Right now, you can watch Velma on HBO Max, and decide for yourself if you think Mindy Kaling's reimagining of the Scooby-Doo characters is a ScoobySnack or a Scooby-don't. The internet seems to fall into the latter category, as Velma's got a 6% Rotten Tomatoes Audience score.
U.S. date and time: Velma debuted on Thursday, Jan. 12. at 3 a.m. ET / 12 a.m. PT on HBO Max.
Currently the first four episodes are available.
And, yes, Velma Dinkley's getting an origin story where multiple members of the Scooby gang will not look like what you remember. That's primarily because Scooby-Doo isn't here (yet).
The gang has been tweaked across the board. Take Shaggy, for example. Here, he's Black, going by his government name of Norville Rogers and trying to data Velma. Most importantly, he's voiced by Sam Richardson (The Afterparty, Hocus Pocus 2), an excellent choice.
And Velma? Kaling's Velma is East Asian and possibly not the canonically-queer version we met in the recent HBO Max Scooby Doo Halloween movie. A tweet from the show's official account (written in the voice of its titular character) suggests that Velma has the hots for Fred. That said, there's supposedly a blink-and-you-missed-it moment of pondered possibility between her and Daphne.
Also, Daphne (voiced by Constance Wu) and Fred (voiced by Glenn Howerton) apparently get some of the best material in this iteration. Daph's trying to find her birth parents while Fred ... well, Fred goes to jail. And now that I've watched Velma on HBO Max, I can report that it's not for everyone.
Check out the teaser below along with everything you need to watch Velma online.
How to watch Velma online in the US
HBO Max is the primary way to watch Velma online in the U.S. The show will debut at 3 a.m. ET / 12 a.m. PT on Thursday (Jan. 12).
Two episodes will drop in this first week, and then two more episodes per Thursday thereafter. The series is set to have 10 episodes in total — concluding on February 9, 2023.
Can you watch Velma online in the UK?
We're having trouble figuring out if Sky Atlantic (the normal home for HBO and HBO Max Originals in the UK) or Prime Video (which had Black Adam) will have Velma.
Visiting the UK and can't find it either? Try one of the best VPNs to log in back home to use the apps you prefer.
How to watch Velma online in Canada
Crave will be the home of Velma in Canada. We just don't know when. We'd bet it arrives in tandem with its Jan. 12 U.S. release, though.
Of course, those on vacation in Canada who stream live with their friends in the U.S. or U.K. will need a VPN service to log in back home to use Sling, fubo or BBC iPlayer.
How to watch Velma online in Australia
We've seen reports that Binge is the place you want to go to watch Velma online in Australia before anyone else. The series should debut on January 12, alongside the U.S. date. There's also a chance that Foxtel will also get episodes, just three days later on Sundays.
Binge is free for the first 14 days, and starts at $10 per month for 1 screen and SD viewing.
Of course, those on vacation in Australia who stream live with their friends in the U.S. or U.K. will need a VPN service to log in back home to use Sling, fubo or BBC iPlayer.
Velma's cast
As mentioned, It's Always Sunny's Glenn Howerton as Fred is sublime casting. That said? ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic is in Velma, which will make it a must-watch for some.
- Mindy Kaling voicing Velma Dinkley
- Sam Richardson voicing Norville Rogers (aka Shaggy)
- Constance Wu voicing Daphne Blake
- Glenn Howerton voicing Fred Jones
- Gary Cole voicing Lamont Rogers, Shaggy's dad, who is a therapist
- Jane Lynch voicing Donna Blake, one of Daphne's moms, who is a cop
- Wanda Sykes voicing Linda Blake, Daphne's other mom
- Sarayu Blue voicing Diya, Velma's absentee mother
- ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic voicing Dandruff Tuba
- Frank Welker voicing William Jones, Fred's father
- Cherry Jones voicing Victoria Jones, Fred's mother
