Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated **SPOILERS/ZOINKS**

[USS Mariner]

I'm suprised that this doesn't have it's own thread, given it's the only thing on CN I've been this impressed/obsessed with since Batman: The Brave and the Bold came and went. (YJ just didn't get my attention at the time.) So here we...go.



SPOILERS IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW



Although I'm not a raging fan of Scooby, the characters and series are still etched into my brain (including all spin-offs and movies right up until the live-action films.) It's a part of my childhood, and it's more than good enough a franchise to deserve that place.

Mystery Inc's taken the concept and premise to a whole new level, and I'm impressed that it's actually more of a soft-sequel to the original series than it is a remake (Alice May makes it clear that while names and some details can be changed, MI is a follow-up to the original, which serves to further support the themes established through the first season), which is something I've longed to see in quite a few other IPs. Hell, even if that wasn't intentional, the writing and character development are on par with Timm's B:TAS and B:TB&TB, which are neck and neck in my heart in terms of dramatic, thoughtful writing.

Since All Fear the Freak, I've been dying to know if the next season will follow up those events without resorting to a reset (i.e. resolving MAJOR consequences with one-liners in the course of 20 minutes), and according to a translator working on the Spanish dub (who's already finished several episodes ):

Spoiler: Translator sez:

"The season two, well. The animation is better, Velma is more like a mix of the old style and the new one, she's starting to get "cutter". At the first episode Fred's like Tom Hanks in "Cast Away", and Shaggy's hair is the new joke. At the first episodes he's bald (military school), then… well you'll see. LOL

Hot dog water's on Daphne's place at the first episode, 'cause Daphne's gone. There's a Taylor Lautner look alike character joke. The sets are amazing! Even better."

That's great news...but the mention of Velma brings up one of the subplots that get's mixed reviews from fans: Shaggy/Velma, which itself is tied into Velma's change in personality in MI.

From the outset, it's clear she's more emotionally expressive and a bit more sarcastic, which a lot of people claimed BETRAYAL for.The thing is, having watched the franchise from the beginning, I actually feel the opposite. While the impression from the pilot left some with the impression that she's an entirely different person, I see someone I know all too well. Just bear with me on this.

While people argue that the initial break-up is more Shaggy's unwillingness to pick Velma or Scooby, I actually think that many episodes in first season cleverly pointed to Velma much more strongly, and that the collapse itself is actually a symptom of a much larger issue. By the end of the first season, what I saw was Velma's frustration between intellect, emotion, and self-image, which not only explains the motivations behind trying to work with Angel alone (and not telling anyone else), but takes on more weight if the series is a soft-sequel to the original, providing a greater context that would easily fuel that kind of discontent at the direction of recent events in her life. To add insult to self-injury, Daphne's last words to her blamed her for the parting of the gang. That's not something one just shakes off over a single episode, and it'd be wildly inept of the writers to treat that lightly given the attention they've given to even minor character's like the Sherrif.

This impression is actually a main reason I'm so invested: I've lived in her shoes a lot more comfortably that I'd like to admit, and that's a testament to both the writer's and Cohn's performance. Although this theme wasn't as telegraphed as obviously as the Fred/Daphne dynamic, it's definitely a compliment/counterplot to it., and while it might be entirely unintentional*, it's a storytelling gold-mine if it were to be explored in future seasons, not only as it's own plot but directly supporting Fred's own story & the main mystery plot.


I've never recalled a series I've watched other than TB&TB and B:TAS that's hit me this much, even by accident. That's a sign of quality storytelling.

Thoughts?


*The only evidence that might convince me of this being all-in-my-head is Velma's 180-degree pivot towards her feelings about Shaggy in "Attack of the Headless Horror." To be honest, I'm highly suspect of the final scene as it not only bizarrely wrecks the pacing of the episode up to that point, and contradicts the previous 20 minutes of the episode, but also throws out "The Dragon's Secret" entirely. That episode served as a vehicle to focus on Shaggy finally understanding how Velma felt when he dumped her. Not only that, but she uses the exact same phrasing he did when she dumps him, which either points to the writers caving in to fan-stupidity at the eleventh-hour or that it's a red-herring.)

 

[RJDiogenes]

I love this show. Normally, I'm against the concept of re-boots, re-imaginings and re-makes, but quality is the ultimate decider and MI is really top notch. They've taken the essence of the original, clarified it and built upon it in a way that is almost entirely consistent with the original characters and theme (and the better revivals). I always talk about artistic integrity and respecting the source material, and this cartoon is the textbook example of doing it right.

Not that it's perfect-- there's a few things that I think were overdone, like Fred's obsession with traps-- but the overall quality makes the little misfires bearable. It's definitely as good as any of the Bruce Timm shows.

I'm glad to hear that it's finally on its way back. I recommend trying this out if you haven't already.

 

[Saga]

i really dig Mystery Inc. wasn't sure i'd dig it, what with the Shaggy and Velma romance, but i even liked that aspect. thus far my favorite ep was the team up ep with Jabberjaw and Funky Phantom. that was a great ep.

 

[Christopher]

I've never been much of a Scooby-Doo fan, but this is the Scooby-Doo show for people who don't like Scooby-Doo. (That's actually a description that the creators of A Pub Named Scooby-Doo used for their show, but I never got into that one either.) It is a very smart and imaginative show, gleefully deconstructing the franchise's tropes while also being true to them and elevating them to new levels. And good lord, was the season finale ever intense! They took Fred and his backstory to a very, very dark, disturbing place, and made the Mayor into something much scarier than any masked ghoulie.

And you've got to hand it to Frank Welker. Fred was the first role of his legendary voice-acting career -- a career arguably unequalled by anyone except Mel Blanc and June Foray -- and he's still playing Fred over four decades later, the only original Scooby-Doo cast member still working for the franchise. On top of which, he's now playing Scooby himself and doing a better job following in Don Messick's footsteps than Scott Innes ever did. So it's cool that this series is giving him so much meaty acting to do, especially as Fred, the character who's been with him throughout his career.

 

[Bob Morton]

^ It was one of your well-written posts that got me to try the show originally. I really enjoyed the first season. Thanks for that.

 

[USS Mariner]

The secondary casting is something special in and of itself, with Lewis Black being very effective as a heavy, Jeffery Combs doing what he does best, Harlan Ellison being...well, himself, and it's been too long since Paul Rugg's been on TV.

Not that it's perfect-- there's a few things that I think were overdone, like Fred's obsession with traps-- but the overall quality makes the little misfires bearable. It's definitely as good as any of the Bruce Timm shows.

As long as Fred doesn't turn out to be a clone of his dad, I think any misfires are nothing to worry about.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Harlan Ellison's appearance cracked me up.

 

[USS Mariner]

For those with Comcast, "The Night the Clown Cried" is up (I think they aired it last week already or something. Nice advertising there, CN).

I'm reeling from just having watched it, and this time, not in the same way that I did after "All Fear the Freak." I'll have to cool down before I can give a coherent, complete analysis, but god damn, the writing has taken a huge step down. Fred is thankfully given some of the best lines and character moments, but that's hindered by the monumentally inept treatment/introduction of Velma, and the rest of the cast during the third act.

The conceit of "She's not here, so everyone is incapable" is so out of place and badly handled I can't help my clench my teeth to make me think of something other than smashing my head against a wall to whack the stupid out.

"You are made of stupid." That sums up this opener in a nutshell, and it's especially painful given the performances from DeLisle, Welker, and Hamill. God dammit.

 

[RJDiogenes]

^^ Thanks for the heads up. I had no idea it was on. I'm kind of shuddering at the prospect of watching it now, though....

 

[trekkiebaggio]

I thought it was alright for a set up episode. I liked the Rorschach reference and the Baylor Hotner jokes.

 

[Hound of UIster]

I thought it was interesting. It certainly elucidates on what role Daphne serves.

But then she was pretty useless for the second half of the 1st season.

 

[C.E. Evans]

I really can't count myself as a Scooby-Doo fan but Mystery Incorporated was the first Scooby series that I actually liked and looked forward to seeing each time. It wasn't that I hated the previous incarnations, but Mystery Inc. was just the first one that truly resonated with me.

I did fear at one point that the show had been cancelled on Cartoon Network awhile back (just my luck!), but then found out it was just going to be a long wait between the two seasons.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Actually, it nearly was. There was some disagreement between the producers and Cartoon Network and it took a while for them to come to terms. That's why one episode showed up on iTunes instead of CN.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

It's kind of an odd duck, the show has more complex character dynamics but at the same time is kind of silly and simplistic with the actual mysteries themselves. Sometimes the show almost seems at odds with itself in approach to its elements. Still it's cool to see them do something novel with the property.

I like some of the visuals and use of colors though sometimes the garish colors don't sit we'll with me causing a bit of a seasick effect.

 

[USS Mariner]

I thought it was interesting. It certainly elucidates on what role Daphne serves.

But then she was pretty useless for the second half of the 1st season.

I'm not at all bothered with that plot point, but that's pretty much the only part of the episode that isn't contrived garbage.

By the end of the episode, its implied/alluded that Velma needs Daphne around just to think, despite having enacted a complex plan to gather the remaining gang together on-screen, as well as this never being the case in Season 1 (Hell, if that were true, "The Siren's Song" wouldn't have happened.)

Assuming that Velma's thinking-block isn't related to Daphne, that would mean that she's either deliberately lying or unconsciously blocking out some secret or guilt, but it's clear in the episode that she's not at all regretful about being abusive to everyone in Season 1 (and visibly suffering for at least aware of it by the last episode.) But neither Cohn's performance or the animation even tease at this, so that's out of the question.

So, why is she doing any of this again? Oh, right, because the bad writing said so. Or the power of Rorshsach, the hell if I know.

As for Rorschach, I couldn't help but take that as proof that the writers were not only throwing out her characterization from S1, but they were actively ashamed of it, so they gave her that line and costume to somehow "make up" for that, which FAILS if you've actually read or seen Watchmen, in which case it would have made more sense for Velma from S1.

Rorschach wasn't trying to reunite the Crimebusters, he was trying to warn them of a plot to kill them. His deadpan, bloody personality stemmed from being emotionally and psychologically fucked in his early life, not just because he was smart, and turned out to be dead-on regarding Veidt.

This Velma has none of that kind of depth or characterization, and that's the first time I've felt a fan or audience call-out was done solely for laughs and not at all related to the story or even backstage.

EDIT: I'm also kind of pissed that they did absolutely nothing with the military school angle. Hell, why not just pull a Futurama on Shaggy and freeze him till next season.

 

[pork3]

It's kind of an odd duck, the show has more complex character dynamics but at the same time is kind of silly and simplistic with the actual mysteries themselves. Sometimes the show almost seems at odds with itself in approach to its elements. Still it's cool to see them do something novel with the property.

Based on this thread, I took a look at this show, and have to say, was pleasantly surprised. Most of my feelings mirror what Mr. Adventure outlined.

I wished at times that the mysteries involved more actual ghouls and monsters and less the typical humans masked as monsters scenarios.

-Jamman

 

[RJDiogenes]

My Comcast still doesn't have it up on On Demand. Grr.

 

[Christopher]

I wished at times that the mysteries involved more actual ghouls and monsters and less the typical humans masked as monsters scenarios.

Here's a very good essay on why that would be completely wrong:

http://www.comicsalliance.com/2011/11/25/ask-chris-81-scooby-doo-and-secular-humanism/

And that would be great, if Scooby Doo was a cartoon about kids fighting monsters. But despite appearances to the contrary, it's not.

Scooby-Doo is a cartoon about kids looking for truth.
...
The very first rule of Scooby-Doo, the single premise that sits at the heart of their adventures, is that the world is full of grown-ups who lie to kids, and that it's up to those kids to figure out what those lies are and call them on it, even if there are other adults who believe those lies with every fiber of their being. And the way that you win isn't through supernatural powers, or even through fighting. The way that you win is by doing the most dangerous thing that any person being lied to by someone in power can do: You think.

But it's not just that the crooks in Scooby-Doo are liars; nobody ever shows up to bilk someone out of their life savings by pretending to be a Nigerian prince or something. It's always phantasms and Frankensteins, and there's a very good reason for that. The bad guys in Scooby-Doo prey on superstition, because that's the one thing that an otherwise rational person doesn't really think through. It's based on belief, not evidence, which is a crucial element for the show. If, for example, someone knocks on your door and claims to be a police officer, you're going to want to see a badge because that's the tangible evidence that you've come to expect to prove their claim. If, however, you hold the belief that the old run-down theater has a phantom in the basement, then the existence of that phantom himself -- or at least a reasonably convincing costume -- is all the evidence that you need to believe that you were right all along. The bad guys are just reinforcing a belief that the other characters already have, and that they don't need any evidence before because it's based in superstition, not reason.

Which is why the existence of the supernatural just doesn't work within the framework of Scooby-Doo. It wouldn't work even if it were done in such a way that they were discovering the truth that real monsters actually existed against a disbelieving public, which is a premise that's been done really well elsewhere. There's an underlying logic to the world of Scooby-Doo that just boils down to Reason vs. Superstition, and in that battle, superstition can never win.

It goes down into the way that the characters are built, too, specifically with regards to Shaggy and Scooby. They're the first ones to run away whenever anything spooky happens, and more importantly, they're the ones that are always too scared to look for another answer. Whenever they're confronted with anything that has the whiff of the graveyard about it, they're the ones that want to hop back into the Mystery Machine and call it a night, because they are literally terrified beyond reason. In short, they're cowards.

But if the supernatural does exist, then suddenly they're not cowards anymore. They're perfectly reasonable people (well, person and dog, but you know what I mean) who have come to a rational, logical conclusion that there are things out there beyond their mortal understanding. Running away becomes a pretty fair course of action, because a world where the supernatural exists is world where the average kid has a lot to be afraid of.

Again, that can work in a story that's built for it -- Harry Potter comes to mind as a story fit to burst with the supernatural where someone has to overcome those very legitimate fears in order to save the day. But in the world of Scooby-Doo, Shaggy and Scooby's cowardice is ingrained in their characters; it's always going to be there no matter how many times they're proven wrong. And it's there because in that world, we have to see them proven wrong over and over again, because we have to see that reason, curiosity and thinking always triumph over fear. That's their entire function. It's what makes them such enjoyable characters to watch.

 

[USS Mariner]

Here's a very good essay on why that would be completely wrong:

*OMISSIONOFAWESOME*

This describes my own thoughts on the series so well that I'm convinced I've gone crazy.

Goo goo g'joob.

 

[pork3]

Here's a very good essay on why that would be completely wrong:

Interesting read, if not a bit overstated, from an obviously passionate fan, though that hardly dissuades me from my opinion. A bit of deviation from the typical "meddling kids" plots sprinkled with some supernatural forces would, I'd argue, hardly affect the show in the dire manner your op piece admonished. Whether that steps on the toes of diehard scooby fans who prefer the continuity and relative rigidity of the typical scooby framework, that's not of my concern.

-Jamman