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.
4. Shaggy Rogers
Other than Fred, I love all of the characters of the Scooby Gang. Shaggy holds a very special place in my heart, and if I were to really analyze which character I empathize with the most, it is Shaggy.
Even though I generally like Shaggy as a character, he’s not bringing much of anything to the group. In fact, in many ways, he’s actively hurting the group. He can’t focus. He’s always hungry, and he’s always looking to take the easy way out. In most facets of life, this would not be that much of a problem. There are jobs, although I won’t name them, where Shaggy would and could thrive, but amateur detective is not one of them.
It’s not just that Shaggy is a coward, it’s that he does not want to be there at all! Like at all! I wish that Shaggy would be able to live his truth on a couch somewhere surrounded by tons of snacks or at a Golden Corral just devouring all the food he can slide down his gullet. It’s good to support your friends, and we all have to pay the bills, but Shaggy could have worked from home as a blogger or something, snacking away, walking his dog, and just having a good time all of the time. But, no, he’s dragged on mystery after mystery against his will. And, instead of throwing them a bone, they have to split up every time and leave poor Shaggy and Scooby, the two dumbest — and I say that with love — members of the gang, to fend for themselves. Please, put this man out of his misery and give him a remote job, please.
3. Daphne Blake
Daphne Blake definitely has a claim as the best character of the Scooby Gang. Daphne came from a wealthy family and had seemingly unlimited prospects in life, and somehow, she fell in with a ragtag group of amateur detectives. Danger-Prone Daphne has all of the correct instincts for this line of work, too. She’s nearly as smart as Velma, although in a different way, and she always willingly puts her nose right in the thick of the action.
She’s also the most fashionable of the Scooby Gang, which I think is really important as an amateur detective. Every amateur detective or thief needs a signature look to be recognizable. Sherlock Holmes has the look. Daphne also has the look.
Unfortunately for Daph, she got caught up with literally the worst character in Scooby-Doo, and I’m holding that against her. You can’t let Fred drag you down, Daphne. Eventually, she figures it out, but it’s too little too late.
Up next is everyone’s favorite fictional dog, Scooby-Doo.
2. Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo is almost the best character of the Scooby Gang. I mean, the group and show are named after him. It’s truly his world, and we’re just living in it. He’s the one with special abilities and can communicate quite well with humans. He can also throw on a trench coat and hat and pass for a human. How many dogs do you know that can do that? His super-appetite is unparalleled aside from the appetite of his best friend, Shaggy. Together, they do make a great pair, although Shaggy, as mentioned, leaves something to be desired in a critical-thinking and problem-solving kind of way.
Scooby-Doo is one of the most iconic characters of all time. I’d bet that every kid in America for like four decades watched Scooby-Doo at one point in time. Obviously, the characters, shows, and movies have evolved over time, but Scooby is still the same lovable, cowardly, and talking dog we fell in love with.
There’s nothing wrong with Scooby. He’s arguably the most interesting character in the series. How can he talk? How can he solve crimes? How can he eat all that unsafe food for dogs and still be alive? But, there’s one character in the Scooby Gang just a little bit better.
1. Velma Dinkley
There’s absolutely no doubt that Velma is the best of the Scooby Gang. Her only mistake, in my eyes, is that she didn’t want to wear contacts. You can’t lose your glasses in critical moments so often, Velma. But, the fact that she needs a string to keep her glasses on her neck or a pair of contacts is the worst thing we can say about Velma is everything.
Velma is by far the smartest character in the group. Like Daphne, all she needed was the confidence to step into a much bigger role. She’s the sole reason the group solved so many mysteries. Yes, Daphne helped at times. Shaggy and Scooby accidentally crashed into solving a few cases. Even Fred did like the bare minimum, but it’s always been Velma.
It’s such a shame that the rest of the Scooby Gang wasn’t doing all they could to support Velma in solving these mysteries. Everything would have been worked out much more quickly! Instead, we watched three members of the group actively weigh Velma down for dozens of movies and hundreds of episodes.
That’s the ranking of the Scooby Gang! Who is your favorite of the Scooby-Doo characters? Let us know!