By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com
This Halloween, Jake’s Take is celebrating one of its favorite Scooby-Doo stories of all time: The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo.
Spread out across 13 episodes and one direct-to-video movie, The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo saw Hanna-Barbera’s favorite canine detective face-off against real monsters. Not only was the series one of the spookiest series to date, but it also marked a first as it followed a linear storyline. Here are some of my favorite episodes from the franchise:
To All the Ghouls I Loved Before (Episode One: Story by Tom Ruegger; Directed by Ray Patterson)
The first episode perfectly sets up the series as Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Scrappy, and Daphne are lured to a Himalayan village by two ghosts, Bogel and Weird, to release the 13 ghosts from the Chest of Demons. After meeting the series’ new sidekick characters – conman Flim Flam and sorcerer Vincent Van Ghoul (voiced by the one and only Vincent Price) – and watching the townspeople (and Daphne) transform into werewolves (and back into humans), Shaggy and Scooby are successfully tricked into opening the Chest of Demons. Between the Demons’ release and the werewolves’ transformation, To All the Ghouls I Loved Before delivers some of the most horrific moments in franchise history.
Scoobra Kadoobra (Episode Two: Story by Gordon Bressack & Mark Seidenberg; Directed by Ray Patterson)
The Scooby-Doo gang faces off against one of the show’s most omnipotent ghosts, Maldor the Malevolent, a Dark Ages warlock. Voiced by legendary Optimus Prime actor Peter Cullen, Maldor’s sinister actions, such as transforming an innocent bunny into a terrifying fire-breathing dragon and putting Daphne into an enchanted sleep, along with his climatic showdown with Scooby-Doo makes him one of the franchise’s best villains.
Me And My Shadow Demon (Episode Three: Story by Cynthia Friedlob & John Semper; Directed by Ray Patterson)
When the Shadow Demon captures the Chest of Demons, it forces Scooby and the gang to head to Befuddle Manor, where the team must deal with the vampire witch Queen Morbidia and her followers. While the vampire witch, the Shadow Demon, and Griswold the Spider provide the frights, there are fun musical numbers such as the titled song and “Goodbye Ghosts” provide the humor.
That’s Monstertainment (Episode Five: Story by Tom Ruegger & Mitch Schauer; Directed by Ray Patterson)
Fan favorite Zomba makes her debut during the series’ fifth episode. The zombie ghoul traps the gang and Vincent Van Ghoul in their favorite film: The Son of the Bride of the Ghost of Frankenstein. While Scooby-Doo and Scrappy fill in for Dr. Frankenstein and Igor, the rest of the Scooby gang must try to work their way out of the film and back to reality before Zomba can destroy the Chest of Demons.
A Spooky Little Ghoul Like You (Episode Seven: Story by John Ludin; Directed by Ray Patterson)
While Vincent Van Ghoul is honored as “Warlock of the Year” in New Orleans, Bogel and Weird team up with Nekara (voiced by Linda Gary), who wants to drain Vincent of all his magic. “A Spooky Little Ghoul Like You” is one of the series’ episodes that perfectly blend comedy (the gang’s efforts to stop Nekara) and horror (the enchantress summoning the dead and the Grim Reaper pastor).
When You Witch Upon a Star (Episode Eight: Story by Jeff Holder & Tom Ruegger; Directed by Ray Patterson)
The vile sorceress Marcella (voiced by B.J. Ward) makes her presence known in this episode. While she captured Vincent in the Evil Zone, Scooby-Doo and the gang must deal with her fellow witches – the Brewski Sisters. However, this trio is more Three Stooges than the Sanderson Sisters.
It’s A Wonderful Scoob (Episode Nine: Story by John Ludin & Tom Ruegger; Directed by Ray Patterson)
Time Slime (voiced by Bob Ridgely), one of the series’ most severe and sinister antagonists, may be one of the villains to do the unthinkable – giving Scooby an emotional breakdown. The favorite canine fought the tyrannical timekeeper briefly with his time scepter, which showed Scooby-Doo – his past and present – briefly forcing him into retirement. It is up to Vincent van Ghoul to coerce Scooby to save the day via It’s a Wonderful Life.
Horror-Scope Scoob (Episode 13: Story by Charles M. Howell IV; Directed by Ray Patterson)
Scooby-Doo and the gang are invited to join Vincent van Ghoul on Boris Kreepof’s You Won’t Believe It…or Else! However, Zimbulu, the terrifying lion demon, has other plans for the Scooby gang and the Chest of Demons. Zimbulu himself is probably the series’ most frightening designed fiend. The comedy of this episode belongs to Bogel and Weerd as they channel Abbott & Costello for their version of “Who’s On First?”
Film: Scooby-Doo! And the Curse of the 13th Ghost (Written by Tim Sheridan; Directed by Cecilia Aranovich Hamilton)
Thirty-five years later, Warner Bros. Animation revisited the 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo with an original animated film. Scooby-Doo! And the Curse of the 13th Ghost saw Scooby, Shaggy, and Daphne reunite with Vincent van Ghoul (voiced excellently by Maurice LaMarche) and an older Flim Flam to track down the last monster missing from the Chest of Demons – Asmodeus. Despite having no Scrappy, Fred and Velma enter the mix for the first time. Were they successful in capturing Asmodeus? Watch to find out!
Did you see The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo? What was your favorite episode?
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