1. What assumption or beliefs do Scooby Doo's creators have that are reflected in the content
The stereotypes and tropes of the characters are clear assumptions that likely were not even conscious decisions to write into the characters. For example, Velma is the nerdy one, and so she wears glasses, acts shy, and is less traditionally "attractive" than Daphne. Fred is strong, tall, and able bodied and so he often takes charge as the perceived leader of the group.
and 2. how does this make you feel, based on how similar or different you are from the people portrayed in the media product?
Personally I wouldn't mind seeing a more diverse cast, but I'm also of the mind that it doesn't really matter whether or not they change the cast now. Often times representation is best left subtle rather than building the whole character around being different from the rest of the group. If they were to change the characters now, I feel like they'd end up making it over the top and doing more harm than good for the communities they try to represent. This isn't to say that representation shouldn't be included in children's shows, but rather to say that characters should be introduced in the future to assist. To be fair to the writers though, the more recent Scooby Doos do a bit of a better job of trying to lean away from these stereotypes more by presenting the characters a little differently. This is especially true with the new Velma series coming out, where she will be of South Asian descent.
3. how does the commercial purpose of Scooby Doo influence the content and how it is presented?
The commercial nature of Scooby Doo means that the crime in the show as well as some aspects of the characters need to be presented a little differently to be "suitable" for an audience of children. The crimes must not be violent and are to be referred to only as mysteries. Velma has to stay comfortably in the closet. Shaggy obviously cannot openly be labelled as a stoner, and his edibles are to be referred to as scooby snacks (this one is reasonable, to be fair.) This results in any ideas that the writers have that are deemed unsuitable to children being written in codes and undertones more often than being outright removed from the show.
4. Who and what is shown in a positive light? in a negative light? why might these people and things be shown this way?
Any time that a character isn't white, they're a villain or a heavy stereotype. This is especially true in older Scooby Doos. This reflects the general views of the time and honestly may not have even been a conscious decision from the writers at the time.
5. Who and what is not shown at all, and what conclusions might be drawn from these ommisions?
Simply put, every main character of Scooby Doo is white, middle class, and able bodied. This could lead to audiences, and especially children, assuming that only people who meet this description are capable of the "heroic" acts seen in the show. This may also result in children who don't identify with these characters feeling alienated as they watch.
6. How does scooby doo explain crime and gender roles to young people?
Scooby Doo aims to make crime understandable and undesirable to young audiences. This is achieved by ensuring that the crime is always solved and the motive is understood. By doing this, they show young audiences that crime can be understood if thought is put into it. They also make crime undesirable by showing children that there are punishments for crimes. As for gender roles, they are both taught and questioned in Scooby Doo. These are mainly apparent in the characters Fred and Daphne. Fred is very protective of Daphne, often saving her and being quite controlling of her, which is very stereotypical. As for Daphne, she cares deeply about her appearance and reputation, while somewhat lacking in the intelligence department. This was especially the case in older Scooby Doo shows, and the new ones do make some effort to do a better job of questioning gender roles, such as in the episode we were shown in class wherein Daphne has a beard and mustache.
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