Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated is my favourite Scooby series. Whilst the original SDWAY is irreplaceable, Mystery Inc. is, in my opinion, the strongest entry in the franchise so far. Here's why I think so.
As well as staying true to the main essence of the show, with monster-of-the-week episodes, humour, action, and likeable characters, MI introduced an over-arching story/mystery. Handled much more capably than in 13 Ghosts, the over-arching plot here is intriguing to follow and watch unravel as the show progresses. With the ball rolling from the very first episode and spanning the entirety of the 52 episodes, this aspect of the show is without a doubt one of its main strenghts.
The characters of Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and of course Scooby-Doo, and the journey they take as individuals, and also as friends, is another great aspect of the series. They are fleshed out much more than in early seasons, especially Fred and Daphne, and each member of the gang is given family members who we get to learn more about throughout the show. Also explored are the romantic relationships between Fred and Daphne, and Velma and Shaggy. As someone who is a lifelong Scooby fan, the "Fraphne" relationship is one of my favourite elements of the show and I was so glad for it to finally be explored in depth. Velma and Shaggy's relationship is also developed, and the impact of such on Scooby, but you'll have to watch to see how that pans out.
Moving forward, I simply love the art style of this series. It is noticeably darker than say WNSD or BCSD, and I just love it. So much care is taken to form gorgeous backdrops, and the character designs are my favourite for a series since the original SDWAY (retaining their classic outfits, but with a new twist regarding the look of the characters). The animation is near perfect, and is just a pleasure to watch.
Lastly, I'll just touch on a few other things. The opening theme is short but sweet. Very catchy and original. I actually like just an instrumental theme, it suits the tone of the show well. The monsters in the show are actually pretty scary, with episodes to match (if you don't believe me just watch "The Creeping Creatures"). Whilst there are no musical chase scenes, the action sequences are just as good. And finally, there are plenty of nods and references to the franchise's long history, e.g. the exhibits in the Crystal Cove Spooky Museum, the character of Vincent Van Ghoul, as well as THE HEX GIRLS!! (Lol), and much more.
Overall, I would highly recommend this series to anyone, Scooby fan or not. It is such a great addition to the franchise, and definitely earns the title as one of the best series in the Scooby franchise.
As well as staying true to the main essence of the show, with monster-of-the-week episodes, humour, action, and likeable characters, MI introduced an over-arching story/mystery. Handled much more capably than in 13 Ghosts, the over-arching plot here is intriguing to follow and watch unravel as the show progresses. With the ball rolling from the very first episode and spanning the entirety of the 52 episodes, this aspect of the show is without a doubt one of its main strenghts.
The characters of Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and of course Scooby-Doo, and the journey they take as individuals, and also as friends, is another great aspect of the series. They are fleshed out much more than in early seasons, especially Fred and Daphne, and each member of the gang is given family members who we get to learn more about throughout the show. Also explored are the romantic relationships between Fred and Daphne, and Velma and Shaggy. As someone who is a lifelong Scooby fan, the "Fraphne" relationship is one of my favourite elements of the show and I was so glad for it to finally be explored in depth. Velma and Shaggy's relationship is also developed, and the impact of such on Scooby, but you'll have to watch to see how that pans out.
Moving forward, I simply love the art style of this series. It is noticeably darker than say WNSD or BCSD, and I just love it. So much care is taken to form gorgeous backdrops, and the character designs are my favourite for a series since the original SDWAY (retaining their classic outfits, but with a new twist regarding the look of the characters). The animation is near perfect, and is just a pleasure to watch.
Lastly, I'll just touch on a few other things. The opening theme is short but sweet. Very catchy and original. I actually like just an instrumental theme, it suits the tone of the show well. The monsters in the show are actually pretty scary, with episodes to match (if you don't believe me just watch "The Creeping Creatures"). Whilst there are no musical chase scenes, the action sequences are just as good. And finally, there are plenty of nods and references to the franchise's long history, e.g. the exhibits in the Crystal Cove Spooky Museum, the character of Vincent Van Ghoul, as well as THE HEX GIRLS!! (Lol), and much more.
Overall, I would highly recommend this series to anyone, Scooby fan or not. It is such a great addition to the franchise, and definitely earns the title as one of the best series in the Scooby franchise.