Let's Watch This: An Episode of "A Pup Named Scooby-Doo"

Well, time to talk about America's favorite Great Dane again. Yes, we're taking a look at another Scooby-Doo show. This one is much better than Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated (yeah, I said it). But first, I'd like to talk about just how this show came to be.

When the original version of Muppet Babies premiered in the 1980s, it started off a trend. A trend that is commonly referred to as "Spin-Off Babies". "Spin-Off Babies" is when you take cartoon characters and put 'em in a new show where they're children. Which is how we wound up with this...

And this...

And who can forget about THIS?

This trend has slowed down in more recent years, but it's still around. Did you know that Jake and the Neverland Pirates was originally going to be a cartoon about a younger Captain Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies? No, really! In addition, We Bare Bears spawned a spinoff about the bears as cubs called We Baby Bears that apparently should be premiering sometime this year. And recently, a prequel series to the Madagascar films called Madagascar: A Little Wild premiered.

Will the trend ever go away? Beats me. It's probably only a matter of time before we get THIS:

But anyway, let's talk about the show that I'm actually going to be reviewing today. A Pup Named Scooby-Doo premiered in 1988. Generally regarded as being one of the better "Spin-Off Babies" shows, here Scooby is a puppy and Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, and Velma are children. I'm not sure how old, specifically, they're supposed to be (I think they attend Junior High, for what it's worth... but then, there's an episode of What's New, Scooby-Doo? where we get a flashback to when Velma was five, and the characters all have their designs from this show... does that mean Velma is five in this show? And if it is, why is she going to Junior High?).

Since I've heard so many good things about this show, I decided "What the heck? I'll give it a watch!" Today's episode is called "Lights... Camera... Monster". Because if you're doing an episode of a cartoon about the characters making a movie, it has to be called "Lights... Camera... [SOMETHING]". It's just common knowledge.

The episode starts off with a shot of the Coolsville Mall. Ah yes, I forgot to mention, in this show the characters live in a place called "Coolsville". Shaggy (Casey Kasem) gives some exposition: Fred (Carl Stevens) got a camera for his birthday and he wants to make a movie, and the others are helping him.

Did malls look like this back in the 1980s? Because I've never been
to a mall that looked like that.

Scooby (Don Messick) is going to be the star of the movie. "All right, get into your monster costume, Scooby, baby!" Fred tells him. Do you have to call him "Scooby, baby"? I find that very cringe-worthy. In fact, Fred spends much of this first scene acting like a stereotypical Hollywood director. I'm pretty sure that no Hollywood director has ever talked like this, however. I also find it kind of strange that the younger version of Shaggy has the exact same voice as the standard-aged version. Scooby's voice at least sounds higher, Shaggy's is identical. Did they tell Casey not to try and sound younger or something?

Anyhow, they film their movie, which is apparently about this big "mall monster", played by Scooby, who Shaggy and Daphne (Kellie Martin) have to stop. Daphne at one point says that "mall monsters" are a load of baloney, but Fred insists that they exist - he read so in the National Enquirer! One important thing you should know about this show is that it was one of the first attempts at giving Fred and Daphne actual personalities, since in the original show they were about as interesting as sandpaper. Fred is a moron who believes in the sort of obvious bullcrap you find in supermarket tabloids, and Daphne is vain, obsessed with fashion, and is also rich. These personalities would also be given to Fred and Daphne, albeit downplayed, in What's New, Scooby-Doo?.

What kind of hat is Daphne wearing? Even Shaggy looks weirded-out
by it.

Fred gets Daphne to be a bit more enthusiastic about being in this movie by pointing out that this is her chance to become a big-time Hollywood star. Indeed, in just a few decades they'll be making movies about you! Live action ones, starring Freddie Prince Jr. and Sarah Michelle Gellar! And they'll be awful, just FYI.

Fred shouts, "SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU?" because you have to say that at least once in every Scooby-Doo production. This is the cue for what Fred thinks is Scooby in his "mall monster" costume to show up. Let me guess, that's not Scooby but in fact an actual mall monster, right?

Ee-yup. A few seconds after the mall monster shows up, Scooby emerges from a shop wearing... um, this.

"Rhould one of you rhelp me rhind my way to the auditions for Rheggietales?"

The monster announces that his name is "Stinkweed" (make up your own joke here, I've got nothing) and scares the pants off the gang, but fortunately Velma (Christina Lange) finds the button that summons the elevator and they're able to make their escape. Fred announces that he must get the monster on video as a security guard who looks like Magilla Gorilla tries to arrest Stinkweed (Michael Bell), only to be foiled by Stinkweed's, well, stink.

Seriously, look at him. He looks almost exactly like a human version
of Magilla Gorilla!

Stinkweed goes into a pet store called "Pets-4-Us", where he encounters a skunk who falls head over furry heels for him as he's swiping the cash register. Ten bucks says the skunk appearing and swooning over the monster is gonna be a running gag. Scooby and the gang chase him into a plant store. Inside, Scooby is swallowed whole by a sentient man-eating plant.

How exactly is this thing allowed to be sold in a plant store? Wouldn't
it be a bad idea to sell a sentient plant that eats humans to human customers?

Since the monster got away, Fred suggests, "Let's regroup, and THEN split-up!" As they're leaving, a woman watches them from over at the cashier desk. Now, for the sake of not giving away who the culprit is, I'm not gonna say that I think she's the culprit, but... I think there's a very good chance that she is.

Fred suggests that instead of a monster movie, they could make a movie about how they solve cases. Everyone else thinks this is a good idea. Then the show is interrupted by a special news bulletin (this is one of the show's best Running Gags). "FREDDY HAD A GOOD IDEA! IT'S A MIRACLE!" the anchorman shouts. Yeah, it's a good idea NOW, but just wait until they get Freddie Prince Jr. and Sarah Michelle Gellar involved...

Yes, I hate the live action Scooby-Doo movies and I am going to keep making fun of those.

After that, Scooby notices a poster for a movie starring Stinkweed - Stinkweed 10: The Smell Continues. The poster also says that you'll get to meet the film's star, Vincent Thorne. "Hey! He's the actor who plays Stinkweed!" says Fred. Apparently, Vincent Thorne is some sort of method-actor? Of course, I don't think method-actors would go so far as to steal from the cash register of a pet store...

Quick question: why is Velma barely saying anything? And how come most of her... what, four lines have been one word long? I know this younger version of Velma is supposed to be sort of shy, and I'm probably just complaining because Velma is my favorite Scooby-Doo character, but so far she hasn't really gotten much to do.

The next day, the gang heads back to the mall and interrogate Vincent Thorne. "How could you be so despicable?!" Daffy... uh, I mean Daphne demands. Fred praises Daphne for her performance - right before asking her to do it again because he didn't take off the lens cap. Vincent is all "I've been framed! Just because I play Stinkweed everyone thinks I'm the criminal running around doing all that evil stuff! I need you to clear my name!" He promises to pay them twenty-five dollars a day if they help him. Side note, I feel like this Vincent Thorne guy (pictured below) is supposed to be a caricature of some actor, but I can't put my finger on who... Tim Curry, maybe?

Why is Scooby just staring at the screen? Is he watching me?!

Scooby is so excited by the prospect of having twenty-five dollars a day that he faints, even though he's a dog and I don't know what dogs do with money. Then that woman from the plant store comes in and tells Vincent that she found the film "interesting". Suspicious, isn't it?

Then some French dude who just saw the movie comes in and tells Vincent that he thought it stunk (no pun intended). Vincent introduces him to the kids: it's a fellow actor named Greedy Lawrence (who names their kid "Greedy"? Seriously, who DOES that?). He apparently follows Vincent wherever the guy goes in the hopes of trying to make him look bad and take over his roles. Methinks somebody needs to get a life.

Daphne suggests that they follow Greedy Lawrence. They follow him onto the set of a commercial that he's doing for a restaurant, directed by who is most possibly THE MOST OVERWEIGHT CHARACTER IN ALL OF ANIMATION.

Garfield, Homer Simpson, and Peter Griffin should all carry around a picture for this guy. That way, whenever somebody gets after them for being fat, they can just show them a picture of this guy and say, "Hey, at least I don't look like THIS!"

The ungodly-fat director kicks Greedy off the project because he needs someone "who doesn't talk so funny" (way to insult the entire country of France, pal). Someone like, for example, Vincent Thorne. This makes Greedy MAD!

Scooby finds a motor home that I guess belongs to Greedy. "Okay, gang! Let's split-up!" Fred announces. "Freddy, split-up WHERE? It's a motor home," Daphne replies. For those who haven't gotten it by now, Fred is in this show a massive idiot. Scooby finds a clue - the cash register from the mall pet store. "Jinkies! Scooby found a clue! And I've actually gotten another line in this episode!" Velma exclaims.

Then the kids notice that woman from before walking onto the set of the commercial. Again, very superstitious. Before they can start wondering why she's there, Velma gets a call on the phone that she has in her briefcase.

"And they said carrying this phone around with us in my briefcase was
a dumb idea!"

The call turns out to be from Vincent, who found a big clue at the movie theater. Said clue turns out to be the monster, who chases the kids into a shoe store. "I got Thorne! Now it's YOUR TURN!" he snarls. Fortunately, the kids distract him by acting as though he's an employee and requesting that he get them some shoes. Yep, this is definitely something that Bugs Bunny would do.

One thing leads to another and they wind up knocking Stinkweed into a planter. And from out of that planter emerges that woman who totally isn't the culprit. Fred starts interrogating her, and she shouts that she's with the FBI and she's going to prove that Vincent Thorne is guilty. Quick question, did another animation studio take over after the monster grabbed Vincent? Because I couldn't help but notice that the characters' eyes are larger and the animation's gotten more, for lack of a better word, cartoony.

Anyhow, Daphne says that they've got enough evidence to prove that the monster is really Greedy Lawrence. "We do?" Scooby asks. Shaggy points out that they found the cash register from the pet store in his dressing room. "We did?" Scooby asks. Then Daphne says that he wants to get even with Mr. Thorne. "He does?" Scooby asks (seriously, Scooby, where have you been for the past few minutes?). Then Fred makes a comment about mall zombies because he's an idiot. The entire time that this is going on, meanwhile, Velma is writing things down on a notepad.

The woman says that the kids may be on to something and dashes off to tell her supervisors at the FBI. Yeah, I'm still pretty sure she's the culprit. Fred says that THEY should get back to the mystery, too - but first, Scooby wants a Scooby Snack. Glad to see his priorities are in-check. Fred and Daphne don't have any, but what luck! There's a Scooby Snack stand in the Food Court! Zhe odds, vhat are zhey?

After the Scooby Snack eating, Scooby smells something. Said something turns out to be Stinkweed, and he's got Greedy's shoes.

"This will make a great submission to America's Funniest Home Videos!"

Scooby sneezes, which blows the gang's cover. "Now you will see the wrath of Stinkweed!" Stinkweed shouts. Shaggy, while doing a bunch of wild-takes, replies, "Like, I've already seen that movie! Isn't that the one where Stinkweed meets the giant zucchinis?!" Stinkweed snaps, "NO! IT'S THE ONE WHERE I GET RID OF YOU PESKY KIDS!" I believe the phrase is "MEDDLING KIDS", Stinkweed.

Scooby gets out a boombox - because it's time for the episode's chase sequence and you can't have a chase sequence without a catchy song to play in the background! Stinkweed chases our heroes through the mall. Gags include them running up an escalator, reading a "YOU ARE HERE" sign, and having to pause the chase sequence so Daphne can do some shopping. Glad to see YOUR priorities are in-check too, Daphne.

There's also a brief scene where we see the kids dancing. Good dancers, they are not (though to be fair, they're KIDS).

This is called the "I Have No Idea What to Do With My Arms".

This is called the "I Can't Dance to Save My Life".

This is called the "I Think I'm Attempting to Be a Chicken Judging
From the Way I Have My Arms Positioned".

And this is called the "That One Kid From A Charlie Brown Christmas
Who Apparently Couldn't Think of a Dance".

Eventually, they're able to give Stinkweed the slip, and Velma is able to get this mystery figured out. And she's got a plan!

Stinkweed, while looking for the kids, finds himself on a movie set, where Fred announces that it's time for his "big scene" - they're filming his next movie, Return to Stinkweed Island.

There's a quick gag here where Velma gets out a watering can and waters
Stinkweed, resulting in him sprouting flowers. I don't know why I find that
so funny, I just DO.

The scene involves "Sergeant Scooby" saving Shaggy and Daphne from Stinkweed by beating him in a game of checkers. Afterwards, Fred tells Stinkweed that he did a good job, but he doesn't think it's what they want. So they do the scene again - but this time, they're in a forest and Scooby is "Scoob of the Jungle", and it's his job to make a cage fall down on top of Stinkweed. The cage falls... right next to Stinkweed. I don't know if this is the fault of Scooby or Fred, but either way, YOU HAD ONE JOB!

Fortunately, Scooby winds up knocking Stinkweed into a pond of quicksand. Instead of sinking into it, he just gets stuck. That's not how quicksand works (you SINK into it, you don't get stuck), but hey, why bring realism into a cartoon with a talking dog in it?

"Well, we've finally caught Stinkweed," Daphne tells the camera. "But do YOU know who he is?" Well, Daphne, if I had to guess, I'd say that it's that woman from before. You know, the one claiming to be an FBI agent? Or maybe it's Greedy. One of those two.

Fred's got footage of all the suspects on tape. Suspect Number One is Greedy Lawrence. Suspect Number Two is that woman claiming to be an FBI agent, whose name is apparently Jane Thirsdee or something. Suspect Number Three, according to Fred, is the local bully Red Herring. Oh yes, and Yogi Bear and Boo-Boo make a cameo.

Yogi also makes a cameo in another episode of the show, "The Story
Stick". Just thought I'd bring that up.

Then the woman and Greedy show up and say that neither of THEM are the monster. Huh. I was wrong about one of them being the culprit. I would probably make a pretty lousy detective. Velma pulls off Stinkweed's mask to reveal that the culprit is in fact... cue the drum roll... Vincent Thorne.

She began to suspect that it was him when she saw Stinkweed with Greedy's shoes. Why did Vincent do it? Well, he didn't want to make any more movies about Stinkweed. He HATES Stinkweed. He wanted to make Stinkweed look bad so that the studio would stop making Stinkweed movies - and get some free money at the same time. And he would've gotten away with it, too, if it hadn't been for those pesky kids and that pup, Scoob of the Jungle.

With the case solved, Fred can finally get started on making his NEXT movie. He offers Greedy the chance to star in it, but he's got to go to an important audition - an audition for a commercial for Scooby Snacks. The end.

WHAT'S THE VERDICT?

You know what? It was pretty good. Not GREAT, but I agree that it's one of the better "Spin-Off Babies" shows. The jokes are for the most part pretty funny, and the mystery actually managed to surprise me. My one complaint is that for the first chunk of the episode, Velma didn't have much to do. But that's admittedly a small thing.

Since writing this review, I've watched many more episodes of the show, and I'll tell you that this isn't "just watch one episode" show. It requires multiple viewings of multiple different episodes to really see why the show is so good. If you're a fan of Scooby-Doo, I would highly recommend giving it a watch. Don't just brush it off as being "not for you" simply because it's one of those "Spin-Off Babies" shows.

Before I end this post, I'd like to point out that this is my forty-eighth review on this blog. We're quickly approaching my fiftieth review, that's pretty big. And I posted my first review in December 2018 - if my math is correct, that's two years and five months! I still have to decide what my fiftieth review will be, but for now, I'll give you a teaser of the next one, my forty-ninth review...