This week “Velma,” a new, very-adults-only take on the origins of the “Scooby-Doo” mythology, debuts on HBO Max. Created by Charlie Grandy and starring his frequent collaborator Mindy Kaling, this is a version of the popular Saturday morning cartoon that you have never seen before. Sure, the kids are all in high school and there are plenty of mysteries afoot but beyond that, this is otherwise almost a completely new show. And while the R-rated take on “Scooby-Doo” is a good logline, the series is ultimately more invested in character than it is the cheap thrills of being able to show blood, gore and (implied) nudity.
But speaking of those characters, want to know who appear in “Velma?” Look no further!
Mindy Kaling as Velma Dinkley
This is a very new Velma! Velma is now an Indian American, one who has a very personal mystery at the heart of her story – her mother went missing and she’s trying to figure out why. Her addiction to solving the mystery of her mother’s disappearance triggers chronic anxiety attacks, which present themselves as ghostly visitations. But are they just panic attacks or something more supernatural? You’ll know Kaling from her hit sitcoms “The Office” and “The Mindy Project” and her voicework in projects like Pixar’s “Inside Out” and “Wreck-It Ralph.”
Constance Wu as Daphne Blake
This time around, Daphne Blake is an Asian American adoptee with lesbian parents (voiced by Jane Lynch and Wanda Sykes). At the start of the series, she and Velma are at odds and working through some complicated emotions relating to popularity, the viciousness of high school and maybe something … more romantic? Who’s to say! Constance Wu is best known for her long-running ABC sitcom “Fresh Off the Boat,” where she starred alongside Randall Park, and the 2018 feature “Crazy Rich Asians.”
Glenn Howerton as Fred Jones
In “Velma” Fred isn’t just the likable square that he was in the original iterations; this time he is a spoiled rich kid (and notorious late bloomer) who can’t fend for himself and who has bouts of explosive anger. That last character trait lands him in hot water after a series of bodies are discovered. That’s right, Fred Jones is the police’s #1 suspect. Maybe the most fun thing about Fred is that his father is voiced by Frank Welker, who originated the character of Fred in 1969. Howerton is perhaps best known for the long-running sitcom “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” and starred alongside Kaling in “The Mindy Project” and has done voice work for “The Cleveland Show.” He also led NBC’s “A.P. Bio.”
Sam Richardson as Norville “Shaggy” Rogers
In “Velma,” Shaggy is a hippie pothead no more! In fact, this new version of the character, who only goes by Norville, doesn’t touch the stuff. His father is a therapist who has a magical sweater (voiced by Gary Cole), who looks much more like the original character design. Also he’s got romantic feelings for Velma that he has trouble properly expressing (she thinks he’s kidding). And, perhaps most crucially, he doesn’t have a dog!
Richardson recently appeared on the Apple TV+ series “The Afterparty” and has voiced characters on “M.O.D.O.K,” “Harley Quinn,” “BoJack Horseman,” “Star Trek: Lower Depths” and “Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” He’s also been in movies like “Hocus Pocus 2,” “The Tomorrow War” and “Promising Young Woman.”
“Weird Al” Yankovic as Dandruff Tuba
Yes, “Weird Al” is in this! And he plays a dorky high school musician. A talented singer-songwriter best remembered for his parody songs, he has also appeared in a number of movies (including, most recently, his own biopic “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story”) and has a huge resume of voice acting roles, including “The Simpsons,” “Adventure Time,” “Teen Titans GO!,” and “LEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation.” What a guy.
Russell Peters as Aman Dinkley
While Velma’s parents were never really explored in the original “Scooby-Doo,” they both get fleshed out in the show. Her mom is missing (see above) and her dad is a workaholic lawyer who has a pregnant girlfriend who lives with them in the house (who Velma dislikes), voiced by Melissa Fumero. Peters is a standup comedian (he was the first comedian to get their own Netflix special) and actor, who recently appeared in “Clifford the Big Red Dog.” He’s also provided voice work for “BoJack Horseman,” “Family Guy” and, on the big screen, Jon Favreau’s “The Lion King.”
Nicole Byer as Blythe Rogers
Shaggy’s mother is also the principle of Crystal Cove High School (and clearly butts heads with Velma). She is voiced by Nicole Byer who is best known as the host of Netflix’s hilarious baking show “Nailed It!,” Byer has an impressive list of voice roles as well including (but not limited to) “BoJack Horseman,” “Amphibia” and “Archer” and movies like “The Bob’s Burgers Movie” and “Vivo.”
