Out of all the avenues a creator can use to weave an intricate, enjoyable story for people of all ages to get something out of, animation has to be the hardest. You need a team of capable artists, incredible script writers, and a well-led crew of thinkers with synergy between all parts. To pull off a successful animated film or show, there has to be a likable cast, a good story, and enough charisma within to leave viewers wanting more. If it’s a remake or a reboot, it also has to contribute enough to the original source material without tarnishing the original’s base themes.
"Scooby-Doo" as a franchise is not one without bad content. They’ve consistently released a feature film every year since the 90s, resulting in some strange films like a crossover with the rock band Kiss or a meeting with DC’s Batman. The central message of the classic, however, remained unchanged: spending time with your friends and keeping a positive attitude will help you solve any problem, no matter how daunting. Generations of kids and adults all across the world were able to connect with the members of Mystery Incorporated and unite in stopping the show’s spooky-masked villains.
When HBO Max’s "Velma’s" announcement trailer was released, many were confused and unsatisfied with the show’s look. Not only were many critical aspects of the original, such as Scooby-Doo himself, completely absent, but the show looked like every other animated show that’s released in the past twenty-odd years. In addition, the shift to crude adult humor in the same vein as "Family Guy" or "Rick and Morty" felt wrong.
Darker, more adult content, and mature themes aren’t unknown to the "Scooby-Doo" franchise; even though the original characters fall into archetypes like food-lover and jock, their relationships and inner conflicts were often explored in deep, complex ways that brought new understanding and relatability to the characters. The original is not without its pitfalls; the lack of diversity aches of outdated TV, and there are some instances of stereotyping.
"Velma" as a reboot only needed to do two things: one, it had to retain the original’s strong messages and central themes; and two, it had to accomplish that while making sure the show was more inclusive and tuned to a modern audience. Upon "Velma’s" release date in January of 2023, it was immediately apparent that neither of these things were achieved.
"Velma," if it had been released as any other modern-day animated adult comedy, would’ve fallen by the wayside and probably wouldn’t have gained such the backlash it has. Because it’s based on such a beloved IP, however, Velma somehow managed to destroy the integrity of "Scooby-Doo" and wipe away any redeemable aspects of the show.
Mindy Khaling, the creator of "Velma", advertised the show as the classic origins of Mystery Inc. told from the viewpoint of Velma Dinkley. The story follows a high-school-age Velma as she searches for her missing mother while dealing with paranormal happenings and a killer on the loose on the school grounds. The story serves as a prequel to the original, showing how the famous characters came to meet each other. This would’ve provided an interesting window into the backstory of the adored crew had the characters not been as distant from their original selves as the Earth is from Pluto.
Velma, originally a soft-spoken but confident, strong character who’s willing to stand up to anything if it means protecting the ones she cares about, is now a rude, condescending hater. Shaggy, who goes by Norville in "Velma", is a cynical, desperate loner trying to win Velma’s unwanted affection. Daphne is now a mean-girl drug dealer known as ‘the candy woman’. Fred is an angry man-child who isn’t capable of doing anything on his own, even chewing (which is shown in a very long, gross visual joke).
Speaking of the show’s comedy, the jokes in "Velma" range from flat to downright insulting. They poke fun at people who watch cartoons. There’s a strange joke about the Mystery Machine, where the crew scoffs at the idea of driving around in a van and solving mysteries. In the most recent episode, there’s a reference to sickle-cell anemia that seems to make fun of people with the condition. There’s way too much gross-out humor; the trademark aggressive swearing of modern adult comedies; jokes made about the television industry and the stereotypes within it, but then falling into the same tropes they were just making fun of; and many jokes that simply make no sense.
There are a couple redeeming aspects of the show, but even those are often sullied. The show is much more inclusive in terms of race and sexual orientation, but this is so often brought up and even joked about that it loses any positive points it’d garnered. For example, Daphne is now portrayed as East Asian-American, which is a step in the right direction for AAPI representation. Unfortunately, many stereotypes about Asian-Americans are also present in Daphne’s character, and jokes are often made about her and other characters’ racial backgrounds, actively sending the show backward as it tries to go forward.
There are instances throughout the show of genuinely clean, beautiful animation. When Velma faces off against some of the show’s supernatural villains (which unfortunately take a backseat in favor of bathroom humor), the animators flex their skills in smooth, striking colors and movements. At the same time, though, the majority of the show takes place in hallways or corridors, with characters standing in very odd positions.
Animation should feel like there are three-hundred-and-sixty degrees of the beautifully-rendered world around the characters, but "Velma" gives the odd impression of watching a stage play, where there are very flat and uninteresting locales. Animation is also an avenue that creators can use to have characters do things impossible in live-action, being very bouncy and stretchy to give some soft visual comedy and making the animated world feel distinct from the real one. "Velma", however, feels very rigid and uncomfortable. There’s never any scenes that’d be impossible or even difficult to do in live-action.
All in all, "Velma" leaves the viewer with a strange taste in their mouth. It’s not sure exactly who this show was made for. It’s not funny, so it wasn’t made for enjoyers of classic comedies. It’s not for fans of classic "Scooby-Doo," as it makes a point to make fun of the original and those who enjoy it. Many all across the world have united in one single decision: "Velma" is not a very good show.
Despite all this backlash, "Velma" has just been renewed for a second season. So many people have tuned in just to see how bad it is, which is dangerous for cinema as a whole. Hate-watching shows corporations that the quality of a show doesn’t really matter; it’s the outrageousness and potential terribleness of a product that’ll rake in the views.
The best piece of advice I can give you is to completely ignore "Velma." Not only is it a terrible show, but if its success continues, its season count could run into the hundreds.
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