Be Cool, Scooby-Doo! / YMMV

Awesome Art: Some of the monsters the gang has come across have some really good designs.
Awesome Music: As polarizing as the writing this series was, the one aspect of it that was universally praised was the Chase Scene music. Better yet, all the music for this series is original, making it even more impressive.
Base-Breaking Character:
- Daphne is either cute and quirky in this show or just plain annoying and bizarre, especially since her usual depictions show her as being womanly.
- Similarly, Fred's more abrasive personality is either a step back for him or it adds depth to him. Likewise, it contrasts greatly with his usual depictions, which portray him as a Nice Guy who seems to miss a few beats — or a lot, in the case of the previous show.
Broken Base:
- The show in general. Some feel it's a decent and funny follow-up to Mystery Incorporated while others feel it takes way too many liberties with the animation, art style, characters, and humor while others think it's completely terrible with little to redeem it.
- In regards to the show's comedy approach some of the comments from the head writer has rubbed some the wrong way. Whether or not this show's style of writing comedy and characters add more depth that wasn't to be found in the simpler writing of the 70s/80s or tries too hard at it and loses what made the more simpler versions last as long as they did.
- Starting with this show, Velma is now voiced by Kate Micucci, and it's controversial. Some people enjoy Micucci's take on Velma, while others believe that she doesn't sound like past Velmas.
- The characterizations and humor are either better or worse than Mystery Incorporated, with Be Cool focusing on Surreal Humor while Mystery Incorporated used Comedic Sociopathy.
Character Rerailment: Though still a bit out there whenever it would fit the gag, Fred is far closer to his original role of being The Leader without being completely generic or a Cloud Cuckoo Lander, which started around A Pup Named Scooby-Doo and took hold with What's New, Scooby-Doo?. Though it wouldn't be until the next installment that we would properly be back as The Leader without taking a level in Jerkass.
Comedy Ghetto: The show's simplistic focus on comedy has soured some fans, particularly those of Mystery Incorporated which managed to balance its comedy with dark themes and Character Development.
Fandom Rivalry: With Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated. Fans of Be Cool! enjoy the lighter humor of the show and dislike the characterizations given in Mystery Incorporated, whereas fans of Mystery Incorporated dislike the characterizations & humor in Be Cool! and prefer the plot-heaviness & Comedic Sociopathy in Mystery Incorporated. This is not mentioning those that liked both just fine and those that find both to be weaker attempts but these often get drowned out in favor of the Be Cool! vs. Mystery Incorporated rivalry in some circles.
Fan Nickname:
- Family Doo, playing on the art style looking similar to Family Guy and have some subversive humor moments.
- The wiki for Scooby Doo uses "Daphneism" for Daphne's episodic quirks.
Genius Bonus: Velma's remark in "Some Fred Time" that 'Dorsal Foot' sounds like a better name for a shark monster in Latin is a lot snarkier if you know that "dorsal" practically is Latin already. And it simply means "of the back", which makes the name even dumber.
Growing the Beard: Similar to Mystery Incorporated, the show hit its stride in late in Season 1, and continued to evolve in Season 2.
Magnificent Bastard:
- "The Curse of Half-Beard's Booty": Captain Cutler is a seasoned enemy of Mystery Incorporated who always manages to escape after his plans are foiled. Recognizing their aptitude for solving mysteries, Cutler decides to trick them into helping him uncover the lost treasure of Captain Half-Beard. Pretending to be reformed, Cutler has a fellow treasure hunter disguise herself as Half-Beard's ghost so he can entice the mistrustful Fred with a mystery, quickly proving himself an invaluable asset to the gang with his expertise of the area while he leaves copies of his treasure map disguised as restaurant placemats for Scooby and Shaggy to further investigate. Cutler makes his escape with the recovered treasure while the gang unmasks the ghost, writing a letter to Fred politely explaining his plan and expressing anticipation for their next encounter.
- "Professor Huh?" two-part finale: The eponymous Professor Huh? is a criminal mastermind dedicated to the pursuit of utterly bizarre crimes. Acting as the doting father of Fred Jones in his civilian life, Huh? preserved his true identity by adopting completely nonsensical mannerisms in his capers, remaining an unpredictable and uncatchable menace for years until a happenstance discovery by Fred and his childhood friend Rose. Upon learning of Rose's intent to frame Fred for aiding in his father's crimes in the present, Huh? escapes prison with ease and lures Mystery Incorporated on a wild chase, effortlessly out-gambitting Scooby and Shaggy in their usual skit as he leaves the gang clues to Rose's plan. Offering to turn himself in after helping foil Rose, Huh? is instead remotely flown away in the Mystery Machine by a grateful Fred, and returns the van with a note reaffirming his love for his son.
Memetic Mutation:
- Comparing the animation to that of Seth MacFarlane's work, or intentionally confusing the show with Family Guy.
- "UHHHHHHHHHHHH..."
- Perhaps I treated you too harshly^Explanation.
Older Than They Think: Fred and Daphne weren't canonically seen as a romance until the '90's.
Realism-Induced Horror: The culprit in "If You Can't Scooby-Doo the Time, Don't Scooby-Doo the Crime" is a man who was wrongly imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit and cannot clear his name legally because the authorities are suppressing evidence that would exonerate him just to keep him locked up.
So Okay, It's Average: The general opinion of the series is it's an enjoyable average show with some clear ideas that may not be for everyone such as the overreliance on Family Guy-style animation and humor.
Squick: Used as a Running Gag in "Night of the Upsetting Shorts", as Fred's shorts manage to gross out the rest of the gang throughout the episode. Taken up a notch at the end when he rips off his clothes to reveal his underwear.
Tainted by the Preview: Just seeing the redesigns for the main cast was enough to turn fans off. This only got worse when the show itself aired, with many fans deriding it for its Flanderization of some of the main cast as well as its Family Guy-style animation and humor.
Tear Jerker:
- While Daphne's animals fleeing from her the first chance they get at the end of "Eating Crow" was played for laughs, Daphne's shocked look and her more subdued reaction after the melodramatic goodbye speech makes one feel rather sorry for her.
- Fred's father in this continuity is once again an absent father (because he was arrested when Fred was young) and a villain. It's at least implied that when he was present, he was a good father and he also makes a Heel–Face Turn(-ish) at the end of the two-parter.
Tough Act to Follow: Nobody will exactly deny that it was already doomed in the eyes of the fans after the critically acclaimed Mystery Incorporated with its darker tone and emphasis on lore.
They Changed It, Now It Sucks!: As with any new iteration, the fanbase are not too kind to drastic changes that differ from the original. The simplistic redesigns and the comedic-focused direction didn't help with first impressions on the series.
- For those who preferred the intricate long-form storytelling, increased character focus and dramatics, darker Lovecraftian vibes, and efforts at modernizing the formula made by Mystery Incorporated, the very back-to-basics approach of this show can cause this feeling. As the A.V. Club review of "Grand Scam" remarked, "I imagine 'true Scooby-Doo fans' will be lenient to yet another variation of the show, while those preferring the tone of Mystery Inc. fans [sic] will ignore its existence."
Uncertain Audience: The series sold itself on being a more back-to-basics Scooby-Doo series, but in practice, due to its emphasis on goofier humor, the heavily altered personalities of Mystery Incorporated, controversial art-style, and the often parodic tone put off people who wanted a more traditional series, but the series also doesn't really deviate from the established formula very much nor really throw many unique twists until season 2, which makes the series feel too similar to prior shows. According to the creative crew behind the series, this was largely due to Executive Meddling that left an unclear direction for them to go, which is why the humor often shifts so erratically.
Vindicated by History: The series garnered very mixed reception at first, due to being a Denser and Wackier take on the franchise with an artstyle compared to that of Seth MacFarlane by more than a few, as well as coming off the heels of the much-beloved Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated. After it ended, and especially after the fierce backlash against Velma (which gave the franchise the Animated Shock Comedy treatment), the show began to be re-evaluated, and while the artstyle remains polarising, many admitted that the show was actually pretty funny in hindsight.

YMMV / Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!

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