When a mystery needs to be solved, there’s only one dog to call: Scooby-Doo. Scooby and his Mystery Incorporated gang have been meddling in their debut in 1969. His team consisted of the leader Fred, danger-prone Daphne, intelligent Velma, and his best friend Shaggy. The quintet of companions have an unfortunate habit of stumbling upon a monster every week. And then unmasking them as greedy people trying to elevate their wealth illegally.
The Birth of Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo started in the late 1960s with Fred Silverman of CBS. He wanted a new cartoon to follow the success of The Archie Show. Silverman contacted William Hanna and Joseph Barbera to create it with a similar premise. Originally titled Mysteries Five, the show would follow a teenage rock group and their dog. They would solve mysteries involving zombies, ghosts, and other monsters between their gigs.
The executives viewed an animation sequence but found the show too scary for younger audiences. Silverman refused to give up and enlisted storymen Joe Ruby and Ken Spears to help. The pair adjusted the show to be more comedic and dropped the rock band aspect. They even named the dog character after a Frank Sinatra lyric. The executives saw a new animation reel and approved the revised show.
The Start of Scooby-Doo’s Adventures
Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! premiered on September 13, 1969, becoming the franchise’s first series. It followed the misadventures of Mystery Incorporated as they traveled in their van. The gang would stop at various locations and encounter a frightening monster. Afterward, they’d investigate the creature, finding interesting clues throughout the case. The ghoulish entity would eventually be trapped and unmasked as a costumed crook.
The first season of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! became a massive ratings success. It was not long until the show got renewed for a second season. Some minor changes were added, including more slapstick, musical chase scenes, and a laugh track. Nevertheless, the show was still popular, and its popularity kept growing. It eventually led to countless more series starring the canine and his meddling mates.
Scooby-Doo Series Throughout the Years
The show’s success led to the creation of The New Scooby-Doo Movies. This new series featured hour-long episodes where Mystery Incorporated teamed up with celebrity guest stars. After that, additional series, all following the traditional formula, were created. And with the new shows came new characters like Scrappy-Doo, Scooby-Dum, and Vincent Van Ghoul. Some new programs were reworks of the characters and premise. For example, A Pup Named Scooby-Doo reimagined the gang as junior high school students.
By the late 1990s, show reruns were featured exclusively on Cartoon Network and Boomerang. Four direct-to-video movies premiered around the same time, including Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island. The success of the reruns and films led to the first new series in years. In 2002, What’s New, Scooby-Doo? premiered, and it featured a revamped version of the gang. Its success led to future series such as the fan-favorite show Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated. This expansion soon resulted in more series and new animated and live-action movies.
The Success of Scooby-Doo
The franchise became critically acclaimed, receiving two Emmy nominations during its entire run. Its massive and still-growing fanbase consists mainly of older teenagers and nostalgic adults. Of course, kids adore the franchise since it pushes the laughs instead of frights. And older audiences often enjoy the presumed adult themes like drug use and sexuality. The franchise’s main success comes from combining the comedy, adventure, and horror genres. Another contributor is it remains the same but can adapt to modern audiences.
The franchise and its star have frequently been listed high on many character popularity polls. It was #22 on a 2002 list done by TV Guide. Scooby himself was the thirteenth greatest TV animal by Animal Planet. From 2004 to 2005, the franchise held the world record for the most animated episodes. It was even ranked 24 on IGN’s Top 100 Best Animated TV Shows. With such accomplishments, the franchise will keep getting bigger and better.
Final Thoughts
The Scooby-Doo franchise is as enjoyable as it was back in 1969. There is something for everyone, and each series is a fan-favorite to someone. The success it has garnered is well deserved and will continue to grow. One can only imagine what kind of adventures Mystery Incorporated will have next.
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