DVD Review: Scooby-Doo Where Are You! - Season One, Volume Four: Spooked Bayou - Page 2

"Which Witch Is Which?" - The punny subtitle of this collection comes from the setting for this mystery. This was one of the episodes I looked forward to in repeats more than almost any other. There's a great combination of elements at play here that make this the star of the disc. The group are returning from a fishing trip and get lost in the swamp. The Southern bayou is ripe for ghost stories and they would revisit it later in an animated film for another great story - Scooby-Doo! On Zombie Island. The plot leads us into a weird little village for clues and some voodoo and then back out into the swamp. This mystery is one that should be on everyone's top-episodes list for Scooby-Doo!

"Go Away Ghost Ship" - A rather tame episode in general after such a promising set-up. The villain here is Redbeard The Pirate. I'm not a fan of the character design but his ghost ship is interesting. Shaggy and Scooby play a bit more of a comedic role in the episode and the mystery ends up being very typical of the series. In fact, I think that the whole "you did it for the insurance money" scheme wasn't nearly as prevelant as I remember but this episode doesn't help.

"Spooky Space Kook" -  Another episode with a promising beginning that just doesn't deliver. The Mystery Machine runs out of gas again - that thing must have like a two-gallon tank - they were always running out of gas in the country. There's a mysterious craft that could be a "space ghost". The plot could really have been played up with more of an alien angle. There's not much of a mystery and the clues aren't nearly as interesting as many other stories.

"A Night Of Fright Is No Delight" - This is another strong episode for the disc. The concept of Scooby-Doo being named an heir by millionaire Colonel Beaureguard Sanders and having to spend a night in his scary mansion with four other heirs is part horror film and part Agatha Christie mystery. The plot would be recycled in a few different variations for future films and TV episodes. This version is everything I want in a 22-minute mystery - quick set-up, fun characters (lawyers called Creeps and Crawls!), a mystery with clues that make sense if you are paying attention to detail and a fun ending.

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