The Scooby Gang Case Study (Part 2): “What Do You Do for the Gang?”

 

The 1969 gang chased by Charlie the Robot (Top) and the 2015 gang chased by the Butler 3000 in Be Cool, Scooby-Doo

In Part 1, I profiled the members of the Scooby-Doo gang. Now, I will provide an in-depth look at the gang’s relationships and how they have developed over the years in the hands of different writers. I will address:

• The original roles of each member and their effect on each other
• The significance of character traits and tasks displaced in different versions of Scooby-Doo

---There are spoilers!---

Fred's Role

The original 1969 show Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! depicts Fred as the leader of the group (even when they are being chased together), owner and driver of The Mystery Machine who always has a plan to capture the monster. Fred always suggests splitting up the gang to search for clues, making sure he and Daphne (and sometimes Velma) are together. Fred's demeanor is predominantly stoic and determined during mystery-solving.

Following Fred in Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!

Fred's Character and Traits

What’s New Scooby-Doo? is the first Scooby-Doo version to parody the original Scooby gang. Later versions would also parody and pay tribute to the original show. “Pompeii and Circumstance” (as well as other episodes of the series) feature Fred claiming to speak difference languages only to fail miserably. He perpetuates the ‘dumb jock’ stereotype, being portrayed as not smart or aware of his surroundings and better suited for physical work. In “Recipe for Disaster,” Fred forgets that he is the one who makes up a plan and suggests the splitting up of the gang. In this same moment, Fred is also shown to be more cowardly than his '69 version when Daphne opts to search with Velma only, leaving Fred on his own. This instance shows that Fred is dependent on companionship, specifically Daphne’s. This series takes Fred down from his pedestal and brings him closer to Shaggy’s level. He is less of a stereotype of the macho male from the 60s, which makes him more human and more of a rounded character.

Fred holding up his book Fred on Fred: The Many Faces of Me in Scooby-Doo (2002)

The first Scooby-Doo live action movie in 2002 took Fred’s planning skills and gave them to Velma. This removes some of Fred’s leadership authority among the gang's members and makes it seem he is the spokesman for the gang, responsible for spreading the news about their cases to the press and making them famous. In this same movie, the gang breaks up at the beginning and Shaggy and Scooby are seen driving away in The Mystery Machine and still living in it two years later. Once more, Fred is stripped of another trait that makes up his character: he is not the owner of The Mystery Machine, although in another scene, he does drive it. The movie continues to strip Fred of his place in the Scooby gang by having him be a writer of vain books like Fred on Fred: The Many Faces of Me and afraid of how he’ll look if his ascot isn’t perfect. The movie also shows that Fred is useful for the physical work, but doesn’t have much in his head (listen to his dialogue 1:10-1:58) and can be a bit of a creep. In comparison to other versions, Fred is still the brave male of the group as he was in the original series and has a romantic relationship with Daphne.

Fred and Daphne kissing in Scooby-Doo (2002)

While Scooby-Doo (2002) didn't make Fred a good version of himself, other versions give him more personality and take away the creepiness. Versions of Fred after '69 make him hyper-focused on traps (Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated) and/or on his Mystery Machine. (Disclaimer: I'm not talking in-depth about Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated, because it is not faithful to the Scooby-Dooverse since it brought in violence and evil adult darkness of reality that goes against what Scooby-Doo has always been about).

The Mystery Machine in Be Cool, Scooby-Doo

In Be Cool, Scooby-Doo, Fred is always upgrading the Mystery Machine (mostly off-camera) to conveniently help the gang in their next mystery or as we see in "Murder 101," to Daphne-proof the vehicle. From allowing them to fly, go underwater or even survive in space, Fred's technical know-how once again puts him closer to Velma's level with their shared interest in technology. This version of Fred has, perhaps, an unhealthy attachment to his van.

Fred loves the Mystery Machine, but the design is not always his own. While I don't think it's even mentioned whether or not he chose the design in '69, later versions specify whose decision it was, such as in What’s New, Scooby-Doo?. The episode “It's Mean, It's Green, It's the Mystery Machine” reveals that the van's previous owner, a musician, painted the van, and Fred always wanted to paint it red. Funnily enough, Daphne's van, The Miss-tery Machine, in the 80s show The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo is red. However, Fred and Velma were not in the series due to the addition of Scrappy-Doo, but the series acknowledged that they were both away because of their jobs. 

Throughout the Scoobyverse after 1969, there are times when Fred is still portrayed as a stereotypical macho male. This is seen at different times in both TV movies Scooby-Doo! - The Mystery Begins and Scooby-Doo! 2 - Curse of the Lake Monster. In The Mystery Begins, the gang meets each other for the first time and are forced to solve a mystery to clear their names and no longer be suspended from school. While at a cemetery, Daphne scares Fred and he tries to laugh it off and say because he's a football player, he has no fear while deepening his voice to stop it from cracking. Additionally in Curse of the Lake Monster, Fred gives Shaggy bad advice about relationships, hinting that he should keep things casual because it's summer and that he's doing that because he's a football player and likes to "play the field." Once Daphne hears this and sees how he acts with the girls at her uncle's country club, she has a better idea of Fred's expectations and she's not happy.

Daphne's Role

The original '69 show Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! depicts Daphne as the rich girl with fashion sense always being kidnapped and prone to danger. She and Fred are always paired together when searching for clues. Daphne didn’t have much going for her in the original series. Her role has never been adopted by any of the other gang members, making her a stable figure in the group. 

Daphne's Character and Traits

Throughout all the versions of Scooby-Doo, Daphne has maintained the same attitude, but has had her skill set broadened, thereby enabling her to become a fleshed-out character. Additionally, she is the main provider of the gang’s mysteries because it is often on account of her uncle that they get to travel and solve a mystery. 

With Scooby-Doo (2002), Daphne takes control of her identity in the gang. She “transformed [her] body into a dangerous weapon” by becoming a black belt. She defies her damsel-in-distress status the gang has imposed upon her and kicks the bad guy’s butt (a little like Buffy and her own Scooby gang).

 What’s New, Scooby-Doo? also portrays Daphne as less of a damsel-in-distress, but she maintains her “Danger-prone Daphne” nickname. What the show emphasizes is her ability to solve problems differently from Velma by using whatever she has in her purse, such as hair-care products and credit cards (usually to open locks). Daphne is also given a chance to show-off her musical talents, like her singing voice. The Scooby-Doo shows and movies after the '69 version demonstrate how Daphne is capable of doing more for the gang than from what she was originally conceived. 

Daphne driving her mother's race car in Be Cool, Scooby-Doo 

In Be Cool, Scooby-Doo, Daphne is still danger-prone, but the show adds more to her character by giving her quirks, like a fascination for puppets, a tendency to throw herself into play-acting, and just trying new and strange hobbies to have fun. Daphne becomes an independent female role-model by being more outspoken with the gang; she attempts to persuade Velma that technology is not her friend and that Fred should stop yielding his power over Shaggy and Scooby with the Scooby Snax, among other things. Most of the time when the gang reaches a low-point or has been arguing, Daphne is the one to help everyone talk through the issue and express their feelings. In this regard, I find she and Shaggy share the role of being the gang's heart.

Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed questions and plays with the Scooby gang’s roles.  In one instance, it defines the Scooby gang members through the reporter Heather Jasper Howe. Howe asks Daphne what is it she does for the gang and implies that she has no role. She also references Daphne’s magnetism to danger when she asks Daphne, “Can’t you do anything right?”. The sequel weakens the character Daphne built up in Scooby-Doo (2002), which helps her become stronger because she discovers the roles she plays within the gang. Daphne is far from being “just a pretty face.”

 

Daphne's role as a rich girl means she is able to provide things for the gang that they might not normally have access to. In Scooby-Doo! - The Mystery Begins, the Mystery Machine is a van from her parents that she allows the gang to use so they can solve their mystery. It's also Daphne who suggests the paint job of the rundown vehicle be "blue with big orange flowers," which this version of Fred is not too thrilled about, nor is he happy to see what their vehicle is after seeing the expensive cars owned by the Blakes. In other versions of Fred, the Mystery Machine's floral and blatant 60s' theme was always his idea, but since this Fred tries so hard to be what society deems as masculine, I can understand why they made Daphne suggest the iconic design.

The Mystery Machine in What’s New, Scooby-Doo?

Daphne tells the gang about her ideas for the van's design in The Mystery Begins

Velma's Role

The '69 show Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! depicts Velma as the intellectual in the group who knows the history (or will look it up) of a haunting’s location and people. Although Velma believes in scientific explanations, that won't stop her from sometimes being afraid of the monster or seemingly ghostly incidents. Similarly to Daphne’s '69 character, Velma had one role and that was to be smart and put all the pieces together to solve the mystery. 

Velma Researches in Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!

Velma's Character and Traits

Later interpretations show Velma as being sarcastic, which demonstrates her desire to cut through any bull and get to the heart of the truth with facts. She can (usually) see through the toughest mysteries. Be Cool, Scooby-Doo had an episode of a Yeti terrorizing a cheese restaurant. This monster is the first of the franchise to not be connected to the place it's attacking. And this bothers Velma so much that it distracts her from fulfilling her role for the gang.

As mentioned earlier, Scooby-Doo (2002) made Velma the one who thinks up a plan for capturing the monster instead of Fred. This connects perfectly to her character since she is incredibly smart and well-read. It shows that, on one level, other versions of Fred and this Velma are equal; they are both able to formulate plans that (usually) work. (Side note: Velma paraphrases Fred's usual line of "Well, Gang, it looks like we have a mystery on our hands!" in The Mystery Begins).

Doctor Watson once remarked that if Sherlock Holmes hadn’t been a brilliant detective, he would have made a fantastic criminal; Velma is no different. There have been at least two occurrences in Scooby history where Velma was the culprit (e.g. Scooby-Doo! in Where's My Mummy? and Scooby-Doo! 2 - Curse of the Lake Monster), and she is the only one of the gang to have switched to this role. Velma is cunning enough to sabotage the gang’s investigation, stage her own disappearance and have them not figure out that it was her. This enforces Velma’s role in the gang that she solves the mystery in its entirety while the others only figure out pieces.     

Velma unmasks the Centaur in What’s New Scooby-Doo?

Speaking of solving mysteries, Velma is almost never wrong when it comes to declaring who the culprit is at the unmasking. However, in "It's all Greek to Scooby" (part of the What’s New Scooby-Doo? series), Velma confidently declares the centaur's true identity when unmasking them, but she's wrong because, as she points out, she never met the character (although viewers were given insider info). This scene does a few things: 1) It pokes fun at the Scoobyverse for its formulaic structure where the culprit is 98% of the time someone viewers and the gang have met; and 2) It holds a light up to how many mystery books, shows and movies have been written where the culprit is actually someone readers/viewers have never met and therefore, could not have solved the mystery without sufficient information. 

Additionally, Velma and Shaggy switch places in "A Terrifying Round with a Menacing Metallic Clown" of the What’s New Scooby-Doo? series. In this episode, Velma has a childhood fear of a clown. She ends up goofing off and eating junk food with Scooby. Even while goofing off, she discovers clues and solves the mystery without too much information to go on. Velma is always able to fulfill her role (eventually) to maintain the gang’s dynamic.

 

Shaggy & Scooby's Roles

The original 1969 show Scooby-Doo, Where are you! depicts Shaggy and Scooby as fun-loving and always in search of food. They are usually the ones to find the monster and consequently, Shaggy and Scooby’s screams of terror alert the gang of danger, so they can gather their clues, leave the vicinity undetected, investigate the location where the duo saw the monster, and/or see that Shaggy or Scooby accidentally acquired a piece of evidence during their first monster encounter.

Shaggy and Scooby's Character and Traits

Much like the ‘69 version, Shaggy and Scooby continue to be goofy, loveable and contain the heart of the gang across the other versions. It makes sense since the gang is always referred to in pop culture as “the Scooby gang” and with this famous Great Dane, the gang isn’t as interesting to follow (which is one of many gripes I have with the latest Velma show). Not only is Scooby, a dog who cannot just mimic human speech, but actually speak, and Shaggy an integral part of the gang, both went off to have adventures without Fred and Velma in The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo and without Fred, Velma and Daphne is The Ghoul School and other shows/movies (Shaggy’s red shirt is a good clue and the cyber version of him on the final level in The Cyber Chase is wrong). I am thankful that no one ever had the audacity to change Scooby’s breed.

In live-action movies, capturing the heart of the gang could have gone wrong, but they are exactly as you would expect in Scooby-Doo (2002). The opening scene with the two of them in the barrel is so much like the ‘69 version, but better since this is the first instance where Scooby is CGI. With this new dimension, Scooby still moves and acts like a cartoon. He steals Shaggy’s food when he’s distracted and wears at least one disguise. I mentioned in Daphne’s section that the Be Cool version of her shares the role of heart with Shaggy and Scooby. She is often the character to help the gang get out of a funk or stop fighting by reminding them of their strengths and why they’re friends. In Scooby-Doo (2002), Shaggy does this in the beginning, “Hey, you guys, look. I know I’m just the dude that carries the bags, but it seems to me we all play an important part in this group.” (5:56-6:04). Shaggy may not be as observant as Velma, but he’s perceptive when it comes to his friends. This idea of roles within the gang is still important to him and Scooby in the sequel.

Scooby as "Grandma" in Scooby-Doo (2002)

Something fans will notice is that The Mystery Machine in this version doesn’t belong to Fred; it’s Shaggy’s (and Scooby’s since he’s Shaggy’s pet). It also doesn’t have the traditional design the many versions kept from the ’69 version: the orange flowers are missing and replaced with understated flames. However, the van represents Shaggy as it did when it was Fred’s. Because Shaggy still has his signature 60s speech and lives a low-key life as a possible surfer dude, the van is his home and a place where he and Scooby enjoy strange dishes together while hanging out at spots like the beach. Shaggy says he and Scooby aren’t materialistic, so it makes sense. The flashback scene in Scooby-Doo (2002) does have me wondering why Fred is driving; maybe they took turns driving or maybe it was a continuity error since they wanted to show the original Scooby gang in their seats.

There are at least three instances in the Scoobyverse where Shaggy is “in love:” Scooby Doo and The Alien Invaders, Scooby-Doo (2002) and Curse of the Lake Monster. Both Scooby and Shaggy were in love with a girl and her dog who were very much like them in The Alien Invaders, so they were together and on the same wavelength. In the other two cases, only Shaggy has the crush, so Scooby feels left out and neglected. At least in Curse of the Lake Monster, everyone is still in the same proximity and Scooby knows Velma, but the worst case is in Scooby-Doo (2002) where, sure, the gang is stuck on the island, but the woman Shaggy likes is a stranger and allergic to dogs. She comes between the two friends, causing Shaggy to be distracted and not looking out for his buddy when he walks off into the dark woods. It gets to the point where Shaggy defends Mary-Jane against Scooby where they both throw insults at each other and dance around in uncoordinated boxing moves, but the second Scooby falls through a hole, Shaggy is back to himself, ready to do anything to save his pal, leaving Mary-Jane behind.

Shaggy in Scooby-Doo (2002) and Shaggy in The Mystery Begins share a similarity: They aren’t in the gang because they like mysteries; they are there for their friends and spending time together doing things they love. Shaggy in Scooby-Doo (2002) even has the motto “Friends don’t quit.”

After watching most of the cartoon versions of the Scoobyverse, I could hear Casey Kasem’s voice getting older and was worried who would take on Shaggy’s voice when that day came. I absolutely loved *Matthew Lillard in the live-action film, so I was ever so relieved and happy that they allowed him and that he agreed to take up the mantle in Be Cool, Scooby-Doo and in some of the movies, such as Scooby Doo! Legend of the Phantosaur. This movie in particular plays with Shaggy's character by having him be brave because he was hypnotized. 

*Note: I would also have been happy if they had gotten Scott Innes who also did many movies and video games as Scooby, Shaggy and Scrappy.

Considering how all of Shaggy's versions act, there are times when in the midst of panic and scrambling, Shaggy and Scooby are smart as they try to elude monsters. While fans might think that making Shaggy brave takes away from his character, it actually highlights the traits he already has, just as Fred explains in this clip: 

Of course, Shaggy is, in his hypnotized state, arrogant and insults his friends (and strangers), so having the regular Shaggy back with his self-realization that he is capable of more than he thought is the best version of himself.

As fans know, Scooby doesn't necessarily think of himself as a dog or he plays dumb. When suspects call Scooby a dog, his response up until Cyber Chase (2001) was "Dog? Where?". In "Game of Chicken" of Be Cool, Scooby-Doo, Shaggy and Scooby have a spat. Scooby is upset when Shaggy calls him "[his] dog" and when Shaggy refers to himself as a "dog owner" since "buddies don't own buddies." Scooby tries to be close buds with each member of the gang, but while Daphne and he will enjoy chips together, she doesn't take care to make sure the chips don't end up in the water. She doesn't value food as much as Scooby. He tries to laugh with Velma, but she doesn't share the same humor. We see how both Shaggy and Scooby are two peas in a pod. 

What’s New Scooby-Doo? and later versions have fun with placing Shaggy and Scooby as the leaders of the gang. In taking charge of the mystery so he can play in the golf tournament, (as mentioned in Velma’s section), Shaggy takes on Velma's role of solving the mystery and Fred's role of leading the gang. Additionally, Shaggy does not consume any food and insults Scooby for being afraid. It gets to the point where Daphne tells Shaggy, "I'm just very creeped out that you're making so much sense!" and Fred becomes annoyed, “Look, you can do the whole solve-the-mystery thing, but I make the traps.” Despite being in Velma’s role, Shaggy doesn’t solve the mystery, which proves that that is not his role for the gang and he's a little bit of a jerk when not in his usual role. 

 

Shaggy at the wheel of The Mystery Machine in Scooby-Doo! - The Mystery Begins

Similarly, Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins switches the gang’s traditional dynamic by having Shaggy and Scooby at the forefront. It puts Shaggy and Scooby together first before combining the rest of the gang since they are the most similar; Shaggy and Scooby demonstrate an equal amount of human and canine behavior (for example, they both eat Scooby Snax). Additionally, Shaggy is older than the rest of the gang since he was held back twice in school and, as a result, has his licence to drive the Mystery Machine when the gang needs some wheels. With Shaggy and Scooby in the driver and passenger seats in the gang’s structure, it adds more to their characters since Fred, Velma and Daphne are the primary members to analyze evidence and solve the mystery.

Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (which was out before Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins) has Shaggy and Scooby throwing the gang’s status quo off. They try to “prove that [they] actually belong in the gang,” thereby re-establishing their roles and inventing new ones for themselves. Shaggy proposes that he and Scooby be more like Fred, Daphne and Velma. With Shaggy and Scooby encompassing the other gang members’ traits, Fred, Daphne and Velma would be rendered useless and unnecessary for the group. Shaggy takes Fred’s authority by splitting the gang up, he and Scooby conduct their own investigation, among other things. Of course, Shaggy and Scooby’s goofiness is part of their true selves and bleeds through their newly acquired façades, such as when he and Scooby find a genuine clue while goofing off in their search of Old Man Wickles’s mansion. 

Scooby and Shaggy are so beloved for many reasons, but the strongest one of all is that they are true to themselves.

Conclusion

In Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island, the gang splits up because they got tired of the monsters being people in masks, but they all still miss each other despite having found or almost found their place in the real world (Daphne and Fred have a TV show still related to hauntings and mysteries but different, Shaggy and Scooby work at the Customs department at an airport until they are unemployed again and Velma has her own mystery book shoppe). While the gang tries to move on and create decent livelihoods, it's not what the gang loves. As Velma puts it, "Solving mysteries was a lot more fun than selling them." And as Daphne puts in "How to Train Your Coward" of Be Cool, Scooby-Doo, "Don't you see? It's us! We're all us. Without [Scooby and Shaggy], we're not us!"

In order to be the Scooby gang, Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and Scooby-Doo as their true selves are required. It's also why the idea of them has survived for so many decades. They all just fit together so well.

The gang gets back together in Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island

Sources:

“A Terrifying Round with a Menacing Metallic Clown.” What’s New Scooby-Doo?, directed by Chuck Sheetz, Warner Bros. Animation, 2005. AVI.

“Game of Chicken.” Be Cool, Scooby-Doo, directed by Jeff Mednikow, Warner Bros. Animation, 2015. MP4.

“Ghost in the Mystery Machine.” Be Cool, Scooby-Doo, directed by James Krenzke, Warner Bros. Animation, 2018. MP4.

“Go West, Young Scoob.” What’s New Scooby-Doo?, directed by Chuck Sheetz, Warner Bros. Animation, 2005. AVI.

“How to Train Your Coward.” Be Cool, Scooby-Doo, directed by Jeff Mednikow, Warner Bros. Animation, 2017. MP4.

“It’s all Greek to Scooby.” What’s New Scooby-Doo?, directed by Russel Calabrese, Warner Bros. Animation, 2004. AVI.

“It's Mean, It's Green, It's the Mystery Machine.” What’s New, Scooby-Doo?, directed by Joe Sichta & Scott Jeralds, Warner Bros. Animation, 2002. AVI.

“Me, Myself and AI.” Be Cool, Scooby-Doo, directed by Shaunt Nigoghossian, Warner Bros. Animation, 2016. MP4.

“Mystery 101.” Be Cool, Scooby-Doo, directed by Shaunt Nigoghossian, Warner Bros. Animation, 2015. MP4.

“Pompeii and Circumstance.” What’s New Scooby-Doo?, directed by Tom Mazzocco & Scott Jeralds, Warner Bros. Animation, 2003. AVI.

“Recipe for Disaster.” What’s New Scooby-Doo?, directed by Tom Mazzocco, Warner Bros. Animation, 2004. AVI.

Bill Frostmen. “Scooby Doo 2: Daphne Confronts Heather.” Youtube. Online Clip. Youtube. 12 February 2016. Web. 13 April 2017.

Cartoon. Network. “Velma Loses It | Be Cool, Scooby-Doo! | Cartoon Network.” Youtube.  Online Clip. Youtube. 4 November 2015. Web. 13 April 2017.

giphy.com

Movieclips. “Scooby-Doo (10/10) Movie CLIP - Damsel in Distress (2002) HD.” Youtube. Online Clip. Youtube. 6 January 2015. Web. 13 April 2017.

robohobosam. “Scooby Doo Legend of the Phantosaur (2011) - Shaggy beats up a gang of bikers.” Youtube. Online Clip. Youtube. 6 June 2021. Web. 2 June 2023.

Scooby-Doo. Directed by Raja Gosnell, Warner Bros. Pictures, 2002. AVI.

Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster. Directed by Brian Levant, Warner Premier and Cartoon Network, 2010. AVI.

Scooby-Doo! in Where's My Mummy?. Directed by Joe Sichta, Warner Bros. Animation, 2005.

Scooby Doo! Legend of the Phantosaur. Directed by Ethan Spaulding, Warner Bros. 2011.

Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins. Directed by Brian Levant, Warner Premier and Cartoon Network, 2009. AVI.

Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. Directed by Raja Gosnell, Warner Bros. Pictures, 2004. AVI.

Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders. Directed by Jim Stenstrum, Hanna-Barbera Productions and Warner Bros., 2000. AVI.

Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase. Directed by Jim Stenstrum, Hanna-Barbera Productions and Warner Bros., 2001. AVI.

Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island. Directed by Jim Stenstrum, Hanna-Barbera Productions and Warner Bros. Animation, 1998. AVI.

Scooby Doo. “Scooby Doo 2 - Dance.” Youtube. Online Clip. Youtube. 25 October 2012. Web. 13 April 2017.

Total Drama Fan. “Scooby-Doo (2002) Scooby and Shaggy's Fight and Scoob's Trap.” Youtube. Online Clip. Youtube. 2020 May 5. Web. 2 June 2023.

WB Kids. “Be Cool, Scooby-Doo! | Danger Prone Daphne.” Youtube. Online Clip. Youtube. 20 April 2016. Web. 13 April 2017.

WB Kids. “Scooby-Doo! | Shaggy Saves The Day | WB Kids.” Youtube. Online Clip. Youtube. 26 Jul 2018. Web. 2 June 2023.