As a massive fan of the original series, you can imagine my positive surprise when I found about this ambitious sequel which doubles the original's runtime and adds famous guests to the show. Sadly, not everything went according to plan. First problem is the fact that not all guest stars mesh well with the gang and concept of Scooby-Doo, while some surprisingly do. Second problem has something to do with the base idea of Scooby-Doo in general. It began it's life an reached it's success by bringing horror to kids and making it more digestible for them by introducing lovable characters and humour. Sadly, the horror aspect is considerably weakened in this series. I'm not saying original series gave me traumas or anything and predictability of the episodes lessened the sense of danger, but some of those episodes still give me the creeps as an adult because we actually feel that the characters are in danger and that those criminals dressed as monsters want to get rid of them at any cost. And when you mix those two problems, you have "The New Scooby-Doo Movies". When it works and guest stars mesh well with the gang, it's more than enjoyable piece of entertainment even despite the fact that the horror aspect is absent. When things don't work well and guest stars don't mesh well, it feels really boring and tired and the absence of horror aspect makes it so more obvious. So, at the end of the day, imagine "The New Scooby-Doo Movies" as a big pizza. Not every slice is as good as those with extra toppings, but nevertheless, if you like pizza, you will eat it anyway. So, I give the series a 7/10! Even with it's shortcomings, it's still a warm piece of nostalgia and Scooby-Doo fun and the fact that this weird combination of our favourite gang of teenage sleuths and visiting guest stars even exists is the reason in itself to watch it!
Review of The New Scooby-Doo Movies
The New Scooby-Doo Movies
(1972–1973)
A hit and a miss, but still a must-watch for the fans!
13 November 2023