Recently picked up the Blu-ray release of this & watched it again for the first time in a while. It's still as fun as I remember it.
Mystery Inc. is already established at the start of the series operating out of Crystal Cove (The most hauntedest place on earth). The gang are considered outcasts & weirdos by their classmates. They're also a thorn in the side of the Mayor (Fred's Dad) as their mystery solving is disrupting the spooky tourism trade.
After unmasking yet another man in a monster suit they receive a letter from someone named Mr. E. This kick-starts the series long mystery for a vast treasure & it explores why Crystal Cove is so weird.
I understand a lot of people prefer Scooby-Doo classic without any meta elements. I think there's room for riff like this after decades of the (mostly) traditional formula.
Fred is probably the most affected of the characters by the change. He's kind of an oblivious goof that is completely obsessed with traps. He ends up getting fleshed out a lot through the series & it's a pretty compelling character arc.
Another thing I love about the show is how it's jam packed with references & Easter eggs. There's so many nods to films, shows & pop culture: The Shining, Saw, Twin Peaks, Hellraiser, National Lampoon's Vacation, Gremlins & so many more.
It's also connected to the larger world of Hanna-Barbera so we see characters like Jonny Quest & The Blue Falcon. The show pays tribute to it's past as well including some of the classic monster designs & they factor into the ongoing mystery.
A full & complete story is told over the course of the 52 episodes. I would've loved to see it continue on but I'm very happy with what we got. I strongly recommend the show. Even if you aren't much of a Scooby-Doo fan I think you'd be surprised by how good it is.
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