Mindy Kaling's HBO Max comedy 'Velma' proves 'Scooby-Doo' isn't for kids anymore (and that's OK)

Brian Truitt, USA TODAY
·4 min read
19

Before you can squeak out a “Jinkies!” the opening scene of the HBO Max animated comedy “Velma” makes it abundantly clear we’re not playing by the old “Scooby-Doo” rules anymore.

Naked teen girls tussling in a gym shower is a fairly good hint. So is the brainless corpse falling out of a locker as the top of her head slides to the floor with an icky “schluck” sound.

Starring Mindy Kaling, the new cartoon (streaming two episodes weekly beginning Thursday) is the latest attempt to reboot Velma Dinkley and the rest of Mystery Inc., that gang of meddling kids and their scaredy dog famous for revealing criminals in fog-congested conditions since the late 1960s. They’ve been a Saturday morning staple for generations of youngsters, but this “Velma” is a decidedly different (and adult) take.

And that’s why it’s so exciting.

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Velma (voiced by Mindy Kaling, left) and Daphne (Constance Wu) are former besties who need to figure out their feelings and also stop a serial killer in "Velma."
Velma (voiced by Mindy Kaling, left) and Daphne (Constance Wu) are former besties who need to figure out their feelings and also stop a serial killer in "Velma."

“Velma” gives its iconic cast a multicultural makeover and a high school origin story. Kaling's title character (she's also an executive producer) is now a chatty South Asian nerd working out her sexuality who sees horrifying hallucinations when she tries to solve mysteries – like what happened to her missing mother – but is nevertheless on the case when hot classmates start dying.

Daphne (Constance Wu) is her former best friend, a popular Asian girl with two cop moms and several layers of feelings when it comes to Velma (and vice versa). Formerly known as Shaggy in previous series and movies, Norville (Sam Richardson) is a Black band geek and Velma’s loyal go-to pal. And Fred (Glenn Howerton) remains an ascot-wearing white guy, yet he's also a spoiled narcissist with issues aplenty.

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Hardcore fans might be going “ruh roh” to all that. Yet aside from all the current pop-culture references, from “Riverdale” to El Chapo, “Velma” pays homage to old-school gags, puts a “Scooby” spin on slasher elements and teen-movie tropes and is extremely self-aware when it comes to the franchise. (Don't fret, Norville is still a big fan of snacks.)

Like HBO Max’s similarly mature-themed “Harley Quinn,” “Velma” takes everything in a much more adult-oriented direction: For example, a running joke about the diminutive size of Fred’s manhood.

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Daphne, left, Velma, Shaggy, Fred and Scooby in the original "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!," which premiered in 1969 and ran for three seasons.
Daphne, left, Velma, Shaggy, Fred and Scooby in the original "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!," which premiered in 1969 and ran for three seasons.

It makes sense, considering the state of cartoon nostalgia. While reboots, sequels and prequels are the all-ages movie rage, popular children’s TV animation veers more toward original fare such as “Bluey” and “Paw Patrol.”

None of the youth-oriented “Scooby” projects over the years – like the 2020 film “Scoob!” and last year's "Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo!" that first depicted Velma as queer – have made a huge cultural dent. “Velma,” however, smartly chooses to go the way of Disney+’s “Chip ’N Dale Rescue Rangers” and Netflix’s recent “Masters of the Universe” reimagining with an adults-first strategy.

The older folks – aka the people who can watch “Velma” without getting in trouble with their parents – grew up with Scooby and pals during their heyday. The 1970s TV episodes teaming the gang with famous guest stars introduced little ones to the likes of the Harlem Globetrotters, Sandy Duncan, Cass Elliot, Don Knotts and Batman and Robin. Outside the Mystery Machine, Shaggy and Scooby became stoner icons over the decades, and classic versions of the characters popped up from time to time, including on an episode of “Supernatural.”

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Shaggy no more: In "Velma," Norville (voiced by Sam Richardson) is a Black band geek rather than a white beatnik but he still loves snacks.
Shaggy no more: In "Velma," Norville (voiced by Sam Richardson) is a Black band geek rather than a white beatnik but he still loves snacks.

So what if the kids haven’t totally come around yet on a pooch and his pals solving crimes in a cool van and unmasking grumpy old dudes as shameful jerks. With a “zoinks” here and a “jeepers” there, “Velma” looks out for the grownups and crafts something new and, yes, groovy from the familiar. It also sets a template for retooling other aging properties to entertain everyone from Gen X to Millennials. (Looking right at you, “G.I. Joe,” "Snorks" and “Jem.”)

Because what they’ve baked into these Scooby Snacks definitely needs to be shared.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Velma': Mindy Kaling smartly reboots 'Scooby-Doo' for the adult crowd