The Scooby-Doo! Show: A Creepy Tangle in the Bermuda Triangle (1978)

 

A fun and atmospheric episode. 

In this episode the gang decides to go sailing. However a storm, leaves them stranded on a "deserted" island. Here they discover what appears to be a UFO and there are some skeleton men roaming the island. Could this be connected to the planes that have disappearing around the Bermuda Triangle recently? Looks like the gang has another mystery on their hands. 

There is a lot to enjoy about this episode. The deserted island is a perfect setting for a Scooby-Doo! mystery. There is something inherently creepy about being stuck on a supposedly deserted island that might be haunted. Like all Scooby-Doo mysteries of this time period, this is helped by wonderful background art and use of lighting. This episode also has a great amount of suspense due to the fact that the gang is not just being chased and scared here but are in real danger. There is even a moment where Fred, Velma and Daphne are trapped and about to drown. The slapstick with Scooby and Shaggy is even better than usual here. The chase scene is quite funny and the early slapstick with Scooby fishing is excellent. 

There are a couple problems with this episode though. One is that the design of the skeleton men looks like people in painted wet suits. While you can argue that that is exactly what it is (I don't think saying the monsters are fake is a spoiler for a Scooby-Doo! episode), there is no reason that that should be what they look like. This is a cartoon, and it could easily have used cartoon license to make the monsters look real, like the majority of other episodes do. Having them look fake takes away from the creepy atmosphere a little bit. The mystery is also very easy to solve as there really aren't that many suspects. 


Live action versions of the skeleton men appear in the theatrically released movie, Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004). The Bermuda Triangle would also play a major role in the direct to video movie, Scooby-Doo! Pirates Ahoy! (2006). 

This may not be one of my favorite episodes but it is still a lot of fun. 

The Scooby-Doo! Show: Watch Out! The Willawaw! (1978)

 

A very atmospheric and fun episode.

In this episode, the Mystery Inc. Gang visit a Native American reservation to see Velma's Uncle Dave, who seems to have gone missing (Velma's relatives have a tendency to do that). While searching for what happened to him, Scooby finds a monstrously giant owl. At first the gang doesn't believe him but then they see him too. Before you can say "Jinkies" the gang has another mystery on their hands. 

Like many of the Scooby episodes from the 1970's, this episode benefits from a wonderful sense of atmosphere. From the woods that the reservation is in the middle of to a creepy cave to a ship out in the middle of the sea, this mystery is full of spooky locations. Each of the locations features wonderful background art, that is incredibly detailed and simply wonderful to look at. This background art also gives the episode a real sense of spookiness. The humor in this episode is also quite good and much of the slapstick with Shaggy and Scooby is simply delightful. The mystery element is also excellent as there are multiple suspects (one named Red Herron (yes, this episode predates A Pup Named Scooby-Doo!)), all of whom would make perfect sense. 

The only real problem with this episode is the giant owls themselves. Giant owls make for quite bland Scooby villains. Here they never feel really creepy, threatening or memorable. 

Once you get past the monsters being kind of boring, this episode is a lot of fun with a good sense of atmosphere, humor and mystery. 

The New Super Friends: World Beneath the Ice (1978)

 

A fun episode. 

In this episode a civilization living beneath the North Pole unleashes an ice age upon the surface world. The Super Friends try to stop this from happening but they freeze all of them. Aquaman escapes and he must rescue the rest of the Super Friends. 

There is a lot to enjoy about this episode. It is great to see Aquaman take the spotlight, since he is often kept in the background. Though many have written off Aquaman as kind of a joke superhero (luckily the recent live action DC movies (including the upcoming Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023)), seem to be making people realize what a cool character he actually is. Here he proves why he is not just a joke. He gets some wonderful time to shine here, including some really fun action sequences. Yet though Aquaman is the main character of this episode, the rest of the Super Friends all get their time to shine as well. This is especially true in the episode's really fun action scenes. This episode also benefits from great artwork that gives a good sense of atmosphere that adds to the fun. The main villain also has a great design and a wonderful villain voice. 

I do think this episode could have benefited from a longer runtime, as certain things went by too quickly. As we don't see much of the main superheroes' personal lives in this series, it was delightful to see Aquaman in Atlantis and see some of his friends there. Unfortunately, this only lasted for a tiny bit of the runtime. They could have cut out some of Gleek the Space Monkey's terrible excuses for comic relief and given us more time in Atlantis at least. Still, these are not major complaints, and it is a good thing when a cartoon leaves you wanting more.

This is a really fun episode and a delight to fans of the series. 

The New Super Friends: The Anti-Matter Monster (1978)

 

A delightfully fun episode. 

This episode has a very simple but effective storyline. Some scientists in Gotham are experimenting with anti-matter, when a mysterious mask-wearing figure takes over the controls and unleashes an anti-matter monster upon the world. It is open to the Super Friends to stop this monster.

There is a lot to enjoy here. The episode may have a very simplistic and basic storyline, but that is part of the charm. There is something just simply satisfying about seeing superheroes fighting a giant monster and this episode provides us all the fun we could want from such a premise. It doesn't hurt that the monster has a wonderful design and the action scenes are quite well done. The climatic action scene is also a lot of fun. Not only is this monster a lot of fun, but the masked villain behind all this is also a lot of fun. The dialogue in this episode is also the wonderful type of corny superhero fun that I love so much. The dialogue between Batman and Robin reminds of the 1966 Batman TV show and movie in the best way possible and Superman and Wonder Woman, also get some of this fun dialogue. I especially love Superman as Clark Kent stating, "every nosy reporter should have x-ray vision." This episode also benefits from great detailed background work that really brings a sense of atomsphere. It is also delightful to see Superman and Wonder Woman out of their superhero identities, as that is something that isn't common enough in this show. 

As someone who can't stand Gleek the space monkey, I could have done without his "comedic" interaction with a robot though. 

If you like me, love the corny side of superheroes, this episode is a pure delight. 

The New Super Friends: Terror from the Phantom Zone (1978)

 

One of my favorite episodes. 

In this episode, three Kryptonian criminals escape from the Phantom Zone, due to the radiations of a comet. The three were originally captured by Superman and are looking for revenge on their old foe. Unfortunately the criminals have found red kryptonite and use it against Superman, making him age rapidly. Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Batman, Robin and the Wonder Twins must save the day and their good friend. 

This is a really fun episode with a lot to recommend it. With three villains that are as strong as Superman and the Man of Steel being helpless creates a real feeling of suspense. The scenes with Superman looking onward, powerless to help, have a certain emotional poignancy that makes this a unique entry in the Super Friends franchise. The fact that their goal is not destruction or taking over the world, but simply to make the most powerful of the Super Friends feel completely powerless in a way he never has before, make them some of the most engaging villains in this series. Seeing how easily they can defeat the other Super Friends, also makes this a much more unique and suspenseful episode. 

This episode also benefits from wonderful artwork. I love how the Phantom Zone is pure black and that all the characters are presented as simple outlines (the robotic sound of their voices also adds a lot to the atmosphere). I also love how this episode allows us to visit various locations allowing for more of the wonderful background art and settings that help make this series so delightful. 

This is a wonderful episode and a must see for all Super Friends fans. 

The New Super Friends: The Beasts Are Coming (1978)

 

A really fun episode.

In this episode a satellite crashes in Death Valley. There it exudes radioactive energy that causes all the nearby animals to become giant monsters. The Super Friends go to try to find a way to turn this back to normal, but the radiation may have a major effect on the superheroes as well. This shows it ugly head when the radiation turns Wonder Woman and the Wonder Twins into giant monsters too. 

This is exactly the corny superhero fun that I adore. The premise is over the top and irresistibly fun. There is something so simple but so fun about superheroes fighting giant animals and this episode delivers all the fun you could want from such a premise. The action scenes are very fun and the designs of the giant animals are simply wonderful. The climax is especially fun and provides all the wonderful corny action-packed fun one could ever want. This also works heavily because of the pure fun of seeing the rest of our heroes having to face off against a giant monstrous Wonder Woman. Adding to this is the wonderful monster designs for her and the twins. You could never ask for a better design for a giant monstrous Wonder Woman then you have here. This episode also works due to delightful characterizations of the Super Friends and great background work. Death Valley ends up being a great setting for this superhero story. Once again there is a lot of detail and effort that went into these backgrounds. This gives the episode a delightfully unique feel to it. I also love the dialogue between Batman and Robin in this episode. It reminds me of the 1966 Batman show and movie in all the best ways.

This is exactly the kind of corny fun that makes this show so enjoyable. 

The New Super Friends: Sinbad and the Space Pirates (1978)

 

A fun little superhero adventure.

In this episode an evil pirate captain, named Sinbad of course, and his crew are traveling in their flying space pirate ships and robbing various cities around the world. The Super Friends come to stop them. 

I have always liked stories where superheroes are placed up against criminals without superpowers and yet those characters can come off as legitimate threats to our heroes. This episode does a very good job at providing such a story. These space pirates are not in any way typical super villains, yet the technology they have makes them completely believable as threats to our heroes. This even allows us to have some really fun action sequences. The scenes with these pirates up against Batman and Robin and with Aquaman especially stand out. The whole episode moves at a fast speed and never once loses the viewer's interest. Besides just being a non-superpowered threat, Sinbad is a great villain in quite a few ways. He has a wonderful design and a perfect voice. He is also very smart and the ways he uses his technology to stop the super friends are delightfully clever. This episode also includes some wonderful design work, both of the various cities around the world and of the space pirate ships. I also love that this episode allows us to see Superman briefly as Clark Kent. It is rare in Super Friends to see any of the superheroes in their secret identities and even if this is only for a brief moment, it is a nice little moment. However, the best thing about this episode is that Gleek the monkey is barely in it. 

This is simply put a really fun episode. 

The New Super Friends: Battle at the Earth's Core (1978)

 

One of my favorite of The New Superfriends episodes. 

When the Wonder Twins are on a nice boat ride, something pulls them down into the Earth's core. Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Robin and Aquaman all travel there to save our heroes. 

This episode shows perfectly why, I really enjoy this show. Despite the corny dialogue this episode is just what I want in a superhero adventure. It is highly imaginative and a lot of fun. The design of the prehistoric world at the Earth's core is incredibly fun and atmospheric. Obviously a lot of work went into the artwork in this episode and shows. This is simply a beautiful looking episode. The artwork also gives a feeling of something truly other worldly and yet it is all based off of familiar parts of nature we have all seen, just used in very creative ways. The creatures our heroes meet down there are wonderfully designed and creative. This episode also moves at a very fast speed and the story is never boring for a second. At the same time, it doesn't feel rushed in any way. The story may be familar but it is a lot of fun with some delightful action. The episode also makes good use of all of the Super Friends and not one of them doesn't contribute someway to saving the day.

 It is also wonderful that there is not much of Gleek here. I have never found that space monkey either funny or charming, and he is easily my least favorite part of this show. Luckily in this episode you hardly notice that he is there and that is a wonderful thing if you ask me. 

This is an episode that shows perfectly everything that makes me a fan of this show. 

The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo!: The Ghouliest Show on Earth (1985)

 

A wonderfully creepy episode. 

In this episode the gang heads to Dooville to visit Scooby's parents. When they get there no one is there to meet them. Instead they are all at a traveling circus where everything is free. The gang is having the time of their lives there, but Scooby and Shaggy discover there is something much more sinister going on and Flim Flam may be in extreme danger. 

There is something about a circus setting that always brings out the creepiest side to the Scooby franchise and this episode is no exception. While most Scooby adventures have villains that look and outwardly act creepy, this episode does the exact opposite. The main villain looks like a normal person and pretends to be a good guy. This is honestly quite a bit creepier, because it gives one the feeling that no one can be trusted and makes us realize that if this as real, we could easily fall into the same trap. There is something creepy about something sinister hiding underneath something that seems so pleasant and innocent as a free circus. This episode understands that and does a wonderful job of building up the suspense and creating an uncomfortable feeling in its audience. Even with the darker edge, this episode still has some really good humor, I especially love the bizarre reoccurring joke involving the man married to a cow. Even for this series that is an incredibly surreal and off-beat joke, and that just makes it all the funnier.  

The only complaint, I have aout this episode is that when the true nature of the circus is reveled the designs aren't as creepy as they should be. However this is a small complaint for such a good episode. 

 

The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo!: Coast-to-Ghost (1985)

 

A delightfully spooky episode. 

In thi episode, the gang faces off against Rankor, one of the 13 Ghosts. Rankor tricks Vincent Van Ghoul to look into the eye of a jewel that begins turning him to tone. Our heroes team up with Weerd and Bogel (who are using the gang to get to the chest of demons) to save the day. 

This is a truly delightful episode. Rankor is a great villain he is incredibly powerful and a huge threat to our heroes. He also a wonderfully creepy design. Yet at the same time there is a fun childish side to his personality (as is evidenced by his less than creepy voice). His goal is simply to impress an elite group of spooks, so he can be a member of this gang. This gives us a wonderful combination of the creepy and the silly, which is just what I love about Scooby-Doo! Adding to the fun is the delightfully creepy designs of the group of ghosts our main villain wants to join. These characters are pretty darn creepy but never too much so to take away from the silliness of much of this episode. Speaking of silliness, Weerd and Bogel are shown to great advantage in this episode and get some truly great gags. This episode also has a great atomspheric feel to it that is simply a lot of fun. 

If I were to make any complaints about this episode, it would be about the cops that are here for comedy relief but are never that funny. 

All in all this episode is a lot of fun.   

The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo!: Scooby in Kwackyland

 

An episode that seems tailor fitted to me.

In this episode Demondo, one of the 13 Ghosts traps our heroes in the newspaper comics page. 

For pretty much my whole life I have loved newspaper comics and to have an episode of Scooby-Doo! that is a tribute to this wonderful artform is something that really appeals to me. I love that the comic strips that the characters visit are loosely based off real comic strips. They have their basis in these real comic strips but are not simply parodies or copies of the famous comic strips. Instead they are their own thing. Also to see these characters interact in a completely different type of environment (and one that is so dear to me) is something that was a lot of fun. The artwork here really takes advantage of this unique environment for Scooby and it is just as delightful to look at as your typical Scooby artwork. There is also quite a bit of good humor in this episode and the scene with Weerd and Bogel impersonating Shaggy and Daphne was simply delightful.

If I had one complaint it would be that Demondo's design is not all that creepy or memorable. 

This is a really fun episode. 

The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo!: It's A Wonderful Scoob (1985)

 

One of my favorite Scooby-Doo! episodes ever. 

In this episode, the gang faces off against Time Slime, one of the 13 Ghosts who has gotten the power to control time. Time Slime gets ahold of Scooby-Doo personally and scares him further than even he has been scared before. This causes Scooby to actually quit the gang. Without Scooby's help the gang hires a new dog to take his place. Unfortunately this dog proves to be completely useless to the gang and quite boring for the viewers at home. Kids everywhere not only stop watching the show, but they won't eat, go to school or anything until Scooby comes back on his show. This gets so dire, even President Ronald Reagan gets involved. However this isn't the worst of it. Without the help of Scooby, the gang loses and Time Slime takes over the world. Vincent Van Ghoul then takes Scooby to the future where he can see what happens to the world with Time Slime in charge. 

This is a perfect episode and I love everything about it. While there is a lot of humor, seeing what happens to the gang without Scooby has some very dark undertones that help make this one of the best written stories of the series. In fact this whole episode does an amazing job of balancing the humor, the creepiness and the story. It is also great to see how much more Scooby means to the gang than being a comedy relief cowardly dog. Time Slime is a wonderful villain and definitely one of the greatest threats the gang has been up against thus far. Yet the humor here is some of the best Scooby humor ever. The fourth wall breaking humor here is fantastic and cracks me up every time, especially the scene with Ronald Reagan. 

I can not praise this episode enough. 

 

The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo!: When You Witch Upon a Star (1985)

 

A delightful Scooby episode.

In this episode Marcella, one of the 13 Ghosts gives three inept witches a powerful book of spells, so thet can release her from the Zone of Eternal Evil, where she has been trapped. The gang goes to get the book of spells away from the three witches, while Vincent Van Ghoul, goes to the Zone of Eternal Evil to stop Marcella in person. 

This is a very fun episode. The humor works especially well here. The three witches are based on The Three Stooges. While as a huge Three Stooges fan, I know nothing can top the actual Stooges, these are really fun takes on the classic funny men of the movies. After seeing the gang take on some of the most powerful ghosts in the world, it is a nice change of pace to see them face off against three silly and fun characters as these. Yet we still get the spookiness and major threat with Marcella, who is delightfully creepy and whose magic is even a major threat to the great Vincent Van Ghoul. The story itself moves at a fast pace and is never dull for a moment. Yet despite this fast pace, it also never feels rushed. All the members of the gang get time to shine here and none of them are ever pushed to the background. This episode also benefits from the wonderful background art that so many of us Scooby fans love. 

I love a little in-joke here, where Scooby changes the channel on Vincent's crystal ball and finds a re-run of Scooby-Doo! Where Are You?

All in all this is a very fun episode.  

The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo!: A Spooky Little Ghoul Like You (1985)

 

An excellent Scooby episode. 

Vincent Van Ghoul is the winner of this year's Warlock of the Year Award. The gang travels to New Orleans to watch him win one of the awards. Unfortunately they are not the only ones in attendance. One of the 13 Ghosts is there as well. This ghost is the demon, Nekara. On the Friday the 13th, she gains the power to make any warlock to fall in love with her. Then with one kiss she can drain them of all their power and gain the power for herself. Unfortunately she sets her sights on Vincent Van Ghoul. It's up to our heroes to save their friend.

This is a completely delightful episode. Nekara is a wonderful villain. She is incredibly powerful and feels like a major threat to our heroes. While she isn't scary per-say, she is very intimidating, and her design perfectly fits her seductive personality perfectly. She does still get one great spooky moment (a scene in a graveyard), that is delightfully creepy. It is also great to get an episode that centers around Vincent Van Ghoul, who does a wonderful job headlining his own episode.  Yet the gang also gets some great moments to shine, especially Scooby and Shaggy's scenes with the gargoyles. Though this episode is more story driven then comedy driven, some of the jokes do land very well. I especially like the joke involving the gang pretending to be Vincent's kids. 

On the downside, I don't think this episode takes enough advantage of its New Orleans atmosphere, but this is a small complaint. 

All in all this is a delightful episode. 

The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo!: Ship of Ghouls (1985)

 

One of the best episodes of this series.

After so many encounters with real ghosts Scooby is left traumatized. The gang decides that Scooby could use a vacation to calm his nerves. So the gang goes on a cruise. Unfortunately for Scooby the two ghosts, Weerd and Bogel follow them and scare Scooby at every turn. This makes Scooby's nerves even more shot. Flim-Flam decides to hypnotize Scooby to laugh at danger instead being scared. However when the gang turns out to be in real danger, this turns out not to have been the best idea. 

I love everything about this episode. Though it is heavily played for laughs, the idea of Scooby being pushed too far after too many ghost encounters is a great one. The fact that this series would explore such an idea shows why I love it so much. I also have how creepy this episode is. There is a real eeriness here that works fantastically. Some of the twists and villain designs are delightfully creepy. Speaking of twists and turns, this episode has some great ones and each one makes the episode more creepy, suspenseful and exciting. What makes this all the more impressive is that the episode accomplishes all this so well, while still being a very comedy heavy episode. The comedy itself is quite funny and at the same time never distracts from the great storyline. 

This to me is a near perfect episode.  

The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo!: Reflections in a Ghoulish Eye (1985)

 

A really fun Scooby adventure.

In this episode the gang travels to Morrocco after receiving a telegram supposedly from Vincent Van Ghoul telling them to go to a paranormal convention there. Unfortunately that telegram was not actually sent by Vincent but rather one of the 13 ghosts, a mirror demon called the Reflector Specter. He hopes to suck them into a mirror dimension where he can control everything. 

The Reflector Spector is a wonderful Scooby villain. His design and his voice are wonderfully creepy and his power to suck our heroes into another dimension makes him a major threat to our heroes. The first scene where he appears is fantastic, as we seem him sucking in a completely innocent victim, who just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. This scene already sets him up as quite creepy and a real threat to our heroes. 

The episode also benefits from the Moroccan setting. This gives the episode a unique atmosphere and feel that sets it apart from other episodes in the series. The background art is also as wonderful as ever and the detail and effort put into it really shows. The mirror dimension is also wonderfully designed.

Unfortantly the humor here is not as good as in the previous episodes. There are no real laugh out loud moments here, though there are a few jokes that do raise a smile. Too much of this humor revolves around the one time character Sandy. Sandy is a takeoff of Martin Short's Ed Grimley character, a character I always found more annoying than funny. This takeoff of him to me is just as annoying and unfunny and I feel this episode would have been quite a bit better if it didn't have him.

While Sandy brings this episode down a little, this is still a delightful Scooby adventure.  

 

The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo!: Me And My Shadow Demon (1985)

 

A really fun Scooby adventure.

As this episode begins a shadow demon breaks Vincent Van Ghoul's crystal ball and steals the Chest of Demons. The gang follows the demon to Befuddle Manor, where they run into one of the 13 ghosts, Queen Morbidia and an army of real monsters she has gathered. 

This episode is a lot of fun. Once again the humor hits wonderfully. There is another delightful sing-along that is even funnier than the last one. There is also a wonderful bit of self parody, where Flim-Flam leads the others through a maze, resubliming the in and out of doors scenes in Scooby-Doo! Where Are You. The scene where Shaggy and Scooby sing Me and My Shadow is probably one of my favorite distracting the villain gags in this whole franchise. This episode also has the gang interact quite a bit with Vincent Van Ghoul and these interactions are wonderful, especially the ones involving Flim Flam. The Shadow Demon is also a wonderful character, with a wonderfully creepy and fun design. There is also a great twist involving this character that is very well thought out and executed.

Unfortunately Queen Morbidia is a rather weak villain, who never feels as creepy or memorable as she should be. 

This may not be my favorite episode of the series but it is still a lot of fun. 

The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo!: Scoobra Kadoobra (1985)

 

A wonderful second episode to my favorite Scooby-Doo! show. 

As this episode begins our heroes are driving through a forest when Vincent Van ghoul, warns them that they are approaching one of the 13 ghosts. This ghost is Maldor, a ghost with great magical powers. Maldor proves to be a great threat even before the gang meets him. He knows the gang is coming and uses his powers to turn trees into monsters and a rabbit into a dragon. Maldor soon captures our heroes and locks them up in his castle. There they find a wizard, who Maldor has locked up. He explains that Maldor is looking for his magic wand, that if in the right hands could make everything beautiful and in the wrong hands make everything into a living nightmare. They escape from being locked up but the ghost once again captures Daphne and curses her to an eternal sleep. Our heroes must save their friend and put the ghost back in the chest. 

The gang's first real encounter with one of the 13 ghosts, is excellent. The ghost is a wonderful villain who is delightfully creepy and feels like a huge threat to our heroes. His design and voice are wonderful (even if it looks like he could have wondered off from a He-Man episode). The fact that he already has a dangerous and powerful presence before the gang even meets him only adds to this. While there is nothing new about the settings, creepy castles and forests are always great settings for a Scooby adventure and this is no exception. These settings are just as wonderfully atmospheric as one could hope and the fact that the spooks are real adds a new edge to these familiar settings. This episode also continues to make this show feel bigger than any previous Scooby show. This is especially true when Daphane is captured. While Daphne was captured quite often in Scooby-Doo! Where Are You that show had Velma and Fred in it. Here the remaining members of the gang include two young kids (Flim-Flam and Scrappy) and two members who are terrified of ghosts (Scooby and Shaggy). This certainly creates a greater sense of suspense. It also allows for these characters to have to take on roles, that are new and uncomfortable for them to save the day. This creates a whole new dynamic that creates a fresh spin on a familiar situation. 

I stated in my review of the last episode that the humor in that episode was not as good as it would soon become. Well in the second episode the humor has fully found its groove. This show would often take a wackier and sillier sense of humor than the previous Scooby series. In this show it would be common for characters to break the fourth wall and talk directly to the audience or even reference the fact that they are in a cartoon. This humor is a major reason why I love this show so much. This episode has some especially great wacky gags. One of my favorites involves a complete break in the action as Scrappy talks to a woman who complains that the use of fire in this show might be harmful to children. This is a great bit of satire taking aim at how ridiculously over the top complaints from censors and parent groups could be over cartoons. I also love the gang leading us in an impromptu sing-along version of Row Your Boat. Even the standard Scooby gags of characters dressing up in costumes to confuse and distract the villain are especially great here. The scene with Scrappy and Flim-Flam pretending to be lawyers in an effort to free Scooby from the villain's clutches is especially delightful. 

All in all this is a wonderful episode.      

The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo: To All the Ghouls I've Loved Before (1985)

 

Note: The review will contain spoilers as this episode sets up the entire premise of the series. 

A delightful beginning to one of my favorite Scooby series. 

As this episode begins, we see two ghosts, these two ghosts wish to open a chest full of the 13 most powerful and evil ghosts to ever exist. They feel that if they open it, the ghost will consider them heroes and reward them greatly. However the chest can only be opened by the living. When they sense that some mortals who they could trick into opening the chest are coming, they decide that this is just what they need. When then see Scooby, Shaggy, Daphne and Scrappy aboard their plane, The Mystery Flying Machine. The ghosts cause the plane to crash in a nearby town in the Himalayas. We then see a young con-man kid named Flim-Flam (subtle name isn't it). The townspeople have had enough of this little con artist and try to run him out of town. When the plane runs by Flim Flam grabs ahold of it and gets away. A police officer comes by and arrests our heroes. When they see the judge, he demands they leave town before sunset. Flim-Flam suggests that the gang visits his friend the mystic Vincent Van Ghoul (based off of and voiced by the one and only Vincent Price). Vincent warns the gang that this town has a terrible secret, after moon fall, the townsfolk become werewolves. The townsfolk learning that the gang knows their secret decides they can't leave and tries to keep them there. They even turn Daphne into a werewolf. Luckily the gang escapes and Flim-Flam's Lottsa Luck Joy Juice actually works and turn Daphne back into herself. The gang runs to an old, abandoned temple where the ghosts are keeping their plane. The townsfolk follow them there. Flim Flam turns them back to normal with his tonic and they tell Daphne, Scrappy and Flim-Flam how they trapped the 13 ghosts in the chest but before it was locked the 13 ghosts put a curse on the town. However Daphne realizes that Scooby and Shaggy aren't with them. They try to catch them before the duo is tricked into opening the chest, but they are too late. Scooby has opened the chest and the ghosts are now free. Vincent tells the gang that only the ones who opened the chest can put the ghosts back in it. So the gang (with the help of Flim-Flam) have to search for and capture the ghosts themselves.

This episode may in many ways be just set-up (for the first Scooby series with an overarching storyline), but it is excellent set-up. This episode perfectly establishes what will be the overarching story. Though we don't get to see any of the individual ghosts, this episode sets up that these are huge threats to our heroes and something much more serious than the bad guys in costumes they had gone after in previous series. Though some may not like the idea of the gang going after real ghosts, I think it is important for a franchise to always try out new things and this series is a delightful change of pace. This episode also a wonderful creepy atmosphere and a sense of real dread. The franchise has not been this effectively creepy since the best episodes of Scooby-Doo! Where Are You! The design of Daphne as a werewolf is especially delightfully creepy. This episode also has a lot of story and characters. Yet the story never feels rushed, even in a half hour episode, and the main characters each get their chance to shine. 

I will admit the humor in this episode is not as great as it will be in future episodes. Because of the amount of story that needs to be told, there are not that many good laughs here. Though the jokes that are here aren't bad, they pale in comparison to the great humor that will be in future episodes of this show.  

This is one of my favorite Scooby shows and I am so excited to re-watch and review it. This episode is certainly a great start. 

Scooby-Doo! and Scrappy-Doo!: The Ransom of Scooby Chief (1980)

 

The first Scooby adventure of the 1980's is a delightfully unique Scooby cartoon.

In this episode the gang goes to New York and Scrappy's old neighborhood. When Scrappy introduces Shaggy and Scooby to his friends, a duo of kidnapers kidnap Scooby and Shaggy. Scrappy and his friends set out to save Scooby and Shaggy.

This marks the final episode of the first season of Scooby-Doo! and Scrappy-Doo! and the last in the original half hour format. Despite this the episode is a strong deviation from the previous episodes. There is no spooky theme to be found here and no mystery for the audience to solve. On top of this Velma, Fred and Daphne barely appear here. Perhaps it is appropriate that this episode was the first Scooby episode of the 1980's, a decade which would be all about breaking the traditional Scooby formula.  

While I love the traditional Scooby formula, sometimes it nice to have a little change of pace and this episode is certainly an example of that. This episode moves at a fast pace and never once feels dull. The idea of our main characters being kidnapped and having to be saved by the side character is a delightful one. Though many dislike Scrappy, I actually like the little guy. He gets his time to shine here and he does a great job carrying an episode. He is very likable here and gets in a few good gags. While his friends have very simple personalities they are also quite likable and get a few good gags. I love Annie trying to work her feminine charms on the bad guys and Duke's Jimmy Cagney type voice. Scooby and Shaggy are also in good form here and get some good moments to shine. Like one should except from a Scooby episode of this time, the background art is wonderful, even if there is nothing spooky about it. However I will admit the villains are kind of bland here. 

Your opinion on this episode will probably depend on your opinion of Scrappy. Since I like the little guy, I enjoyed this a lot. However those who hate Scrappy will probably hate this episode.