In this new series, we will explore Saturday Morning Cartoons from around the world. So, grab the Scooby Snacks and join us in this exploration of cartoons from yesteryears.
While not technically the longest running cartoon series on television, that honor belongs to the Simpsons, it isn’t pretty much based on a technicality. You see, Scooby has had many incarnations on television with new titles every reincarnation and constant reruns of previously available material. So while it may not have had new episodes every single year or have been a single series over its lifetime, Scooby-Doo has been on television in one way or another since 1969, thus turning 53 years old this year. Not bad for a dog and his best buddies.
So, what is it about Scooby-Doo that has made it a mainstay of kids’ entertainment and Saturday Morning Cartoons? Well, so many things. First of, the gang, they’re cool, they’re nerdy, they have a dog who may very well be their leader. What’s not to love? Secondly, they solve crimes without the help of adults. They are independent and they can do almost whatever they want, the dream as a kid. Then, there’s the scares. These, let’s be honest, are age appropriate to kids, but still fun for adults. These is something in the scares here that comes off a bit safer than a horror film, but very well may be the door to horror, the gateway into horror if you will. The scares here are fun and each mystery is usually resolved by the end of the episode.
Another fun aspect of Scooby-Doo is the music. Many bands, or cartoon representations of bands have appeared in the series and in the feature films. These have included Josie and the Pussycats, KISS, Simple Plan, Smash Mouth, and a bunch more. The music on Scooby is always important and the bands making appearances usually end up part of the either the mystery or its investigation. Of course, besides the bands, who can forget that chase music that has been used over and over again. It’s a classic now!
With a public of slightly older kids, Scooby-Doo debuted at 10h30am and has been playing most in the second half of Saturday Morning Cartoons for that very reason. It has some spooky bits here and there and may not be little kids’ favorite, but older kids love it to this day. Here’s one last bit of info before you go: The animated episodes of Scooby-Doo add up to over 430 episodes so far, so, get to watching, you’ve got some material to reminisce over!
As a side note, the live action films were, well, uneven to say the least, but going back to them as an adult changes how they are viewed and makes them more nostalgic than anything else, bringing back the fun for a few hours.