"There's a Demon Shark in the Foggy Dark" was an episode that was actually better to me as a child. With a lot of 'The Scooby Doo' episodes, the categories most common are the "better through adult eyes" and "feelings very much the same". As a younger fan, what made me like the episode was the setting and its atmosphere and the final solution surprised me on first viewing. The mystery was actually more interesting when younger though and the villain creepier.
Some episodes of 'The Scooby Doo Show' don't fare as well through the eyes of a young adult. While it is a long way from a terrible episode, "There's a Demon Shark in the Foggy Dark" is one of those episodes. Still love the setting, there are some classic Shaggy and Scooby moments and a nice final trap, but what stood out to me as a child actually today are drawbacks judging the episode now. At least though it is not one of those "never cared for it much" episodes, there are a few of those in the show too.
Of course there are good things. The animation is generally well done, especially the use of fog in Aqualand that was very mysterious and creepy. The music has a nostalgic charm to it and it's not too in your face. Still love the theme song. Aqualand is a great location, colourful but also somewhere you don't want to go at night. The writing holds the attention with enough to keep one guessing and the vintage endearingly silly humour still charms.
While the story to me now is a bit lacking, there are great moments still. The opening is promising, it intrigues, the theft itself is actually creepier than most of the action in Aqualand and sets up what was to come really well. The gang's first scene was charming. Fred, Daphne and Velma's investigating is also intriguing. The restaurant scene was a lot of fun, even if it went on for too long. The final trap was nice and inventive. The coda had the same amusement and charm of the gang's first scene. All the gang are on point and Beaker is the most interesting and actually shiftiest of the suspects.
Unfortunately, it is not easy getting stories about defrosted animals/monsters to work. The Scooby Doo franchise proved that with 'Scooby Doo Where Are You's' weakest episode "Scooby's Night with a Frozen Fright". It's sadly proven again here. There are some great scenes here and it starts off really well, but once the shark appears the episode doesn't become as interesting. The mystery just felt too slight and can drag, and despite liking the solution as a child to me now while the how aspect of it is clever the who, even with more than one suspect and attempts at misdirection, no longer comes as a surprise. Actually was surprised that it took the gang so long to get to the truth about how the crime was done when it should have been considered a possibility from the beginning in my view.
Also, the shark himself is a disappointment. It is not creepy or intimidating in the slightest to me. If anything its design comes over as rather silly which made it difficult to take it seriously.
Summing up, not bad at all but other episodes of the show have held up a lot better. 6/10
