‘Velma’ Review: Gay and Rnchy Spoff Revents ‘Soby-Doo’ for Adults

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• GAY AND RNCHY ‘VELMA’ SERI HILARLY REVENTS ‘SOBY-DOO’ FOR ADULTSJINKIES!HBO MAX’S HOTLY ANTICIPATED ORIG STORY OF THE BRAS BEHD MYSTERY INC. IS WELL WORTH THE WA, WH A PELLG MYSTERY AND EVEN FUNNIER PUNCHL. (AND Y, SHE IS QUEER!)COLEMAN SPILENTERTAMENT CRICUPDATED JAN. 12, 2023 11:46AM EST / PUBLISHED JAN. 12, 2023 4:54AM EST HBOMAXA WISE WOMAN ONCE SAID, “VELMA-BEHAVED WOMEN SELDOM MAKE HISTORY.” WA, THAT’S WRONG. “WELL-BEHAVED WOMEN SELDOM MAKE JKI”? NO, THAT DON’T SEEM QUE RIGHT EHER. “VEL-BEHAVED WOMEN SELDOM LOSE THEIR GLASS”? WHATEVER THE PHRASE MIGHT BE, ’S NEVER BEEN MORE TE THAN FOR A CERTA MEMBER OF MYSTERY INC. THE PREC GROUP OF SUPERNATURAL MYSTERY SOLVERS PRISED OF SHAGGY, DAPHNE, FRED, VELMA, AND THEIR BELOVED DOG SOBY-DOO HAVE BEEN GETTG TO TROUBLE FOR THE BETTER PART OF THE LAST HALF-CENTURY—OR, AS SOME MIGHT CLASSIFY , “MEDDLG.”SCE 1969, THE MYSTERY INC. GANG HAS TASKED THEMSELV WH UNMASKG V CRIMALS DRSED AS GHOSTLY SPECTERS. THE SOBY-DOO ANCHISE HAS SPAWNED UNTLS TELEVISN AND FILM ERATNS OVER THE LAST 54 YEARS, BUT RARELY HAS CHANGED S RE FOC. THE ANCHISE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE MOST NCERNED WH S TWO BIGGT STARS, SOBY AND SHAGGY, AND THEIR THREE WHE IENDS WHO FOLLOW THEM AROUND, YELLG AT THEM FOR EATG ILLY LARGE SANDWICH WHEN THERE ARE MYSTERI AFOOT.SO, WHEN VELMA DKLEY’S VOICEOVER TRODUC HER CHARACTER TO VIEWERS THE LATT ANCHISE ERATN, VELMA—STREAMG JAN. 12 ON HBO MAX—ANY TE SOBY FAN SHOULD REJOICE. FALLY, SOMEONE HAD THE BRILLIANT IA TO PH FOR A SERI FOCG ON MYSTERY INC.’S REAL RGLEAR, THE SMARTT AND MOST MEMEABLE OF THE ENTIRE BUNCH. NO DISRPECT TO SHAGGY AND SOBY, BUT THERE ARE ONLY SO MANY “RUH-ROH”S AND SOBY SNACK JOK ONE N TAKE BEFORE AN EYELID GO TO PERMA-TWCH.WHILE WE’RE ALL STUCK WH PREQUEL-IS THE DAYS, VELMA MANAG TO TRANSCEND THE HERENT EYE-ROLLS THAT E WH A REBOOT, LIVERG A H, WKGLY SILLY TAKE ON MYSTERY INC. THE SHOW IS FAST-PACED AND RIDICULO; EVEN WHEN DIPS WH A JOKE THAT WOULD’VE BEEN FUNNIER FIVE YEARS AGO, THERE’S ANOTHER RIGHT AROUND THE RNER. VELMA IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF HOW BELOVED ANCHIS N—AND SHOULD—ADAPT THROUGH TIME. “MY NAME IS VELMA DKLEY, AND THIS IS MY ORIG STORY,” SAYS THE VOICE OF OUR FAVORE BPECTACLED HEROE, OPENG THE PREMIERE EPISO. AS IF ANTICIPATG THE GROANS OF FANBOYS CLGG ONTO THEIR FAVORE CHILDHOOD TELLECTUAL PROPERTY, VELMA QUICKLY SKEWERS HOW POP CULTURE TYPILLY TRODUC SPOFFS, PREQUELS, AND UNIVERSE EXPANSNS. “IF [ORIG STORI] ARE ABOUT GIRLS, ’S UALLY, LIKE, “WHAT MA THIS HOT CHICK GO CRAZY?’” (SHE’S GOT A PEARL-SIZED POT THERE!) “THIS IS MY STORY, TOLD MY WAY. AND STARTS WH A MURR, BCH.” HBOMAX IF WASN’T IMMEDIATELY CLEAR OM VELMA DOLG OUT EXPLETIV, THIS IS NOT YOUR GRANDPA’S SOBY-DOO SHOW. OR YOUR DAD’S, OR YOUR BROTHER’S, OR YOURS. VELMA IS AN ADULT-ORIENTED SPOFF, PALIZG ON THE POPULARY OF HBO MAX’S ULTRA-VLENT, UBER-CRASS HARLEY QUN. THE SERI ALSO RESTS S CENTRAL CREW WH SOME MUCH-NEED DIVERSY. MDY KALG VOIC VELMA, NOW THE DGHTER OF TWO INDIAN PARENTS, ONE OF WHOM HAS GONE MISSG. AND SHAGGY (WHO NOW GO BY HIS BIRTH NAME, NORVILLE), IS A BIRACIAL NEWSPAPER NERD VOICED BY SAM RICHARDSON. VELMA HAS HUNG UP HER TURTLENECK WHEN TO SOLVG MYSTERI. HER MOTHER, DIYA, WENT MISSG TRYG TO DO THE EXACT SAME THG YEARS BEFORE, AND VELMA IS NOW HNTED BY PARALYZG HALLUCATNS EVERY TIME SHE SO MUCH AS THKS ABOUT A CLUE. BUT THE MURR OF ONE OF THE HOTTT GIRLS AT CRYSTAL COVE HIGH SCHOOL CHANG ALL THAT, AND VELMA’S CUR NATURE IS TEMPTED ONCE AGA. BIS, ’S NOT LIKE THE TOWN’S BUMBLG POLICE TECTIV (AN ASTOUNDGLY FUNNY VOICE PAIRG OF WANDA SYK AND JANE LYNCH)—WHO ALSO HAPPEN TO BE DAPHNE’S (CONSTANCE WU) ADOPTED MOMS—HAVE PROVEN THEMSELV THE MOST CRACK GUMSHO SCE DIYA’S DISAPPEARANCE. HBOMAX IN A TOWN LIKE CRYSTAL COVE, THE MURR OF A BTY MEGA-BABE IS ONT-PAGE NEWS. IT ULD MEAN THAT ALL OF THE CY’S HOTTT RINTS ARE DANGER, G FRED (GLENN HOWERTON) TO WORRY ABOUT HIS BELOVED DAPHNE’S SAFETY. THE SERIAL MURRS OF INSTAGRAM-PERFECT -EDS ARE THE TALYST FOR VELMA’S FUNNIT NNG JOKE, RCG S TULAR CHARACTER TO AN ABSOLUTE DUMPSTER OF A WOMAN WHO HAS TO WA THROUGH A SEA OF SEXPOTS TO BE HEARD. THE GAGS DOUBLE AS CUTTG JABS AT THE ANCHISE’S HISTORY, WHICH MORE OFTEN THAN NOT RCED VELMA TO A HOMELY, SEXLS BRAIAC A SHAPELS SWEATER AS A FOIL TO DAPHNE’S CURVY FIGURE AND BOMBSHELL RED LOCKS.AS THE STAR OF HER OWN STORY, VELMA FALLY GETS TO PULL RANK. SHE’S GOT SHAGGY OBSSED WH HER, AND FRED EVEN LOOKS AT HER WH HEART EY AFTER SHE TRICKS HIM TO READG THE FEME MYSTIQUE (A BOOK HE BELIEV WILL BE ABOUT WHETHER JENNIFER LAWRENCE OR REBEC ROMIJN WAS THE HOTTER X-MEN MUTANT). BUT VELMA IS REALLY TERTED HER CHILDHOOD BT IEND, DAPHNE, WHO SHE BEME TRANGED OM ONCE DAPHNE GOT HOT HIGH SCHOOL. Y, AFTER HTG AT ACROSS TWO SEASONS OF SOBY-DOO: MYSTERY INRPORATED AND GIVG VELMA A WOMAN TO CSH ON 2022’S TRICK OR TREAT SOBY-DOO!, VELMA FALLY GETS TO BE THE QUEER IN THAT LEGNS OF FANS HAVE ASSUMED HER TO BE FOR S.VELMA IS SO SURPRISGLY JAM-PACKED WH QUIPS AND SMALL STORY TAILS THAT IF YOU LOOK AWAY FOR TOO LONG, YOU’LL SURELY MISS SOMETHG. SOME PUNCHL PLETELY SNEAK UP ON YOU, LIKE VELMA ASSERTG, “THE ONLY OTHER PERSON WHO’S EVER FOUND ME IRREPLACEABLE IS THE PTA OF MY TUG-OF-WAR TEAM.” TWO EPISOS WILL AIR PER WEEK FOR FIVE STRAIGHT WEEKS, BUT THE SEASON WORKS BT AS A BGE, ALLOWG VIEWERS TO ADMIRE ALL OF S ECCENTRICI AND HUMOR WH THE MASSIVELY EXPANSIVE SOBY-DOO ANCHISE—NOT TO MENTN S DAZZLG ANIMATN STYLE. OTHER SOBY SERI HAVE HAD MORE SUCCS WH A WEEKLY FORMAT, AS THEIR CENTRAL MYSTERI WERE FAR MORE TENSE AND ENGAGG, BUT VELMA, THE SHOW’S OVERARCHG PUZZLE TAK A BACKSEAT TO S EDIC GAGS. HBOMAX VELMA NEVER GO THE FULL ARCHER ROUTE OF ADULT ANIMATN, AND MOSTLY REAS OM G THE WORD “FUCK,” LT KIDS GET AHOLD OF THE REMOTE. BUT THE SERI’ WRERS FD CLEVER (IF ANELY GOOFY) WAYS TO WORK AROUND THOSE NSTRATS, LIKE ONE EPISO THAT TAK PLACE AT CRYSTAL COVE’S FOG KG FTIVAL. GET ? FOG KG? KEEP GOG. VELMA CERTALY WON’T BE FOR EVERYONE, AND THOSE ALREADY AVERSE TO MDY KALG’S EDY STYLGS WON’T FD ANYTHG PARTICULARLY DIFFERENT HERE THAN THE SEX LIV OF COLLEGE GIRLS OR THE MDY PROJECT, WHICH VELMA’S -CREATOR AND PRIMARY WRER CHARLIE GRANDY ALSO WORKED ON. IT’S ALSO NOT THE STRONGT REIMAGG THE SOBY ANCHISE, WHICH STILL BELONGS TO MYSTERY INRPORATED’S FT BALANCE OF GENUELY CREEPY REFERENTIAL HORROR AND WHIP-SMART PLOTTG.BUT MORE THAN ANYTHG, VELMA IS PROOF OF THE POSSIBILI THAT N BE EXVATED OM ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR ANCHIS OF ALL TIME. SOBY-DOO HAS ALWAYS FOCED ON A RE GROUP OF EXCEEDGLY STRONG CENTRAL CHARACTERS, AND VELMA IS THE BT PROOF YET THAT THE TULAR DOG HIMSELF DON’T NEED TO BE PRENT FOR A GOOD MYSTERY. NOW THAT WE’VE GOT OUR GLASS ON STRAIGHT, WE N DO WHAT WE SHOULD’VE BEEN DOG ALL ALONG: FOCG ON THE BRAS OF THE OPERATN.SIGN UP FOR OUR SEE SKIP NEWSLETTER HERE TO FD OUT WHICH NEW SHOWS AND MOVI ARE WORTH WATCHG, AND WHICH AREN’T. COLEMAN SPIL

GAY AND RNCHY ‘VELMA’ SERI HILARLY REVENTS ‘SOBY-DOO’ FOR ADULTSJINKIES!HBO MAX’S HOTLY ANTICIPATED ORIG STORY OF THE BRAS BEHD MYSTERY INC. IS WELL WORTH THE WA, WH A PELLG MYSTERY AND EVEN FUNNIER PUNCHL. (AND Y, SHE IS QUEER!)COLEMAN SPILENTERTAMENT CRICUPDATED JAN. 12, 2023 11:46AM EST / PUBLISHED JAN. 12, 2023 4:54AM EST HBOMAXA WISE WOMAN ONCE SAID, “VELMA-BEHAVED WOMEN SELDOM MAKE HISTORY.” WA, THAT’S WRONG. “WELL-BEHAVED WOMEN SELDOM MAKE JKI”? NO, THAT DON’T SEEM QUE RIGHT EHER. “VEL-BEHAVED WOMEN SELDOM LOSE THEIR GLASS”? WHATEVER THE PHRASE MIGHT BE, ’S NEVER BEEN MORE TE THAN FOR A CERTA MEMBER OF MYSTERY INC. THE PREC GROUP OF SUPERNATURAL MYSTERY SOLVERS PRISED OF SHAGGY, DAPHNE, FRED, VELMA, AND THEIR BELOVED DOG SOBY-DOO HAVE BEEN GETTG TO TROUBLE FOR THE BETTER PART OF THE LAST HALF-CENTURY—OR, AS SOME MIGHT CLASSIFY , “MEDDLG.”SCE 1969, THE MYSTERY INC. GANG HAS TASKED THEMSELV WH UNMASKG V CRIMALS DRSED AS GHOSTLY SPECTERS. THE SOBY-DOO ANCHISE HAS SPAWNED UNTLS TELEVISN AND FILM ERATNS OVER THE LAST 54 YEARS, BUT RARELY HAS CHANGED S RE FOC. THE ANCHISE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE MOST NCERNED WH S TWO BIGGT STARS, SOBY AND SHAGGY, AND THEIR THREE WHE IENDS WHO FOLLOW THEM AROUND, YELLG AT THEM FOR EATG ILLY LARGE SANDWICH WHEN THERE ARE MYSTERI AFOOT.SO, WHEN VELMA DKLEY’S VOICEOVER TRODUC HER CHARACTER TO VIEWERS THE LATT ANCHISE ERATN, VELMA—STREAMG JAN. 12 ON HBO MAX—ANY TE SOBY FAN SHOULD REJOICE. FALLY, SOMEONE HAD THE BRILLIANT IA TO PH FOR A SERI FOCG ON MYSTERY INC.’S REAL RGLEAR, THE SMARTT AND MOST MEMEABLE OF THE ENTIRE BUNCH. NO DISRPECT TO SHAGGY AND SOBY, BUT THERE ARE ONLY SO MANY “RUH-ROH”S AND SOBY SNACK JOK ONE N TAKE BEFORE AN EYELID GO TO PERMA-TWCH.WHILE WE’RE ALL STUCK WH PREQUEL-IS THE DAYS, VELMA MANAG TO TRANSCEND THE HERENT EYE-ROLLS THAT E WH A REBOOT, LIVERG A H, WKGLY SILLY TAKE ON MYSTERY INC. THE SHOW IS FAST-PACED AND RIDICULO; EVEN WHEN DIPS WH A JOKE THAT WOULD’VE BEEN FUNNIER FIVE YEARS AGO, THERE’S ANOTHER RIGHT AROUND THE RNER. VELMA IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF HOW BELOVED ANCHIS N—AND SHOULD—ADAPT THROUGH TIME. “MY NAME IS VELMA DKLEY, AND THIS IS MY ORIG STORY,” SAYS THE VOICE OF OUR FAVORE BPECTACLED HEROE, OPENG THE PREMIERE EPISO. AS IF ANTICIPATG THE GROANS OF FANBOYS CLGG ONTO THEIR FAVORE CHILDHOOD TELLECTUAL PROPERTY, VELMA QUICKLY SKEWERS HOW POP CULTURE TYPILLY TRODUC SPOFFS, PREQUELS, AND UNIVERSE EXPANSNS. “IF [ORIG STORI] ARE ABOUT GIRLS, ’S UALLY, LIKE, “WHAT MA THIS HOT CHICK GO CRAZY?’” (SHE’S GOT A PEARL-SIZED POT THERE!) “THIS IS MY STORY, TOLD MY WAY. AND STARTS WH A MURR, BCH.” HBOMAX IF WASN’T IMMEDIATELY CLEAR OM VELMA DOLG OUT EXPLETIV, THIS IS NOT YOUR GRANDPA’S SOBY-DOO SHOW. OR YOUR DAD’S, OR YOUR BROTHER’S, OR YOURS. VELMA IS AN ADULT-ORIENTED SPOFF, PALIZG ON THE POPULARY OF HBO MAX’S ULTRA-VLENT, UBER-CRASS HARLEY QUN. THE SERI ALSO RESTS S CENTRAL CREW WH SOME MUCH-NEED DIVERSY. MDY KALG VOIC VELMA, NOW THE DGHTER OF TWO INDIAN PARENTS, ONE OF WHOM HAS GONE MISSG. AND SHAGGY (WHO NOW GO BY HIS BIRTH NAME, NORVILLE), IS A BIRACIAL NEWSPAPER NERD VOICED BY SAM RICHARDSON. VELMA HAS HUNG UP HER TURTLENECK WHEN TO SOLVG MYSTERI. HER MOTHER, DIYA, WENT MISSG TRYG TO DO THE EXACT SAME THG YEARS BEFORE, AND VELMA IS NOW HNTED BY PARALYZG HALLUCATNS EVERY TIME SHE SO MUCH AS THKS ABOUT A CLUE. BUT THE MURR OF ONE OF THE HOTTT GIRLS AT CRYSTAL COVE HIGH SCHOOL CHANG ALL THAT, AND VELMA’S CUR NATURE IS TEMPTED ONCE AGA. BIS, ’S NOT LIKE THE TOWN’S BUMBLG POLICE TECTIV (AN ASTOUNDGLY FUNNY VOICE PAIRG OF WANDA SYK AND JANE LYNCH)—WHO ALSO HAPPEN TO BE DAPHNE’S (CONSTANCE WU) ADOPTED MOMS—HAVE PROVEN THEMSELV THE MOST CRACK GUMSHO SCE DIYA’S DISAPPEARANCE. HBOMAX IN A TOWN LIKE CRYSTAL COVE, THE MURR OF A BTY MEGA-BABE IS ONT-PAGE NEWS. IT ULD MEAN THAT ALL OF THE CY’S HOTTT RINTS ARE DANGER, G FRED (GLENN HOWERTON) TO WORRY ABOUT HIS BELOVED DAPHNE’S SAFETY. THE SERIAL MURRS OF INSTAGRAM-PERFECT -EDS ARE THE TALYST FOR VELMA’S FUNNIT NNG JOKE, RCG S TULAR CHARACTER TO AN ABSOLUTE DUMPSTER OF A WOMAN WHO HAS TO WA THROUGH A SEA OF SEXPOTS TO BE HEARD. THE GAGS DOUBLE AS CUTTG JABS AT THE ANCHISE’S HISTORY, WHICH MORE OFTEN THAN NOT RCED VELMA TO A HOMELY, SEXLS BRAIAC A SHAPELS SWEATER AS A FOIL TO DAPHNE’S CURVY FIGURE AND BOMBSHELL RED LOCKS.AS THE STAR OF HER OWN STORY, VELMA FALLY GETS TO PULL RANK. SHE’S GOT SHAGGY OBSSED WH HER, AND FRED EVEN LOOKS AT HER WH HEART EY AFTER SHE TRICKS HIM TO READG THE FEME MYSTIQUE (A BOOK HE BELIEV WILL BE ABOUT WHETHER JENNIFER LAWRENCE OR REBEC ROMIJN WAS THE HOTTER X-MEN MUTANT). BUT VELMA IS REALLY TERTED HER CHILDHOOD BT IEND, DAPHNE, WHO SHE BEME TRANGED OM ONCE DAPHNE GOT HOT HIGH SCHOOL. Y, AFTER HTG AT ACROSS TWO SEASONS OF SOBY-DOO: MYSTERY INRPORATED AND GIVG VELMA A WOMAN TO CSH ON 2022’S TRICK OR TREAT SOBY-DOO!, VELMA FALLY GETS TO BE THE QUEER IN THAT LEGNS OF FANS HAVE ASSUMED HER TO BE FOR S.VELMA IS SO SURPRISGLY JAM-PACKED WH QUIPS AND SMALL STORY TAILS THAT IF YOU LOOK AWAY FOR TOO LONG, YOU’LL SURELY MISS SOMETHG. SOME PUNCHL PLETELY SNEAK UP ON YOU, LIKE VELMA ASSERTG, “THE ONLY OTHER PERSON WHO’S EVER FOUND ME IRREPLACEABLE IS THE PTA OF MY TUG-OF-WAR TEAM.” TWO EPISOS WILL AIR PER WEEK FOR FIVE STRAIGHT WEEKS, BUT THE SEASON WORKS BT AS A BGE, ALLOWG VIEWERS TO ADMIRE ALL OF S ECCENTRICI AND HUMOR WH THE MASSIVELY EXPANSIVE SOBY-DOO ANCHISE—NOT TO MENTN S DAZZLG ANIMATN STYLE. OTHER SOBY SERI HAVE HAD MORE SUCCS WH A WEEKLY FORMAT, AS THEIR CENTRAL MYSTERI WERE FAR MORE TENSE AND ENGAGG, BUT VELMA, THE SHOW’S OVERARCHG PUZZLE TAK A BACKSEAT TO S EDIC GAGS. HBOMAX VELMA NEVER GO THE FULL ARCHER ROUTE OF ADULT ANIMATN, AND MOSTLY REAS OM G THE WORD “FUCK,” LT KIDS GET AHOLD OF THE REMOTE. BUT THE SERI’ WRERS FD CLEVER (IF ANELY GOOFY) WAYS TO WORK AROUND THOSE NSTRATS, LIKE ONE EPISO THAT TAK PLACE AT CRYSTAL COVE’S FOG KG FTIVAL. GET ? FOG KG? KEEP GOG. VELMA CERTALY WON’T BE FOR EVERYONE, AND THOSE ALREADY AVERSE TO MDY KALG’S EDY STYLGS WON’T FD ANYTHG PARTICULARLY DIFFERENT HERE THAN THE SEX LIV OF COLLEGE GIRLS OR THE MDY PROJECT, WHICH VELMA’S -CREATOR AND PRIMARY WRER CHARLIE GRANDY ALSO WORKED ON. IT’S ALSO NOT THE STRONGT REIMAGG THE SOBY ANCHISE, WHICH STILL BELONGS TO MYSTERY INRPORATED’S FT BALANCE OF GENUELY CREEPY REFERENTIAL HORROR AND WHIP-SMART PLOTTG.BUT MORE THAN ANYTHG, VELMA IS PROOF OF THE POSSIBILI THAT N BE EXVATED OM ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR ANCHIS OF ALL TIME. SOBY-DOO HAS ALWAYS FOCED ON A RE GROUP OF EXCEEDGLY STRONG CENTRAL CHARACTERS, AND VELMA IS THE BT PROOF YET THAT THE TULAR DOG HIMSELF DON’T NEED TO BE PRENT FOR A GOOD MYSTERY. NOW THAT WE’VE GOT OUR GLASS ON STRAIGHT, WE N DO WHAT WE SHOULD’VE BEEN DOG ALL ALONG: FOCG ON THE BRAS OF THE OPERATN.SIGN UP FOR OUR SEE SKIP NEWSLETTER HERE TO FD OUT WHICH NEW SHOWS AND MOVI ARE WORTH WATCHG, AND WHICH AREN’T. COLEMAN SPIL

” have been makg the rounds on social media, wh folks g them to proclaim that the character is fally beg shown as gay. In 2020, director Jam Gunn said he tried to make the character “explicly gay” his script for the live-actn “Soby-Doo” movie.

“In 2001 Velma was explicly gay my ial script” (for 2002’s live-actn “Soby-Doo”), he tweeted at the time. In the sequel, actor Seth Green played Velma’s boyiend and there was nothg the film to imply she was gay.