I actually like this show, it was much better than expected and than I remembered. The animation considering when it was made was not that bad, and the theme tune and incidental music were great too. I don't think it is as good as Scooby Doo Where Are You? but it is not bad at all, and does have a great idea. Yes, the villains weren't quite as memorable as they could have been, Zomba and Maldor excepted, Film Flam is annoying and some of the writing wasn't as inventive as it had potential to have with Film Flam's goofy sayings not always working. Bogal and Weerd I can take and leave. Still the voice acting is fantastic, Casey Kasem and Don Messick never fail to bring a smile to my face as Shaggy and Scooby, and hold no equal as the lovable characters I have come to know and love. But my favourite character is Vincent VanGhoul, magnificently voiced by the wonderful Vincent Price and even looks like him. He had the best lines of the whole show especially the prologues at the start of each episode, and Price's delivery was flawless. And I loved the story lines of Maldor, Zomba(the best one), Vincent falling in love and the Shadow Demon. All in all, not the best our favourite canine has to offer as it did finish on a rather incomplete note, but not at all bad, better than the appalling Shaggy and Scooby Doo:Get a Clue at any rate. 7.5/10 Bethany Cox
29 Reviews
Only you can return the demons to the chest! Why us? Because you let them out!
reddragonhero1710 September 2010
I at first never really cared for the whole scooby doo thing over the years. But out of nowhere this show arrived. And it was different in every way. First real ghosts and no people in costumed gave it a different approach taking a cue from Ghostbusters giving a dark atmosphere while maintaining the lightheartedness the series is known for. Although this only got 13 episodes (typical for an early show, we'll never see what ghost 12 or 13 was), it is still a good show. The voice acting is spot on (especially for Casey Kasem doing Shaggy), but the show stealer is Vincent Price with his comic serious demeanor and dark tone, he gives it life. You owe it to yourself to watch...
Vincent Price: "The Thirteen Ghosts of Scooby Doo!"
Vincent Price: "The Thirteen Ghosts of Scooby Doo!"
A departure, but entertaining. (I like Scrappy.)
Growlyted27 April 2010
I've just discovered this on Virgin. (TV on Demand, Boomerang) It has my favourite pup, Scrappy, who still worships his Uncle Scoob, but has learned the art of running away. And he has a new friend called Film Flam - a street urchin. He doesn't bother me either. I didn't like the costume change for Shaggy, but he's just as goofy & lovable. Daphne also remains. However the stand out character is Vincent Van Ghoul, a warlock (played by Vincent Price) who lends magical aid to the gang. The annoying characters in the show are Weird & Bogle, who act as henchmen to the evil ghost of the episode - very cartoony, & as in the other Scrappy cartoons - real. (Sorry, I'm not that keen on the older fake ghost episodes.) And Scooby is Scooby. It's not the standard formula, but it's entertaining enough. Whether or not you like the younger characters, it's worth a look. 7/10
One of the greatest Scooby Doo series. . .and with Vincent Price!
TelevisionJunkie9 September 2001
Scooby Doo had become a dismal show during my early childhood. Shifting the focus away from Freddy, Velma, and Daphne, that wretched Scrappy Doo took over star billing. Which was why it was so refreshing when this series came along. Although Scrappy was still part of the cast for this series, he was no longer the star, so he got pushed into the background as the new characters took stage. And Daphne, who was gradually worked back into the cast a year or two prior, finally returned full time with a new hairdo and outfit. Even Shaggy got new threads, turning in his patented green T-shirt for a red one.
The inspired casting of Vincent Price as Vincent Van Ghoul was enough to get me back on the bandwagon for new episodes. I had already become a fan of Price's films and the albums that he appeared on with Alice Cooper and Michael Jackson. In animated form, Vincent was as dignified as ever, and he added some charisma that had been missing from the previous series of the last few years. Among other new characters was Flim-Flam, the conniving kid with the Lots-of-Luck-Joy-Juice ("a lucky charm in a bottle"). Flim-Flam added the comic relief that Scrappy was supposed to have brought to the previous series. Which makes one wonder why Scrappy was still there. And the other new characters, ghosts Bogel and Weerd, were just hammy enough to blend with this great cast of characters.
Throughout the first few series, the ghosts and monsters were always a bad guy in a rubber mask. When they had exhausted those storylines, the ghosts became real, but many of us had tuned out (or stuck to reruns) by that time because of the annoying Scrappy Doo. This time around they were still real and Scooby and Shaggy, who were tricked into opening The Chest of Demons in the pilot, had to return all 13 ghosts back to the chest. Though more cartoonish than the monsters (masks) had been in the original series, all of the ghosts were well-designed and the storylines were more inventive than they had been in years. Episodes had the gang thrust into comic strips and mirrors; Vincent was under the spell of a beautiful demon in one episode and nearly turned to stone in another -- and in one episode Scooby even quit the show (and was replaced by another puppy) but was urged to come back by then-President Ronald Reagan in a spoof of "It's a Wonderful Life."
Out of all the incarnations of Scooby Doo, this one remains my favorite, which is probably why only 13 episodes were produced and they rarely get played. Hopefully they'll get a video release someday. If only they had dropped Scrappy and brought back Fred and Velma, it would have been perfect.. .
The inspired casting of Vincent Price as Vincent Van Ghoul was enough to get me back on the bandwagon for new episodes. I had already become a fan of Price's films and the albums that he appeared on with Alice Cooper and Michael Jackson. In animated form, Vincent was as dignified as ever, and he added some charisma that had been missing from the previous series of the last few years. Among other new characters was Flim-Flam, the conniving kid with the Lots-of-Luck-Joy-Juice ("a lucky charm in a bottle"). Flim-Flam added the comic relief that Scrappy was supposed to have brought to the previous series. Which makes one wonder why Scrappy was still there. And the other new characters, ghosts Bogel and Weerd, were just hammy enough to blend with this great cast of characters.
Throughout the first few series, the ghosts and monsters were always a bad guy in a rubber mask. When they had exhausted those storylines, the ghosts became real, but many of us had tuned out (or stuck to reruns) by that time because of the annoying Scrappy Doo. This time around they were still real and Scooby and Shaggy, who were tricked into opening The Chest of Demons in the pilot, had to return all 13 ghosts back to the chest. Though more cartoonish than the monsters (masks) had been in the original series, all of the ghosts were well-designed and the storylines were more inventive than they had been in years. Episodes had the gang thrust into comic strips and mirrors; Vincent was under the spell of a beautiful demon in one episode and nearly turned to stone in another -- and in one episode Scooby even quit the show (and was replaced by another puppy) but was urged to come back by then-President Ronald Reagan in a spoof of "It's a Wonderful Life."
Out of all the incarnations of Scooby Doo, this one remains my favorite, which is probably why only 13 episodes were produced and they rarely get played. Hopefully they'll get a video release someday. If only they had dropped Scrappy and brought back Fred and Velma, it would have been perfect.. .
Modernized and self-aware, 13 Ghosts is fun and has some great jokes and premises but misses out on the mystery
andrewroy-043167 May 2019
Honestly, the 13 Ghosts is one of the better Scooby Doo shows, and is a high 7. I really love the establishment of an overarching story arc, which allows characters to actually develop and for a grander sense of uncertainty and large scale to unfold. It also set the precedent for Mystery Incorporated to do it, which is just an unbelievably great show. I quite liked the script, with lots of clever wordplay and amusing, absurd segments (especially the episode 2 dragon interview comes to mind, but also things like Bogel and Weerd's miscommunications or Flim-Flam's ability to put on any costume and get demons to go along with it). It was also very different in its clear self-awareness and frequent pop culture references, which I think were an interesting twist and worked given the more modern and comedic vibe of the show. Some of the premises were really good, and in particular: It's a Wonderful Scoob with Time Slime and Scooby retiring and seeing the world fall apart; the circus episode 12 with the music brainwashing people; the finale with a genuine mystery of who stole the demon chest and what people's motives were, coupled by the only actual twist in the show; and to some extent the Nicara episode with her seducing warlocks and draining their power, and the ship episode with Scooby being afraid of monsters, were great and satisfying episodes. Unfortunately, too many of the episodes were never really thought-provoking or exciting because the end result is never really in doubt and there's no mystery to solve, which is the traditional crux of each episode. The monster premises, characters and humor could carry some episodes, but didn't sustainably make the show exciting. Not having Fred and Velma did hurt, as Flim-Flam was occasionally funny due to absurdity and some societal commentary, and Van Ghoul was actually an enjoyable character to have, but Scrappy didn't add anything. I do think this show maybe did the most with Scooby himself of those I've seen, as we really see him wrestle with the trauma of catching monsters and being scared all the time. I hope the Curse of the 13th Ghost movie doesn't drop the ball (as it seems many online believe it did), because this is a solid and fun show.
Underrated Series That Did Something New
jeremycrimsonfox19 June 2019
The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo is an interesting series, as it changes up the formula of the series to have real ghosts (which would be followed by three TV movies that would follow the formula). The series sees Scooby, alongside Daphne, Scooby, Scrappy, and new characters Flim Flam and Vincent Van Ghoul capture the 13 most powerful ghosts that have been released from the Chest of Demons due to Scooby opening it. This series basically gives the franchise a breath of fresh air, as after nearly two decades of the same old crook in the mask cliché, they finally bring in real ghosts who have powers that can pose an actual threat to the gang.
Some people hate this because of Scrappy-Doo, and as a Scrappy fan, I say the hate has gotten too far nowadays. He is tolerable here, as he was toned down for past series to where he is more mature and not yelling "Puppy Power" all the time. This show introduces Flim Flam, who adds to the comedy of the series with his con artist schemes. Also, Vincent Van Ghoul is a good mentor, voiced by the late Vincent Price, who is a real sorcerer, not the crazy, powerless old man that Curse of The 13th Ghost portrays him to be. Also, the show does a good job of keeping the comedy the franchise is known for, even adding some gags and fourth wall breaks (like a news report where Scappy puts a network censor in her place for wanting to remove a dragon, to a scene where Flim Flam leads the gang through a maze, causing them to recreate the gag of them going through different doors).
Sadly, this series was cancelled after only eleven of the thirteen ghosts were captured (not twelve, as Captain Ferguson was not counted until Curse Of The 13th Ghost rewrote the show's continuity) when the show ended after (ironically) 13 episodes. This is a good series and should be watched. A shame Warner Bros. decided to ruin its magic with the DTV movie, in which they ordered the toning down of the supernatural elements that made this unique and made it where the series never happened.
Some people hate this because of Scrappy-Doo, and as a Scrappy fan, I say the hate has gotten too far nowadays. He is tolerable here, as he was toned down for past series to where he is more mature and not yelling "Puppy Power" all the time. This show introduces Flim Flam, who adds to the comedy of the series with his con artist schemes. Also, Vincent Van Ghoul is a good mentor, voiced by the late Vincent Price, who is a real sorcerer, not the crazy, powerless old man that Curse of The 13th Ghost portrays him to be. Also, the show does a good job of keeping the comedy the franchise is known for, even adding some gags and fourth wall breaks (like a news report where Scappy puts a network censor in her place for wanting to remove a dragon, to a scene where Flim Flam leads the gang through a maze, causing them to recreate the gag of them going through different doors).
Sadly, this series was cancelled after only eleven of the thirteen ghosts were captured (not twelve, as Captain Ferguson was not counted until Curse Of The 13th Ghost rewrote the show's continuity) when the show ended after (ironically) 13 episodes. This is a good series and should be watched. A shame Warner Bros. decided to ruin its magic with the DTV movie, in which they ordered the toning down of the supernatural elements that made this unique and made it where the series never happened.
Just finished rewatching the whole series on DVD
Milk_Tray_Guy7 March 2021
Great premise, with some incredibly inventive ideas, brought to life in animation that's not bad for its time. Some very good episodes, some pretty good episodes, and some reasonable episodes. There's nothing I'd call poor.
To All the Ghouls I've Loved Before ~ 7/10; Scoobra Kadoobra ~ 6/10; Me and My Shadow Demon ~ 6/10; Reflections in a Ghoulish Eye ~ 6/10; That's Monstertainment ~ 8/10; Ship of Ghouls ~ 8/10; A Spooky Little Ghoul Like You ~ 7/10; When You Witch Upon a Star ~ 7/10; It's a Wonderful Scoob ~ 7/10; Scooby in Kwackyland ~ 7/10; Coast-to-Ghost ~ 7/10; The Ghouliest Show on Earth ~ 6/10; Horror-Scope Scoob ~ 6/10
Great vocal performances all round - especially the fantastic Vincent Price, as benevolent warlock 'Vincent Van Ghoul'! (Sad to note that with the exception of Flim Flam, the voice actors for all the principal roles - Scooby, Shaggy, Daphne, Scrappy, and Vincent - are no longer with us).
I'm an unashamed 'Scrappy-hater', but he's toned down here to a tolerable level.
No Fred and Velma (I'm in love with Velma Dinkley) is a minus, but despite that this still manages to be one of my favourite Scooby shows. The series was sadly cancelled before all 13 ghosts were recaptured (I've not yet caught the 2019 movie Scooby-Doo! And the Curse of the 13th Ghost that concludes the story), and it's a shame that not all episodes reached the high standard of the best. Still, overall 7.5/10
To All the Ghouls I've Loved Before ~ 7/10; Scoobra Kadoobra ~ 6/10; Me and My Shadow Demon ~ 6/10; Reflections in a Ghoulish Eye ~ 6/10; That's Monstertainment ~ 8/10; Ship of Ghouls ~ 8/10; A Spooky Little Ghoul Like You ~ 7/10; When You Witch Upon a Star ~ 7/10; It's a Wonderful Scoob ~ 7/10; Scooby in Kwackyland ~ 7/10; Coast-to-Ghost ~ 7/10; The Ghouliest Show on Earth ~ 6/10; Horror-Scope Scoob ~ 6/10
Great vocal performances all round - especially the fantastic Vincent Price, as benevolent warlock 'Vincent Van Ghoul'! (Sad to note that with the exception of Flim Flam, the voice actors for all the principal roles - Scooby, Shaggy, Daphne, Scrappy, and Vincent - are no longer with us).
I'm an unashamed 'Scrappy-hater', but he's toned down here to a tolerable level.
No Fred and Velma (I'm in love with Velma Dinkley) is a minus, but despite that this still manages to be one of my favourite Scooby shows. The series was sadly cancelled before all 13 ghosts were recaptured (I've not yet caught the 2019 movie Scooby-Doo! And the Curse of the 13th Ghost that concludes the story), and it's a shame that not all episodes reached the high standard of the best. Still, overall 7.5/10
Beware all living mortals of a classic
Oddark12315 November 2011
Warning: Spoilers
The Scooby Doo franchise went through a lot of changes over the years and IMO only really went downhill as of late, and the 13 Ghosts clearly was not one of them. This is truly one of the short-lived greats of it's time.
Considering this is a typical Hanna Barbera affair everyone coming in should know what to expect, limited animation, great voices, and jokes that never get old.
The 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo takes a new twist on the Scooby franchise by introducing a demon chest, although the show is entitled the 13 ghosts, out of the 11 featured characters, the word demons seems more appropriate than ghosts, but the show clearly uses the words interchangeably. And while previous incarnations of Scooby featured real monsters, for the first time the monsters are real and also an actual threat to the world.
The demons themselves vary and even though we only saw 11 of the 13, several of the ones shown were amazingly great. Maldor the Malevalent's magic spells and lines are easily memorable. Demondo leader of the comics, Nicara the enchantress and Professor Phantasmo who's calliope that disguises an army full on monsters, monsters, monsters!! are all present and great, even down to Time Slime the lord of time, who manages to lead the take over the entire world when Scooby retires.
The gang itself is changed for this incarnation. Scooby and Shaggy clearly return, as do Daphne and Scrappy who were present in the previous incarnation. We also see the addition of the con-man child Film Flam and the epic Vincent Van Ghoul (voiced by the amazing Vincent Price) as the gang's overseer on this quest. The show also has recurring hilarious ghosts in Bogel and Weerd.
This is a show that sadly was never completed, but it was a great memory. I can quote so much of this show from memory and it's a true great series you can watch all in one day and role with the laughter. I recommend this great show to anyone to enjoy
Considering this is a typical Hanna Barbera affair everyone coming in should know what to expect, limited animation, great voices, and jokes that never get old.
The 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo takes a new twist on the Scooby franchise by introducing a demon chest, although the show is entitled the 13 ghosts, out of the 11 featured characters, the word demons seems more appropriate than ghosts, but the show clearly uses the words interchangeably. And while previous incarnations of Scooby featured real monsters, for the first time the monsters are real and also an actual threat to the world.
The demons themselves vary and even though we only saw 11 of the 13, several of the ones shown were amazingly great. Maldor the Malevalent's magic spells and lines are easily memorable. Demondo leader of the comics, Nicara the enchantress and Professor Phantasmo who's calliope that disguises an army full on monsters, monsters, monsters!! are all present and great, even down to Time Slime the lord of time, who manages to lead the take over the entire world when Scooby retires.
The gang itself is changed for this incarnation. Scooby and Shaggy clearly return, as do Daphne and Scrappy who were present in the previous incarnation. We also see the addition of the con-man child Film Flam and the epic Vincent Van Ghoul (voiced by the amazing Vincent Price) as the gang's overseer on this quest. The show also has recurring hilarious ghosts in Bogel and Weerd.
This is a show that sadly was never completed, but it was a great memory. I can quote so much of this show from memory and it's a true great series you can watch all in one day and role with the laughter. I recommend this great show to anyone to enjoy
Maybe too short, but enjoyable.
Animany9412 October 2017
Vincent Price is a legendary voice, and I think he does the best performance of all characters in this rendition of our beloved Scooby-Doo.
But that is also its weakness. He outshines the others every time he is on screen. Don Messick and Casey Kasem are always good as Scooby and Shaggy, but not on par with Price.
This certainly a departure from the regular setting of the gang with only Scooby, Shaggy and Daphne and a new boy named Flim-Flam, who can be annoying at times. Aside from him the series is decently funny with a much more focused goal, but luckily not too repetitive episodes.
It is short, but what more could you expect? 13 ghosts and every single of them caught in 13 episodes. Maybe it could have been more, but I am still glad I saw it.
But that is also its weakness. He outshines the others every time he is on screen. Don Messick and Casey Kasem are always good as Scooby and Shaggy, but not on par with Price.
This certainly a departure from the regular setting of the gang with only Scooby, Shaggy and Daphne and a new boy named Flim-Flam, who can be annoying at times. Aside from him the series is decently funny with a much more focused goal, but luckily not too repetitive episodes.
It is short, but what more could you expect? 13 ghosts and every single of them caught in 13 episodes. Maybe it could have been more, but I am still glad I saw it.
Despite The Appearance of Scrappy, 'The 13 Ghosts of...' Was Still A Good Cartoon
wchngliu21 September 2008
Warning: Spoilers
The Hanna Barbera, Scooby Doo franchise underwent a drastic decline in the late seventies to early eighties when little Scrappy Doo- or as others would rename him as 'Crappy Poo'- arrived out of nowhere to join the gang of Scooby, Shaggy, Velma and Daphne. The so-called diminutive nephew of Scooby was, in many Scooby fans eyes, an annoyance and who'd embarrass the hell out of the gang, not to mention the fans themselves.
Thankfully however, a new animated show based on the characters, arrived towards the mid-eighties titled: 'The 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo' and HB decided to shift their focus away from Scrappy (and rightly so), for once and onto the likes of Daphne, Shaggy, Scoob, as well as the new additions to the franchise; a pint- sized kid going by the name of Film Flam (who looked like he was of Mixed race/Asian origin) and Vincent Van Ghoul- voiced by none other than the famous Vincent Price, whose often scary voice-overs once scared the pants off me, as a kid. For those of you, who need reminding, he did the soliloquy or spoken word bit towards the end of Michael Jackson's 80s hit, 'Thriller'.
I assumed the arrivals of Price and Film Flam, meant that Fred and Velma had to make way for those two, but this in itself didn't hinder the quality of the cartoon or the story itself. I actually thought that Film Flam was not that bad- I could do with Film Flam in the cartoon and get rid of Scrappy. You also had two ghosts, Boogel and Weerd, who were the main villains and of whom tried to outwit the gang, but in the end they always fail.
The Scooby gang have to retrieve the 13 Ghosts, of which they have released from a chest, after Scooby and Shaggy were duped by Boogel and Weerd.
Arguably, the best aspect of this show was that whereas all the other Scooby shows had the same formula, plot-wise that is; i.e, haunted house, Scoob, Fred, Shaggy, Velma, Daphne (and later on Scrappy) try to solve the mysteries and unmask the villain, dressed as a monster and ghost, 'The 13 Ghosts' had a completely different narrative angle, which was refreshing to see. For once, it wasn't just about capturing and unmasking the villains, but also, there was an element of mystery, suspense and of the chest-, which acted as a prop device to further propel the gang forward, in their attempts to recapture the ghosts. It was also good to have the late Vincent Price aka Vincent Van Ghoul and his contribution in the show, was very effective I have to say.
Whilst it wasn't in the same league as say 'Scooby Doo, Where are you?' for example, 'The 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo' was much better than The Scooby and Scrappy Doo Show and A Pup Named Scooby Doo, which I prefer over the Scooby and Scrappy Doo Show. It is completely different and the show's plot brought an extra dimension to one of the most famous cartoon franchises in history.
This was one Scooby show that didn't get the exposure it deserved, which was a shame but nevertheless, it was a good cartoon, -but for the inclusion of Scrappy-, and like many other toons, 'The 13 ghosts of Scooby Doo' deserved a longer run.
Thankfully however, a new animated show based on the characters, arrived towards the mid-eighties titled: 'The 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo' and HB decided to shift their focus away from Scrappy (and rightly so), for once and onto the likes of Daphne, Shaggy, Scoob, as well as the new additions to the franchise; a pint- sized kid going by the name of Film Flam (who looked like he was of Mixed race/Asian origin) and Vincent Van Ghoul- voiced by none other than the famous Vincent Price, whose often scary voice-overs once scared the pants off me, as a kid. For those of you, who need reminding, he did the soliloquy or spoken word bit towards the end of Michael Jackson's 80s hit, 'Thriller'.
I assumed the arrivals of Price and Film Flam, meant that Fred and Velma had to make way for those two, but this in itself didn't hinder the quality of the cartoon or the story itself. I actually thought that Film Flam was not that bad- I could do with Film Flam in the cartoon and get rid of Scrappy. You also had two ghosts, Boogel and Weerd, who were the main villains and of whom tried to outwit the gang, but in the end they always fail.
The Scooby gang have to retrieve the 13 Ghosts, of which they have released from a chest, after Scooby and Shaggy were duped by Boogel and Weerd.
Arguably, the best aspect of this show was that whereas all the other Scooby shows had the same formula, plot-wise that is; i.e, haunted house, Scoob, Fred, Shaggy, Velma, Daphne (and later on Scrappy) try to solve the mysteries and unmask the villain, dressed as a monster and ghost, 'The 13 Ghosts' had a completely different narrative angle, which was refreshing to see. For once, it wasn't just about capturing and unmasking the villains, but also, there was an element of mystery, suspense and of the chest-, which acted as a prop device to further propel the gang forward, in their attempts to recapture the ghosts. It was also good to have the late Vincent Price aka Vincent Van Ghoul and his contribution in the show, was very effective I have to say.
Whilst it wasn't in the same league as say 'Scooby Doo, Where are you?' for example, 'The 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo' was much better than The Scooby and Scrappy Doo Show and A Pup Named Scooby Doo, which I prefer over the Scooby and Scrappy Doo Show. It is completely different and the show's plot brought an extra dimension to one of the most famous cartoon franchises in history.
This was one Scooby show that didn't get the exposure it deserved, which was a shame but nevertheless, it was a good cartoon, -but for the inclusion of Scrappy-, and like many other toons, 'The 13 ghosts of Scooby Doo' deserved a longer run.
The only Scooby show I ever liked as a kid.
Caribbean_Smurf8 January 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Seriously, the 13 ghost spin off series was awesome. I watched this religiously. Its far better quality than the original series, the characters are way less wooden. But most of all it actually had different plots.
The originals all had the same story: Some sort of haunted house, Scooby gets his cookies, they split up and Fred goes with Daphne and Shaggy with Velma, they catch the monster, turns out its a guy with a rubber mask (sometimes several) the guy expresses his distaste for the gang, end of episode. Yawn.
This, however, is different. This time Shaggy gets the girl. (Velma isn't one in my book, yuk) This time there is Vincent VanGhoul, the scariest cartoon character ever. The 13 ghosts story was refreshing and very captivating for me as a kid.
Too bad about Scrappy the little turd, and whats-his-face, the Indian kid, but they don't really manage to ruin the series.
13 ghosts forever! I wish they made a movie out of THIS one!
The originals all had the same story: Some sort of haunted house, Scooby gets his cookies, they split up and Fred goes with Daphne and Shaggy with Velma, they catch the monster, turns out its a guy with a rubber mask (sometimes several) the guy expresses his distaste for the gang, end of episode. Yawn.
This, however, is different. This time Shaggy gets the girl. (Velma isn't one in my book, yuk) This time there is Vincent VanGhoul, the scariest cartoon character ever. The 13 ghosts story was refreshing and very captivating for me as a kid.
Too bad about Scrappy the little turd, and whats-his-face, the Indian kid, but they don't really manage to ruin the series.
13 ghosts forever! I wish they made a movie out of THIS one!
A Complete Abomination! The Absolute Worst Scooby Doo Series of All Time Bar None!!
voicemaster716 January 2007
Warning: Spoilers
When Scooby Doo began in 1969, the concept was excellent. You had 4 teen sleuths and a goofy cowardly Great Dane solving mysteries and unmasking bad guys disguised as ghosts and monsters. Throughout Scooby's evolution, we saw the gang team up with celebrity guests, we saw the inclusions of Scooby Dum, Dynomutt, and the Laff a Lympics, and the eventual addition of Scrappy Doo. In what would be Scooby Doo's final regular show on Saturday mornings, Hanna Barbera presented to us what I call the final nail in Scooby's Saturday morning coffin.
In my humble and honest opinion, the 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo is by far, the absolute worst series in Scooby's history! A complete and total abomination!! The only saving grace to the show was the inclusion of Vincent Price as warlock Vincent Van Ghoul who leads and guides the gang on their worldwide search to recapture the 13 ghosts that Scooby Doo and Shaggy were tricked into releasing in the pilot episode. Scooby Doo has gone from mystery solving canine to ghost hunter and the ghosts are real, no longer are they crooks in costumes.
My first attack is on Daphne and Shaggy. Shaggy's clothes have changed colors, no big deal there. But he no longer seems worthy of the name Shaggy now that he lost his goatee. Daphne has a complete new makeover which I did not find impressive.
My hatred of Scrappy Doo really reaches its peak, but guess what?! Hanna Barbera sunk to a new low and introduced a character so bad he made even Scrappy look good. Film Flam!! This stupid kid winds up tagging along with the gang and is a close friend to Vincent Van Ghoul and makes the gang a party of five again just like the old days.
The there are two goony ghosts whose names escape me, but they were introduced for comic relief and are the two responsible for tricking Scooby into opening the Chest of Demons and releasing the 13 evil ghosts!!
The biggest insult of all time to this show was simple. After guest appearing in a few episodes of the previous Scooby Doo series, both Fred and Velma have once again been wiped out of existence!! And to really add insult to injury, Scrappy Doo and Film Flam to me seem more like replacements for Fred and Velma, but thankfully not in personality. To this day, I wonder how Vincent Van Ghoul would have reacted to the likes of Fred and Velma, but I guess HB considered them too straight for this show. I hate Scrappy Doo! But I really HATE Film Flam even more!! The Hanna Barbera writers must have either been stoned or drunk when they created this super stinker of a show!!
If you are a purist fan of the original concept, then 1985 was a bad year to watch Scooby Doo on TV. The 13 Ghosts series is one, the rerun series, Scooby's Mystery Fun House was another because it only showed reruns of the the New Scooby and Scrappy Doo Show and a few episodes of the New Scooby Doo Mysteries with none of the two parters from the previous year. Worse than that, they began airing the Scooby and Scrappy shows weekday afternoons, so if you were looking for any Scooby shows that included Freddy and Velma, you were plain simply out of luck that year.
I would seriously recommend bypassing this one series of Scooby Doo unless you love Scrappy Doo or even love unusual things. But as I said before, this series to me does not even hold a candle to the original Scooby Doo Where Are You? series of 1969. Give me Fred and Velma over Scrappy Doo and Film Flam any day!! 2 Thumbs Down!!
In my humble and honest opinion, the 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo is by far, the absolute worst series in Scooby's history! A complete and total abomination!! The only saving grace to the show was the inclusion of Vincent Price as warlock Vincent Van Ghoul who leads and guides the gang on their worldwide search to recapture the 13 ghosts that Scooby Doo and Shaggy were tricked into releasing in the pilot episode. Scooby Doo has gone from mystery solving canine to ghost hunter and the ghosts are real, no longer are they crooks in costumes.
My first attack is on Daphne and Shaggy. Shaggy's clothes have changed colors, no big deal there. But he no longer seems worthy of the name Shaggy now that he lost his goatee. Daphne has a complete new makeover which I did not find impressive.
My hatred of Scrappy Doo really reaches its peak, but guess what?! Hanna Barbera sunk to a new low and introduced a character so bad he made even Scrappy look good. Film Flam!! This stupid kid winds up tagging along with the gang and is a close friend to Vincent Van Ghoul and makes the gang a party of five again just like the old days.
The there are two goony ghosts whose names escape me, but they were introduced for comic relief and are the two responsible for tricking Scooby into opening the Chest of Demons and releasing the 13 evil ghosts!!
The biggest insult of all time to this show was simple. After guest appearing in a few episodes of the previous Scooby Doo series, both Fred and Velma have once again been wiped out of existence!! And to really add insult to injury, Scrappy Doo and Film Flam to me seem more like replacements for Fred and Velma, but thankfully not in personality. To this day, I wonder how Vincent Van Ghoul would have reacted to the likes of Fred and Velma, but I guess HB considered them too straight for this show. I hate Scrappy Doo! But I really HATE Film Flam even more!! The Hanna Barbera writers must have either been stoned or drunk when they created this super stinker of a show!!
If you are a purist fan of the original concept, then 1985 was a bad year to watch Scooby Doo on TV. The 13 Ghosts series is one, the rerun series, Scooby's Mystery Fun House was another because it only showed reruns of the the New Scooby and Scrappy Doo Show and a few episodes of the New Scooby Doo Mysteries with none of the two parters from the previous year. Worse than that, they began airing the Scooby and Scrappy shows weekday afternoons, so if you were looking for any Scooby shows that included Freddy and Velma, you were plain simply out of luck that year.
I would seriously recommend bypassing this one series of Scooby Doo unless you love Scrappy Doo or even love unusual things. But as I said before, this series to me does not even hold a candle to the original Scooby Doo Where Are You? series of 1969. Give me Fred and Velma over Scrappy Doo and Film Flam any day!! 2 Thumbs Down!!
With Vincent Price, how can they lose?
dootuss11 November 2002
They can't!!! This is one of my favorite "Scooby-Doo" shows out of all of them. This show is quite a bit different from the past "Scooby" shows because in this show, Scooby, and the gang have to get 13 ghosts back into a chest that Scooby opened by accident, no guy in a costume here, these are actual ghosts (which is cool, and it was a great step for "Scooby-Doo"),and this show is more wackier than previous "Scooby-Doo" shows, which is cool. Anyways, this show also featured a new character in Flim-Flam who was OK, and Daphne, and Shaggy wore different clothes in this show as well. Vincent Price did a great job as Vincent VanGhoul, and those 2 ghosts who were always trying to stop Scooby ad the gang from getting the ghosts back into the chest were cool too. Bottom Line: A great "Scooby" show!!!
An Honest Review
generationofswine1 April 2017
I loved it as a child and I love it as an adult.
It was like Scooby Doo, but updated for the 80s--not that I would really notice that when I was first watching it.
Not only was it an update but it added, well, adventure.
Scooby Doo was always spooky-funny. With 13 Ghosts it became Spooky-Adventurer Funny and it worked.
It moved a little further away from the mystery and more into the Adventure cartoons that Hannah-Barbara had done so well in the decades before I was born. It matched the old reruns of cartoons that I loved watching at the time.
Scooby Doo meets high Adventure but still stuck to the Scooby-spooky theme minus the masks at the end.
For a kid it worked amazingly well. For an adult...it is still amazing.
It was like Scooby Doo, but updated for the 80s--not that I would really notice that when I was first watching it.
Not only was it an update but it added, well, adventure.
Scooby Doo was always spooky-funny. With 13 Ghosts it became Spooky-Adventurer Funny and it worked.
It moved a little further away from the mystery and more into the Adventure cartoons that Hannah-Barbara had done so well in the decades before I was born. It matched the old reruns of cartoons that I loved watching at the time.
Scooby Doo meets high Adventure but still stuck to the Scooby-spooky theme minus the masks at the end.
For a kid it worked amazingly well. For an adult...it is still amazing.
Scooby-Doo with real ghosts to catch!
OllieSuave-0077 January 2017
After many ghost-unmasking mysteries in the dozens of Scooby-Doo episodes, this series incarnation of the Great Dane features real ghosts - 13 of them, inadvertently released from an old red chest. As a result, it is up to the Mystery, Inc. gang to do their clue-finding and mystery solving acts to bust these demons.
Best friends Scooby and Shaggy continue their wise-cracking, slapstick comic relief in their food-loving characteristics and in their humorous ways in case solving. Daphne and Scrappy returns - the more serious and go-get'em of the bunch, now joined by new character Film Flam. He's an OK character some of the time, but he can be an overly assertive, a blabbermouth and too overzealous. Also, another new character, Vincent Van Ghoul, serves as a nice addition to the cast - instructing and helping the Mystery, Inc. gang out in catching the demons and lending his magic when need be.
With real ghosts in this series, the stories are more daring and creepy, and still keeping up the entertainment, laughs, jokes and fun adventures. The haunting and foreboding theme music in the opening and end credits remind you that the Scooby-Doo series has taken a new turn.
Still missing the flavor of the original Mystery, Inc. gang and the episodes overall are entertaining, but not as great as the shows with the original crew.
Grade B
Best friends Scooby and Shaggy continue their wise-cracking, slapstick comic relief in their food-loving characteristics and in their humorous ways in case solving. Daphne and Scrappy returns - the more serious and go-get'em of the bunch, now joined by new character Film Flam. He's an OK character some of the time, but he can be an overly assertive, a blabbermouth and too overzealous. Also, another new character, Vincent Van Ghoul, serves as a nice addition to the cast - instructing and helping the Mystery, Inc. gang out in catching the demons and lending his magic when need be.
With real ghosts in this series, the stories are more daring and creepy, and still keeping up the entertainment, laughs, jokes and fun adventures. The haunting and foreboding theme music in the opening and end credits remind you that the Scooby-Doo series has taken a new turn.
Still missing the flavor of the original Mystery, Inc. gang and the episodes overall are entertaining, but not as great as the shows with the original crew.
Grade B
Before you see the newest scooby doo cartoon movie, watch this first!!!
justin-fencsak14 March 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I remember seeing this show when it was in reruns on USA in the 90s. I was way too young to remember the original run, which lasted only one season and was cancelled in 1986 before a younger scooby doo came out in 1988. Vincent Price is amazing as Vincent Van Ghoul, who has the chest which contains all 13 ghosts. Sadly only 12 were caught before the show didn't get renewed for another season. Most recently, WB Animation brought the franchise back with a made for video conclusion whose animation is a bit far different than the original and which the voice of VIncent is long in heaven. It's also the darkest of the series.
I Never Thought Vincent Price Could Turn in a Bad Performance
ikrani4 March 2014
Seriously, compared to his role as Egghead in the Adam West Batman series and what he would later describe as his favorite role as Ratigan in the Great Mouse Detective, Vincent Price doesn't sound like he's trying.
This show has an equal amount of good and bad. On one hand, we have an all-new premise that involves Scooby, Shaggy, Daphne, and a really downplayed Scrappy Doo teaming up with an insufferably street con name Film Flam and Vincent van Ghoul, who is a parody of every single role Vincent Price had played to date. Said premise is that Scooby accidentally releases "13 of the world's most horrifying ghosts" upon humanity and, since he was the one who let them out, only he can put them back in their demonic-looking chest.
On the other hand, we have Film Flam. I didn't find him annoying as a kid, but in rewatching a few episodes I found his arrogant attitude to be insufferable. Scrappy Doo didn't help matters, but thankfully the creators realized how annoying he was and toned it down a bit.
This series also suffers from plot holes, especially in the episode involving a time-traveling ghost. Not only that, but Vincent Price really sounds like he's having regrets about signing on to this show. I'd cite his age as a factor (the man WAS 74 when he worked on this), but he did so well in The Great Mouse Detective, which came out a year later. Seriously, if you're a fan of Vincent Price's slightly over-the-top performances as creepy types who murder people, you might find this show to be unsettling.
It's not the most enjoyable of the Scooby-Doo franchise, but I've seen far worse.
This show has an equal amount of good and bad. On one hand, we have an all-new premise that involves Scooby, Shaggy, Daphne, and a really downplayed Scrappy Doo teaming up with an insufferably street con name Film Flam and Vincent van Ghoul, who is a parody of every single role Vincent Price had played to date. Said premise is that Scooby accidentally releases "13 of the world's most horrifying ghosts" upon humanity and, since he was the one who let them out, only he can put them back in their demonic-looking chest.
On the other hand, we have Film Flam. I didn't find him annoying as a kid, but in rewatching a few episodes I found his arrogant attitude to be insufferable. Scrappy Doo didn't help matters, but thankfully the creators realized how annoying he was and toned it down a bit.
This series also suffers from plot holes, especially in the episode involving a time-traveling ghost. Not only that, but Vincent Price really sounds like he's having regrets about signing on to this show. I'd cite his age as a factor (the man WAS 74 when he worked on this), but he did so well in The Great Mouse Detective, which came out a year later. Seriously, if you're a fan of Vincent Price's slightly over-the-top performances as creepy types who murder people, you might find this show to be unsettling.
It's not the most enjoyable of the Scooby-Doo franchise, but I've seen far worse.
The ultimate Scooby series!
gventola17 November 1999
"13 Ghosts" is the ultimate Scooby series--the wildest, the creepiest, the zaniest, the most daring...even the most romantic! (See Daphne and Shaggy's hug in the first episode "To All the Ghouls I've Loved Before".) It is a delight to hear the late Vincent Price as Vincent VanGhoul. And Flim Flam is a fun new character in the tradition of Short Round from "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom". Daphne and Shaggy wore different clothes. Each episode, unlike the old mystery episodes, has a distinct plot, and the episodes are so clever that it's fun to watch them over and over again.
The best since 1970....
butanebutte4 September 2018
A different kind of 'Scooby' show
studioAT15 June 2020
This was a very different type of 'Scooby Doo' show, with no Velma or Fred, and the ghosts being real.
The basic premise of the gang (yes, Scrappy and Flim Flam can be a bit annoying) tracking down the 13 ghosts (they would only manage 12 across the series, with a straight to DVD film later finishing it off) is simple enough, though perhaps a bit limiting, and provides some really fun moments.
The basic premise of the gang (yes, Scrappy and Flim Flam can be a bit annoying) tracking down the 13 ghosts (they would only manage 12 across the series, with a straight to DVD film later finishing it off) is simple enough, though perhaps a bit limiting, and provides some really fun moments.
Not even Vincent Price can save the series at this point!
TheTVConnoisseur1 July 2003
After three horrible shows (Or the Dark Ages as I call it) Hanna-Barbera attempted to rescue the series from ultimate destruction. The first attempt being this show FAILED.
I will agree that the premise for this show is great! It adds a sense of action and adventure that would later save the franchise. This show unlike it's predecessor relies more on adventure and spookiness then on humor. This time the ghosts are real!
The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries (Or the new Scooby and Scappy Show?) reintroduced the character of Daphne. This time Daphne had a new `80s look to her and no longer was danger prone (something else that would later save the series.) The addition of Vincent Price was very effective and added to the new mood Hanna-Barber wanted.
But with some many positive elements how did the show fail? Two names come up to mind: Scrappy-Doo and Flim Flam. If these two characters would not have been on the show it would have survived.
Scooby, Shaggy, Daphne, and Vincent alongside this new premise would have made for a terrific comeback. To bad Scrappy and Flim Flam had to ruin everything.
I will agree that the premise for this show is great! It adds a sense of action and adventure that would later save the franchise. This show unlike it's predecessor relies more on adventure and spookiness then on humor. This time the ghosts are real!
The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries (Or the new Scooby and Scappy Show?) reintroduced the character of Daphne. This time Daphne had a new `80s look to her and no longer was danger prone (something else that would later save the series.) The addition of Vincent Price was very effective and added to the new mood Hanna-Barber wanted.
But with some many positive elements how did the show fail? Two names come up to mind: Scrappy-Doo and Flim Flam. If these two characters would not have been on the show it would have survived.
Scooby, Shaggy, Daphne, and Vincent alongside this new premise would have made for a terrific comeback. To bad Scrappy and Flim Flam had to ruin everything.
the coolest of the scooby shows
departed0715 October 2003
what i like about 13 ghosts of scooby doo is that its twice as spooky and funnier than the other scooby cartoons. Even Vincent Price is in it. too bad it didn't make it, but it was still fun. i still watch this cartoon up to date, and its cool.
the best scooby-doo show that was forgotten
witchofwicca8817 April 2006
this show is really good but a lot of people have forgotten about it. they don't even show it on TV anymore except on boomerang, and thats only of you have that digital cable thing thats expensive. they should definitely make it into a DVD collection if they don't want people to forget it. i mean this is a really good show that shouldn't be forgotten and should be made into a did set so it can be added to scooby-doo show fans like me. i haven't even seen every episode. i know the TV company got rid of it because it got too 'boring' which i don't think so. i mean if you watch it over and over again maybe but this is one of the best shows who cares if its old Hanna Barbara can't just put the old shows on the shelfs if it gets old. they need to warn people that they aren't airing on TV and make it into dvds or VHS so people can still watch this show.
How did we go from a bunch of hippies solving mysteries to a talking dog searching for 13 Ghosts?!
TheMan305124 November 2002
It was a good idea to keep the Scobby-Doo saga alive by changing the format in each show. But while the shows from the `70s were funny, entertaining, and had decent story lines. The `80s shows took a drastic turn by introducing Scappy-Doo! After two (or 3?) worthless shows Hanna-Barbera made another drastic turn by having the gang minus Fred and Velma plus Vincent and Flim Flam search for 13 ghosts. The premise was pretty decent but what hurt the show A LOT were Scrappy and Flim Flam. If this show would have just been Scobby, Shaggy, Daphne, and Vincent then it would have been a decent program.
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