'The 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo' started off so strong, with three of its best episodes being in this half ("That's Monstertainment" being my favourite episode) and only one episode disappointing. The show did become more hit and miss post-"A Spooky Little Ghoul Like You", with "It's a Wonderful Scoob" being the only great episode. "Scooby in Kwackyland" had excellent things too, but also one of the show's weaker villains.
"Horror Scope Scoob" is closer to being one of the lesser episodes of 'The 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo'. It is better than "Reflections in a Ghoulish Eye", "Coast to Ghost" and "When You Witch Upon a Star", but it is no "To All the Ghouls I've Loved Before", "Scoobra Kadoobra", "That's Monstertainment" and "A Spooky Little Ghoul Like You". As a 'The 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo' episode on its own terms, "Horror Scope Scoob" is more than serviceable and does have a good deal that works. As a final episode however it's a failure, it was pretty obvious that it was not intended to be the season finale and it doesn't feel like one and more a mid-season episode. With it being in need of a bigger scale, a more eventful story and more excitement and suspense. Just to reiterate, it's not at all bad. Just not great either.
It absolutely has a number of good things. It looks pretty good, especially when in the cemetery. The music is energetic and atmospheric, have always loved the show's theme tune and the opening titles sequence. There are some very funny lines in the first half and "Horror Scope Scoob" contains Bogol and Weerd's funniest moment of the whole show (the "switch the switch" exchange). Love Vincent, Shaggy and Scooby as usual and the voice acting is great. Vincent Price, John Stephenson, Casey Kasem and Peter Cullen being particularly good.
Also some spooky moments, namely the whole cemetery sequence. The first 10 minutes are great and the television studio setting, its behind the scenes and its clever references are ingeniously done. Really liked the pop culture references, three of the most obvious ones being Kreepoff being a parody of horror legend Boris Karloff, the 'Wizard of Oz' reference and the reference to Davy Jones' locker. Scrappy has one of "Horror Scope Scoob's" best lines, his retort to Zimbulu. Which sounds like a play on one-liner but may more likely refer to the type of character Zimbulu is (something that completely went over my head for a long time).
Unfortunately, there are some big flaws in "Horror Scope Scoob". This is an episode that starts off great but peters out halfway through and becomes thin and predictable. Did like that there is more of a mystery element here, but sadly it is not interesting enough. There are two major revelations, neither of which are surprising. One of which was painfully obvious and one where one is kicking themselves for not suspecting sooner. Tallulah is very annoying, especially her speaking from a blocked nose voice, and one gets a bad feeling about her from the beginning. When you take into account the show's continuity her role also doesn't make sense. In fact, the show's continuity pretty much goes out of the window in the climax.
Which is also very rushed that also felt incomplete. Have always been very mixed on Zimbulu. He looks cool and Cullen voices him menacingly, otherwise he actually really is not that intimidating and doesn't really do much in his true form (a far cry from genuine threats like Maldor, Nicara, Time Slime and Phantasmo). The only thing he uses effectively overall personality-wise is his one power, the ability to lie.
Overall, above average episode on its own terms but disappointing as a finale. 6/10.
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