Scooby-Doo: Every TV Series (In Chronological Order)

As one of the longest-running cartoon franchises, looking at all the Scooby-Doo shows in order cements its impressive legacy. This cowardly cartoon dog has spanned decades and entertained millions of people through the years, from its groovy beginnings in 1969 to the most recent series, Velma. The classic set-up for the series follows Scooby-Doo and the Mystery Inc. team, Shaggy, Velma, Daphne, and Fred, as they stumble onto seemingly supernatural occurrences and get to the bottom of them. These characters have stuck with fans for over 50 years in various cartoon series, as well as live-action movies.

Velma is the latest attempt to bring the Scooby gang back to the small screen, albeit this is a more adult-oriented take with some modern commentary. The show has received considerable backlash from fans who feel it mocks the beloved characters of the original. With such a passionate response, it proves Scooby-Doo is still a franchise that people care about. Looking at the Scooby-Doo shows proves the franchise has been there for multiple generations of fans and will likely continue on for many more.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!

1969-1970

The original and perhaps most beloved series was created when Hanna-Barbera was seeking out a more wholesome and less intense television show than their past superhero cartoons. Each campy episode of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! had the same structure, which became comforting and familiar for young viewers. There was also plenty of slapstick humor supplemented by Shaggy and Scooby.

After chasing someone around, the gang would always solve the mystery by revealing the true identity of the monster or ghost; usually, a crotchety older person exploiting a local legend to cover up a crime. Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! quickly took off, and after just a couple of years, Hanna-Barbera would need to grow the franchise to satisfy audiences who couldn’t get enough of Scooby-Doo and the gang. As hard as it is to believe, there were only 25 episodes in those first two seasons.

The Scooby-Doo Movies

1972-1974

The next Scooby-Doo show to follow the original was The Scooby-Doo Movies. This wasn’t a series of movies but rather a show of hour-long episodes that came after Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!These episodes had a guest star slot and would feature familiar heroes like Batman and Robin, along with The Harlem Globetrotters, Josie and the Pussycats, Speed Buggy, and many others.

For this particular incarnation of the franchise, it’s the guest stars that make the shows memorable as the format is largely the same as the original, but the Scooby Gang solves mysteries alongside very famous (cartoon-drawn) faces. The Scooby-Doo Movies was another hit and would run until 1974. After that, reruns of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! would air until the franchise moved from CBS to ABC in 1976. There were two seasons and 24 episodes and it played along with the original series for kids for years.

The Scooby-Doo Show

1976-1977

Scooby-Doo went through yearly format changes in the 1970s and was oftentimes paired along with Dynomutt, Dog Wonder to create the Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour. Dynomutt was actually a mechanical dog superhero sidekick to another Hanna-Barbera superhero named Blue Falcon. Along with various Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour and Scooby’s All-Star Laff-a-Lympics crossover episodes, there were also new regularly formatted Scooby-Doo episodes that featured new characters like Scooby-Doo’s cousin, Scooby-Dum.

The late 1970s were responsible for introducing a lot of new characters to the franchise and for crossing over with other Hanna-Barbera properties. This is a series that is hard to categorize since it really took a lot of different Scooby-Doo cartoons and batched them together under one name. There were 40 total episodes, but it included Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour (16 episodes) and Scooby’s All-Star Laff-a-Lympics (8 episodes), Scooby Doo, Where Are You (10), and Scooby’s All-Stars (6).

Scooby’s All-Star Laff-A-Lympics

1977-1978

Watching the 1970s Scooby-Doo shows reminds fans of the interconnected nature of the Hanna-Barbera universe. The title alone is a perfect example of the fact that Hanna-Barbera was trying as hard as possible to milk Scooby-Doo. Although, Laff-A-Lympics does have a neat concept of a series where over forty characters from across Hanna-Barbera franchises crossover for a parody of the Olympics. There were five shows in the block, including one with Captain Caveman and another with Blue Falcon.

The second season would be renamed Scooby’s All-Stars until its cancelation. Joining Scooby-Doo in these episodes were mostly cartoon characters from all across Hanna-Barbera, including Yogi-Bear, Mumbly, Captain Caveman, Dynomutt, Blue Falcon, and many more. Through the series, there were 24 total episodes (with eight listed as Scooby’s All-Stars) and then they were all packaged together in re-runs under The Scooby-Doo Show name, along with classics from the original series.

Scooby-Doo And Scrappy-Doo

1979-1980

Scooby-Doo And Scrappy-Doo introduced another well-known character to the franchise; Scooby’s comically tiny, rough, and tough nephew Scrappy. Unlike his uncle, Scrappy is brave, feisty, and eager to help the gang solve mysteries, sometimes charging headfirst into danger, while crying catchphrases. The character is not well-liked by many fans and was even turned into the villain in the first of the live-action Scooby-Doo movie. Despite this, the addition of Scrappy led to him sticking with his uncle for a while.

Scrappy also never went away, despite the fans’ sometimes hatred of the little dog. However, it might not be that Scrappy was hated as much as it was that he soon replaced the other human characters, with Fred, Velma, and Daphne often taking a backseat to the little guy. Despite that, the first season of the show only ran for 16 episodes before it came to an end. Hanana-Barbera also created shorts that played in other cartoons with the characters after this.

The New Scooby And Scrappy-Doo Show aka The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries

1983-1985

In 1983, The New Scooby and Scrappy-Doo Show aired for one season, before its name was changed to The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries, adding a little confusion to the franchise’s history. This version of the show saw the return of Daphne Blake in the first season, which was a nice return since most fans missed the gang and wanted them more than they wanted more Scarppy-Doo adventures. However, Fred and Velma would have to wait until the second season for their return.

This series would also see the end of the sitcom laugh track that played over previous seasons. Despite there not being a lot of love for Scrappy-Doo from fans, he remained on the show while other characters came and went. This series was a lot more successful than the last one with Scrappy, as it lasted for two seasons and 26 episodes, although Scooby-Doo still struggled to find its footing and get more than a couple of seasons at a time in any format.

The 13 Ghosts Of Scooby-Doo

1985

This was Hanna-Barbera’s seventh incarnation of the Scooby-Doo franchise, with Scrappy-Doo, a very different Daphne, a revamped Shaggy sporting a red shirt, and, of course, Scooby-Doo. However, it also introduced some new characters. This included Flim Flam, an ambitious adventurer who could con his way out of any tricky situation. The new adventure also introduced scary elements to the kids’ show.

Vincent Van Ghoul, a magician also joins the small gang of regular characters to help return 13 ghosts to the Chest of Demons. The famous thing about Van Ghoul was that he was voiced by legendary horror icon Vincent Price. This was also the first time in the Scooby-Doo franchise that real ghosts were introduced. It was a huge shock for some fans, as it was no longer about unmasking some scam artist or criminal and Scooby-Doo faced actual real monsters, making it more horror and less comedy.

A Pup Named Scooby-Doo

1988-1991

While the franchise has been able to remain popular for so long, sometimes there are new elements introduced into the Scooby-Doo show in order to make them feel fresh. A Pup Named Scooby-Doo brings the characters to look at the early days of Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, and Scooby as young kids and a puppy. This series was unique in the way it deviated from the traditional style of animation and presented a more soft, cute, and bubbly style of animation.

The show itself was also more goofy and zany than the previous series, embracing the comedic aspects of the series rather than the scary ghost stories. A Pup Named Scooby-Doo successfully entertained audiences until 1991, when reruns of older shows resumed. Reruns of classics aired for over a decade, which is why even kids of the 1990s and 2000s have seen the original series. This wasn’t new either, as other shows like Muppet Babies and Tiny Toons did the same thing.

What’s New Scooby-Doo?

2002-2006

After the hiatus that began in 1991, it took a decade for Scooby-Doo to return to the small screen in 2002 on the Cartoon Network. This is largely thanks to the popularity of the original cartoon, the live-action Scooby-Doo movie, and a DTV series of movies starring the character. Returning to Saturday morning cartoon television, it continued its run as one of the longest-running cartoon series with a new series appropriately named What’s New Scooby-Doo?

This series went in a completely different direction from its predecessor with modern and more realistic changes to Scooby-Doo and the gang. Gone were the goofy cartoonish Hanna-Barbera sound effects of the past, including the laugh track never returning. At the same time, however, this series returned to its roots with the gang encountering villains in disguises and costumes rather than real monsters and ghosts. This helped pull it back from the supernatural and more into the mystery aspects again.

Shaggy & Scooby-Doo Get A Clue!

2006-2008

This series came on the air in 2006 and mainly focused on Scooby-Doo and Shaggy. In the show, Shaggy has a ridiculously wealthy uncle named Albert Shaggleford who disappears mysteriously, leaving Shaggy a large house and inheritance. Shaggleford is also an inventor, and it’s revealed that he has disappeared to avoid the antagonist, Dr. Phibes. The Scooby villain attempts to steal his inventions and take over the world, forcing Scooby and Shaggy to work together to stop him.

Shaggy & Scooby Get A Clue is the most visually unique series in terms of animation, airing on The CW’s Kids’s WB Saturday morning block. The animation style tried to make the characters look like they did in the live-action movies, and it was one of the only cartoons to not use the traditional Hanna-Barbera animation style. Also, this was the first time that Casey Kasem did not voice Shaggy, and he instead voiced the evil Dr. Phibes (based on Dr. Evil and named after the Vincent Price horror character).

Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated

2010-2013

Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated takes audiences back to the gang’s hometown, going back to the old Scooby-Doo formula of solving mysteries. It acts as a reboot of the original show. But Mystery Incorporated brings plenty of changes to the franchise. This Scooby-Doo show is serialized; rather than each episode being a random story, events from one episode carry on and continue to the next.

Another thing that sets Mystery Incorporated apart from the previous Scooby-Doo series is its more serious tone. The show explores some darker concepts and even some relationship drama between the characters rather than the typical goofy Scooby monsters. These elements set Mystery Incorporated apart from the rest and are why it is so fondly remembered by the fans. With bad guys including the gang’s own families, the series lasted two seasons and 52 episodes and was a highlight of the franchise.

Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!

2015-2018

2015 saw the rise of Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!, which examines the relationship of the Scooby gang as they celebrate their last summer together after graduating from high school. They decide to embark on a summer vacation adventure, during which they encounter various monsters and ghosts, solve mysteries, and save the day. This series is more of a return to the original 1969 show, with a more lighthearted, comedic, and fun tone than Mystery Incorporated.

Sadly, it did not receive the same amount of love as Mystery Incorporated did and only lasted two seasons. Part of the reason for its downfall was that Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated was so beloved and took the gang in a great direction storywise, and when Be Cool, Scooby-Doo went back to just silly adventures, it didn’t fit with what fans had grown to love. The animation was also a turnoff for many, as Mystery Incorporated looked great and this one was more simplistic in appearance.

Scooby-Doo And Guess Who?

2019-2021

Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? is like a modern re-imagining of the classic Saturday morning cartoon, The Scooby-Doo Movies. Celebrities and famous characters appear in many episodes, reminiscent of the old cartoon, and this series leans heavily into the license’s comedy roots. Even after more than five decades, Scooby-Doo was still going strong, and Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? served as a testament to the property’s timeless appeal.

However, unlike The Scooby-Doo Movies, with iconic guests like Batman & Robin and the Harlem Globetrotters, this series had them teaming with various celebrities and fictional characters of a different sort. For example, they teamed with Jaleel White’s Steve Urkel from Family Matters in one episode. They also teamed with real-life people, including Mark Hamill, Bill Nye, Christian Slater, Weird Al, Halsey, and Kenan Thompson. Blue Falcon and Dynomutt did make a return as well.

Velma

2023–

Mindy Kaling has brought a new and controversial take on the Scooby-Doo franchise with Velma. Unlike other versions, this animated series put the title character in the spotlight with the others serving as supporting characters in her Scooby adventure. The likes of Fred and Shaggy have also been given more modern updates, which make them far less likable. Kaling is also joined by a talented supporting cast in Velma, including Constance Wu, Glenn Howerton, and Sam Richardson.

While the more adult take on the mystery cartoon is an interesting idea, it has clearly not sat well with everyone. It’s the worst reviewed of the franchise (38% on Rotten Tomatoes and a rock-low 10% audience score), but that didn’t stop Max from renewing it for a second season. The biggest sin, other than changing the characters’ personalities was eliminating Scooby-Doo completely, as he does not appear in the show in any shape or form (although there was a villain in season 2 called Uncle Scoobi).

What’s Next For Scooby-Doo After Velma

Several Scooby-Doo Projects Were Canceled

The next Scooby-Doo series in release order would have been Scooby-Doo And The Mystery Pups. The Max and Cartoon Network produced series was to be aimed specifically at a preschool audience with Shaggy and Scooby voiced by fan favorites Matthew Lillard and Frank Welker, respectively. The duo were supposed to be camp counselors at a sleep-away camp where there are also puppies and a new mystery being solved. The aim was for the preschool audience to solve the mystery along with the puppies and help improve their confidence in their own problem-solving abilities.

Unfortunately, the newest Scooby-Doo series is one of the many victims of cancelation at Max before it ever became available to stream. It was supposed to debut in the summer of 2024, airing in Cartoon Network’s Cartoonito programming before moving to Max. A Scooby-Doo holiday movie was also canceled by Warner Bros., leaving the fate of Scooby-Doo up in the air. While it’s no secret that the franchise has great staying power and that fans will gladly stream the classic shows, there’s always room for more Scooby-Doo.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! (1969)

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! is a classic animated mystery series that follows the adventures of four teenagers – Fred Jones, Daphne Blake, Velma Dinkley, and Shaggy Rogers – and their talking Great Dane, Scooby-Doo. Together, they travel around in their psychedelic van, the Mystery Machine, solving supernatural mysteries and uncovering spooky secrets.

Cast

Casey Kasem , Don Messick , Frank Welker , Heather North , Pat Stevens

Release Date

September 13, 1969

Seasons

3

Creator(s)

Ken Spears , Joe Ruby