Feelings on "The Secret Serum" overall on first watch were very positive indeed. It wasn't one of the standout episodes of 'Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated's' very well done first season, or of the show overall, but almost everything about it worked and the best aspects were outstandingly done. What didn't quite come off were not massive issues, though enough to stop it from being a great episode and the potential for it to be one of those was big.
"The Secret Serum" continued to be a very good, and nearly great, episode on all subsequent viewings of the whole show overtime. Once again, almost everything works and the best aspects outstanding. Those standout aspects being exactly the same as what stood out first time. Again, there are a couple of things in "The Secret Serum" that underwhelm, the same things as before, not massively but again sizeably enough to stop the episode from reaching greatness.
Am going to mention the issues first. Have always found the final solution too easy, one of the easiest to figure out in a show that did have some surprisingly unexpected and unusually intricate denouements.
Fred's teasing also comes over as more mean spirited than amusing in my view.
However, the animation has lots of vibrancy and atmosphere and the attention to detail in the backgrounds and expressions are so rich. The music adds to the spookiness without over emphasising and fits stylistically. The theme tune is still memorable and like the spy thriller/haunted house-mix style. The voice acting all round is great, particularly from Matthew Lillard.
Moreover, the writing is smart, with mysterious intrigue, genuinely funny humour and mature drama balanced beautifully. The fruit punch and Daphne's running gag with the book are very funny indeed. The mystery is very fun and creepy, never feeling dull or over-complicated, and the vampire has a genuine freakiness. The gang continue to be well defined and interesting, love how caring Scooby comes over as here.
In summary, very good. 8/10.
"The Secret Serum" continued to be a very good, and nearly great, episode on all subsequent viewings of the whole show overtime. Once again, almost everything works and the best aspects outstanding. Those standout aspects being exactly the same as what stood out first time. Again, there are a couple of things in "The Secret Serum" that underwhelm, the same things as before, not massively but again sizeably enough to stop the episode from reaching greatness.
Am going to mention the issues first. Have always found the final solution too easy, one of the easiest to figure out in a show that did have some surprisingly unexpected and unusually intricate denouements.
Fred's teasing also comes over as more mean spirited than amusing in my view.
However, the animation has lots of vibrancy and atmosphere and the attention to detail in the backgrounds and expressions are so rich. The music adds to the spookiness without over emphasising and fits stylistically. The theme tune is still memorable and like the spy thriller/haunted house-mix style. The voice acting all round is great, particularly from Matthew Lillard.
Moreover, the writing is smart, with mysterious intrigue, genuinely funny humour and mature drama balanced beautifully. The fruit punch and Daphne's running gag with the book are very funny indeed. The mystery is very fun and creepy, never feeling dull or over-complicated, and the vampire has a genuine freakiness. The gang continue to be well defined and interesting, love how caring Scooby comes over as here.
In summary, very good. 8/10.