Max's controversial Scooby-Doo off-shoot, Velma, returned for its second season, but the raunchy cartoon was canceled before season 3. Created by Charlie Grandy and debuting in 2023, Velma centers on the beloved Scooby-Doo protagonist as she and her fellow future Mystery Inc. teammates solve various crimes before they officially teamed up in later cartoons. Immediately setting itself apart from the rest of the franchise, Velma features an abundance of blue humor, meta references, and most importantly, it doesn't star Scooby.

When season 1 debuted in January 2023, critics and fans alike were split, with some praising the bold take and others vilifying it for "ruining" a beloved franchise. Velma season 2 happened despite all the controversy, and that was due to the fact that it was one of Max's most-watched animated series ever. Unfortunately, early reviews of the sophomore season haven't been particularly kind, though most it the show improved after the first season. This overwhelmingly negative response seemed like it would doom any show, and Max eventually pulled the plug.

Velma Season 3 Latest News

Max Cancels Velma After Two Seasons

Though season 1 was a triumph in of viewership, that was likely due to the controversy surrounding the cartoon.

Just a day after a crew member seemingly confirmed the show's demise on social media, the latest news confirms that Velma is canceled (via Deadline). Max opted to pull the plug on the two-season series, presumably due to a sharp decline in viewership during its sophomore outing. Though season 1 was a triumph in of viewership, that was likely due to the controversy surrounding the cartoon. With almost no fanfare around season 2, Velma ultimately failed to move the needle.

Max released an official statement on the cancelation that can be read below:

Over the past two seasons, Mindy [Kaling] and Charlie [Grandy] have created an incredibly fun and fresh world within the iconic whodunit franchise. While we won’t be moving forward with another season of the series, we thank them for their compelling coming-of-age storytelling, unrivaled clues, and hilarious hijinks.

Velma Season 3 Is Canceled

The Controversial Cartoon Comes To An end

Considering the show's turbulent past, it isn't shocking that Max canceled the series after only two seasons. The second season was given a hasty renewal only a month after season 1 concluded, and that was in response to the show's overwhelming viewership numbers. However, with critical reception continuing to be poor, and audiences continuing to reject it, the numbers didn't add up for the second go-around. A large part of season 1's viewership can be chalked up to curiosity, as the backlash against the series undoubtedly drew in more than a few onlookers.

All 10 episodes of Velma season 2 premiered on April 25, 2024.

Velma Season 3 Cast

The Full Cast Could Have Returned

Velma was consistently praised in season 1, even if the rest of the show was lambasted by critics and fans alike. With the entire cast returning in season 2, it stands to reason that Velma's version of the Scooby Gang would have been back en masse, sans Scooby-Doo himself. Leading the show was Mindy Kaling who voices a snarky version of Velma who takes her sleuthing quite seriously. She was ed by Glenn Howerton as Fred, Constance Wu as Daphne, and Sam Richardson as Norville (aka Shaggy). The series also utilized a fair amount of guest stars, but it's impossible to guess who they could have been in season 3.

The presumptive cast of Velma season 3 included:

Velma Season 3 Story Details

A Shocking Season 2 Finale Set Up A Wild Season 3

Though nothing is confirmed regarding season 3, the conclusion of season 2 left the door wide open for a truly outrageous season 3. Having solved the Uncle Scooby case, and prevented the evil Scrappy from doing any more harm, Velma found that her soul could not be placed back in her body. However, a seance on Halloween might do the trick, but she has to avoid being dragged to Hell in the meantime.

The Halloween special in October 2024 saw the gang try to reunite Velma's soul with her body, but they seemingly failed, and she was dragged to Hell. However, in a shocking twist, Velma was not dead and somehow returned from the grave. Season 3 could have focused on explaining how the sleuth was able to return, and Velma could have taken a more existential edge as she grappled with living through literal Hell.