Smarter Than The Average Studio: An Alternate History of Hanna-Barbera

[Tacomaster]

like half of their 70s output was just "Scooby Doo but with a car/shark/caveman/two dogs/ghost/a different ghost/very small man/whatever a Shmoo is"

It's practically a mathematical formula. Scooby-Doo - the dog + whatever gimmick this show has = completely original series

 

[TheFaultsofAlts]

It's practically a mathematical formula. Scooby-Doo - the dog + whatever gimmick this show has = completely original series

With all these formulas, is it any wonder one of their final successes stars a boy genius?

 

[da Racontor]

It's practically a mathematical formula. Scooby-Doo - the dog + whatever gimmick this show has = completely original series

At least Jabberjaw had a unique setting.
Most of them felt like they were in the same town as Scooby too.

 

[Otakuninja2006]

I've been on Reddit, Discord, Toonzone, basically everywhere except the AH forums. I will probably be posting a few new threadmarked posts over the next few days

Holy crap you're on Toonzone? What username? I'm also on there.

Also, good last few posts.

 

[TheFaultsofAlts]

At least Jabberjaw had a unique setting.
Most of them felt like they were in the same town as Scooby too.

Well, now I'm picturing a show like Jellystone!, but for the 70s HB characters. Jabberjaw and Captain Caveman even have significant roles there.

 

[JCC the Alt Historian]

This is a pretty interesting timeline so far. Watched!

 

[Sen]

like half of their 70s output was just "Scooby Doo but with a car/shark/caveman/two dogs/ghost/a different ghost/very small man/whatever a Shmoo is"

That they were, lol. Shit, Josie and the Pussycats was basically the original pitch of Scooby-Doo (before they gave up on the idea of Daphne, Velma, Fred, and Shaggy being a band) dug out and adapted for Archie Comics.

I'll give Hanna-Barbera this, though: they plagiarised from the best, and they understood what they were plagiarising. (I doubt any other studio handed Fish Police would've made Angel Jones the best character in it, but H-B managed, lol.) Even if that meant that once they found a formula, they'd recycle it to death, lol.

 

[Sen]

At least Jabberjaw had a unique setting.
Most of them felt like they were in the same town as Scooby too.

Which of them, though? Mystery Inc. traveled a lot, like in every episode

I read that Ruby and Spears conceived Mystery Inc. as being from Laguna Beach, California, but that was never stated on-screen in the original series. It wasn't 'til A Pup Named Scooby-Doo that we got Coolsville, which is implied to be a stand-in for Laguna Beach.