Velma
Velma
Now Showing

Velma

"Twice the meddling."

3.5
Yr 2023
Status Canceled
Your Verdict

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Series Brief

Overview

Jinkies! This raucous reimagining of the Scooby-Doo franchise unravels the mysterious origins of Mystery, Inc. – as seen through the eyes of the gang’s beloved bespectacled detective Velma.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 35 /100

Critical reception for Velma is sharply divided, characterized by intense polarization and widespread negative sentiment. Critics who disliked the show frequently described it as a tedious, unfocused experience that relies too heavily on aggressive meta-humor and edginess at the cost of its characters. Many reviewers found the deconstruction of the franchise to be frustrating rather than insightful, with some outlets noting it felt like a product of a corporate assembly line rather than a cohesive story.

Conversely, a smaller contingent of reviewers found merit in the series, praising its animation, voice acting, and Mindy Kaling’s trademark wit. Proponents argued that the program offers an interesting and enjoyable reimagining that provides a modern, sophisticated take on the source material. However, the show faced additional challenges from intense online backlash, with review aggregators showing exceptionally low audience scores fueled by complaints regarding the series' tone and content.

“Like a certain Mystery Inc. member rummaging around in the dark for her glasses, the series is unfocused, confused, and desperately lost.”

“Sporadically witty but ultimately rather tedious, the HBO Max comedy leverages more than a half-century of name equity to yield an animated prequel that’s definitely not for kids.”

“Even if the writing was as bad as some critics are saying, the voice acting, animation, and direction make the show good enough to at least warrant a 6 or 7/10.”

“Velma is the new bland, a deconstructed canonical bonanza pulled right off the corporate assembly line.”

Transmission Paths

Where to Watch

HBO Max
UK • US
Show 1 more
Crave
CA
Why fans love it

Velma shifts the lens of the Scooby-Doo franchise onto its most analytical investigator. Rather than a straightforward mystery, the 2023 series functions as a cynical origin story for the core crew. The tone is decidedly adult animation, trading childhood nostalgia for a tone that leans into the ominous and the grave. It approaches the familiar gang as complicated individuals navigating a landscape riddled with serial killers and unexplained disappearances.

Mindy Kaling leads a voice cast that navigates the series' blend of dark crime elements and comedy. The show finds humor in its own self-referential take on established tropes, transforming a cartoon staple into a blunt critique of high school social hierarchies. By focusing on the mechanics of a motive rather than just the culprit, the narrative experiments with the boundaries of the genre spin-off.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 52
Regulars 14
Longest run 19 eps
Show 44 more
Natalia del Riego as Becca (voice) 3 episodes Nicole Byer as Blythe (voice) 11 episodes Cherry Jones as Victoria (voice) 11 episodes Ken Leung as Darren (voice) 5 episodes Frank Welker as William (voice) 13 episodes James Adomian as Thespian (voice) 1 episode Gary Cole as Lamont (voice) 13 episodes Roger Craig Smith as Stoner (voice) 1 episode Themo Melikidze as Skinhead (voice) 1 episode Dimitry Rozental as Russian Soldier (voice) 1 episode Jim Rash as Mayor Dave (voice) 6 episodes Melissa Fumero as Sophie (voice) 18 episodes Russell Peters as Aman (voice) 18 episodes Tiana Camacho as Kimmy (voice) 4 episodes Debby Ryan as Krista (voice) 10 episodes Wanda Sykes as Linda (voice) 17 episodes Ming-Na Wen as Carroll (voice) 4 episodes Fortune Feimster as Olive (voice) 15 episodes Yvonne Orji as Gigi (voice) 9 episodes Shay Mitchell as Brenda (voice) 7 episodes Kimberly Brooks as Susan (voice) 3 episodes Kulap Vilaysack as Lola (voice) 12 episodes Stephen Root as Merie Cogburn (voice) 9 episodes Chris Schleicher as Male Nurse (voice) 1 episode Akshara Sekar as Influencer (voice) 1 episode Gary Anthony Williams as Don (voice) 6 episodes Jennifer Hale as Thorn (voice) 5 episodes Kari Wahlgren as Evelyn (voice) 16 episodes Ed Weeks as Mr. S (voice) 1 episode Andia Winslow as Gigi (voice) 6 episodes Andrew Morgado as Fro Yo (voice) 8 episodes Neil deGrasse Tyson as Neil deGrasse Tyson (voice) 1 episode Yoshi Amao as Japanese Dad (voice) 1 episode Alpha Takahashi as Japanese Mom (voice) 1 episode Vanessa Williams as Dr. Perdue (voice) 6 episodes Piotr Michael as Father O'Rourke (voice) 7 episodes June Squibb as Older Woman (voice) 2 episodes Carolyn Hennesy as Elizabeth (voice) 1 episode Jason Mantzoukas as Scrappy (voice) 3 episodes Winsome Brown as Female Librarian (voice) 1 episode Sara Ramirez as Amber (voice) 10 episodes Nicholas Braun as Black Knight / Geoff (voice) 1 episode Richard Kind as Richard Kind (voice) 1 episode Saweetie as Saweetie (voice) 1 episode
Signal Match

Similarity

Where Velma overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

detective grave serial killer murderer spin off reboot adult animation vexed murder mystery playful mysterious disappearance whimsical amused ominous sarcastic
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
January 12, 2023
Status
Canceled
Origin
US
TMDB Votes
359