In September, the “Scooby-Doo” franchise celebrated its 56th anniversary. Spanning 48 films, 14 animated television series, comics, video games and more, the franchise has been a focal point of children’s media since the original show “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!” first aired in 1969. With few exceptions, most entries into the “Scooby-Doo” franchise focus on the gang solving stand-alone mysteries featuring bad guys in masks, rather than actual supernatural entities, with no overarching plot between episodes and movies. In 2010, Warner Bros. Animation took a notable digression from this historically successful path in the fan-favorite “Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated.”

At the beginning of 2024, I was feeling nostalgic and decided to rewatch a few childhood favorites of mine from the “Scooby-Doo” franchise. Even in my adult life, I frequently find myself going back to the franchise’s shows and movies when I want to throw something on. This year, watching one “Scooby-Doo” movie wasn’t enough, and it somehow turned into watching all 48 movies that have been made since 1987. As Halloween is coming up, I wanted to share my five favorites.