User Reviews

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.

Why did the creature at the beginning steal the you-know-what when it was on auction for $5? (Do you like my non-spoilery sentence?). Surely someone who can afford to design a working monster suit can also afford $5 to purchase a painting they want so badly!

This episode if I could give .5 ratings I would definately give a 8.5 for it is one of the best so far I think.

I'm embarrassed to admit that it's mid-afternoon and I've watched the first eleven episodes today, and paused to write this before continuing. I'd not been a fan of this 'toon in any of its incarnations, and still wouldn't count myself as one. But there are just enough nuggets to keep me going.

Recognizable celebrity voices. Kids watching a 'toon on their TVs that's a nice homage to Hanna-Barbera, and particularly The Flintstones. Vincent Price's place in horror history being suitably represented. More bits of satire among the silliness than I'd expected.

But this review is driven by a single motive. Calling a restaurant The Crab Net of Dr. Calamari blew me away, and made the time spent worthwhile just on its own. Hope it's not the last of its kind among the remaining episodes.

A vampire makes a spooky entrance at a charity auction ad steals a scary painting.

It would had been cheaper to make a bid for it as it was going for a song.

With other items also being stolen. Daphne suspects that her mother could be behind it all.

Daphne's mum is a vampire, surely some mistake.

There is still tension between Velma and Shaggy. There was a good laugh with Velma and her swimming bikini.

At least Fred's traps eventually managed to work.