While pursuing the very small children's section at our local Blockbuster, we found an entire shelf just for Scooby-doo cartoons. We picked up one and took it home to watch. Despite the very telling and obvious end to every Scooby cartoon, I still found myself being wrong almost every time at who exactly was the villain. Was it the grounds keeper, the visiting friend, the rich owner, the lurking neighbor? ooooooh, the curiosity and staying power of these little mystery cartoon segments! It gets me every time!
In honor of Scooby's excellent mystery writing, here are six things it takes to make a great mystery from someone who has absolutely no experience in writing them:
1. Cheesy one-liners. Every a-game detective or lead character has to have something that only they say, a one-liner like "Scooby dooby doo!", even if it comes from a dog.
2. A side-kick. Mysteries need a good side-kick to keep the mood light in times of suspense. Scooby not only has himself, but Shaggy who helps in keeping this "real -man".
3. A smattering of could be villains. Not one, not two, not three, but four or more is appropriate for making a mystery stay mysterious and keep the people guessing. There are always a smattering of villains or could be villains in every Scooby episode.
4. A chase scene. I cannot remember how many and really have no interest in keeping track of how many Scooby-doo cartoons I've seen; but, there is a certainty that each of them will have a chase scene.
5 and 6. A Thelma and side-kick mishaps. I am certain that no mystery would be solved without Thelma's vast knowledge of everything and anything, and the mischievous mishaps of Scooby and Shaggy.
What did I miss?
11 comments:
So true. My kids love Scooby-Doo. Never goes out of style.
Scooby snacks. Scooby dooby do.
That is so funny, but so true. I love getting older and seeing how it really is. To think we were just so engrossed in the same thing over and over again. I think there may be at least 10 lines ever used on that show.
Thanks for the chuckle.
That is funny....hey I love your new profile photo!
You can't forget them running away from the villain and it taking forever to run (they tend to spin in place). That is one of my all time favorite cartoons.
How about the split up? You know when Freddie says " Shaggy and Scooby you guys go that way and Daphne Velma and I we'll go this way." I think they do it to make it scarier.
Two of C.C.'s 5 birthday parties have been Scooby doo. Pink Scooby cakes are cute! It's not my favorite show but my girls love it.
My son fell in love with Scooby Doo shows at a very young age & we have a lot of the movies.. Now my girls like them, but not as much as Tyler did...
You are so right on your thoughts.
hey, michelle:) you are right on all accounts, and thelma has to break her glasses as well so that the "cat" is not let out of the bag too quickly;)
i love your new layout (i'm totally a pink and green girl myself:)!!!
have a nice evening...
love,
dani
ps is your stab wound healing???
You've got it down--maybe you should write for Hannah Barbara :)
Can you believe it? I just finished reading my first mystery ever! It was a bookclub book, or I am sure I never would have picked it up. But I really ended up enjoying it. How could I have missed out on such a great genre for so long?
I love Scooby-Doo! I think the music is what makes those cartoons fun, as well as the sound effects (like when they're running away from a scary monster etc.)
Hope you're doing well!
Who doesn't LOVE a Scooby-Doo cartoon? We always watched them all the time growing up and now my kids get to watch them too! I find that if it on, I wander in and sit a spell, just cause it's Scooby-Doo! :)
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