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Velma is indeed getting a second round. This comes five months after speculation first surfaced that HBO Max had greenlit a second season for the Scooby-Doo franchise spin-off. The adult animated comedy series narrates the story of Velma Dinkley, the brain behind the Scooby-Doo Mystery Inc. gang. However, since its inception, comedy horror has always received a cold reception and ratings.
This is all the more reason why netizens were left perplexed when Discussing Show made the renewal news official. One of them remarked how "wokeness" has gained the upper hand "again."
Led by animation debutante Mindy Kaling, who also co-executive produces the mystery show, it has a synopsis that reads:
“Velma is an adult animated comedy series telling the origin story of Velma Dinkley, the unsung and underappreciated brains of the Scooby-Doo Mystery Inc. gang. An original and humorous spin that unmasks the complex and colorful past of one of America’s most beloved mystery solvers.”
Charlie Grandy is the developer of the series, which also features the voices of Glenn Howerton, Sam Richardson, and Constance Wu. No release date has been attached to season 2.
''Renew Gossip Girl instead," fans lash out as Max gives Velma another round
The season 2 update arrived on Thursday at the ongoing Annecy International Animated Film Festival. The global event, which started on June 11, concludes on June 17 on Saturday.
At the panel of Annecy titled Share With, Suzanna Makkos, EVP, Original Comedy and Adult Animation, Max, and Adult Swim, discussed the network's forthcoming adult animation slate, which included Velma.
“The series that we create at Max are art and voice-driven, with character and comedy coming before anything else…We’re always looking for hard comedy with heart and edge, diverse and inclusive shows with underlying thematic resonance, and character design that showcases the hand of the artist. I am so excited to share these incredible series with the world, and continue to show why Max is a great home for adult animation,” she said.
However, social media users weren’t convinced. As soon as the pop culture portal disclosed the update, they rallied on Twitter, rebuking the move while questioning how the series got through a second edition given how unimpressive it is.
The first season of the animated TV series hit HBO Max on January 12, 2023, and received mixed critical reviews. While appreciating the voice acting, they marked out several areas for improvement, including the humor quotient, meta storytelling, character arcs, and differences from the Scooby-Doo doctrine.
At the event, HBO Max also announced Anything Factory, which comes from Rick and Morty writer Tom Kauffman. They further mentioned in-development shows like Keeping Up with the Joneses and Uptown Bodega.
The trailer for Ten Year Old Tom season 2 and the first-look image for the 2D-animated series Young Love were also shared at Annecy.
Season 1 of Velma can be streamed on HBO Max.
