The Richie Rich Scooby-Doo Show: Volume One (Warner DVD Set/7 Episodes/2 Discs)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C Extras: C Episodes: C
This
reviewer had always thought that The
Flintstones were the highlight of Hanna-Barbera animation, but apparently
the studio barked up a different tree by investing much of their animation into
the consistently famished Scooby-Doo. Though many may not remember the series, in
the early 1980’s Hanna-Barbera combined two of their classic characters into
one show called The Richie Rich
Scooby-Doo Show.
The kid
with the golden touch and the dog with the empty stomach teamed up to fight
ghosts, crime and crooks in this short lived series that was rarely seen and
even more rarely remembered. The boy
billionaire and the hungry mutt were not exactly a team, each appearing in
their own individual shorts, but shared a billing in the title sequence. Scooby-Doo teamed up with his old pal Shaggy
and his nephew Scrappy-Doo to battle the supernatural, but the series did not
embody the same mystery aspect that previous Scooby-Doo incarnations had
utilized. Also it should be noted that
Fred, Daphne, and Velma are no where to be found. Richie Rich is made out to be more of a
crime/mystery solver as he battles crooks with his vast wallet and quick wit,
along with his number one canine pal One Dollar.
As
previously stated the series is not very memorable and in no way thrilled this
reviewer. The animation and storylines
flounder as they attempt to capture the greatness that is Hanna-Barbera. There are elements that suggest the series
could have been something more, but overall can be evaluated as lackluster and
scattered.
The
technical features are not amazing, but in line with what have been seen
recently on other Hanna-Barbera Classic Collections. The picture is presented in a 1.33 X 1 image
that is not bad for being almost 30 years old, though the set does contain some
contrast and debris issues here and there. The color is not bad with
little issues being present, but still needs the HD treatment. The set
like many Hanna-Barbera features is presented in Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono, which
is unfortunate because the sound could have been easily upgraded, but who knows
what Warner was thinking. The extras
include just one simple feature of ‘The
Story of Richie Rich’ that is hardly worth watching and forgettable at
best. In the end, the set is not
wonderful, but for those who somehow have fond memories of this rare series,
now is the time to pick it up.
- Michael P. Dougherty II
