HBO Max’s Scooby Doo prequel Velma, explained

HBO Max’s latest adult animated comedy premieres today, and it’s a bit of a swerve: VelmaProduced by Never Have I Ever Mindy Kaling was the original creator. Scooby-Doo’s sweater queen is a surprising character to build an R-rated comedy around, and it’s likely you have some questions. So did we! Here’s what we found based on the first two episodes, which premiere today.

So VelmaIs it a prequel?

Yes. VelmaIt takes place before Mystery Inc., the gang that appeared in the Scooby-Doo cartoons, got together or met the beloved dog. It is Velma’s story of origin. Velma is a high-schooler with a whip-smart and frustrated personality, who has a fascination for mysteries (and fear thereof) after the death of her mystery-writer mom.

They dare to invalidate A Pup Named Scooby-DooLike that?

Yes, I do.. But VelmaIt is an independent company that does its thing with characters. The new approach starts with the basic archetype of each character and goes in a totally new direction (and racebent).

It’s an adult cartoon, right? We are talking about something very adult.

It’s pretty adult! The premiere starts with two cockroaches boning and then immediately segues to a nude girls’ locker room shower fight between characters having a metatextual argument about premiere episodes using nudity to cynically gain viewers’ attention. So yes, it’s adult in the sense that there is swearing and sexual content, and it’s also adult in the sense that it’s interested in jokes that will fly over your head unless you’ve been around long enough to watch a lotThe TV. Daphne is also a drug dealer.

So like Harley Quinn?

Yes! Harley QuinnTonally, it is an excellent point of reference. It’s not as violent or off-kilter — these aren’t Gotham City super-criminals, after all — but in its silly murder mystery, VelmaIt is also interested in using its characters for a sincere and funny exploration of queerness.

I’m detecting a lack of Doo-ness here. Scooby-Doo is what makes this possible?

Honestly? There’s nothing! But there isn’t really much to Scooby-Doo either, if we’re being honest. That’s part of the charm! The characters are great, but the most common thing is that they all have a mystery. Someone has been stealing the brains of the Crystal Cove High School’s hottest students.

Otherwise, the show’s character dynamics aren’t necessarily lifted from the text of Scooby-Doo, but Scooby-Doo fandom. This is an In VelmaThese are some observations that modern adults could make. Scooby-Doo!Become a real character dynamic: Doesn’t Fred seem like an entitled white guy? Is it possible that Shaggy, who is still here under the government name Norville), has become such an exhaustion? Doesn’t Daphne seem like kind of a Mean Girl?Naturally, What If Velma was in sexual tension with all but Daphne, what would that mean?

But I was told there would be no dog. Does this sound true?

Unfortunately, your right: This Scooby-Doo episode does not feature Scooby-Doo. I’m watching lots of Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated to cope.

OMG! Wasn’t that a great show?

It was. And it’s Also streaming on HBO Max, if you need a fix of classic Scoob with a modern twist that’s more family-friendly.

There are two episodes of VelmaYou can now stream them on HBO Max. Two new episodes are added each week.