Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! - TV-G

Scoob and the gang are on the case!

TV Rating: TV-G Network: Boomerang Genre: Children, Cartoons, & Animation
Available on: DVDDownload

Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that this innocent animated classic doesn't offer much in the way of controversy. Although kids (and parents!) of all ages are guaranteed to find this series entertaining, younger children might lose interest after awhile because the segments in each episode tend to be longer than those in contemporary cartoons. Some sensitive kids might find the show's mysteries and spooky villains a bit scary -- until they learn that all of the ghosts and beasties are fakes.

Families can talk about problem-solving techniques. How can kids apply the characters' ideas and solutions to their own life, at home and at school? How do Scooby and his friends use clues to solve a problem? Why is it important to stick together in strange places? What would you do if you stumbled on a mystery? Would you try to solve it yourself?

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Deirdre Sheppard

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU! originally aired from 1969-1972 and has been on TV virtually non-stop ever since, entertaining generations of kid fans. The series follows the adventures of teen mystery solvers Shaggy (voiced by Casey Kasem), Daphne (Stefanianna Christopherson and later Heather North), Freddy (Frank Welker), Velma (Nicole Jaffe), and, of course, Shaggy's dog Scooby-Doo (Don Messick).

Scoob and the gang are a delight to watch as they navigate a comedy of errors to solve a different mystery in each episode. Whether it's tracking down a missing museum curator or catching a dog-napper, the team always gets to the bottom of things.

Well-rounded humor is by far the show's best quality: There's a laugh for everyone. Kids will love how Scooby always runs away from trouble; in one segment, for example, the frightened pooch digs into a flower pot to try to hide from a villain. And older kids and adults will chuckle at one-liners like "Maybe he went out for the night" when the episode is about a missing knight. Humor is also used as a smart tactic to tone down the fear factor for younger kids. For example, the Frankenstein-type growls and walks executed by most of the villains (ghosts, goblins, knights, thieves, etc.) are done in a mocking manner, so they comes across as funny rather than scary.

What's more, the questionable boy-girl behavior often seen in other shows (especially when the characters are teens) doesn't exist in Scooby-Doo. It's implied that Daphne and Freddy are boyfriend and girlfriend, but beyond the occasional tilt of the head or hand on the shoulder, there's nothing sexual or even remotely romantic about their behavior. Overall, interaction between the sexes is strictly platonic.

The only thing parents might need to watch out for is the suggestion (although not the act) of violence. For example, in the episode about the missing museum curator, Freddy notices a spot of blood on the museum floor. After further investigation he realizes that it's really red paint. Sometimes weapons like knives and axes pop up in an episode, but they're rarely used. This is one area in which being vintage has its advantages -- weapons and villains are less scary in Scooby-Doo because the animation isn't very advanced (especially by today's standards).

Each 30-minute episode covers one mystery -- a contrast to today's cartoons, which usually feature two to four segments in the same amount of time. Consequently, some younger kids might not have the attention span to follow the story from start to finish. But Scooby-Doo is a great pick for kids in elementary school who want to feel older by watching a program about teenagers. This is a smart, funny, adventurous series that will always be a classic.

If you enjoy Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, be sure to tune into other classics like The Pink Panther and The Flinstones. For more Scoob, check out the video series and the live action movie, as well as the newer series What's New, Scooby-Doo?

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Content		CS	adults	kids
Content
Sexual Content
Violence Red paint poses as blood, a villain kidnaps a museum curator, etc. -- no violent acts are ever shown, only suggested (and usually they're not real).
Language
Message
	Social Behavior You won't find any curriculum or thoughtful lessons here, but it's very entertaining. The gang values teamwork and friendship, and Scooby and Shaggy usually manage to overcome their fears and stand up to the bad guys. Some ethnic stereotyping.
	Commercialism
	Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco