Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo (1979) - S01E02 - The Night Ghoul of Wonderworld - Toonstalgia

Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo - The Night Ghoul of Wonderworld

Season 1, Episode 2

Premiered September 29, 1979

The Westworld Episode

Quickly

Mystery Incorporated goes to a futuristic theme park to live out an expensive murder mystery weekend but with robots.

Thoughts

One time in the episode, a slightly off model Scrappy is sitting to the side with no action in the scene and he blinks. It's strange that they bothered to include him in the shot. 

Scrappy Rating

3 out of 5

When he's in the background of another scene doing some antics like knocking over a suit of armor then trying to right it with a jack, he's good. He adds a bit of color.

Way Too Much Detail

The Night Ghoul steals the crown jewels. 

The gang is in London to visit Wonderworld, a cross between Fantasy Island and Westworld run by Mr Marina. They are there to indulge in Velma's fantasy of solving a mystery with Sherlock Holmes. 

Wonderworld is staffed by robots. Scrappy immediately tries to pick a fight but the robots are programmed to not attack guests.

They are accompanied to Londonworld by Mr Wodehouse and he's a creep. The gang meets Sherlock Holmes in Londonworld. Velma's mystery to solve is the case of the missing crown jewels. She's told the Night Ghoul of London has stolen them.

Mystery Inc go to the fake tower of London to investigate the site of the fictional theft. Shaggy and Scooby stumble onto a trussed up tower guard. He reveals he was the guard. Velma solves the mystery of the crown jewels. The jewels were hidden beneath the empty glass case. She realizes the case is taller than it was in the picture.

The Night Ghoul steals the crown jewels again. Shaggy and Scooby give chase with Scrappy joining them. Shaggy and Scooby aren't scared because they think he can't hurt them since the Wonderworld robots are programmed to not hurt people. Except, he was damaged in the previous meet up with Shaggy and Scooby and can hurt them.

With the crown jewels restolen, the team go to find him. Shaggy, Scooby and Scrappy meet up with the Night Ghoul again. This time they incapacitate him. Mr. Marina randomly appears and promises them all refunds. Velma insists on staying to resolve the situation.

Shaggy and Scooby run into the Night Ghoul again. When Scrappy goes to attack the Night Ghoul, they point out it couldn't be the robot because he's out for repairs.

A book on the history of the Night Ghoul gives them a clue to the Night Ghoul's hide out (I have questions about this like, 'Why is there an entire book on him? Are there supervillains in this world?'). Velma interprets the clue to mean the four faces of Big Ben. Holmes disagrees and assures them it is the four walls of Westminster Abbey. Velma, Fred and Daphne join Holmes. Fred tasks Shaggy, Scooby, and Scrappy with visiting Big Ben. And of course Shaggy, Scooby and Scrappy find the jewels. And of course they are attacked by the Night Ghoul.

They unmask the Night Ghoul to reveal it's Mr Marina. Scotland Yard arrives to collect the thief and the crown jewels.

What's the Word

"Scrappy-dappy-doo" - Scrappy imitates his uncle.

"Puppy Power"

"I'm just a doggy and I'm allowed a few mistakes."

Rogue's Gallery

The Night Ghoul

Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo (1979) - S01E01 - The Scarab Lives! - Toonstalgia

Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo - The Scarab Lives!

Season 1, Episode 1

Premiered September 22, 1979

Quickly

Mystery Incorporated investigates a comic book hero gone real life criminal.

Thoughts

I don't remember hating Scrappy when I was little. I also have no problem with his appearance in Scooby-Doo's live action film. I saw that movie in the theater. Maybe it's just the age thing. There was never a Scooby-Doo before Scrappy for me. Some episodes he was there and some episodes he wasn't there.

This cartoon has the classic, darker aesthetic.

Scrappy Rating

3 out 5 Scooby Snacks

The writing on Scrappy needed some improvement. He used two "splats" and one "I'm just a puppy" in this episode. He's actually a useful member of the team. He prompts the team to investigate the case. He accidentally finds the comic book collection that leads them to an essential clue. He also helps capture the Blue Scarab at the end.

Way Too Much Detail

The Blue Scarab lands on the roof of his creator's building. He rappels inside. He tells Sloan, the creator, to stop drawing comics.

Shaggy, Scrappy and Scooby are at the malt shop counter. Shaggy reads from the Blue Scarab comic. Velma, Daphne and Fred sit in a separate booth. It seems like this is a choice to spare the animators having to draw all six characters in every shot. Also a cost saving measure.  Velma reads an article on the opening scene. Scrappy grabs Scooby and runs to meet the Blue Scarab. They reluctantly visit Sloane and that reluctance is the first sign the writers on this series didn't really get it. Fred, Daphne and Velma want to go investigate. They don't need the puppy to convince them.

The Blue Scarab left the sign of the scarab. This is the most nonsensical image in this cartoon. It's supposed to be a warning mark on the wall. But they did it too good. It's got highlights and shadows and looks more dimensional than most of the cartoon. It would have made more sense to imitate a stencil.

Scrappy walks around Sloan's place making a mess and talking about how he will "splat" the Blue Scarab.

*In the pile of comic books, there's a Yogi bear cover.

Mr Hardy, the Publisher, explains his dilemma to Daphne, Velma and Fred. He needs the Blue Scarab or his business is in trouble. Floyd Hotchkiss, a rival artist, encourages Mr Hardy to fire Sloane.

Shaggy, Scooby and Scrappy stay with Sloane. The Blue Scarab returns to threaten Sloane and proclaim his intent to turn to crime. Scrappy tackles Howard Gruber, Sloane's assistant. Howard quits.

Using the next issue of the Blue Scarab, Shaggy deduces the Blue Scarab will rob a jewelry store. He robs a bank the same night. The gang goes to the museum to head him off. The Blue Scarab tries to murder Scrappy with a statue.

Scrappy breaks the 4th wall to announce his Scrappy trap. Without much of a plan, the gang gets in an elevator to head off the Blue Scarab. Fred's mystified by the Blue Scarab's absence. No, Fred, he doesn't need to be up there somewhere. If you can go up, he can come down.

The Blue Scarab drops a tarp over Scooby from behind. Apparently, he's robs jewelry stores and plays pranks. 

Why would people cancel their subscription to a comic with so much drama? I would imagine there would be a run on the comic.

Velma has a brainwave. The gang goes to the publisher to find the Blue Scarab. He tries to murder Scooby, Shaggy and Scrappy. It's Scrappy's fault. He was playing on machinery. But his guardians should have been watching him better.

Shaggy and Scooby accidentally trap the Blue Scarab.

The Blue Scarab painting turned out to be a clue to the identity of the Blue Scarab. It's still a character trait of the comic book Blue Scarab and it doesn't make sense for an elaborately painted wall mural to be his calling card.

What's the Word?

Meddling fools - A variation on meddling kids

Splat - Scrappy's threat of violence

Rogue's Gallery

The Blue Scarab

Big Wolf on Campus S03E19 What's the Story, Morning Corey

The Lost Boys: What's the Story, Morning Corey

Season 3, Episode 19

Premiered March 24, 2002

Quickly

Feldman arrives in Pleasantville to avenge Haim.

About the Show

Big Wolf on Campus was a supernatural comedy that ran from 1999 to 2002. After Tommy Dawkins, the captain of the football team, gets bit by a werewolf, he turns to Merton Dingle, the president of gothic fantasy guild, for help.

Way Too Much Detail Recap

Tommy, Merton and Lori are preparing for graduation. They're all looking forward to college. Merton is really looking forward to college. He's also resentful of Tommy's continuing popularity. Unbeknownst to them, a mysterious figure is plotting against them. This is not resolved in this episode.

Corey Feldman is in Pleasantville looking for Tommy and Merton from his limousine. He meets up with Merton and tells him he's in town to produce the script Merton sent him. This pays off the end of the Haim episode which showed Merton emailing Feldman about the script.

Feldman helps Merton charm the object of his and Tommy's affection. He tells them he's interested in looking for Haim. This is completely reasonable because his old friend is missing and was last seen in Pleasantville. They try to deny knowing him but Merton was credited on the film Haim was making.

They try to get answers out of Feldman by...playing Truth or Dare (hard sigh). Feldman admits he knew Haim was a vampire and he tells them he's in town to potentially stake him because he think Haim gave into the bloodlust. They all instantly admit to the events of the previous episode.

Feldman tells them he's going to throw a party. It's unsurprising when this turns out to be a trap. They realize all of the guests are vampires. They flee the party to Merton's basement. 

Feldman calls and reveals he's abducted their romantic interest of the episode, Sloan. They go to save Sloan. They stake a bunch of vampires. There's a funny stunt double gag. Feldman explains how Haim was his friend. Corey Haim has passed since this episode first aired and that gives the moment an unintentional somber note. Feldman says, he's going to avenge him by killing one of them. Merton volunteers and he stakes Feldman.

The ending was kind of weird after that. A big part of the show is Tommy struggling to hide his identity. He doesn't even try to hide from Sloan. He apologizes that she had to see him wolfed out. It's a moment senioritis in the penultimate episode of the show (there's a clip show after it but it's not a real episode). It's kind of lazy to drop his secret identity for no reason.