Television Spotlight: "Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated"

The second season of "Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated" premiered on Cartoon Network several weeks ago. Fifteen new episodes have already been broadcast, with another eleven episodes set to air in the near future. While each episode is essentially self contained, they are all building to something that involves previous groups of mystery solvers and clues can be found in every episode. Like previous incarnations of the series, "Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated" features Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and Scooby solving mysteries that involve a variety of villains. However, the villains are not what you might expect, but there are only so many vampires, mummies, ghosts and zombies to go around, so the writers have no choice but to mix things up. While I thought some of the villains created for the second season were ridiculous, that may be the point. The stories presented in "Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated" are self-aware and pay homage to the history of the franchise, including the absurdity of the adventures (and that should not be construed as a negative remark). The series is not afraid to poke fun at itself, which is part of its appeal.

The second season is a time for rebuilding, after the team went their separate ways after the first season finale. Their reunion is not an easy one and a new member, Hot Dog Water, temporarily takes Daphne's place, while she is dating Baylor Hotner (and yes, you should think of "Twilight" when you hear that name). "Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated" frequently pokes fun at popular culture, too, but the references are sometimes very subtle, so viewers need to pay attention. That is why I record the new episodes, so I can rewind as necessary because I always seem to miss one of those sly, offhand remarks.

My two favorite episodes of the second season, so far, "The Gathering Gloom" and "Theater of Doom," have both featured recurring character Vincent Van Ghoul (viewers who remember the late actor Vincent Price will see remarkable similarities). Another solid episode, "Grim Judgement," is a very entertaining take-off of teen horror films. Other season two guest stars include Blue Falcon and Dynomutt (aka Dog Wonder) and Race Bannon and Dr. Quest (from "Johnny Quest"). Older viewers will likely appreciate the nod to those classic animated characters.

Fans of the classic "Scooby-Doo" series who have been waiting for another quality entry in the franchise should check out "Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated." For additional information, go here.