Hi everyone and happy Scooby anniversary month! In just 12 days, Scooby-Doo will have been on television for 52 years! For our first fan spotlight, I’d like to introduce you to Matt. Matt is a big Scooby fan who recently got back into the fandom, and is a very active commenter here on the blog and the ScoobyAddicts forum. Without further ado, I’m excited to introduce you to today’s fan spotlight!
1. What is your name? My name is Matt! 2. How did you get into Scooby-Doo? One of the very few things I remember from when I was around 3-4 was running away from Scooby Doo at a theme park. I think it could have been Kings Island in Cincinnati. The only show I watched at that time was Blues Clues (which I would argue set me up for loving Scooby Doo) but my older sister liked Scooby Doo and she was getting pictures with the guy dressed as Scooby. That was the last moment I remember before we were watching Scooby Doo dvds in the car all of the time. We had Creepiest Capers, Spookiest Tales, Original Mysteries, and Greatest Mysteries. Then we started getting into What's New more with the Safari, Sports, and Europe volume dvds being the ones we watched a lot. Eventually, she outgrew a lot of it (she still loves What's New and select movies) but I never really did. In fact, I just kept getting more and more into Scooby Doo watching a bunch of different shows and movies. The format fascinated me and it was comfortable to watch. Eventually, by the time where I was in high school and cared way too much about what other people thought about me, I quit watching it so much. Once I stopped caring if people judged me for liking "a kids show", I started watching again and now I'm here haha. 3. What is your favorite Scooby-Doo episode and film? Why? My favorite Scooby Doo episode is High Rise Hair Raiser. It might seem like a random choice, but it has quite a few things going for it. For one, this is one of the episodes I remembered a lot watching The Scooby Doo Show on Boomerang along with Ghost of the Bad Humor Man. Once I figured out that season was on dvd under the title of the Scooby Doo Dynomutt Hour, both of those episodes were delightful. As for the episode itself, it is fantastic. I love how it starts out with the gang looking for a job. It shows something we haven't thought about before. The setting of a construction site is really creative and the crime is one of the most unique (in a VERY good way) and the different locations are fantastic. The strongest of these is, of course, Ebenezer’s house which includes one of the funniest gags of the franchise with the book of spells. One little scene that is almost completely forgotten is while the boys were working, Velma and Daphne were looking in newspaper archives for information which is just a case of good detective work. One of my favorite parts of the episode, though, was Ebenezer following the gang to the lens store and spying on them through the window. It is a creepy little scene that is just perfect. Everything about this episode was fresh and between the creativity and the dark mood, it was perfect and represents the best of The Scooby Doo Show. Honorable mentions go to What the Hex Going On, Simple Plan and the Invisible Madman and The Loch Ness Mess for also bringing their A game and representing the best that their respective series have to offer. As for films, others have explained why Zombie Island is the best Scooby Doo has to offer PERIOD far better than I can explain it, but I’ll try to hit on a few points. The mature feel of it, both in the scare factor and just their general attitudes and age, makes it feel very different. It is a very normal take to say that Zombie Island has the best music, and I feel that is true for both the songs and the background music. The background music doesn’t get pointed out enough as the scenes where they are driving around New Orleans where the music just makes me feel almost emotional. Again, y’all don’t need another person telling you why Zombie Island is their favorite, but I just love it so, so much. It’s the best thing that has ever been done with Scooby in my opinion and I never thought I would say that about a movie rather than an episode. Honorable mentions go to Alien Invaders for being one of the most rewatchable movies ever for me and my former favorite Camp Scare for bringing the absolute best to the table for a modern movie. A complex mystery plot with so many different elements and very likable side characters. Whew, that was long winded 4. What ways are you involved in the Scooby fandom online? My involvement is mainly through here at Scooby Snax and the Scoobyaddicts board! It’s something that I would like to expand upon whenever I feel comfortable doing so. Fandoms can be overwhelming so I’ve mainly stuck in my limited lanes in both Scooby and my other fandoms 5. In your opinion, what is the best series or era of Scooby? I’ll answer both! My favorite series is Where Are You, but a lot of series give it a run for its money! New Movies, Scooby Doo Show, What’s New, Mystery Inc, and A Pup are all just phenomenal shows imo. The first three on that list are always fighting for the final 2 spots in my top 3 and the other two are always fighting for that 5th spot. First season of Scrappy, New Mysteries, and Be Cool are also excellent series, and I like most of the others too. But Where are You is my biggest childhood series with What’s New. Honestly, if the third season of the Scooby Doo Show was as good as the first two, that series wins it all. As for era, it has to be the Mook Era. Sorry for the basic answer but the general vibe of the movies from that era just hits different. Shout out to the Scooby Doo Show season 2 though. It doesn’t count as an era but those episodes felt very different to anything else in a very good way. 6. What one Scooby-Doo series or film would you want a sequel to someday? I think I have to go with Camp Scare. The characters and settings are well set up for a modern sequel. And it wouldn’t be too different from what they are doing now so I don’t think they could completely screw it up like they have done with some older material they tried to modernize. I’d love to see Bert, Luke, Trudy, Jessica, and especially the Camp City guy (so much that could be explored with him and his museum) appear for a second camp movie! 7. What direction would you like to see the franchise go in the future? I would LOVE to see Scooby be darker again. An example could be Night Terrors. A super creepy and very well written episode but it doesn’t stray too much from what they are trying to do with Scooby right now. It doesn’t have to have an overarching plot like Mystery Inc but the darkness of MI was what I miss. Also, Scooby just feels too formulaic right now. I mean, it is Scooby Doo, but Guess Who just felt way too cookie-cutter at several points. I wish they wouldn’t be afraid to stray from the formula a bit. Like, include a real monster every once in a while or something. Scooby shouldn’t be boiled down to the same thing over and over like the stereotypes would suggest. Because it hasn’t always been that way. Sorry if that was a little too ranty but yeah I am always an advocate for striving to be better rather than staying complacent in a franchise. It’s why I have so much respect for Be Cool as a whole 8. Who is your favorite member of the gang and why? This one changes per series for me. Velma is the only one who I have never considered my favorite, but I have liked her in most incarnations though (the newer Velma not as much). It is mostly Scooby and Shaggy though except Fred is the best in A Pup and What’s New, and Daphne is my favorite in the 80s 9. What is your favorite villain? Why? I think I have to lean with some classic villains for this one. Spooky Space Kook, Ghost Clown and Captain Cutler are probably my favorites. All stone cold classics 10. In your opinion, who is the best recurring (non-gang) character in the franchise? I’ll go with Scooby Dum. It can’t be a coincidence that the episodes he is in are so freaking good. Shout out to some villainous fellas in Red Herring and Gibby Norton just for making me laugh at a consistent rate 11. Do you have a Scooby-Doo collection? If so, what’s in it? I have a couple of lego sets, a couple of stuffed animals, some figures, and some miscellaneous things. However, my main Scooby Doo collections are DVDs and especially VHS. DVDs are mainly just to own the episodes, while VHS are something I just think are neat to have 12. What do you think has made the franchise so popular that it’s still going strong after 50 years? Not gonna lie, Scooby Doo is really lucky to still be going on. An interesting and unique (at the time it was first made) premise got it so far up until A Pup, but Scooby can really thank Cartoon Network for showing reruns of Where Are You in the 90s and giving it so much more popularity. From there, it was able to come back. So that’s why I can’t get too mad at Cartoon Network for starting the Scrappy hate when they were probably the reason we got Scooby back at all. The odds were against this consistent popularity, but I am certainly happy about it 13. What is one fun fact about you in real life? Most of my favorite shows are animated. It is a more consistent medium than live action shows. For example, some of the best stories ever told have to do with kids or teenagers (Scooby Doo lol) yet in live action, these people grow up and the plot has to grow older with it. With animation, you get to control the timing of how your show grows through time, if at all. And it usually doesn’t have to take away from the story if it is animated. There are a couple of animated shows for older audiences that I won’t promote on this platform that I really love. I am a huge fan of classic animation such as Hanna Barbera or Looney Tunes. Perhaps the show that is up there with Scooby for me is the Total Drama franchise. It is a perfect series for anyone that is a preteen or older. That is my other main fandom btw 14. Please feel free to share anything else you’d like to here! Thank you for giving me this opportunity! And thank you for being such a dedicated presence in the fandom, Wildwind! This blog is something special. Thank you so much, Matt, for kicking off our fan spotlights! Be sure to check back every day through Scooby’s anniversary on September 13 to meet a new Scooby-Doo fan every day!
38 Comments
Matt
9/1/2021 10:19:56 am
I wonder who that guy is? XD
Reply
9/1/2021 10:47:49 am
I don't know honestly, this guy just randomly sent me all these answers and I figured I should post them hahaha.
Reply
9/1/2021 11:22:25 am
Hey, about question 6. Does he seriously want a sequel to Camp Scare?
Matt
9/1/2021 12:23:01 pm
Yes
Matt
9/1/2021 12:23:22 pm
I’m not sure why this guy would though tbh 9/1/2021 12:27:47 pm
I'm just asking. Imo, it doesn't need a sequel. If any film of the Scooby-Doo franchise should get a sequel, it's Chill Out (the one where they go to the Himalayas).
Matt
9/1/2021 03:22:17 pm
But what is there left to add to that movie? In the Himalayas, they’ve already done the whole Yeti thing so there isn’t much left. Meanwhile in Camp Scare, they have potential for extended lore from the Camp City museum 9/2/2021 07:56:09 am
I also think it would be interesting to have a sequel to Camp Scare set in the museum, just as long as it was an actual sequel that stayed true to the tone of the original film (unlike two certain 2019 "sequels" lol). 9/2/2021 08:17:10 am
At the end of Chill Out, there's a scene where the gang is in Paris at a café. Del Chillman and Minga Sherpa were with them. They were all enjoying themselves until they got from Fred saying that he's stuck in the Amazon Jungle. They had to leave Paris to go save him and Daphne got upset. The next film released after it was The Goblin King. Del and Minga weren't with them in that one. So, what I was thinking that a continuation film should've been released after it. It would've taken place in the Amazon Jungle and it would've been released before The Goblin King.
Matt
9/2/2021 09:03:41 am
That makes sense. I guess when I think sequel I am referring to going back to the same place rather than a continuation film
Matt
9/2/2021 10:05:01 am
Like Return to Zombie Island (not a popular movie but that is a sequel example). Doing the thing in the Amazon is more of a connection to Chill Out than a sequel 9/3/2021 09:37:12 am
I think I see what you're saying now, Jordan. You're hoping they'll make a film that's connected to Chill Out with the same story arc, similar to how they loosely connected the two sequels with Happy Halloween? 9/3/2021 11:14:12 am
I was, but considering how much time has passed since Chill Out was released and that the animation was changed starting with Abracadabra-Doo,......it's kind of likely that it'll come to fruition. 9/3/2021 03:58:24 pm
Yeah, it's been a long time since Chill Out so I doubt it will happen.
the cop
9/1/2021 12:17:53 pm
the english version of the back cover is on amazon.co.uk
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Drakosleuth
9/1/2021 05:08:08 pm
I'm enjoying this a lot, maybe one day I could have the chance to be a part of the fan spotlight. Just the Idea of sharing my experience with others sounds fun and exciting.
Reply
9/2/2021 07:53:28 am
Of course you can do a fan spotlight! :) If you'd be interested, you can absolutely be one of the ones next year. And thank you so much for the kind words! :)
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Drakosleuth
9/2/2021 12:23:41 pm
I'm fine with doing a fan spotlight next year, thank you and you're very welcome. :)
Dott
9/1/2021 06:19:46 pm
Awesome to hear from you, Matt!
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Matt
9/2/2021 09:02:06 am
Great to hear from you as well!
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Jayden
9/2/2021 01:08:19 am
I really enjoyed reading this and can't wait for more!
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James Dixon
9/2/2021 02:13:58 am
I found out Cartoon Network and Jaleel White are doing a cartoon Christmas movie with Urkel. The fact that that WB had already got White to voice a cartoon Urkel in Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? probably had a lot to do with that decision.
Reply
9/2/2021 07:55:07 am
Interesting! I can't believe they're bringing back Urkel, especially given it's Cartoon Network that's making the movie. I'm positive you're right that Urkel's Guess Who episode inspired this film.
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Amber noel
9/2/2021 04:20:13 pm
But matt how about the velma series though thats something different.
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Amber noel
9/2/2021 04:37:56 pm
And we had a real monster in SCOOB and how about the funky phantom and man bat in guess who.
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Fred’s Ascot
9/2/2021 07:50:18 pm
I agree 100% with Amber. I’m kinda tired of telling fans who complain about “there never being real monsters anymore” when it’s happened twice in Guess Who, the SCOOB movie had an actual Cerberus from hell, even Sword and Scoob has a real Merlin at the end. But some people would rather ignore that and act outrage for the heck of it.
Becker
9/3/2021 04:17:00 am
Scooby-Doo has never been about "debunking the supernatural". If that was the case then Ken Spears, Joe Ruby, Hanna and/or Barbera would've criticized, disowned or not be involved with any of the Scooby media that had real monsters until their deaths. Hanna and Barbera were working on all the projects that had real monsters, even after WB took a lot more of the handling in the late 90s from Zombie Island onwards.
Matt
9/2/2021 11:48:46 pm
A. This was written and sent MONTHS ago for this event, long before we knew much of anything about the Velma series
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Becker
9/3/2021 04:07:17 am
I agree with all of Matt's points 9/3/2021 09:33:27 am
Just for extra confirmation of what Matt said, I did reach out to Matt back in July for this fan spotlight, so this was written before much was known about the Velma series (and we still don't even know that much haha).
Amber noel
9/3/2021 04:16:44 pm
About point E Freds Ascot was just complaining about the fact that people act like real monsters are dead when they really are he never said that pushing the envolope was a bad thing.
Amber noel
9/2/2021 09:57:25 pm
Fred's ascot yeah I don't get yeah real ones are used less than fake ones but fake monsters are a franchise staple heck when you think of fake monsters you think of scooby doo of course they are going to focus on fake ones and do real ones here and their yeah maybe they could have added real monsters in curse of the thirteenth ghost and return to zombie island but those are exceptions and I know people are worried that do the same for the courage crossover which I don't get because:it's a crossover and that the movie takes place in courages univerese so when supernatural stuff do happen I think they are going to let it slide and the fact that not all courages villains are supernatural.
Reply
9/3/2021 09:35:30 am
Having real monsters all the time could be a bit much, and I wouldn't want fake monsters to just die out completely or anything. I think there can be a balance between fake monsters and real monsters without completely deviating from the franchise's roots.
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