What's New, Scooby-Doo?: E-Scream (2006)
Season 3, Episode 14
8/10
It's fun time
27 December 2021
Many of 'What's New Scooby Doo's' episodes had interesting concepts and settings. "E-Scream" is to me the most interesting one since "Go West Young Scoob" (before that it was "Hi Tech House of Horrors") earlier on in Season 3 and is one of the most interesting and different. Really liked the concept on first watch and mostly liked the execution, though my mind wasn't blown and the interest points that are very noticeable now weren't paid attention as much when younger.

"E-Scream" is still very good and actually would go as far to say that it is even better. Got more out of the concept and setting and the interest points are a lot more obvious and appreciated. It is not one of the best episodes of Season 3 ("Fright House of a Lighthouse" gets my vote as the best of the season) or of 'What's New Scooby Doo', but it is not one of the worst either (tough pick between "Wrestle Maniacs" and "Diamonds are a Ghoul's Best Friend" for similar reasoning).

Knowing where to start with the praise is difficult, but "E-Scream" is yet another 'What's New Scooby Doo' episode to have a great setting. Would go as far here to call this one of the most imaginative ones of the show, not just visually but also how it's used. It's beautiful to look at but also very unsettling, with it being used to truly inventive effect without going overboard. The music still has atmosphere and groove and doesn't jar stylistically. The theme song is very hummable.

The writing is also with no real issues. The humour is genuinely amusing and more and doesn't come over as forced. It also unnerves surprisingly, have not been so unnerved by any form of villain dialogue since "join us" in "Mummy Scares Best", with "it's fun time" and "it's fight time". The osomons manage to be a perfect balance of absolutely adorable and a surprisingly level of vicious. The final solution is clever and very surprising, and even more so is how Velma solves it and figures it all out.

Some nice character moments can be seen, such as Scooby's villain impersonation. The story benefits hugely from the setting, which is actually what sets it apart from the other episodes and because it's unlike one we've seen before in the franchise. It manages to be a good mix of creepy and entertaining and doing so with lively energy.

Voice acting is great and the characters carry the episode very well.

Having said all that, "E-Scream" was on the predictable side at times, it was easy to see that things weren't what they seemed and it was easy to see how quickly.

Overall though, very solid end to an inconsistent but enjoyable show. Honestly would have liked at least one or two more seasons of this rather than 'Shaggy and Scooby Doo Get a Clue' existing. 8/10.
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