# What's the usual level of difficulty in solving a Scooby Doo mystery? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 15, 2007, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-usual-level-of-difficulty-in-solving-a-scooby-doo-mystery/392339 "2007-02-15T14:14:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2009, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-usual-level-of-difficulty-in-solving-a-scooby-doo-mystery/392339/41 "2009-02-07T14:03:10Z")
Am I the first to notice that this is a _two year old_ thread resurrected by **dougie-monty** this morning? Not that I mind, I just thought it was funny. What happened, Dougie? -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2009, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-usual-level-of-difficulty-in-solving-a-scooby-doo-mystery/392339/42 "2009-02-07T15:15:17Z")
> [@KarlGrenze](#): > > Wasn’t Daphne substituted in some episodes (or accompanied by) one of Scooby’s cousins? I forget his name, but it was a gray country type Great Dane? Scooby Dum. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2009, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-usual-level-of-difficulty-in-solving-a-scooby-doo-mystery/392339/43 "2009-02-07T16:29:24Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Am I the first to notice that this is a _two year old_ thread resurrected by **dougie-monty** this morning? > > Not that I mind, I just thought it was funny. What happened, Dougie? > > -FrL- What struck me was that it’s a zombie thread in which both the OP and the first respondent have been banned. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2009, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-usual-level-of-difficulty-in-solving-a-scooby-doo-mystery/392339/44 "2009-02-07T19:35:31Z")
I remember the original episode where they were smuggling gold with fake people in an ambulance. The “corpses” all had wigs. It was very creepy somehow. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2009, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-usual-level-of-difficulty-in-solving-a-scooby-doo-mystery/392339/45 "2009-02-07T19:41:33Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > What struck me was that it’s a zombie thread in which both the OP and the first respondent have been banned. It’s not a zombie. It’s a real estate developer dressing up as a character from a local urban legend and a holographic projector to scare away unwanted tenants. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2009, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-usual-level-of-difficulty-in-solving-a-scooby-doo-mystery/392339/46 "2009-02-07T19:43:14Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > It’s not a zombie. It’s a real estate developer dressing up as a character from a local urban legend and a holographic projector to scare away unwanted tenants. Thanks for the laugh, dude. I needed it. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2009, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-usual-level-of-difficulty-in-solving-a-scooby-doo-mystery/392339/47 "2009-02-07T22:57:04Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Am I the first to notice that this is a two year old thread resurrected by dougie-monty this morning? I noticed it. That’s just Scooby-Doo for you- every few years he comes back in some new incarnation. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2009, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-usual-level-of-difficulty-in-solving-a-scooby-doo-mystery/392339/48 "2009-02-07T23:01:50Z")
Here is a [perfect example](http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/151574/?searchterm=korn) of the type of mystery usually solved on the show. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-usual-level-of-difficulty-in-solving-a-scooby-doo-mystery/392339/49 "2009-02-08T00:58:03Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Am I the first to notice that this is a _two year old_ thread resurrected by **dougie-monty** this morning? No, but you are the first not to notice that I noticed it in MY post. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-usual-level-of-difficulty-in-solving-a-scooby-doo-mystery/392339/50 "2009-02-08T01:12:12Z")
I confess to having loved Scooby Doo as a kid. I have never heard of Scrappy Doo and hope never to again. And it just occurred to me (upon reading this thread) that the Gang never did seem to learn to predict how things were going to shake out… :eek: (I mean, I knew that they’d figure out that it was Mrs Henderson/the nightwatchman/the head of the bank all along, but I never thought about them ever saying, “hey–isn’t this case just like the one with Mrs Henderson?”). :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-usual-level-of-difficulty-in-solving-a-scooby-doo-mystery/392339/51 "2009-02-08T01:33:19Z")
The old episodes of Scooby Doo still hold up, sorta. It’s really weird to watch a cartoon with a laugh track though. Of course, anything with Scrappy or Scooby Dum is unwatchable. However, episodes of “What’s New Scooby Doo” are pretty good. The big difference is that Fred has ditched his ascot. But somehow they figured out that following the orignal formula was a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-usual-level-of-difficulty-in-solving-a-scooby-doo-mystery/392339/52 "2009-02-08T02:25:11Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > The old episodes of Scooby Doo still hold up, sorta. It’s really weird to watch a cartoon with a laugh track though. > > Of course, anything with Scrappy or Scooby Dum is unwatchable. > > However, episodes of “What’s New Scooby Doo” are pretty good. The big difference is that Fred has ditched his ascot. But somehow they figured out that following the orignal formula was a good idea. One of the Scooby Doo movies has the gang getting sucked into a computer game based on their old adventures (hey, it worked for Tron). First thing that happens is Fred sees Classic Fred and remarks “Hey, nice ascot!”😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-usual-level-of-difficulty-in-solving-a-scooby-doo-mystery/392339/53 "2009-02-08T03:01:09Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > One of the Scooby Doo movies has the gang getting sucked into a computer game based on their old adventures (hey, it worked for Tron). First thing that happens is Fred sees Classic Fred and remarks “Hey, nice ascot!”😃 One of the newer episodes (I think, may have been a movie, or a parody but I think it was a legit episode) had a brilliant subversion too, Velma gets the case WRONG, it is… in fact someone they’ve never met before. Her response as everyone is walking away? “But… I… that’s not fair… we’ve never seen him before! How could you guys expect me…” And so on. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-usual-level-of-difficulty-in-solving-a-scooby-doo-mystery/392339/54 "2009-02-08T03:30:26Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > However, episodes of “What’s New Scooby Doo” are pretty good. The big difference is that Fred has ditched his ascot. But somehow they figured out that following the orignal formula was a good idea. The thing that impressed me the most about _What’s New, Scooby-Doo?_ is that they actually bothered to introduce minor characters and give them each a reason for getting revenge on whoever in each episode. It actually gives you a chance to figure out who the culprit is before the gang does, and is a big step up from the random exposition out of nowhere from the original series. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-usual-level-of-difficulty-in-solving-a-scooby-doo-mystery/392339/55 "2009-02-08T03:55:09Z")
> [@Jragon](#): > > One of the newer episodes (I think, may have been a movie, or a parody but I think it was a legit episode) had a brilliant subversion too, Velma gets the case WRONG, it is… in fact someone they’ve never met before. Her response as everyone is walking away? “But… I… that’s not fair… we’ve never seen him before! How could you guys expect me…” And so on. That was from an episode of _What’s New, Scooby Doo?_ Another great thing about that show is that they finally made Daphne a useful part of the team. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-usual-level-of-difficulty-in-solving-a-scooby-doo-mystery/392339/56 "2009-02-08T03:56:31Z")
> [@JThunder](#): > > That was from an episode of _What’s New, Scooby Doo?_ > > Another great thing about that show is that they finally made Daphne a useful part of the team. Yeah, it was from What’s New. I’m remembering snow. Was there a yeti one, I think that’s the “Velma is wrong” one. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-usual-level-of-difficulty-in-solving-a-scooby-doo-mystery/392339/57 "2009-02-08T19:47:55Z")
But isn’t a downside of the new episodes (or is it movies) that now they have more supernatural stuff? As in there are real witches and real magic and real stuff? I preferred in the old one when that was explained away with holograms and light tricks… Instead of real existing half-cat (werekitty?) witches… ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-usual-level-of-difficulty-in-solving-a-scooby-doo-mystery/392339/58 "2009-02-08T20:53:04Z")
> [@KarlGrenze](#): > > But isn’t a downside of the new episodes (or is it movies) that now they have more supernatural stuff? As in there are real witches and real magic and real stuff? I preferred in the old one when that was explained away with holograms and light tricks… Instead of real existing half-cat (werekitty?) witches… “What’s New, Scooby-Doo?” on the cartoon network was a good update on the original series and did away with the supernatural being real but showed a good wink and nod humor to the original now grown fans watching with their kids. It played in many of the jokes that people have been making about Scooby Doo for years. Including teaming Shaggy & Fred up once and trying to make small talk. Freddy was talking sports and Shaggy had no interest. Shaggy was talking food and maybe a subtle stoner reference. There was another where the villain was a kid so he complained about the meddling grown-ups at the end. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-usual-level-of-difficulty-in-solving-a-scooby-doo-mystery/392339/59 "2009-02-08T21:02:41Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > It’s not a zombie. It’s a real estate developer dressing up as a character from a local urban legend and a holographic projector to scare away unwanted tenants. And he would’ve gotten away with it if it hadn’t been for you meddling mods! ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-usual-level-of-difficulty-in-solving-a-scooby-doo-mystery/392339/60 "2009-02-08T21:04:20Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > What struck me was that it’s a zombie thread in which both the OP and the first respondent have been banned. They’d still be Members if it weren’t for those darned, meddling moderators! on edit: DAMN! I didn’t see the post right above mine! I would’ve gotten away with it, too, if it weren’t… oh… nevermind. (sigh) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-usual-level-of-difficulty-in-solving-a-scooby-doo-mystery/392339.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-usual-level-of-difficulty-in-solving-a-scooby-doo-mystery/392339.md?page=4)