Is it safe to say HBO Max’s Velma exists in a different continuity than all the past entries in the Scooby-Doo Universe combined? Although there are some references to the canon and an homage to other Hanna Barbera cartoons, it’s tough to say. At least the respect for everything Frank Welker did for this series (he voiced Scooby and Fred) is acknowledged, but I honestly do not think this inclusion is meaningful.
Not even George Jetson reference warrents a laugh. But to be fair, I’m giving my evaluation after watching the first six episodes. One missing factor is in how the main characters do not really respect each other at the start. There seems to be a rivalry between Daphne and Velma, which gets worked out later. Elsewhere, just why Norville matters is put into a strange place, and as for why Fred is a haspin needs a better explanation. They know each other mostly because they’re the same graduating class at Crystal Cove High. Just how they clicked to become a team still hasn’t happened yet.
This entry to this franchise is simply odd. Just because the title uses the same font as the Scooby Doo cartoons implies some relationship, it’s just an odd duck out. As for this group of teenagers to work as a team, it might manifest in the remaining episodes. Shaggy might adopt a dog, but maybe this canine was in his imagination all along. Fandom recognises him as a drug addict and as for that canine; perhaps we’ve been interpreting those past series through his eyes all this time!
Curiously, despite the Scooby Doo franchise being over 50 years old, there aren’t that many releases featuring the gang in Halloween-specific adventures. Although there’s a handful of works released during the month of October, they honestly don’t count.
* Spoiler Alert
By Ed Sum