Can you catch them all?
When Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Daphne, and Scrappy-Doo accidentally open the Chest of Demons in the Himalayas, evil is unleashed on the world. Now teamed with a mystic named Vincent Van Ghoul and a young con-man named Flim Flam, the thirteen ghosts released from the chest must be recaptured and it is up to Scooby-Doo and company! The ghosts don’t want to return to captivity and they’ll do anything to be free. Scooby has his work cut out for him!
The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo! is a children’s supernatural cartoon comedy. Following The New Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo Show, the series aired thirteen episodes from September 7, 1985 to December 7, 1985 on Saturday mornings on ABC.
We’re the ghosts with the most!
By the time The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo! aired, I was already aging out of cartoons a little. I had sports on Saturday morning and didn’t get my “cartoon” time every week. Despite that, The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo! was maddening…as a fan it just didn’t feel like the Scooby-Doo I loved.
Scooby-Doo had been on a downward spiral over the years. The introduction of Scrappy-Doo was bad enough, but Scrappy-Doo could be tolerated in that the show was still a series of mysteries (weak as they were). The gang generally was there and it still felt like Scooby-Doo with an unnecessary extra character…The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo! adds two additional unnecessary characters and a duo of ghosts that must push the cartoon over the edge from fun to just annoying.
I’d rather watch a series about the Three Stooges witches…
Scrappy-Doo was obnoxious (and you still get him), but he is nothing compared to Flim Flam who seems to largely take Scrappy-Doo’s place and somewhat dilutes him. Vincent Price as Vincent Van Ghoul might be the series high point and feels closer to an extended guest visit from The New Scooby-Doo Movies than a full-fledged character. You also get the obnoxious ghosts Weerd and Bogel who are even more added comedic entertainment…which is totally unnecessary.
What really hurts The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo! is that the format of the series is changed. While previous entries generally involved a mystery and a monster, this series has actual ghosts and baddies. It becomes a comedic mini-Ghostbusters type series (which I’m sure helped influence the series’ direction.
Oh, Flim Flam…How I hate thee
The animation for the series is fair, but the redesigns for Shaggy and Daphne don’t make much sense. You get Daphne in a jumpsuit (I guess jumpsuits were a thing, but Daphne’s generally vain nature in previous series doesn’t seem to fit the jumpsuit fashion). The weird one is that Shaggy changes from a green shirt to a red shirt. It doesn’t really modernize him, and it makes him look like they just colored him wrong.
The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo! is a series for fans only. It is one of the weaker Scooby-Doo incarnations, but I will give the makers credit for attempting something new with the already old franchise…even if it doesn’t work. The series has an additional frustration in that the thirteenth ghost is never caught and there is no resolution. In 2019, the series was finally resolved with Scooby-Doo! and the Curse of the 13th Ghost which was released as a stand-alone film. The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo! was followed by A Pup Named Scooby-Doo in 1988 which retooled the series again (but in a better way).
The 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo!—Complete Episode Guide:
“To All the Ghouls I Loved”
Episode 1 To All the Ghouls I Loved Before Airdate: 09/07/85
Weerd and Bogel hope to gain the respect of the thirteen ghosts trapped in a legendary Chest of Demons. With only a human able to open the chest, Weerd and Bogel need to find their patsy. Scooby-Doo, Daphne, Shaggy, and Scrappy-Doo find their trip to Hawaii accidentally lands them in the Himalayas. When a boy named Flim Flam introduces them to Vincent Van Ghoul, Daphne, Scooby, Shaggy, and Scrappy learn their troubles could just be beginning.
“Scoobra Kadoobra”
Episode 2 Scoobra Kadoobra Airdate: 09/14/85
Maldor the Malevolent is out to find the Wonder Wand of Zadgraz and has taken the palace of Princess Esmerelda and the land around it prisoner. When Scooby, Shaggy, Daphne, Flim Flam, and Scrappy arrive to return Maldor to the Chest of Demons, they must battle Maldor’s evil.
“Me and My Shadow Demon”
Episode 3 Me and My Shadow Demon Airdate: 09/21/85
The Chest of Demons has been stolen by a shadow demon. Shaggy, Scooby, Scrappy, Flim Flam, and Daphne head to Befuddle Manor to retrieve it and are faced with Queen Morbidia who has her own plans for the chest.
“Reflections in a Ghoulish Eye”
Episode 4 Reflections in a Ghoulish Eye Airdate: 09/28/85
Lured to a Ghost Chaser convention in Morocco, Weerd and Bogel attempt to capture Scooby-Doo, Daphne, Shaggy, Flim Flam, and Scrappy in a demon mirror where the Reflector Spector resides.
“That’s Monstertainment”
Episode 5 That’s Monstertainment Airdate: 10/05/85
Scooby, Daphne, Vincent, Flim Flam, Scrappy, Shaggy, and Scooby settle down to watch The Son of the Bride of the Ghost of Frankenstein, but when the host Zomba is revealed to be one of the 13 Ghosts, Zomba sucks them into movie.
“The Ship of Ghouls”
Episode 6 Ship of Ghouls Airdate: 10/12/85
Scooby has reached his breaking point, and Daphne, Scrappy, Flim Flam, and Shaggy decide he could do with some R&R. Unfortunately, the cruise they have booked has Weerd and Bogel following a long and a trip to the Bermuda Triangle could free the ghosts from the Chest of the Demons.
“A Spooky Little Ghoul Like You”
Episode 7 A Spooky Little Ghoul Like You Airdate: 10/19/85
Vincent Van Ghoul is being honored at a warlock convention in New Orleans, but Nekara has her sights on bewitching him forever unless Scooby and the gang can stop her!
“When You Witch Upon a Star”
Episode 8 When You Witch Upon a Star Airdate: 10/26/85
Ernestine, Wanda, and Hilda Brewski hope to be the greatest witches ever, and freeing Marcella from her banished dimension could make it happen. It is up to Scooby, Shaggy, Scrappy, Daphne, Flim Flam, and Vincent Van Ghoul to stop her!
“It’s a Wonderful Scoob”
Episode 9 It’s a Wonderful Scoob Airdate: 11/02/85
A dangerous assignment to capture Time Slime leads Scooby to quit the gang. With a replacement named Bernie Gumsher who isn’t everyone’s style, Vincent Van Ghoul must show Scooby how important he is to the gang by showing him a world where he never returns.
“Scooby in Kwackyland”
Episode 10 Scooby in Kwackyland Airdate: 11/09/85
Demondo traps Scooby, Scrappy, Shaggy, Daphne, and Flim Flam in the newspaper comics and the only hope for escape could be Scooby’s favorite comic character Platypus Duck
“Coast-to-Ghost”
Episode 11 Coast-to-Ghost Airdate: 11/16/85
Bogel and Weerd want to join the Spook and Poltergeist Society (aka S.A.P.) and plot to get close to the Chest of Demons by agreeing to help free Vincent Van Ghoul from Rankor’s spell of petrification…but S.A.P. isn’t in on the plan.
“The Ghouliest Show on Earth”
Episode 12 The Ghouliest Show on Earth Airdate: 11/23/85
Scooby and his friends are headed back to Dooville but discover Professor Phantazmo’s circus is there. While Professor Phantazmo seems to have wooed all the citizens of Dooville, Flim Flam discovers that the Chest of Demons is his real target.
“Horror-Scope Scoob”
Episode 13 Horror-Scope Scoob Airdate: 12/07/85
Scooby, Shaggy, Daphne, Flim Flam, and Scrappy have been invited to appear on You Won’t Believe It…or Else! hosted by Vincent Van Ghoul’s former classmate Boris Kreepoff. When a demon named Zimbulu tries to steal the Chest of Demons, a medium named Tallulah could be the only hope.
Related Links:
Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!—Season 1 Review and Complete Episode Guide
Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!—Season 2 Review and Complete Episode Guide
The New Scooby-Doo Movies—Season 1 Review and Complete Episode Guide
The New Scooby-Doo Movies—Season 2 Review and Complete Episode Guide
Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo—The Complete Series Review and Complete Episode Guide
