Scooby-Doo, ¿dónde estás?

While Disney and Warner Bros. are the kings of made-for-film cartoons, Hanna-Barbera are the kings of made-for-TV cartoons. The creators of The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Yogi Bear, and Hong Kong Phooey; they've all been successful, but the crown jewel of their creations is Scooby Doo.

Unlike most cartoons, Scooby Doo was a smart and ingenious creation that required thinking and deep thought. The adventures of four teen sleuths and their Great Dane have been a regular viewing pleasure for years. Heck, I still watch it today. The best episodes were the first ones from 1969-72. I think they got progressively better over time because in the early ones, they didn't have enough suspects; usually, they'd only meet up with the guy who was the criminal. Later, they'd have 4 or 5 guys who could be the one unmasked at the end.

As for Scrappy, the only episodes worth seeing with him were when he's with the full cast, solving mysteries. I liked him here, because the act with Scooby and Shaggy always being frightened of every situation got tiresome; at least Scrappy would go right in, and Shaggy and Scooby had no choice but to follow him in, or Scrappy would egg them on. Only when they didn't have the full cast and were only in comic situations (i.e. all the other shows) would the show be awful.

"Scooby-Doo, Where are you!" is probably my favorite "Scooby-Doo" show. Each episode featured Scooby, and the gang riding along in their van called "The Mystery Machine", and stumble into a mystery. Along the way, the gang would discover clues, Shaggy and Scooby would be eating a lot, and get scared constantly, the ghost/demon/monster/zombie whatnot would be unmasked unveiling someone that the gang encountered earlier, and that would be that for the half-an-hour of programming bliss.

I have to agree with the majority, this has to be Hanna-Barbera's CROWNING achievement, and I hope it's on for years to come (just a little less with Cartoon Network airing it too much). This gets a perfect 10!!

SCOOBY DOOBY DOO!!!!!!!!!

I have many fond memories of Scooby-Doo. It is without a doubt one of the finest series ever made despite the fact that the stories were very similar.

Each episode would consist of the gang in their Mystery Machine stumbling across a haunted house or haunted something. They would look for clues, Scooby and Shaggy would eat a lot, Scooby and Shaggy would get scared, the ghost/demon/monster/zombie would be caught and unmasked and the gang would live happily ever after.

It's one of those great cartoon set in a totally different world. Where, for instance, did the gang live? Did anyone ever see their house? What were their jobs? Where did they get the money from to fill the van up with petrol? Did their parents know what they were doing?

All the episodes were great and it was also great to see Scooby's nephew Scrappy Doo as well. This was a great series and I cannot recommend it enough. It was brilliant.

Scooby-Dooby Doo!

This is definitely one of the classic series in animation. You had four kids (the hunk, the beauty, the nerdy chick and the supposed stoner) joined by a huge cowardly dog who go around solving mysteries all over the country in a green, flower covered van. This show was so funny that it still watchable today. Forget the latter versions with all the stupid members of Scooby's family (Scooby Dum and of course that insufferable brat Scrappy). This will always be a classic.

Also, check out some of the earliest episodes. In those you will see that Shaggy wasn't the coward he became later on. He was actually quite brave in the first four or five episodes.

I will not pretend that Scooby Doo, Where are You! is high art, or the greatest animated series ever; however, there is a reason this is a classic and so fondly remembered. This hits so many strong points, from the eerie music, the oppressive yet whimsical tone, and the creepy and sometimes scary villains. Perhaps the most daring has to be the choice of such a dark color scheme(especially for 1969.) All this contributes to the wonderful mood that permeates Scooby Doo. It is a shame that many future Scooby Doo series could not equal the magic that was there in 1969, because they got so much right. The first season is by far the best, but do not knock the second, both are great.

The Gang(Shaggy, Velma, Daphne, Fred, and of course Scooby Doo) travel around in their van(The Mystery Machine) and investigate seemingly supernatural events. This allows each episode to have it's own spooky locale with a wacky spin on the horror genre. Primarily Shaggy and Scooby Doo are the main focus of the show, acting as comic relief to the goings on. Lastly by encouraging critical thinking, having rational explanations, and showing them confronting their fears teaches good lessons to children, who are the target audience. Not that adults can't absolutely love this show, as the superb mix of comedy, mystery, horror, and atmosphere all make this a great cartoon for all ages!

If you liked this show and wanted more Scooby shows, I recommend, The New Scooby-Doo Movies, The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo, What's New, Scooby-Doo?, and Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated. They are all a little different, but are about as good if not better.