Saturday Morning Cartoons!

"Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!" (1969 - 1972)



I hesitated putting Scoob on Saturday Morning Cartoons. With the movies and the many permutations, I kind of feel Scooby and the gang, well, sold out. I loved the original series, which ran from 1969 to 1972. Then it became Scooby-Doo movies and featured special guests. This show was horrible. Some of their mystery-solving co-stars included The Three Stooges and The Harlem Globetrotters. Both acts were more fun live because you were seeing people act like cartoons. Not so interesting when I know the only skill involved in making that ball move (or ball ping hammer for the stooges) belongs to the sweat shop animators at Hanna-Barbera. Of course, the two worst infractions against cartoonkind was the introduction of Scooby's nephew, Scrappy-Doo (I mean, really, does the comic relief need comic relief?) and a version of the show that had all the main characters as children (or puppies).

Still, I loved this show. It combined several of my favorite elements; scary movies, mysteries and comedy. I also had a crush on Velma. Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! premiered on September 13, 1969. The full names of the human characters were; Daphne Blake (hot!), Freddy Jones (Is that an ascot? Are you a cowboy?), Velma Dinkley (Hotter than Daphne!), Norville "Shaggy" Rogers (in the classic beatnik/hippy mold), and Scooby "Scoobert" Doo. They traveled around in a green van known as "The Mystery Machine" and solved many scary mysteries along the way. Not sure what they did for money. And as pat and formulaic as the show became, I have to give the animators credit. The monsters looked good.

Here's the opening credits with the original version of the theme song.



The same folks who did the theme song also provided music for the chase scenes. Basically, an original pop song that had absolutely nothing to do with the story. The creators were trying to cash in on The Archies phenom, but I don't think they ever produced a song that made the charts. Here's an example of one of their chase scenes from the second season. And note the reveal of the real monster - usually some mild-mannered character who realistically wouldn't be able to fill out that monster costume they using to scare the whomevers away.



Wish the Scooby gang would rip the fake dyed beard off of Osama bin Laden and reveal Dick Cheney cussing at those meddling kids.


THE BS NEWS QUIZ OF THE DAY

Yesterday, I asked...

"In a meeting with our president, South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun challenged Bush to do what?"

50% answered "Visit his country"
- No. He saw what happened when Bush "visited" Iraq.

16% picked "Pull out of Iraq"
- No, but he did express concern about Bush not using a condom.

Everyone wisely avoided "Swap wives"
- He was more interested in Bush's daughters, anyway.

The correct answer, which 34% knew, "End the Korean War"

According to the Associated Press, Roh challenged Bush to make a declaration to end the Korean War. That conflict ended in a truce in 1953, not a peace treaty, so the two sides technically remain at war. Who knew? We actually do have three wars going on. I thought it ended when M*A*S*H went off the air.

I'm glad Roh kept pushing Bush on it. It made Georgie get his pissy look.