Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School Should Be Cartoon Network’s Next Horror Series - CBR - Comic Book Resources

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Along with being on television since 1969 and having several comic iterations, Scooby-Doo and Mystery Inc. have had their fair share of animated and live-action films. While the gang usually deals with fake monsters, several of the animated movies introduce real cases of the paranormal, as seen in Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School. Scooby, Shaggy and Scrappy are brought on as teachers at Miss Grimwood's Finishing School for Girls, which is home to the daughters of some of the most iconic monsters, like Frankenstein and Dracula. While the movie is over thirty years old, it would be fantastic for Cartoon Network to give the girls of Miss Grimwood's a second chance to shine with their own horror series.

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Continuing Scooby-Doo's Legacy With a Twist

For decades, Scooby-Doo has been brought back to television time and again, and in every iteration, the show focuses on the titular dog and at least a handful of members of Mystery Inc., if not all of them. While a Ghoul School show could have Scooby, Shaggy and Scrappy rejoin the school, this would be a great opportunity to focus on other characters seen in the world of Mystery Inc., specifically the students of Miss Grimwood's Finishing School. Each student has a distinct personality, making it near impossible for viewers not to find at least one ghoul to relate to.

Along with this, focusing on them instead of the usual gang would be a breath of fresh air. Scooby-Doo, as well as several other revivals on Cartoon Network, have primarily stuck to the same formula. While there is a sense of familiarity in this approach, some fans are left disappointed by it, wanting to return to the original as opposed to watching a nearly identical remake. A Ghoul School show could still feel nostalgic by being in the world of Scooby-Doo; however, it would have the room to grow by not being strictly tied to the past series' structure.

The World Beyond Mystery Inc.

On top of shifting the focus from Mystery Inc. to the ghouls, a Ghoul School show could greatly expand the world of Scooby-Doo. While most of the Scooby-Doo shows reveal that the "monsters" are actually humans in disguise, movies like Ghoul School prove the supernatural is in fact real in the world of Scooby-Doo. With this in mind, there is much more to explore beyond the villain-of-the-week formula when there are real monsters out there, and they're far more interesting than the human goons Mystery Inc. often encounters.

Besides the ghouls, the show could reintroduce other paranormal characters from Scooby-Doo, like the aliens from Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders. The show could also revive the concept of witches and warlocks, which was touched on in Scooby-Doo! and the Witch's Ghost. Furthermore, this could be a great chance to bring back fan favorites, like the Hex Girls, who are humans with a connection to the world of Wicca and magic. Even if it's not with these familiar faces, a Ghoul School series could introduce new monsters, whether they are daughters of other classic creatures, like the Invisible Man or the Creature of the Black Lagoon, or if they're new teachers, bringing in the likes of Medusa or the Harpies. With monsters being real, the possibilities are endless for a show of this nature.

Joining the Ranks of Over the Garden Wall and More

Cartoon Network has been home to some of the most beloved horror shows for kids, like Over the Garden Wall, Courage the Cowardly Dog, The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy and, of course, several versions of Scooby-Doo. While it currently has a supernatural show airing with Victor and Valentino, there is always room for more, especially when these shows are often spaced few and far between. For instance, Adventure Time: Stakes, a miniseries about Marceline the Vampire Queen, premiered in 2015, and it wasn't until 2019 that the channel saw any new, horror-centered content with Victor and Valentino and Scooby-Doo and Guess Who.

While some other original content, like Adventure Time, Summer Camp Island and Infinity Train delve into horror elements, as well as supernatural stories, Cartoon Network could and should develop more horror-centered shows, and Ghoul School is the perfect place to do so. Children deserve to have scary stories, and there is a clear demand for horror that's not focused on adult narratives, as well as scary stories that aren't graphic. Not only do kids like shows of this nature, but adults can also appreciate these narratives, whether it's because they're feeling nostalgic or desire more animation that isn't afraid to dive into horror. Ghoul School would have audiences across demographics, and it would be a wonderful addition into Cartoon Network's horror canon, especially with so many monsters already populating the school.

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About The Author

Caitlin Chappell (144 Articles Published)

Caitlin Sinclair Chappell is a features writer and junior editor for CBR. After graduating from Lewis & Clark College, with a honors in Rhetoric & Media Studies, she worked as a film school director and a theatrical assistant director in California before moving to New York and working for Forbidden Planet. An avid tea enthusiast, horror fanatic and comic lover, Caitlin focuses on femme and LGBTQ representation.