Scooby-Doo

Shop Scooby-Doo

One of the longest-running animation franchises of all time, Scooby-Doo was first introduced in 1969. Pitched by Hanna-Barbera in an attempt to come up with programming that would appeal to kids without angering parent groups (which were starting to complain about the growing violence in cartoons), the concept went through many iterations before creators settled on the characters that would endure for decades. Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! debuted on CBS' block of Saturday morning cartoons to massive success. The original incarnation of the mystery series lasted for 17 years before it was canceled, and the characters were resurrected almost immediately with appearances in spinoffs.

Though the Scooby-Doo franchise has bounced around between networks through the years (it went to ABC in 1976, the WB Network in 2002, and Cartoon Network in 2010), the basic premise has stayed largely the same for the last 45 years. The popular characters of Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, Velma, and Scrappy-Doo encounter monsters and mayhem while solving mysteries in every episode. The Scooby-Doo gang has also been featured in major animated and live-action motion pictures. In addition to new series being broadcast, older episodes are frequently shown in reruns so that a new generation can be introduced to the history of the franchise.

Babies & Kids Merchandise

Products

A wide array of Scooby-Doo merchandise has been released through the years, including toys, games, accessories, and apparel. Action figures and playsets are among the most popular toys related to the franchise. You can find miniature versions of all the main characters, as well as some of their most memorable foes. The gang's Mystery Machine van is iconic, and it has been reproduced for a number of different toys such as remote-control vehicles, miniature cars, and building block sets. Scooby-Doo himself makes for very huggable plush toys, which vary in size and are also available in seasonal versions.

You can find board games, puzzles, and video games featuring the Scooby-Doo characters. Franchised versions of many classic games incorporate the familiar faces, while others are unique. In apparel, graphic tees, swimsuits, pajamas, socks, underwear, ties, swimwear, scrubs, and hats have all been made with prints related to the show. The characters have been popular subjects of Halloween costumes for decades, and you can find costume apparel for all the human characters as well as the dogs. Accessories and home décor options include tree ornaments, kitchen accessories, phone cases, watches, and more.

Swap.com's Rating of Scooby-Doo

Scooby-Doo has been a popular franchise for so long that parents and even grandparents are now able to pass on their love for the characters to a new generation. The shows featuring the gang have always embodied cartoon intrigue by featuring plots that were thrilling without crossing a line into being scary or violent. Of all the Saturday morning cartoons that have made an imprint on pop culture through the years, Scooby-Doo is one of the best examples of "good clean fun." Merchandise related to the franchise has played a major role in its development since the very beginning, and older products are just as popular among fans as newer ones. We give Scooby-Doo 4.5 stars out of 5.