The Best Episodes of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!

***Author's Note***

Giving credit where it is due, I was inspired to create this list after reading a piece written by Cheryl E. Preston, called: "Scooby-Doo Where Are You: Some things have remained a mystery." A link to her written piece is here: https://vocal.media/geeks/scooby-doo-where-are-you-some-things-have-remained-a-mystery.

Her piece was fantastic and talked about how this classic TV show is remembered by older generations and perceived now by younger audiences. I thought it would be a lot of fun to take a look back at what I consider to be the best episodes and point out what makes them special.

These picks are in no particular order and are purely based on my opinion. Let me know what some of your favorite epsiodes are!

#1 - The Backstage Rage - Scary/Creepy

My personal favorite episode, and it used to send shivers down my spine when I was a kid. Even now, it is still very creepy and unsettling.

In this episode, the gang investigates a puppet theatre. Something about a dark empty theatre, creepy puppets all over the place, and the haunting appearance and demeanor of the antagonist was the perfect combination for an extremely surreal episode.

There is a specific scene in this one that always gets me. Shaggy and Scooby find themselves in one of the dressing rooms backstage. They try on some of the costumes, try to make each other laugh, everything is light-hearted. Then, Shaggy tries on a dark cloak and hat, posing in a sinister way. Scooby glances at him and giggles, then goes back to trying on costumes, but not before noticing another person standing in the corner of the room wearing the exact same outfit as Shaggy, motionless and watching them (pictured below).

Scooby looks back at Shaggy, still posing, then looks back at the unknown figure in the corner. The stranger has disappeared. View the full scene in the video below starting at 00:02:55!

That scene, even now, is so eerie it would leave me glancing over my shoulder at the bathroom, the computer den, the dining room, any rooms nearby with an open, dark doorway. What starts out as such a harmless, goofy scene between the two pals quickly turns into a few tense moments of confusion, horror and panic. The stranger said nothing, did nothing to either of them. Just stood there, menacingly.

#2 - Mine Your Own Business - Scary/Creepy/Funny/Iconic

This episode combines the scares and laughs really well.

In this one, Scooby-Doo and the gang find themselves in an old abandoned mining town looking for the fabled Miner Forty-Niner. Similar to the antagonist from The Backstage Rage, the Miner Forty-Niner does an awful lot of standing in doorways, silently stalking the gang and appearing when they least expect it.

But Shaggy and Scooby distract us from some of the creepiness doing what they always do: Running around like headless chickens and stumbling their way through the investiagion with their hilarious and cowardly antics. The scene where Shaggy and Scooby join forces to trick the Miner Forty-Niner into believing a train is barreling down the long-forgotten mine is awesome. See below!

Such a classic episode and one of my favorites. And the Miner is such an iconic character too, appearing in the film Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed released in 2004.

#3 - What the Hex Going On? - Scary/Creepy

A creepy episode with some pretty dark and twisted scenes for a kids' show. When I would watch it as a kid, it was always a little harder to fall asleep afterward. There are depictions of hypnosis, aging and death that are very unsettling.

It’s crazy to me how the mystery gang is supposed to be made up of high school kids. Talk about trauma.

#4 - Never Ape an Ape Man - Funny

Even though many people don't seem to like this particular episode, Never Ape an Ape Man is LEGENDARY in our house, my siblings and I love this one. It's one of those episodes that feature kind of a silly monster and focuses more on the fun than the fear.

It's also an episode where at times, the animation for some the characters is just a tad off, making them look a little crazy (see the pictures below for reference).

I didn't label this episode "iconic," as I don’t think it is iconic to the masses. But in our house, it definitely is.

#5 - What a Night for a Knight - Funny/Iconic

The very first episode of Scooby-Doo ever aired, I consider this one of the funniest episodes of the series. Makes sense to include tons of laughs in the pilot to make sure people are hooked! A great start to the series.

I know, I know, the parkour scene from The Office is hilarious, but you forget: "Shaggy is the swingingist gymnast in school." See one of my favorite clips from the episode below starting at 00:07:32!

The Black Knight Ghost is really not all that scary, but has remained an iconic character in the Scooby-Doo fandom, making an appearance in the title sequence of the show for multiple seasons and also appearing as a main antagonist in the film Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed.

#6 - A Clue for Scooby Doo - Scary/Creepy/Iconic

Every time I heard the moaning and groaning from the Ghost of Captain Cutler as a kid, it made me want to hide behind the couch. Another iconic character that many people know and love, and yet another one that appeared in Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed.

#7 - Jeepers, It's the Creeper - Funny/Iconic

A classic episode that was never scary for me, but was packed with plenty of silly moments and humor. The buffet in the barn during the prom scene always made me so hungry, even when Shaggy and Scooby dipped corn-on-the-cob in chocolate syrup, that chocolate-coated abomination somehow looked mouth-wateringly appetizing.

I used to play Scooby-Doo! Night of 100 Frights on the Playstaion 2 as a kid, and encountering the Creeper was always kind of funny too. Hopelessly chasing Scooby-Doo around with his arms raised above his head, and playing as Scooby, I would have to get a running start and head-butt him to get past him. Such a great game, and ours actually still works somehow!

#8 - Which Witch is Which? - Funny/Iconic

In this episode, we get to see two iconic monsters at once: The Witch and the Zombie. Not scary at all, but you gotta love the supernatural vibes the episode brings to the table with the swamp setting, trap doors and voodoo dolls.

And we can't seem to escape it, the Zombie also appeared in Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed!

#9 - A Gaggle of Galloping Ghosts - Funny/Iconic

This episode has something for everyone. Some creepiness, but nothing too terrifying. Lots of laughs and some truly iconic monsters. The gang meets Dracula, the Wolfman and Frankenstein's Monster all in one night. Another spooky, fun-filled episode!

#10 - A Night of Fright is No Delight - Scary/Creepy/Funny

An episode I've always enjoyed but it did leave me scared to go to bed as a kid. Another one that was just a little too morbid for a kids' show.

The idea of being in competition with several strangers to see who can last the night in a known haunted mansion is terrifying. One by one, characters disappear as the gang investigates what is happening in the mansion. We even see wax dummies of each of the missing people displayed in coffins at one point in the episode. And don't even get me started on how creepy the jangling of the ghosts' chains is...

But, there are some very funny parts as well, balancing out some of the horror. If this one didn't bring in some much-needed relief through laughs here and there, I think a lot of us who watched this episode would've had nightmares. The dancing scene in particular left my siblings and I cackling, Shaggy and Scooby looked ridiculous in those getups! See the video below, starting at 00:00:46.