You might not have expected Velma to kick off Hollywood’s first to-do of 2023, but here we are. If you did not know, the animated comedy made its debut on HBO Max this month, and reviews have not been kind. The edgy take on Scooby-doo has become social media’s new chew toy, but that does not mean HBO Max is hurting over the hit. In fact, Velma has broken a big record for the service whether fans like it or not.
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And what might the record be? On Twitter, star Mindy Kaling took to Twitter to share the good news. It turns out Velma had the biggest premiere day for any animated original on HBO Max. So regardless of its reputation, Velma is bringing in viewers.
Of course, fans are interested to see whether Velma sustains a core audience. Only a couple of episodes have been released to date, so it is hard to gauge Velma in full. The show could turn things around easily enough. And of course, netizens need to do a bit of digging for themselves when it comes to Velma’s washed-out reviews.
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After all, the series may have mixed critic reviews, but it gained some praise for its art style and acting. User reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb have been far more intense, however. Some of this is due to brigaders who are simply bombing Velma due to its diverse cast. However, other reviews are from Scooby-doo fans who are not pleased with this adaptation and its often mean-spirited humor.
It will come down to fans to decide where they stand with Velma in the end. It seems plenty of netizens are tuning into the show, so HBO Max has little room to complain. And if the comedy gets its act together, then maybe fans will make room in their hearts to give Velma another shot.
Have you checked out Velma yet? Do you think the show’s reception is going overboard? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.