out before season 2. But I think the show handled it in a way that didn't completely undermine the themes discussed in that essay. (Plus the Twin Peaks homages didn't hurt.)

 

[martok2112]

I will admit there was one moment in season one that made me feel a little uneasy, but it was more of a medical situation. Somehow, I got the sense that such a scene would've worked better in live action, PG-13 movie. As shown in a cartoon...well, It didn't really sit with me too well, but it was one moment out of tons more that were just great.

SD:MInc. would be a fun cartoon for the kids, because of the animation and zany antics, but much of the humor (especially in pop culture references) is definitely for the adults.I appreciated both aspects.

They make more than one pop culture reference to R rated movies. While such references floored me and either made me cheer, or gave me such a good laugh I had to remember to breathe, they would be completely lost on kids, unless they too were permitted to watch R rated movies.....and we're talking about movies from when probably most of us were kids.

I was sad that the show only lasted two seasons, but it was good that they told their complete story in that time. Had it run longer, I think it would've lost quality. So for the brief run, I am grateful.

I'm curious to see how the next iteration of Scooby Doo turns out, if another is in the works....all I can say is, it's got some big shoes to fill after Mystery Inc. . (personal opinion only)


Btw, good find on that article, Christopher.

 

[Galileo7]

I enjoyed this series and the episode "The Shrieking Madness" that had Harlan Ellison.

 

[Christopher]

^And Jeffrey Combs as "H.P. Hatecraft."

 

[RJDiogenes]

Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated is an excellent show-- certainly the best version of Scooby Doo ever. It's not often that a re-imagining is as good as the original, but this is even better. It's clear that the creators had great respect for the source material. They were able to distill the essence of the concept and expand upon it organically. I definitely recommend it.

 

[Beagleman]

After all the praise it got here and since I have a few days off I thought I'd give it a try. I'm just through episode 6 right now and I love it (for all the reasons already mentioned here). Thanks, guys!

 

[Christopher]

^Ohh, you haven't seen anything yet...

 

[Tom Hendricks]

Mystery Inc. is pretty much the only Scooby Doo my kids know. They have seen the movies and a few of the other Scooby Doo tv shows and tv movies. However when they ask to watch Scooby Doo, it means Mystery Inc. I even have a license plate frame that says "What would Scooby Doo?"

 

[Beagleman]

^Ohh, you haven't seen anything yet...

Oh, I'm stoked! I never would've thought that one day I'd be binge watching Scooby Doo.

 

[Christopher]

Mystery Inc. is pretty much the only Scooby Doo my kids know. They have seen the movies and a few of the other Scooby Doo tv shows and tv movies. However when they ask to watch Scooby Doo, it means Mystery Inc. I even have a license plate frame that says "What would Scooby Doo?"

I don't know what age your kids are, but I think maybe Mystery Incorporated is a bit too intense for the younger ones. They'd also miss most of the in-jokes, but then, the same went for me watching Bullwinkle as a kid...