Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?

Scooby-Doo's 50th anniversary has been a rough one. With the DTV film Curse Of The 13th Ghost getting mixed reviews (with some criticizing it for not being true to the show it was supposed to give closure) and the new DTV, Return To Zombie Island, getting the same results (with some criticizing it for repeating the same mistakes 13th Ghost made), it seems that it may not be a good anniversary for the great dane that has solved mysteries since 1969. However, Scooby-Doo And Guess Who? is the one gem of this rocky anniversary.

With this, Warner Bros. actually brought back the original designs, ditching the horrendous cartoony designs used for Be Cool, Scooby-Doo! (which only lasted for two seasons). What makes this show great is that it revisits the concept done in The New Scooby-Doo Moves: each episode, the Mystery Inc. gang is joined by a special guest to solve the mystery of the episode, which consisted of real-life celebrities from the time like Don Knotts and the Harlem Globetrotter to fictional characters like Batman & Robin and Josie & The Pussycats. However, this show uses more recent stars, like Weird Al Yankovic, Kenan Thompson, and Penn & Teller, to fictional characters like Wonder Woman, Sherlock Holmes and even Steve Urkel.

While the episodes are thirty minutes long, it feels like the Scooby-Doo cartoons back then. The fictional characters are kept in-character (especially Steve Urkel, who is still a nerd and annoying). However, some episodes can be hit-or-miss (like the Wanda Sykes episode, which some people hated because of how Magilla Gorilla was done). But it is a good show that fixes a lot of mistakes done in Be Cool and manages to capture the feel of The New Scooby-Doo movies, even with thirty-minute episodes.

After the four Mook movies (starting with Zombie Island), Mystery Incorporated, and even Be Cool, Scooby Doo! fleshed out the characters with more complex motivations and layers of their personalities, this throwback makes them 2-dimensional again, almost caricatures who make their signature exclamations ("Jinkies!" etc.) at every opportunity. It appears to be written for a younger audience than other incarnations of Scooby-Doo of the past two decades. Even the Hex Girls seemed like simpler versions of themselves. Still, it's kind of fun with an appealing look.

Revenge of the Swamp Monster, whilst containing obvious flaws, delivers a promising start to the series. With a focus on more visual humour, rather than offbeat and unusual from Be Cool Scooby (However do expect a zany punchline to be delivered here and there), and an old fashioned sense of score and narrative. Fingers crossed the rest of the season delivers on such a similar aura of nostalgic fun!

A return to form for those who want their 'classic' scooby format back. It might not be the best of the best in the series, but is something a classic scooby fan would have missed since early 2000's/90's

PROS ~~~~~ + The jokes are on-point, plenty of out louds and snickers, (no crying gut-busters though), even some innuendos, (see Mudsy from episode two at the dinner, total snagglepuss expy) + Voice actors could be way worse to legends in the field, (Frank Welker, John Dimaggio, Tom Kenny, Billy West, est.), really putting their all in to garner as close to the classic VA experience one can, definitely didn't scrimp + Utilization of minimal budget to create a visual aesthetic, (those background tones are gorgeous, with a rough hand-drawn hues to them), that brings me back to early Hanna-Barbara, but without the constant use of stock footage + Intro that will send you in a nostalgia trip, with top notch background music from musicians who did their homework + Enough to sink your teeth into for long-time fans who are on the pulse, (see episode two for a good jab at the scooby clones) + Great direction of the guest stars, where they have acted before or not. The directors and animators are using them aptly, integrating them into an episode better than half of the recent WB scooby movie plugs

CONS ~~~~~

• Audio Special effects are missing here and there for emphasis, takes the wind out of some punch lines
• Some of the aesthetics of older cartoon vibe feel can go a little far, as mention the lip syncing is off. Makes one, when noticing, if its done on purpose or due to budget. But due to the show being more of the on-point with the animations than off, makes me think of a missed point in a last draft. Minor nitpick though
• Due to the imitation of The New Scooby-Doo Movies rather than Where are You, plot can end up being solved as 'because we must' rather than being able to follow the logical progression of the characters. A weak point, due to scooby doo cartoons being predictable, the joy was being able to follow how the characters can solve the mystery in a logical format, and why I lower it versus other contemporaries in the format.

VERDICT ~~~ 8/10 A great watch for all, a definite watch for those those that miss the older scooby vibe

I will watch this because I love Scooby. But I miss be cool scooby doo. The dialogue was not normal scooby but it was refreshing