Scooby Doo turns 40
Dr. Robinson, LC Communications Professor
Issue date: 9/10/09 Section: Opinion
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I've been trying to think of a way to mark the anniversary. Scooby-Doo was one of my favorite shows growing up. This summer, my daughter and I had a blast watching some classic episodes while arguing about which one of us was the bigger Scooby fan. For the record, she is. My kid remembers who every bad guy really is in every episode. I may be dedicated enough to watch Scooby-Doo Movies with weird guest stars like Mama Cass or Sonny and Cher, but I know I can't beat her fandom.
It's easy to make fun of the show. Yes, our adult eyes now realize that Shaggy and Scooby do seem to have a lot of paranoia and constant cases of "the munchies." Yes, once every now and then when Shaggy, Velma and Scooby split off to search for clues, we never do see what Fred and Daphne are up to. And yes, Scrappy-Doo is the cartoon standard of evil, whose foul creation nearly destroyed this beloved series. But shows like Harvey Birdman ("Shaggy Busted") and Venture Brothers ("Viva los Muertos!") already do that so well.
I'd like to mark the anniversary by giving a big shout out to a crucial element of the show whose contributions often go unsung-the monsters. I'm not talking about more recent movies and specials, where supernatural elements are actually brought into the Scooby mythos. I will not praise true zombies and witches for being their magical selves. No, I'm toasting those ordinary men and women who take the extra time and effort to put a little creative zeal into their criminal enterprises.
These people live in a kind of shadowy minor league of villainy. Clearly not homicidal or psychopathic enough to cut it as a major supervillain in places like Gotham City, these men and women are too creative to just pull off a bank heist or run a con job. We never know much about them beyond their surface motives of frightening young people away from ancient treasure sites that need looting. Still, through their theatrical efforts, we do know that these people are dedicated.
After all, running around all day in a caveman outfit, space alien ghost costume, or glowing deep sea diving suit can't be easy. Building a giant tiki robot to scare people off sure isn't the simplest way to protect an oyster poaching scheme. And once every now and then, some of them even go the extra distance and wear a second mask under the monster mask in order to trick the Scooby Gang and frame up the mayor or something. Two masks? Shine on you wacky criminals.
Really, what could be more American than the "can-do" spirit of these monsters? They are truly the artists of villainy. Here's to you, Scooby-Doo monsters. You would've gotten away with it too, if it hadn't been for those meddling kids… and their dog.