# Controversy over “Velma” tv show? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [January 15, 2023, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversy-over-velma-tv-show/978244 "2023-01-15T00:54:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2023, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversy-over-velma-tv-show/978244/21 "2023-01-15T03:59:11Z")
> [@DWMarch](#): > > Was there a comic out there who had to discard a hilarious rape routine because of #metoo? Some of the more famous “targets” of #metoo were comedians who allegedly committed sexual assault and less violent, but still unacceptable, things. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2023, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversy-over-velma-tv-show/978244/22 "2023-01-15T04:18:59Z")
Yeah, but what does that have to do with “spitting truth”? The implication of the joke is that #metoo somehow made comedians have to stop telling the truth. It doesn’t make sense. Now if it had been a reference to cancel culture more generally, it might have made more sense. But it probably still wouldn’t have been funny. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2023, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversy-over-velma-tv-show/978244/23 "2023-01-15T04:21:07Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > …nah, I think it’s much simpler than that. The writers simply thought the joke was funny. Well, that’s the true travesty, here. I was more referring to the entire show, which I haven’t seen, but appears to be universally disliked. So maybe it’s just disliked because it’s not funny. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2023, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversy-over-velma-tv-show/978244/24 "2023-01-16T02:08:31Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > HBO is a WB property and they own Scooby-Doo, so I’m not sure who’d be in a position to deny them thr right to use their own IP. Found one of the mentions: > though the animation is produced by Warner Bros. Animation, the studio didn’t give the modern series permission to use Scooby-Doo. [https://hiddenremote.com/2023/01/12/character-scooby-doo-velma-hbo-max/](https://hiddenremote.com/2023/01/12/character-scooby-doo-velma-hbo-max/) ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2023, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversy-over-velma-tv-show/978244/25 "2023-01-16T02:40:44Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > We’ll have to split up. Now that’s funny! ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2023, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversy-over-velma-tv-show/978244/26 "2023-01-17T01:08:22Z")
I just watched the two episodes that have been released. I must be the only person (well, one of the 18%) who enjoyed it. There’s only two issues I have with it. One is the childlike version of Fred’s personality. The other is that they’re making it obvious who the killer is going to be. Other than those two things I enjoyed it. Velma, Shaggy, and Daphne were all done well. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2023, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversy-over-velma-tv-show/978244/27 "2023-01-20T03:17:01Z")
More issues with Velma. > **[Mindy Kaling’s Comedy Has Gotten Tired And Now She’s Being Dragged For It ](https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/izzyampil/mindy-kaling-backlash-velma-mindy-project-never-have-i-ever)** > > Recent criticism of the comedian’s artistic laziness has fans reexamining her whole career. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2023, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversy-over-velma-tv-show/978244/28 "2023-01-26T00:37:38Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Yeah, but what does that have to do with “spitting truth”? Right, the joke uses the “wrong” referent. #MeToo is not the same thing as “cancel culture” and Kaling must know it but, in the most generous interpretation, portrays the character is trying to “cleverly mock” those who don’t get that by voicing their beliefs all ironic-like — but only succeeding in a massive whoosh that annoyed all. (Besides, “spitting truth like a comic before [whatever made comics self-censor]” sounds like “having an excuse for being obnoxious to others”.) From the various articles though I detect there is implied some sort of greater overall Kaling fatigue happening in some circles, and it’s coming to a boil. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2023, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversy-over-velma-tv-show/978244/29 "2023-01-26T03:41:48Z")
I haven’t watched the show, and likely wouldn’t have regardless of the reviews, but i’m starting to feel a bit bad for Mindy Kaling. It must be bad enough if you show doesn’t find an audience or they say it’s bad, but most of the time there’s not a single person to focus all the negativity on. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2023, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversy-over-velma-tv-show/978244/30 "2023-01-26T05:03:09Z")
> [@DWMarch](#): > > can’t muster any outrage for the joke but I think it fails to land because it connects two things that aren’t related. The #metoo movement was not about comedians being too edgy. It was about women being sexually assaulted. I didn’t take it as a joke about me too. I took it as a joke about comedians who complain that they can’t be “honest”’any more because of me too. I watched the four episodes currently out. It’s more entertaining than I thought it would be. I did occasionally laugh out loud. I’ll probably watch at least a few more. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2023, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversy-over-velma-tv-show/978244/31 "2023-01-26T05:04:29Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > was more referring to the entire show, which I haven’t seen, but appears to be universally disliked. So maybe it’s just disliked because it’s not funny. Give it a chance and see for yourself. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2023, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversy-over-velma-tv-show/978244/32 "2023-01-26T14:42:03Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > I didn’t take it as a joke about me too. I took it as a joke about comedians who complain that they can’t be “honest”’any more because of me too. That was the obvious intent but what some are bringing up is that what the standups complain about is **not** “MeToo” but PC/“cancel culture”. Adjacent and intersecting but not the same thing. Plus Kaling is then ironically enough getting hit with one of the archetypal tropes about PC/cancel culture, namely “there’s some things you cannot joke about!” ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2023, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversy-over-velma-tv-show/978244/33 "2023-01-26T14:53:29Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > what the standups complain about is **not** “MeToo” but PC/“cancel culture” Sure, the precise language perhaps could have gone through another round of editing, but the meaning was clear to me. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2023, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversy-over-velma-tv-show/978244/34 "2023-01-26T17:38:09Z")
Perhaps the biggest lesson here is that HBO needs to get out of the cartoon business. **Velma** and **Santa, Inc**. are two of the lowest rated tv shows on IMDB. Ever.\* \*minimum 5000 votes ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2023, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversy-over-velma-tv-show/978244/35 "2023-01-26T20:50:20Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Perhaps the biggest lesson here is that HBO needs to get out of the cartoon business. Whether or not you like those shows, HBO isn’t bad at cartoons. _Harley Quinn_ is fantastic, for example. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2023, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversy-over-velma-tv-show/978244/36 "2023-01-26T20:58:52Z")
Any others? Because those two turkeys will need a lot of counterweight. ---
**Author:** ![SlipperyPete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@SlipperyPete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlipperyPete)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2023, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversy-over-velma-tv-show/978244/37 "2023-01-26T21:04:09Z")
Is it possible this is a spoof of what the right-wing writers would think left-wing writers would think is funny? Kind of a double agent comedy? ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2023, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversy-over-velma-tv-show/978244/38 "2023-01-26T21:09:38Z")
Actually, nevermind. I don’t think any of the aforementioned shows are HBO originals. Harley Quinn debuted on DC Universe, which was a separate Warner Media property. Anyway, Velma and Santa, Inc. are so poorly rated that I now want to watch both of them. Even though I don’t watch cartoons. Because I’m an adult. JK. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2023, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversy-over-velma-tv-show/978244/39 "2023-01-26T21:36:31Z")
> [@SlipperyPete](#): > > Is it possible this is a spoof of what the right-wing writers would think left-wing writers would think is funny? Kind of a double agent comedy? I haven’t seen the show, but I saw a promo a couple months ago, where Velma’s on the phone to someone, complaining about a reboot of a cartoon she grew up with, and her complaints all describe _Velma_: changing the race of previously White characters to make the show diverse, female lead, “woke” story lines, etc. I wasn’t terribly impressed. It felt lazy. If the promo was representative, I can very easily see them trying to pull similar, “It’s funny that I’m saying this because this is clearly something I don’t believe,” humor and completely blowing the context so it just sounds like they’re saying something stupid or awful unironically. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2023, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversy-over-velma-tv-show/978244/40 "2023-01-26T22:06:47Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Because those two turkeys will need a lot of counterweight. I mean, No they won’t. One good show makes it all worthwhile. It’s not like creating a bad show is a deficit that needs to be made up. Especially for a subscription service like HBO. all that counts is finding something you like. Something you don’t like is irrelevant. Plus, as I said, I see no reason to hate _Velma_. It might not be everyone’s taste, but I found it to be reasonably funny. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversy-over-velma-tv-show/978244.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversy-over-velma-tv-show/978244.md?page=3)