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“We Are Not Erasing The Originals”: HBO’s Velma Backlash Addressed By Show Creator
Max’s controversialScooby-Dooseries,Velma, has seemingly been canceled after two seasons. Premiered in January 2023, the adult animated series explores the backstories of the human members of Mystery Incorporated before they officially come together, centering on Velma Dinkley as she attempts to uncover the truth behind her mother’s disappearance and the murders of several teenage girls. Mindy Kaling leadsVelma’s voice castas the titular character alongside Glenn Howerton as Fred, Sam Richardson as Shaggy, and Constance Wu as Daphne.
Now, shortly after a Halloween special was released on October 3,Velmahas seemingly been canceledby Max, according to a since-deleted post by background painterDavey Cummingson Instagram:
Featuring a slideshow of backgrounds that he painted for theVelmaHalloween special, Cummings captioned the post saying it was “so fun working with this crew” and that"there will not be a season 3,“though he hopes he will “get to work with these amazingly talented people again one day.” He also urged audiences to watch the new Halloween special on Max.
What Davey Cummings' Instagram Post Means For Velma
The Controversial Scooby-Doo Series Has Seemingly Been Canceled
While not an official confirmation that it has been canceled by the streaming service, background painter Davey Cummings' Instagram post suggests thatVelmawill not be returning for a third season on Max. Before the recent Halloween special,Velmaseason 2was released in April 2024 and, while there are no viewership numbers available for the second season, the series has been highly controversial amongst critics and audiences. If it has in fact been canceled, season 2 likely did not see the viewership required for Max to renew it for another season.
Velma Season 3: Cancelation & Everything We Know
The controversial and quirky off-shoot of Scooby-Doo, Velma, has enjoyed a two-season run on Max so far, but it was canceled before season 3.
Velmawas highly controversial from the startsince it’s the first TV series in the franchise not to feature the character of Scooby-Doo. The show is also a darkly comedic and mature take on theScooby-Doofranchise, with several changes made to existing characters, including being race-swapped, with Velma portrayed as a bisexual South Asian American, Shaggy as African-American, and Daphne as an East Asian American. All this amounted to an overwhelmingly negative critical and audience response, withVelmaranked as one of the worst shows of 2023 and one of the lowest-rated shows on IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes.
Our Take On Velma Seemingly Being Canceled
Season 2 Likely Saw A Massive Drop In Viewership
Likely due to the massive controversy surrounding the show,Velmaseason 1 set an HBO Max record for the biggest premiere day of any original animated show. However, as that controversy has calmed down,the second season likely saw a massive drop in viewership, seemingly causing the streaming service to pull the plug. While much of the backlash toVelma’s race-swapping may have been in bad faith, there were many valid criticisms of the show’s humor, meta storytelling, characterization, writing, and departures from the traditionalScooby-Dooformat.
Velma
Cast
A darkly comedic and mature take on the Scooby-Doo franchise, Velma sees the titular character, played by Mindy Kaling, taking the spotlight in a retelling of her origins, leading to her joining Mystery Inc. A significant departure from the family-friendly rendition released decades ago, Velma will modernize the characters and has cast Sam Richardson as Shaggy, Constance Wu as Daphne, and Glenn Howerton as Fred. Scooby-Doo will not be featured in the show, as it features the earlier days of the crew as they solve murderous mysteries and find themselves getting in over their heads more often than not.
