Scooby-Doo as Detective Fiction
Reece Parkinson
Of the
cartoons and shows we grew up with, few have been as long standing and had as
much of a cultural impact as the Scooby-Doo series. It is particularly relevant to the themes in
our course, however, because it represents the genre in its purest, simplest
form, packaged so that it can be enjoyed by adults and children alike. The basic format is always the same: the gang
comes across a mystery, usually involving a criminal with supernatural
elements. Possible suspects are met
early on, and further investigation leads to the discovery of several
clues. After a short chase scene the
villain is captured and unmasked, revealing a minor character we met early
on. Everyone is shocked except Vilma,
who explains the clues we encountered throughout the story and the villain’s
motives for terrorizing the locals. The
storyline varies from episode to episode, but this format is held constant
through the great majority of the series.
The first Episode of Scooby-Doo aired
in 1969, and it definitely bears the mark of the times. Celebrity guest
appearances were common, with voicings from many high profile celebrities such
as Dick Van Dyke and the Harlem Globetrotters.
Scooby-Doo also bears many similarities to the Encyclopedia Brown
series, which appeared shortly before in 1963. Both are works of detective
fiction aimed at youth, where the format of the intellectual battle between the
reader and fictional detective play a prominent role. The series has expanded
and evolved over the years, leading to a live action film and numerous animated
films, changing and reflecting the times as it developed.
Perhaps
the most important characteristic of detective fiction is that it involves a
contest between the reader and the detective to see who can solve the crime
first. S.S. Van Dine lays the groundwork for the rules of this contest in his
article “Twenty rules for writing detective stories,” and the Scooby-Doo series
abides by nearly all of them. Van Dine
argues that detective works must give the reader “equal opportunity with the
detective for solving the mystery”(1), that the crime must be solved “strictly
by naturalistic means”(1), and that the culprit must always have played a “more
or less prominent role”(1) in the story, all of which can be said of the
Scooby-Doo series.
One notable difference between the
Scooby-Doo series and conventional detective fiction is that there isn’t one
single detective who is clearly the most important. As a TV show, it isn’t narrated from the
point of view of any one character, and the entire team can be shown on equal
footing, functioning as a unit to solve a crime. Some characters, like Shaggy and Scooby, have
more comedic roles, and other characters, like Vilma, are more involved in the
actual solving of the crime. However,
they all contribute to the solving of the crime, and all function together as
the “detective” in the series.
It’s
hard to ignore the lasting impact the Scooby-Doo series has had over the
years. It helped introduce America’s
youth to the detective genre, helped further the detective genre beyond the
written word, and has managed to stay relevant for over half a century.
The intro scene from the original show
A poster for the live action film from 2002
The cast from the original show
The gang and the Mystery Van in the newer version of the TV series, What's New Scooby-Doo?
Works Cited
"Encyclopedia
Brown." Encyclopedia
Brown. Princeton.edu, n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2012.
<http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Encyclopedia_Brown.html>.
"Scooby-Doo." Scooby-Doo.
Princeton.edu, n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2012.
<http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Scooby-Doo.html>.
Van Dine, S. S.
"Twenty Rules for Writing Detective Stories." The American Magazine Sept. 1928: n. pag.
Web.
Reese,
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I liked that you connected Scooby Doo to the Van Dine article; I definitely agree that the show follows many of his rules. You mentioned that the show's crimes would often involve a supernatural element. This is usually some kind of trick played by a real person, which means the crime still follows Van Dine's rules. However, in some of the more recent episodes and movies, there have been real supernatural elements with no worldly explanation (such as in the 2002 live-action movie with Freddie Prinze Jr). Since fascination with the supernatural is becoming so popular in today's media, do you think Van Dine's rule should still apply to today's detective fiction? Is using magic in a detective story, like in the Scooby Doo movie, "cheating", or is it a natural response to what audiences want?
I also liked the point you made that Scooby Doo doesn't highlight one detective; rather, the "gang" all works together to solve crimes. This is an interesting idea that we rarely see in detective stories. Personally, I think it might be structured that way to sneak in a lesson to the children watching about team-building and sharing responsibilities and rewards. What do you think?
Again, great job! :)
I don't mean to answer the question for you, Reese, but it's my personal opinion that the modern fantasy genre and the traditional detective genre simply shouldn't be mixed. It's not to say that Van Dine's principles should be regarded as the Ten Commandments of successful detective literature, but I think he makes a logical point when it comes to the supernatural. In my opinion, it violates the foundation of the genre, which is to intentionally investigate crimes that have taken place in reality. As we've read throughout the duration of the course, our classic detective heroes are solving legitimate crimes. It's a battle of logic rather than a battle against extraterrestrial life. Fantasy, of course, has its own place in television and film, but I believe that for the detective genre to survive as we understand it, fantasy must remain separate. Even though it may be a natural response to what modern audiences desire, I believe it threatens the integrity of the genre. Ultimately, we are choosing between tradition and marketing. Unfortunately, marketing frequently seems to surmount an appreciation for tradition. What's your opinion?
ReplyDeleteI would definitely agree that the teamwork aspect of Scooby Doo was intended to be a lesson learned for the younger audience the show appeals to, and the camaraderie of the gang certainly contributes to its prolonged popularity.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the supernatural goes, I believe it is dependent upon how it is used in a detective story. If some fantastical idea of zombies or something along those lines is the reasoning behind a crime, I don't believe that is in line with this genre. However, if the detective has some kind of way to get the upper hand, using it to solve a legitimate crime, I believe that can be an acceptable application of the genre.
Andrew, I found your response to be rather insightful, however I must disagree. I think the modern fantasy genre and the traditional detective can be mixed, and this mix can be quite entertaining. S.S. Van Dine’s principles are most relevant to adult detective fiction and I believe adapting them to be more child-friendly is quite all right. I believe the underlying messages of teamwork and friendships are far more important and more relevant to today’s children than following rules written for detective fiction years ago. S.S. Van Dine would also be unhappy with the use of a gang of detectives to solve a crime. But, as far as entertainment value goes, who really cares? The Scooby Doo gang is wholesome entertainment enjoyed across generations, regardless of what S.S. Van Dine wrote many years ago. Children’s detective fiction should not be judged by the same rules as that of adult detective fiction in order to attempt to teach children valuable lessons and preserve their innocent minds.
ReplyDeleteGood responses everyone, I think the discussion about the role of fantasy in modern detective fiction is a very interesting one. In my opinion, the reason fantasy is often a troubling element in the detective genre is that when the mystery is presented as a riddle or competition for the reader, and it is later revealed that the reader could not have deduced the answer from the clues given, and therefore feels cheated. If the rules of the fantasy world are clearly defined, it is possible for the reader to solve the mystery within the framework of the imagined supernatural world before the detective. However, in the case of the Scooby-Doo movies the established tradition of not using the supernatural to explain crimes is broken without warning to the viewer, and is therefore unfair.
ReplyDeleteAndrew also brings up an interesting point about the debate between tradition and marketing. This can be seen as a smaller segment of the debate of traditionalism verse evolution within the detective genre. How important is innovation in the genre today, and how much weight should rules laid out by critics like Van Dine be followed in modern fiction?