Happy birthday Scooby-Doo, celebrating 50 years, and still his legacy lives on with current shows, new animated movies every year, and fans for every generation. Whether you love Scooby-Doo or are indifferent to him, the one thing you can’t deny is that his cartoon franchise truly is timeless.
I’m not just saying that because it’s an older show with an iconic character, but because it always finds a way to gain new life, and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down. I’ve personally never called myself a die-hard fan of Scooby-Doo, but I do still have my nostalgic ties to the series. I did watch a lot of his cartoons as a kid, I even grew-up on VHS tapes of his earlier animated movies, and once in a while around Halloween, I’ll watch something that ties into the characters franchise. So, to celebrate his 50-year anniversary, the time seemed right to countdown my top 10 personal favorite Scooby-Doo ventures, namely the ones that always got me in the mood for Halloween. This isn’t any kind of official list, and I’m going to mix things up between the movies, as well as select episodes from the cartoon shows. #10 “Scooby-Doo and The Ghoul School” (1988) (Animated Movie)
Here’s one of the earlier Scooby-Doo movies that came as part of an 80’s trilogy, and only featured Scooby, Shaggy and Scrappy as the main characters. The trio are called in to be teachers at a mysterious all-girl school, but there’s a twist … the girls are the doubters of all the classic monsters.
Yeah, the doubter of Dracula, the doubter of the mummy, the doubter of the Wolfman, and so-forth are all gathered in this little monster school. Naturally, the gang is terrified of all these spooks, but over time grow to like them, and teach them some basic activities. Things get exciting once the gang get roped into an adventure to protect the children from an evil witch, who plots to control the girls, and use them as a means to rule all the classic monsters. So, in an odd, funny twist, Scooby-Doo and the gang are protecting the monsters that they usually run away from. It’s a refreshing concept, the characters are likable, the villain is entertaining, and the animation lends to some fun spooky encounters. I like that this film adds a different ingredient to a round-up of the classic Universal monsters, with their children being the center point of attention. I would actually like to see a new spin-off, just to see modern looks for the ghoulish girls, as their designs do look very 1980’s.
#9 “Ghost who's Coming to Dinner” (from “A Pup Named Scooby-Doo”)
Of the various Scooby-Doo cartoons I grew up with, I remember enjoying “A Pup Named Scooby-Doo” the most, and wouldn’t you know … my favorite episode happens to be the Halloween centered mystery. It’s the spookiest night of the year, and the gang finds themselves in the company of a ghost … and it’s a real ghost for once.
Thankfully, this is one of the friendlier ghosts, and he needs the gangs help to protect his home from the spirt of a wicked pirate. It’s a welcome change to the formula seeing the gang team-up with a supernatural entity, and the episode is chalk full of all the details I love in a Halloween special. For example, it’s an instant delight to see the young gang out Trick r' Treating, and in their costumes through most of the episode. A decent plot, a lovable ghost character, and Halloween in every frame … of course I’ve remembered this as one of the favorite Scooby-Doo episodes.
#8 “Which Witch is Which?” (from “Scooby-Doo Where are You?”)
After getting lost in a swamp, the gang pull over to a stranger on the road to ask for directions … and he turns out to be a zombie ... just like that, a spooky mystery is underway.
As the gang venture deeper into the muck, they learn of a wicked witch living deep within, who likewise created the zombie, and is threatening the team with voodoo. There’s actually kind of a disturbed moment when the gang enter the witches lair and discover little voodoo dolls of themselves … with pins sticking in them. Back when I was just a little kid, I distinctly remember singling this episode out as my favorite of the original “Scooby-Doo Where are You?” series. The dinghy swamp setting gives the episode some atmosphere, and we have two iconic monsters for the price of one. The witch is as classy as they get, right down to referring to Daphne as “my pretty”. Add onto that, a fairly layered mystery surrounding the villains motives for haunting the swamp, and you get a stand out episode from the original series.
#7 “The Headless Horseman of Halloween” (from “The Scooby-Doo Show”)
Sense it’s October … of course I’d be including more then one Halloween episode on my list. Actually, this marked the franchises very first Halloween centered episode.
Naturally, with all the ghosts, ghouls, and monsters already present in the show, this venture had to do something really special to stand out as a Halloween venture. Thus, it’s a loving homage to the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and the main monster is none other than the Headless Horseman. While attending a Halloween costume party at Crane manner, the gang learn that their hostess is in fact the descendant of Ichabod Crane, and now she’s being haunted by the famous headless horseman from the family’s past. It’s brilliant, and I’ve always loved the tale of Sleepy Hallow, so this episode was an instant win for me.
#6 “Vampire Bats and Scaredy Cats” (from “The Scooby-Doo Show”)
When staying at a hotel to visit a friend, the gang find themselves at the mercy of a vampire who’s out for blood.
This marked one of the first appearances of vampires in the Scooby-Doo universe, and it was a welcome change when compared to the more traditional looking ghouls from the show. Aside from all that, this episode makes my list for one specific scene … when the lead girl suddenly transforms into a vampire. While not completely terrifying, this was a rare instance when a spooky moment caught me off guard as a kid, and even got me to jump a little inside. That’s something that Scooby-Doo was never able to accomplish before, and just for that, this episode has stuck with me as one of their more memorable ventures.
#5 “Scooby-Doo meets The Boo Brothers” (1987) (Animated Movie)
After inheriting his late uncles estate, Shaggy and his two canine companions hit the road to see their new home.
Upon arrival, they discover the mansion has a spooky history, is presumably haunted, and … there happens to be a king’s ransom in jewels hidden on the grounds. Thus, a chase is on to find the hidden fortune, with several clues guiding our heroes on the path. Along the way they confront skeletons, ghosts, a monster gorilla, a hunter with a gun, a headless horseman, a suspicious hunchback, and countless other ghouls that are also seeking the treasure. To even the playing field, a comedic trio of ghosts called the Boo Brothers get roped-up in the mess. This was one of my favorite animated Scooby-Doo movies that I watched all the time as a kid, as it contained a huge gallery of villains, non-stop chases, funny gags, and at the center was an exciting scavenger hunt in a spooky setting. It's just a wild ride, and an easy one to recommend to fans of the franchise.
#4 “Bravo Dooby Doo” (from “Johnny Bravo”)
Scooby-Doo is no stranger to crossovers, as he’s teamed up with Batman & Robin, the Adams Family, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Wonder Woman, and several others. If I had to pick just one for my count down, it would have to be the time Scooby-Doo and the gang crossed paths with Johnny Bravo. The absent minded, woman obsessed, Elvis impersonating Johnny Bravo was one of my childhood favorites from Cartoon Network, and seeing him share a funny venture in a spooky house with the gang was instant gold. While escorting Johnny to his aunt’s home, they discover that his aunt is missing, and a ghostly gardener puts them to the chase. All the Scooby-Doo members are perfectly in character, and even the animation style for them is traditionally sketchy looking, which clashes perfectly with Bravo’s more modern, and colorful look.
Having these characters play off each-other is a real joy, as they make fun of each other’s trademarks, and there’s some perfectly timed slapstick comedy. Plus, this episode features one of my favorite lines ever spoken in a cartoon. Johnny crashes into Velma, causing them to both lose their glasses. Velma crawls around on the floor and says “My glasses, I can’t see without my glasses”, and then we cut to Johnny who’s also on the floor looking for his dark shaded glasses saying “My glasses, I can’t be seen without my glasses!” That in a nutshell is why Johnny Bravo was so funny, and why this episode stands as my favorite Scooby-Doo crossover.
#3 “Scooby-Doo and the Goblin King” (2008) (Animated Movie)
It's Halloween night, and an Evil Sorcerer aims to harness all the powers of the Goblin King, and with it, he'll make the night an eternal Halloween ... actually sounds kind of cool. What's not cool is kidnaping a fairy princess ... who looks like Tinkerbell in a crop-top ... and using her as a means to harness the Goblin Kings powers.
#2 “Scooby-Doo and the Witch’s Ghost” (1999) (Animated Movie)
Now here’s a special Scooby-Doo movie that I’d watch around Halloween weather I was a fan or not. When Velma meets her idle … a shady author of spooky mysteries, the gang find themselves taking a road trip to a small town in Massachusetts that’s currently celebrating a 1600’s themed festival.
However, with the return of the old times it resurfaces local superstitions of witchcraft, and the legend of a woman who was murdered under the assumption of being a witch. The tale takes a modern twist when the apparent ghost of the Witch haunts the town, and chases our hero’s. All around, I think this Scooby-Doo movie has the best collection of new characters, including the Hex Girls who provided most of the movies catchy music. This band of Echo Goths have become regulars in the Scooby-Doo series, and have stood out as fan favorites. The film also features two high-profile villains, with vocal talents Tim Curry and Tress MacNeille both shinning in the roles of an evil warlock and the titular Witch’s Ghost.
The film concludes with one of the most action-packed climaxes you'll ever seen in a Scooby-Doo cartoon, as it’s packed with hex casting ghosts, a psychotic Tim Curry, killer Jack O Lanterns, monster trees, and a ferocious giant turkey ... don’t ask. Even if your not a big Scooby-Doo fan, I’d still recommend watching this film for Halloween. The autumn scenery is absorbing, the tie-ins with the Massachusetts Witch hunt’s are intriguing, the animation is fantastic, the music is catchy, and even the films atmosphere puts me in the proper October spirit.
Before I reveal my #1 favorite Scooby-Doo venture, here are some Honorable Mentions …
“Spooky Space Kook”
“A Gaggle of Galloping Ghosts”
“Scooby-Doo & Batman: Brave and the Bold”
“Scooby-Doo and the Reluctant Werewolf”
“Happy Halloween Scooby-Doo”
#1 “Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island” (1998) (Animated Movie)
Here it is, the Scooby-Doo venture that I believe a larger majority outside of the fandom can appreciate and enjoy. It’s truthfully the one thing under Scooby-Doo’s banner that I still own on home video, and I still make it a tradition to watch around Halloween.
As you'd expect from the title, the movie involves zombies, but the catch is that … there all real, and there’s no bad guys in masks. The venture begins when the gang reunite to celebrate Daphne’s birthday, and their itching to go on a new spooky adventure. Daphne however is determined to find a real haunted mystery, with real supernatural elements, and her birthday wish comes true when the gang are leeward to a mysterious island in the swamps of Louisiana. It may seem average on the surface, but once the sun sets, supernatural oddities come about, dark secrets of the island’s history are explored, and an army of zombies awaken to terrorize our hero’s. The story is respectfully multilayered, there’s a mostly challenging mystery slowly being unraveled, some clever twists, the danger was legitimate, and I feel it’s the closest that Scooby-Doo ever came to being genuinely scary.
No joke, the ending gets surprisingly dark … certainly darker then anything else in the franchise. Also, the soundtrack rocked, especially with the theme song “Terror Time Again”, which is easily one of my favorite songs to listen to during October. Personally, I think “Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island” is the absolute best thing to ever come out under the character’s name, and one that even non-fans might be able to get behind. This film is almost too good for Scooby-Doo, and probably would have made for a great spooky animated adventure without him.
In the end, Scooby-Doo continues to impact children with each new generation, and I’m glad I had my share of the franchise when I did. While I’ve never watched anything new under the characters name sense 2004, I’m still impressed, and even a little glad to see that he still wins new fans to this day. 50 years is quiet the accomplishment for any animated franchise to achieve, and we’ll see if he continues to last in the years to come.
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