Scooby-Doo characters, ranked
The Scooby Gang is one of the most iconic amateur detective groups of all time. Everyone, even if they’re not fans of the Scooby-Doo shows and movies, knows who Scooby, Shaggy, Velma, Daphne, and Fred are. They know what the Mystery Machine looks like, even if they don’t have a take on who the best character of the series is.
Well, I have good news on that front. I’m here to rank the Scooby Gang from worst to best. I’ve been a huge fan of Scooby-Doo for almost three decades. I’ve seen all five of the live-action movies, all of the animated Scooby-Doo movies and specials, and I’ve tried nearly every Scooby-Doo TV series. Let’s be honest, not all those Scooby-Doo shows are worth your time. They’re definitely not good, but the originals and some of the newer series are definitely worth a watch for Scooby fans of all ages. And, for the record, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! is the best of the TV series; there’s no debate.
For our ranking criteria, we analyzed each character’s personality and mannerisms, how they performed while solving each case, and just their overall vibe. Then, we ranked each of the five characters from worst to best.
Let’s get the ranking of the Scooby Gang started with the worst character, Fred.
5. Fred Jones
In my experience, it’s generally the person who knows the least about a situation or topic who speaks the loudest and tries to lead the group, and that’s true with the Scooby Gang. Other than being a handsome getaway driver with some mild charm, Fred contributes virtually nothing of substance to the group. In fact, he holds two of the smartest members (Daphne and Velma) of the gang back by consistently getting in the way.
Sure, Fred seems like a cool guy, and for a time, he probably was, but let’s be honest. Fred’s future in politics and conspiracy theory amplification was always very likely. He thought it was Red Herring every. single. time.
Fred peaked in high school and early adulthood, but he lacks the self-awareness to understand that fact. Instead, he’s always there, chiming in with terrible ideas and trying to lead the group while also lacking any of the necessary leadership skills. And, that’s why Fred is the worst of the Scooby Gang.
Up next is the fourth-best character of the Scooby Gang, Shaggy.