SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 43:00 Min.
First aired by CBS-TV on September 15, 1973, the episode’s animated crossover stars are Josie & The Pussycats (with the voice cast reprising their roles from their two prior animated programs). By chance, stranded Mystery Inc. encounter Josie & The Pussycats, as they prepare for their next gig aboard an antiquated riverboat off the Mississippi coast.
Ominously, the boat’s crew vanishes, as it appears that ghosts are on the prowl. It’s up to the combined gangs to ferret out why somebody is sabotaging the boat’s re-launch (not to mention, the Pussycats’ upcoming concert).
Fred Jones & Other Voices: Frank Welker
Daphne Blake: Heather North
Velma Dinkley: Nicole Jaffe
“Shaggy” Rogers, Alexander “Alex” Cabot III, & Other Voices: Casey Kasem
Scooby-Doo, Sebastian the Cat, & Other Voices: Don Messick
Melody Valentine: Jackie Joseph
Alexandra Cabot: Sherry Alberoni
Valerie Brown: Barbara Pariot
Josie McCoy: Janet Waldo
Alan “Alan M.” Mayberry: Jerry Dexter
REVIEW:
This rare opportunity to witness Mystery Inc. and Josie & The Pussycats mingling could have offered some ideal kiddie fun. Josie’s voice cast, in that regard, meshes well with the Scooby-Doo cast. Case in point: Casey Kasem delightfully plays both sides of Shaggy & Alex’s banter while Daphne & Fred’s relationship (and tidbits of jealousy) mirrors that of Josie & Alan.
Yet, there isn’t enough plot to stretch a double-length episode. “The Haunted Showboat,” unfortunately, is then left to suffer through multiple dull stretches. Worse than its half-hearted mystery angle, the inconsistent animation is disappointing. Specifically, numerous animation cels are crudely devised, as if Hanna-Barbera’s animators fell far short on time and money. If anything, this episode’s charm plays off nostalgia rather than its unimpressive content.
Of the various celebrity guest stars from The New Scooby Movies, this team-up’s comedic potential is one that the recent Scooby-Doo! Team-Up comic book series really ought to have revisited. Considering that DC Comics & Archie Comics have collaborated before (i.e. Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy Meet Betty & Veronica), perhaps it could still happen.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 3 Stars
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