Velma
2023
Original language: English
- animation
- comedy
- crime
- mystery
The story
Jinkies! This raucous reimagining of the Scooby-Doo franchise unravels the mysterious origins of Mystery, Inc. – as seen through the eyes of the gang’s beloved bespectacled detective Velma.
What it’s like
Bright, cluttered, cartoon-saturated frames with a loud, knowing energy: this adult animated comedy keeps the Scooby-Doo cast's bold outlines and flat primary palette but tips them toward grime, with sickly fluorescent glows, rain-slick Crystal Cove streets and smeared neon. Its sound is brisk and jokey, full of quick cutaways, sight gags and running asides, with an undercurrent of genuinely grim mystery beneath the pratfalls. The vibe is sardonic and restless, somewhere between a sharp-tongued roast and a murder-mystery binge, best for a lazy evening when you want to laugh at a self-aware detective who is always one step behind. Episodes move fast and the arcs follow Velma, a brainy, prickly outsider who keeps unlocking the group's past and her own place within it. Intensity is moderate to high: crude jokes, sexual innuendo and strong language throughout, with cartoon violence and corpses, some of it gory but played for laughs rather than dread. Not a gentle watch. It suits adult fans of the original who enjoy irreverent comedy, twisty whodunit plotting and a grown-up take on a childhood favourite.
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