Are Wiccans and Pagans mainstream in Kid's Programming?

[1964pandora]

My 5-year-old was sick today, so I've been letting him watch a modern Scooby Doo cartoon marathon. I was taken aback that the episode we were watching was about wiccans, witches and pagans. The episode discusses "good" witches and "bad" witches. They featured a witch band singing a song with the lyrics, "We're the Hex girls, and we're going to cast a spell on you." The witch band was dressed in gothic clothing (red and black, sexy clothing) and they had vampire teeth, I think. There was a lot of discussion about "magic" and "mystery." Have I been living under a rock, or is this unusual for kid's programming? Are Wiccans and Pagans frequently featured in kid's programming these days?

[Tondi G]

This is one of my boys FAVORITE Scooby Doo movies! Scooby Doo and the Witches Ghost. I have some of the funniest video of my boys rockin out with their play guitars singing along with the Hex Girls! LOL

I wouldn't say it's main stream to include this topic but Scooby Doo does touch on quite a few odd topics not seen in many other childrens programs.

[kijip]

There's a modern Scooby Doo?

(climbing out from under my rock)

It does seem to me that I have seen a ton of magic/fantasy/witches/wizards type stuff in child's media. I have not seen/read/heard a lot of specifically named pagan or wiccan topics however. But then I am living under a rock where there is not a new Scooby Doo.

This last week my ILs and I took T to the book store. The kids stuff is near the young adult stuff and TONS of it had vampires and other fantasy things on the cover, besides the Twilight stuff that is so popular. Not conflating pagan and wiccan elements with vampires and other magical/fantasy elements but magic and witches seem to be a popular element in children's literature now. I guess they always have been but with the success of Harry Potter and Twilight etc it seems there are a lot of attempts to duplicate that success.

[1964pandora]

This is one of my boys FAVORITE Scooby Doo movies! Scooby Doo and the Witches Ghost. I have some of the funniest video of my boys rockin out with their play guitars singing along with the Hex Girls! LOL

I wouldn't say it's main stream to include this topic but Scooby Doo does touch on quite a few odd topics not seen in many other childrens programs.

See, this shows you how much attention I was paying until I perked up when I started hearing "Wiccan." I thought it was a Scooby Doo cartoon marathon, but it's a movie. Maybe it's not even "modern" like I stated. It looks pretty new to me.

[maestramommy]

I've not seen the modern Scooby Doo (I'm a die hard classics fan), but I think since HP witches, wizardry and all that have become a lot more mainstream in children's lit.

[MommyofAmaya]

DH and I were just discussing how we don't think Scooby Doo will be on our TV for a few more years b/c it always has creepy subject matter. I don't think it's new for Scooby Doo.

[Tondi G]

See, this shows you how much attention I was paying until I perked up when I started hearing "Wiccan." I thought it was a Scooby Doo cartoon marathon, but it's a movie. Maybe it's not even "modern" like I stated. It looks pretty new to me.

It probably is a marathon.... we have this one on DVD (so I think of it as a movie.... maybe a tv movie... they do have slots for commercials that come up on the dvd).

It isn't the OLD SCHOOL Scooby Doo but there are newer series of Scooby Doo that have come out even since this one was run!

[rlu]

There's a modern Scooby Doo?

(climbing out from under my rock)



We've been discovering the different incarnations of Scooby lately as we scour the library shelves. I have several garage-sale videos of the original series (Scooby Doo Where are You?) which are my favs and DS likes these quite a bit. The What's New? Scooby Doo ones are okay as well. Not real big on the Pup Named Scooby Doo ones but the ones from Scooby Doo, Get a Clue! I will not get again.

There were also other HB series of Scooby Doo (remember the ones with all the guest stars?) but I haven't seen those at the library. According to the incredibly detailed wiki, there are a ton more than I'm seeing at the library. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scooby-Doo

The animated movies vary greatly in watchability but the one the OP mentioned is one of the better ones and the one we have.

We have not gotten the live-version of the Scooby Doo movies yet, but DS is aware of the newest one (tv movie just coming out on DVD last/this week) and when it pops up at the library we might get it (DH and I will preview it first).

yes - I have a Daphne halloween costume, so what?

[mommylamb]

I totally loved scooby doo as a kid!

As for the OP question, I have no idea, but I'd be concerned that kids TV wouldn't be all that informative about what being a wiccan or pagan is actually about (i.e. that there are real people practicing these very legitimate religions). Now, I'm agnostic (and bordering on atheist), but I would take these religions just as seriously as any other.

[tnrnchick74]

I don't have a problem as long as they are showing paganism/wicca with the same respect they show other religions. Not glorifying; not prostelitizing; not ridiculing. I do have a problem with the "witch" being the best/worst/prettiest/ugliest/whatever extreme you want to portray. But I tend to hate stereotypes anyways.

[himom]

I hate these "new" Scooby Doo cartoons. Give me the original style, where the "ghost" turnes out to me old Mr. Wimpleton, the owner of the ice cream factory, who is trying to scare away the gang so he can look for gold under his parking lot. Or something in that vein!

I was so disappointed the first time I saw "real" ghosts and witches and wizards on the modern Scooby Doo. Way to ruin my cartoons!!! (And I'm still bitter that they made Scrappy the bad guy in the movie. Apparently I have issues!)

[Fairy]

yes - I have a Daphne halloween costume, so what?

You go, girl.

[Nooknookmom]

Another HUUUUUGE Scooby fan here. I never even took notice as a kid that there was any theme to the cartoons. I just loved the mystery aspect and Scoob & Shag running scared from ghosts, etc.

Oh and every Saturday morning I would eat Captain Cruch cereal, dry, in a bowl b/c I *thought* that they were Scooby Snacks!!!

I really doubt there is a underlying pagan message hidden inside the Mystery Machine.