Fun Fact of the Week #561

6/9/2025

One of the side characters from "Be Cold, Scooby-Doo!" (Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!) is named Eric. Eric is voiced by Will Friedle, and the character was named this after his iconic role as Cory's older brother Eric on the ABC sitcom Boy Meets World.

21 Comments

Bee

6/9/2025 12:38:36 pm

I don’t know how I managed to never realise the voice of Terry McGinnis was in Be Cool, I’ll need to rewatch this episode, thanks for the fun fact!

Spooky Space Ghost

6/9/2025 07:19:38 pm

Ah, Be Cool Scooby-Doo! It's been a long time since I've seen that series. I remember that Saga of the Swamp Beast was the very first episode of the franchise I saw.
Now, looking back, I especially remember the uniqueness of the supporting characters introduced at that time, both in Be Cool Scooby-Doo and in the films.
I've always found that the franchise's supporting characters became less interesting in the second half of the 2010s, more specifically around 2014 and Frankencreepy.
Previously, the supporting characters had very developed profiles. Each had an interesting, sometimes complex, personality, which allowed them to be better integrated into the story. I'm thinking here especially of the villagers in Witch Ghost, especially the mayor. The dialogue between them and the gang is essential throughout the film. The profiles of these characters make them much more human and believable, especially since they are directly involved in the mystery (I hope I haven't given too much details about the plot :)

I also apply this reasoning to the other films of the revival era and to What's New Scooby-Doo.
In 2010, the supporting characters take on even more importance. They each have a past, a profound personnality and a goal to achieve. These characters include the ice cream man from Abracada-Doo, whose past is intimately connected to another recurring character; the campers from CampScare, who all remind me of a member of the gang; and, of course, the characters from Mystery Incorporated, certainly among the most complex and dark in the history of the franchise. In short, the quality of the supporting characters is, in my opinion, an essential element of Scooby-Doo's recent success (the 1969-1998 period can do without this. Where Are You works very well without characters appearing regularly throughout the episode.)
However, I find that this successful concept has eroded since Frankencreepy. I have the impression that Warner Bros. has moved more towards less polished, but funnier characters, probably along the lines of A Pup Named Scooby-Doo.
I finally come to Be Cool Scooby-Doo (that was a long one, wasn't it :). In this series, strange, frivolous, and difficult-to-understand supporting characters are introduced. Compared to the 2000 characters, they seem less developed. This further complicates their interactions with the gang. These supporting characters (excluding the monster) are like clowns whose main purpose is to make the audience laugh. It may work, but these characters are so caricatured that it's difficult to attract a wide audience. In this respect, the characters in A Pup Named Scooby-Doo are the clear winners.
This new breed of supporting characters has also appeared in films released since 2014. For example, the movie director in Return to Zombie Island is obsessed with finishing his feature film and isn't really fun to follow with the gang. There's also that character in Gourmet Ghost (whose name I never remembered...) who played Elton John towards the end of the film and who particularly annoyed me.
This observation isn't limited to Scooby-Doo and extends to the New Looney Tunes and Jellystone.
In short, I hope that in the years to come, Warner Bros. will focus more effort on its supporting characters, who bring their works to life. Of course, it's been a while since I've seen Be Cool Scooby-Doo and I'm just sharing an opinion that may be wrong. I just thought it would be a good idea to write about it when I saw your information about a secondary character in Be Cool! Thanks for the fun fact !

WildwindVampire link

6/9/2025 08:57:41 pm

That's cool that "Saga of the Swamp Beast" was the first Scooby episode you ever saw! That's one of my favorite episodes of Be Cool.

Definitely agreed that for the most part, the side characters were a bit better developed in the earlier shows. Witch's Ghost is a great example of that, as the audience really gets to know those characters throughout the film. Although I agree with you about Be Cool's supporting characters sometimes being used for comedy, I really like the quirky/random comedy style of that series so it doesn't bother me. I definitely think Guess Who's suspects were often one-note and not very developed, especially compared to the shows before it. I also would like to see side characters be something other than the one-note characters that they often were in Guess Who. Thanks for sharing your opinion!

Spooky Space Ghost

6/10/2025 03:37:15 pm

That's an excellent point! I hadn't thought about the supporting characters in Scooby-Doo and Guess Who at all. It's true, they're very underdeveloped. I imagine this is to give more space to the guest star. However, The New Scooby-Doo Movies has proven that it's possible to have well-developed characters without the guest star being pushed to the back (I remember the episode with Tim Conway or the one with Phyllis Diller).

Still, supporting characters rarely appear in Guess Who. This can be disturbing since the culprit is even harder to identify, as in The Internet on Haunted House Hill! and A Mystery Solving Gang Divided ! (I have trouble remembering episode names, so thanks for the blog's episode guide!).

I was happy to share my opinion, and it's even more fun to read the reaction. Thank you for responding to my comments :). This is the first time I have the chance to communicate with other Scooby-Doo experts and I find it really enjoyable!

WildwindVampire link

6/10/2025 04:19:58 pm

I think you're totally right about it being to give more space to the guest star. A lot of Guess Who episodes' quality was often dependent on what the guest star contributed imo. The New Scooby-Doo Movies is actually my favorite Scooby series, so I totally agree with you that it's a much better example of showing how side characters and guest stars can be balanced.

And of course, glad that you've been enjoying commenting on the blog! :)

Boo Brothers #1 Fan

6/10/2025 08:53:55 pm

Oooh I really love your comment here!! And now that I think on it, I really do agree! Some of my favourite Scooby films have had very well developed supporting casts (boo brothers obviously, then camp scare, stage fright, cyber chase, witch's ghost, ghoul school, legend of the vampire, pirates ahoy, and monster of Mexico just to mention a few hahah). I also think that having some more complex side characters (like the mayor) help round out the mystery by having suspicious people who aren't bad guys. Kind of makes it more 3-D if that makes sense.
I also wonder if them having lots of real life people now in scooby has effected this? Obviously in the new scooby doo mysteries they had guest stars but they did occasionally play people other than themselves (like don knotts, who is himself but plays the role of him as a cop, which he wasn't in real life) and they had lots of fictional guests as well.
We see the trend of real life people appearing in lots of recent scooby things, like guess who, gourmet ghost, and happy halloween (I love bill nye too much to complain here though!).
I wonder if Warner brothers is sort of relying on exterior knowledge of characters that the audience will have rather than wanting the writes to make their own side characters who could be poorly received by an audience? Which I mean would be weird because I can't think of someone who'd be offered to write a scooby movie and not want to make cool secondary characters, but there is an evident trend going on. People know who bobby flay is, who bill nye is, etc; so they already know how they act and likely won't suspect them immediately as being a suspect (and the only time I can think of real people in a movie being the villain was in wwe: curse of the speed demon, but this aligned with when Stephanie and triple h were playing heel personas in WWE in real life, so it fit their personalities at the time).
I do agree with you about be cool in general. The comedy in that show didn't work for me a good 80% of the time and I do think the secondary people were less developed!

Spooky Space Ghost

6/11/2025 06:10:47 pm

Hello! Thanks for reading our reviews! It's true, how did I not think of the Boo Brothers?! They are some of the best supporting characters in the franchise. When they appear on screen, I know I'm going to laugh out loud...

When I started the movie, I thought the Boo Brothers would always be there alongside Scooby, Shaggy, and Scrappy. Now that I've finished it, I think it was a much better idea to bring them in from time to time. It makes their presence much more impactful. We often lose sight of them, and we never know what they're up to! If they had stayed for the entire movie, we might have grown tired of these clowns (very, very hard, but still).

If in the future, we have supporting characters as well-thought-out as the Boo Brothers, we can be sure that the future of the franchise is looking bright! Also, I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who struggles with Be Cool's supporting characters. The Boo Brothers are holding their own!

Thanks again for taking the time to reply! Sorry for the delay, but I really appreciate it :)

Boo Brothers #1 Fan

6/12/2025 10:30:16 am

Honestly I love darker tones in nearly any media I consume (just my thing haha) so I love the dark atmosphere of boo brothers, and I find that their comedic breaks elevate the tone of the film! And I so agree, if they stayed the whole film, it would have taken away from the atmosphere and their uniqueness as characters!
I have high hopes for the future of secondary characters! Since go-go mystery machine's synopsis already had new ones mentioned that as loads of possibilities. Plus the Netflix live actions will likely have loads of side characters, and I hope they make some morally complex ones!
And I love talking to other scooby fans, hope to discuss other things in the future with you!

Spooky Space Ghost

6/12/2025 05:30:37 pm

I totally agree with you! The darker mysteries are the best in the franchise. There's Mystery Incorporated and the revival era, of course, but other series or films are scary in their own way.

For example, there are the Scarecrows from A Scooby-Doo Halloween in What's New or the Woodsman from Camp Scare, who recalls the Jason Voorhees horror films (I'll never be mature enough to watch horror movies. I'll stick to Scooby!) Personally, I've always been afraid of vampires, and Vampire Bats and Scaredy Cats from The Scooby-Doo Show terrified me.

Speaking of maturity, I've always considered the Scooby-Doo franchise a kind of compromise between two styles of Hanna-Barbera cartoons. Indeed, in the early 1960s, the studio produced funnier series like The Flintstones and Yogi Bear before turning to more mature cartoons in the second half of the decade, including Space Ghost (my username is actually a mix between Space Kook and Space Ghost!) and Johnny Quest.

Scooby-Doo is a mix of both, with characters like Scooby and Shaggy reminiscent of Hanna-Barbera's early years, and adventure-oriented stories, a bit like Johnny Quest (without the monsters, of course!)
It's a shame the studio limited itself to creating Scooby-Doo clones in the 1970s...

It was once again a great pleasure answering you! Thank you very much; this helps fuel a conversation about Scooby-Doo that I would never have without this blog. Summer vacation is coming up and I guess I'll have more time to get into Hanna-Barbera (I've been saving the few Scooby-Doo DVDs I still have to watch). Always a pleasure to talk to you : )

Boo Brothers #1 Fan

6/12/2025 10:49:53 pm

I still firmly believe that the woodsman is the scariest scooby villain. Like the amount of attempted murder charges he'd have alone is easily a dozen and likely more. I think the fact he is basically a human is probably what makes him so scary (plus that laugh OMG).
And maybe one day you'll give a horror movie a chance, you never know! There are so many good ones (I love the genre) and not all of them are overly gory. In fact I find horror to be the genre that gives the most laughs because when it's bad it's just hilarious. I saw a film where the water in a pool was haunted lmaooo like how does one come up with that?! And omg I LOVE vampires (like a ridiculous amount) and I believe that that episode kickstarted my love for them. I found it scary but also super cool at the same time.
And you're so right about Scooby being the middle ground! I honestly never saw a bunch of other HB shows specifically growing up, but I have caught enough to know what you mean.
And I hope you love the scooby films you still have left! I'm curious which ones those are?? Some of the newer ones or is it just a random assortment lol

Spooky Space Ghost

6/13/2025 08:20:07 pm

Yes, you're absolutely right! The Woodsman is definitely the most cruel and dangerous monster in the franchise. I found it amusing the difference between the culprit's calm and relaxed demeanor when he's not disguised and the violence with which this same character acted as the Woodsman. You really feel that the atmosphere surrounding this monster's appearances is similar to that of certain slasher films.
Speaking of horror movies, it's true that you should never say never! But I'm in a special situation. Last year, when I felt bad, I watched horror images and videos, including Child Play and Friday the 13th, in addition to watching The Dark Side of the Moon. The violence and atmosphere of these films forced me to think about something else. I've never seen any horror movies, but I've read all about Chucky, It, Halloween, Jason, Freddy Krueger, and countless others. But for the past few months, it's gone to my head. I started having weird dreams that mixed these movies with Scooby-Doo. Once, I dreamed I was Chucky myself. Like in Bride of Chucky, I was being sewn up by "my bride," namely Velma! I've had plenty of others, but they're far too violent to write about. I started getting seriously worried the day I dreamed Tom and Jerry wanted to kill me! I stopped watching a few months ago, but I can't let up. So, no, unfortunately, I haven't had a very good experience with horror movies.

Actually, Scooby-Doo is the most mature series I enjoy watching. However, I don't have any online streaming channels, so I have to buy the DVDs to watch the movies. To answer your question, I've mostly been watching the old Scooby-Doo movies. For new releases, I have the Best of Warner Bros: 10 Scooby-Doo Movies at home. I kept the Monster Movies Collection and a 4 Kids Favorite for the summer. However, once I finish them, it will be difficult to find other DVDs. I live in Canada and, due to the trade war with the United States, we avoid buying from Amazon or Walmart. So I buy my Scooby-Doo DVDs in a Canadian store (it's quite annoying to have to pick up a Scooby-Doo DVD between a Shining and Chucky DVD haha). This store has a nice selection of DVDs and most of the movie compilations, like the Best of Warner Bros or the Monster Movies Collection, are available. However, if you're looking for older movies that weren't released on big compilations, like Arabian Nights or Boo Brothers, you won't find them in Canada! I've gotten this far in my collection (11 Scooby-Doo DVDs) and I don't see how I can do without Amazon. But hey, Amazon recently fired several Quebec workers who were trying to unionize. I'll do without this site (except when I couldn't stand anymore not being able to watch season 2 of Mystery Incorporated haha)!

Boo Brothers #1 Fan

6/15/2025 12:01:18 am

Oh for sure it gives slasher vibes, which I love (summer camps are perfect for mysteries and slashers!).
And dang, I'm sorry you got nightmares from them! I've personally never seen Child's Play (I draw the lines at dolls usually). I wonder if horror novels would more be your thing? Since you only visualize the things yourself. But yeah, those nightmares sound crazy!
And I totally sympathize with the trade war thing and just difficulty if finding scooby dvds as I'm not American either! I wonder if you could ask a local dvd store to order in the older films?? Also you're not missing out much with Arabian nights lmaooo. Also, I'm sure you could maybe find some scooby films on YouTube for free (which isn't exactly legal, but better than nothing). And I suppose you could rent them from apple or something if you really want to watch them but yeah physical copies can be hard to come by outside of the US in general!

Spooky Space Ghost

6/15/2025 06:51:23 pm

Hmm, maybe horror novels… Why not? I've already read a few, like Edgar Allan Poe's The Black Cat. The descriptions of the murders were horrific (I had to put Thunderstruck on in the background), but less scary than a horror movie. Thanks for the suggestion!
You're right that I could watch the Scooby movies on online streaming channels. Unfortunately, I don't have any, and I don't see the point of subscribing just to watch Scooby-Doo. Besides, some platforms are starting to remove their selections. Personally, I use the Internet Archive to watch the rarer films, like Boo Brothers. This site is described as an organization and often comes up at the top of the page when you search for Scooby-Doo movies or series. I don't know if it's legal, though!
In fact, I'm working on an analysis of Scooby-Doo Abracadabra-Doo that I plan to publish this week. Actually, I thought it would be fun to blog about the middle films in the franchise, the ones that aren't great, like Boo Brothers and Zombie Island, or terrible, like Return to Zombie Island. I've compiled a list of movies based on Wildwind Vampire's rankings and lists added in the comments:
• Scooby-Doo Goes Hollywood
• Scooby-Doo (live action)
• Legend of the Vampire
• Monster of Mexico
• Monsters Unleashed
• Loch Ness Monster
• Where's My Mummy
• Aloha
• Pirates Ahoy
• Chill Out
• Goblin King
• The Mystery Begins
• Abracadabra-Doo
• Legend of the Phantosaur
• Big Top
• Mask of the Blue Falcon
• Stage Fright
• Frankencreepy
• WrestleMania Mystery
• Curse of the Speed Demon
• Shaggy's Showdown
I discussed this project with Wildwind Vampire on the A Rogue Thorn post, and I plan to do reviews on as many of these movies as possible, but it would be great if other people on the blog could share their favorite among them (it might take (Add to my list). I feel a little embarrassed asking, but if you're interested, perhaps you could write about one of your favorites.
Have a great day and see you next time :)

Boo Brothers #1 Fan

6/16/2025 11:38:57 am

Oh I love Edgar Allen Poe!! Terrific author. And if you ever want suggestions for horror novels, I have plenty! Not sure what type of horror you'd lean towards, but the genre itself has so many cool sub-genres and not every horror novel has to be gruesome or is at all. Lots are actually more so about psychological horror, which I love.
And yes the internet archive! Tbh I think they have a mix of legal films and technically illegal, as I know they have nearly every public domain film (which is legal) but some that probably aren't.
And I'd love to talk about some of my favourites!! From your list, the ones I love the most that are in my Scooby top 10 would be: legend of the vampire, monster of Mexico, pirates ahoy, chill out, and stage fright.
As for ultimate favourite of this batch, it's HARD to say but I feel like it's a tie between pirates Ahoy and stage fright.
Pirates Ahoy: This film is just so funny. The humour works so well with me and the music selections for the chase scenes are chef's kiss. The design for the pirates, especially Skunkbeard, are very unique, and the sort of zombie-ish look that they have really adds to the film.
Fred's parents are such good side characters and I loved their interactions with him and the whole gang. The atmosphere of the Bermuda triangle is very well done as well. I enjoyed how they used real-life cases of missing ships and aircraft to give the film a grounded feel in those scenes.
I love the supernatural being in Scooby, so the real twist parts that involved that are always delightful. I also think that the motives and reveals for the villain(s) are really well done.
Plus I love how they characterize the gang in this one! Fred's bravery fits him well and adds dimension to him as a character.
As for Stage Fright - PLOT TWISTS. Seriously, this movie is filled with them. An amazing cast of secondary characters that ALL elevate the film. Phenomenal music selections.
The old opera house is well designed and the phantom's laugh is chilling. The romantic element of Daphne and Fred's relationship in this one is done SO naturally.
The pacing is super well done, with lots of red herrings that make it so fun upon rewatch. and this film is hilarious (the "oh my god you sleep with a net" scene is one of my favourite funny Scooby scenes ever).
The chase scenes are super fun and I just love the design of all the characters plus the added stakes of the talent show. It's maybe one of the only scooby films where the gang has a defined goal and something else they need to do outside of the mystery, which adds to the tension.
I hope this helps with your blog!

Spooky Space Ghost

6/16/2025 05:17:46 pm

Wow, thank you so much! Two very good film choices! I completely agree with you on both counts.

Regarding Pirates Ahoy, I really liked the choice to include an entire pirate crew instead of just one monster. When there are multiple monsters, the hypothesis that these creatures are real becomes even more relevant. It can't be a dozen people in disguise! And yet it is! The villains' plan was simply brilliant! I also appreciated that the main villain wasn't the captain, but a sailor! While the viewer tries to figure out who could be hiding behind the captain, the real mastermind of the crime goes unnoticed, a bit like in some of Agatha Christie's novels (incidentally, Agatha Christie is one of my favorite authors. I always take advantage of the summer to read a few of her books.) Few antagonists have gone so far in the franchise. Additionally, the explanations given at the end of the film are coherent and well-thought-out. The writers behind Pirates Ahoy have outdone themselves!

And of course, Fred's parents were a real added value. They're the only parents of a gang member we didn't meet in A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, so I found it interesting to finally get to know them. For once, the mystery didn't revolve around Fred's father. This character is much more interesting when he's funny than when they try to make him into an enigmatic figure.

Stage Fright is fresher in my mind and it's also one of my favorite films in the franchise! As you said, the supporting characters really add a special touch to the film. I particularly liked the personality of Waldo the ventriloquist. He would have made an excellent villain if the Phantoms were all dolls! However, I think the Girl-O-Saurus Rex characters are more memorable. In my opinion, the writers wanted to have a rock band in the competition, but one that remains in the background of the story. This eliminates the Hex Girls, who are too popular to not occupy a significant space. So it was a great idea to create another band that could remain behind the scenes, to use a term appropriate to the context of the film!

Chrissy is also a memorable supporting character, but not in a good way, ha ha... On the other hand, maybe her disturbing presence allows us to connect more with the gang. For example, when Chrissy's parents attack Velma, the audience feels empathy for her.

Whew, there were so many monsters that I forgot most of the criminals, except for the last two. I imagine the writers wanted us to believe the first Phantom was a fake, but the second one was genuine, much like the twist in Witch's Ghost surprised us in 1999. Once again, I was fooled! Dewey was the best monster in the film. Just like the Woodsman, his personality when he's working normally is so different from his determination as a monster. The confrontation between Dewey and Mystery Inc. is grandiose and heralds the final battle. The action has reached its peak. After this clash, it would be impossible to bring out another Phantom. But no, since Brick is still keeping his game in check. We keep getting fooled in Stage Fright!

In short, Pirates Ahoy and Stage Fright are excellent sources of entertainment and very good examples of how the plot should be constructed in a successful film.

Thank you so much for playing the game :) For my part, I'm working on my Abracadabra-Doo analysis which I plan to publish by the end of the week, ideally Friday. Then, we'll just have to select another film from the list and we'll all have a very enriching summer :) I understand that your choice was difficult. If you wish, you can choose others or even come with films that are not on the list. My ultimate goal would be for as many people as possible to participate. Thanks again :)

Boo Brothers #1 Fan

6/16/2025 11:06:48 pm

Yes, it's genius to have so many people being evil (even if under hypnosis) in Pirates Ahoy! And I really like Agatha Christie as well (Death on the Nile being my ultimate favourite of hers).
And I love all the side characters of Stage fright, even Chrissy in a way, she's just so funny!
Dewey is a super fun villain, I agree, and his different personalities really cements that.
Curious to read your Abracadabra-Doo analysis! The scene with the banshee is one of my favourites, it alway scared me as a kid hahaha. and no problem!!

Spooky Space Ghost

6/18/2025 04:29:34 pm

Phew, sorry. I took way too long to get your message out. I haven't read Death on the Nile yet, but I'll get it from the library. It's a Hercule Poirot adventure, and I find his presence in Agatha Christie's stories more reassuring. I don't know if you've read them, but I loved Poirot Investigates and The Murder of Roger Akcroyd. The latter is a masterpiece from the author, showing us how well she can play with words to hide the truth from us! Ah, it would be so great to have a Scooby-Doo episode with a mystery built like Agatha Christie's! We could also have Hercule Poirot as a guest star, but not Agatha Christie; she'd find the culprit right away!

Glad to hear you're curious about my analysis. I hope to be able to publish it on Friday in the most recent post. Yes, I agree with you that the Banshee is quite scary. She scared me too when I was younger!

Always so nice talking to you :)

Boo Brothers #1 Fan

6/19/2025 01:54:16 pm

I haven't read Poirot Investigates but I have read Roger Akcroyd! Although it isn't my favourite, the ending twist is EXCELLENT. I think my second favourite of hers would be And Then There Were None!
And I'm not sure if you know this, but A Night of Fright Is No Delight is vaguely inspired by And Then There Were None :)
And yeah Hercule would be a cool guest star - I wonder how he'd act in a supernatural mystery.
Excited to read your analysis.
Great talking to you!

Spooky Space Ghost

6/19/2025 04:43:20 pm

Yes, I admit that The Murder of Roger Ackroyd doesn't really rank among Agatha Christie's classics. The story unfolds quite similarly to her other stories. Only the twist at the end of the book makes it a surprising one.

I also really liked And There Were None. Agatha Christie found a wonderful way of hiding her murderer from us until the very end by making him disappear halfway through the story. I was lucky enough to watch A Night of Fright Is No Delight while reading this book!

I officially went back on vacation today. I plan to advance my analysis of Abracadabra-Doo and publish it tomorrow.

See you tomorrow then :)

Boo Brothers #1 Fan

6/19/2025 11:27:08 pm

And Then There Were None is so incredibly well written...truly a staple of the genre.
And yay!! Vacation is great!!! See you tomorrow!

Spooky Space Ghost

6/20/2025 07:33:43 am

I already published my analyse about Abracadabra-Doo on the post about Scott Neely. I had to separate it into two pieces since it's too long !

Have a great day :)

Fun Fact of the Week #561

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