What's New, Scooby-Doo? (TV Series) It's Mean, It's Green, It's the Mystery Machine (2002) User Reviews

Green lighted, self-moving Mystery Machine.

[XueHuaBingYu · 9/10 · 19 October 2019]

One paragraph plot summary : The Mystery Incorporated gang has lost the control of the Mystery Machine and so, it's driving around itself. Moreover, it started chasing the gang and so, they always have to run. With no case in hands, they have to investigate the Mystery Machine. So, they send it to the workshop to see what's wrong with it. The guy in that workshop gives a lot of money to buy the Mystery Machine. But the gang doesn't want to sell. Then the Mystery Machine takes off itself. Fortunately, it left some traces. Thus, the gang follows it's trails and find out the house and knows who are living in that house. And then they meet a kid who is also from that house but wasn't mentioned by anyone in that house. During running away from the Mystery Machine when it's started to chase them again, they run into that academy that that kid's attending in. They find the tech. And then later, they make plans to trap the Mystery Machine. By working together, they caught the Mystery Machine. Finally, they find the person who is responsible for all of this.

Episode 5 is kind of funny one. I love that funny scene. And I really love to see Delphine and Fred ride the bicycle together. They make a really cute couple. And also, I love to see Shaggy is on skates. That scene is the best scene in the entire episode. (Well, for me.)

All in all, this episode is a bit simple but the tech it's used is kind of beyond me. So, I can't really tell if the Mystery Machine can be controlled by wireless. Regardless of the concept, the episode is really enjoyable and I totally love Scooby-Doo stories.

It's Mean, It's Green, it's the Mystery Machine

[MrFilmAndTelevisionShow · 8/10 · 16 August 2021]

A great episode once again. Classic tale of a car being "Haunted" and coming to life but once again the explaination is that modern technology was used to achieve these feats, which is a new trope this series loves.

Machine of mean

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 3 December 2021]

"It's Mean, It's Green, It's the Mystery Machine" was one of my first 'What's New Scooby Doo' episodes and it stood out to me quite a lot because of how different it was. The Scooby Doo franchise had never utilsed the Mystery Machine before in the way "It's Mean, It's Green, It's the Mystery Machine" did and it hasn't also since. So this is a pretty unique episode, not just that but also with giving it a backstory, which had not happened to this extent before.

While liking "It's Mean, It's Green, It's the Mystery Machine" on first watch, it's even better now with more to appreciate. It strikes me as great now and one of the most interesting early episodes. No make that one of the most interesting and unique 'What's New Scooby Doo' instalments in general. The premise is a terrific one, and one that would still have been appreciated for being different even if the execution didn't work, and the execution here more than lives up to it.

The animation hasn't lost the high quality seen in the previous four episodes, actually think it's one of the best looking episodes of Season 1 and of 'What's New Scooby Doo'. The animation on the Mystery Machine is wonderfully spooky and the animation on it has never looked better, before or since. The music is as groovy and catcby as in the previous four episodes, it's 'What's New Scooby Doo' that got appreciating Simple Plan more. The show had many great chase scenes, some of them a lot better than the episodes themselves, and the one here is one of the best and most visually inventive. Amazing at how the Mystery Machine was made so flexible and spooky.

Did think that the Mystery Machine backstory was interesting, though it does contradict continuity to the point of re-writing (continuity though has never been a strong suit for the franchise though). The Flash backstory intrigued too and one cannot be blamed if they thought that it was his ghost responsible for the goings on. The story is a lot of fun and has a spooky atmosphere.

Furthermore, it is also notable for having one of the show's cleverest reveals. Not just how the perpetrator is caught but also how they did what they did (which is quite ingenious). The identity of the perpetrator didn't shock me massively though, due to them having the strongest motive. Shaggy and Scooby never fail to be funny, the supporting characters are strong as is the voice acting. Casey Kasem has still got it as Shaggy despite being a lot older. Also liked the "What a Night for a Knight" reference.

Summing up, great. 9/10.

Knew who the culprit was in this one

[MarkLynnIreland1294 · 9/10 · 19 September 2022]

I don't know whether this is rehash of Stephen King's novel, as well as, John Carpenter's horror movie: Christine or living Volkswagen Beetle Herbie car - this was a memorable Scooby-Doo episode.

If there was a part I did not like in this episode is Fred and Shaggy in hot water for reckless driving by very angry and doubtful (over vehicle independently driving) police officer. Even no confirmation over whether police guard look for van after it broke out from auto impound.

Anyway, Mystery Machine van looks freaky even with green lights and that music on stereo. Soundtracks is either or both catchy and groovy - chase scene of I'd Do Anything by Simple Plan - same band later in Invisible Madman episode. Some funny moments - there's moment Shaggy and Scooby roll their eyes and fold their arms when Velma says Shaggy like to exaggerate.

The mystery isn't too predicable prime suspects like mechanic interested in buying the gang's van for his shrine of collectibles, and there's the techno lad Randy with animatronic mechanisms (control them wirelessly, with a laptop) who is also an unpopular brother to the brother-sister duo of teenage singers. The family consisting of Andy, Mandy and their boss mom is like the Partridge Family.

The actual culprit is who I really thought was behind it, yet hardly let off for their actions even if it's nearly running people down with a motor vehicle controlling with laptop.

As for the Mystery Kids' keyboard player, Flash Flannigan - there's no confirmation of his fate and many characters assumed he had died (why was alleged his ghost haunts Mystery Machine) - which I didn't think so. And no confirmation why he stormed off stage during the concert - my assumption he got tired of it or he didn't get credit and attention the Mystery Kids received.