HBO Max's new series Velma is pretty much an animated Riverdale/ Teen movie parody

[smahala1991]

In 1969, Scooby Doo first premiered on TV screens. It was considered at the time to be a sort of a ripoff of Archie. Going full circle 55 years later, Riverdale is now a teen/ young adult modernization of Archie, and Velma is the same treatment for Scooby Doo. Except, there is no Scooby-Doo, and it is more of a parody of teen movies and shows like Riverdale, Mean Girls, and the like.

First of all, in the new series, Velma (Voiced by Mindy Kaling) is portrayed as an Indian American. This is not a big complaint of mine as it's nice to see from a different point of view. However, in this series, we learn Velma's mother has disappeared since she was a little girl, and she still has hallucinations and PTSD as a result of the trauma.

Daphne is a spoiled rich girl, as portrayed in the original series. However, in the new series, she has two moms who are both cops. But we learn later she is also selling drugs by the name of Zoinks, Jeepers, and Mystery Machine. Daphne and Velma used to be best friends until Daphne started to hang with a popular crowd.

Fred, in this series, is portrayed as an assholish jock who is a manchild who hasn't hit puberty. Oh, and the running joke is that he has a small penis. His father is pressuring him into being the heir of his clothing company.

Norville, or "Shaggy," which is what he is known by in the original Scooby-Doo series, is the son of the school's principal. In a complete 180 from the OG Shaggy, he is anti-drugs and runs a live stream channel where he tries snack foods from different countries.

This is where I go into how it's a parody/ Two girls from the school end up dead after their brains are cut out of their heads. Their hangout spot is a malt shop modeled after Pop's in the Archie comics and Riverdale series. Daphne and Velma kiss in the 2nd episode (given that both characters are possibly bisexual since Velma also has a crush on Fred, and Daphne is dating Fred as well). Riverdale is mentioned in the first episode, so the show knows already that it's parodying another work, and it's not the same Scooby Doo gang we grew up with.

Overall after the first two episodes, I will give it three stars. The voice actors are excellent, including Mindy Kaling, Constance Wu, Jane Lynch, Wanda Sykes, and Debby Ryan. I am glad also to see a reimagining of the characters, such as Velma as an Indian American, Daphne as an Asian American, and Shaggy represented as an African American. However, there is some room for improvement. For one, I would like to find out more about why Fred is so much of a manchild as he is. I would also like to see more background of the other members of the future Mystery Inc. crew so we get a backstory on them.

Overall, It's a parody of Riverdale and other teen movies and TV shows, but it's a new reimagining of Scooby-Doo (Without Scooby). As for me, I will keep watching the series to see how it progresses, but in a way, I also say If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[Msputiton]

I'm gonna have to go back and watch the first 2 episodes again.

I didn't even pick up on the riverdale vibe, because i wasn't fully watching it and was very distracted.

Also the smug vanity of fred was always like jokes other nonscooby doo shows made about him.

And the stuck up daphne samething. I think that was what they were going for.

And the small penis. I don't exactly think they are saying Fred's penis is small, but referencing the societal joke of "the rich stuck up white guys always have small ones"

[DizzyDesii]

I saw the commercial on tv the other day and just rolled my eyes. It’ll just ruin Scooby Doo for me so i rather not watch it. It feels like another Harley Quinn show except hers actually was an enhancement with our common dislike for batman lmao

[madgoat]

The concept of taking an old children's cartoon and updating for a adult audience is a good one if done right.

Your description of the characters is in line with what I've heard elsewhere.

[smahala1991]

I don't see it as a true adaptation I see it as parody

[FinalFantasyBro]

Sounds interesting but instead of changing everything of Scooby Doo why they just didn't created a new IP instead.

[smahala1991]

I would have still had Scobby in it and still made it adult

[FinalFantasyBro]

But still it's kinda weird seeing an adult version of Scooby Doo but the concept sounds fascinating though

[smahala1991]

It is different, but I think the same could be done about shows like SpongeBob, Fairly Odd parents, or even The Flintstones

[LiamJHayden]

Might be worth a look.

By the way the original main Scooby characters were actually lifted from "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis." Fred was based on Dobie, Velma on Zelda, Daphne on Thalia and Shaggy on Maynard.

https://www.metv.com/stories/the-characters-of-scooby-doo-were-based-on-the-many-loves-of-dobie-gillis

[Jewishbabygirl1]

The took out Scooby and turned Fred into an a-hole? And there's no Mystery Machine? I'm skipping this for sure. 🐕🐕🐕

[PainusNdeeAnus]

I loved Scooby doo and all the Hanna barbera cartoons as a kid and this is a complete massacre of a classic

I felt violated by this

[bolverk]

Its a monumental Charlie Fox, its so bad even the wokest of critics hate it.