Find out where to watch the new adult animation series Velma, a modern reimagining of one of cartoon's most intelligent, crime-solving sleuths, from the mind of comic genius Mindy Kaling.
Velma takes one of the original of Mystery Incorporated and gives her 21st-century makeover, exploring her backstory and giving her a narrative in her own right.
You can check it out now on Amazon Prime's HBO MAX channel. Groovy!
Watch Velma on Amazon Prime Video
What Is Velma’s Origin?
The character of Velma first burst onto our TV screens back in 1969 as part of Mystery Incorporated, the gang of savvy teen sleuths that made up the cast of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?. When the original creators Joe Ruby and Ken spears penned the first series, it is unlikely they knew just what an enduring franchise they were creating that is still enjoyed by audiences today over fifty years later.
The premise of the show is simple; a group of mismatched teenagers and their talking dog team up to solve mysteries, unmasking the monsters as regular people with an axe to grind. Arguably, it is precisely because the idea underpinning the tales of Scooby-Doo is so simple that the franchise has lasted so long. Since its inception, there have been forty-one animated films, two live-action films, and thirty-six online specials. The canon also includes a plethora of video games, comic books, and even hit singles.
Some of the most notable Scooby-Doo stories include the live-action Spooky Island where the evil villain turns out to be none other than the rough-housing Scrappy-Doo (a character that has divided fans ever since he first appeared in 1979. Of the animated films, it is hard the beat Scooby-Doo and the Witches Ghost purely due to it being the debut of rock band The Hex Girls, which have gone on to star in various episodes and even The Legend of Vampire Rock film four years later.
What Will the Velma TV Series Be About?
Developed by Charlie Grandy and executive produced by Mindy Kaling, the Velma series is set prior to the official formation of Mystery Incorporated and will feature the eponymous character as the protagonist rather than the world's most famous talking dog, Scooby-Doo. In fact, the series will focus only on the human of the gang with Scooby being entirely omitted it seems.
Currently, the teaser trailer that has been dropped reveals little about the plot and instead establishes the satirical comedic tone of the series. However, for taking a look at the cast lists online, it seems that Sarry Blue’s character Diya, Velma's mother, goes missing, so perhaps this is the catalyst that begins the case at hand.
What Actors Voice the Characters In Velma?
One of the most exciting things about this new animated series is the titular cast of actors voicing the classic characters.
In the eponymous role is American comic, Mindy Kaling, who rose to fame for her role as Kelly Kapor in The Office before striking out on her own with The Mindy Project, which follows gynaecologist Mindy Lahiri as she navigates around the quirky characters of her personal and professional life. As a voice actor, Velma is not Kaling's first rodeo, as she has previously voiced the character of Disgust in Inside Out and Taffyta Muttonfudge in Wreck It Ralph.
Alongside Kaling is Constance Wu of Crazy Rich Asians fame as Daphne; Glenn Howerton from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia as Fred; Frank Welker, the original voice of Fred as Fred’s dad; and finally Weird Al Yankovic in the mysterious role of Dandruff Tuba.
Where to watch Velma
This new series is the latest in a long line of re-imaginings of the classic '70s TV show Scooby-Doo with a focus on the smartest member of the gang, Velma. Velma is a 10-part animated TV series available to stream on HBO MAX through Amazon Prime Video.
