The gang drives into a prison, where Morgan Freeman is filming a documentary on its haunting by the Ghost of Jean Lebeau. Somehow, Mystery Inc. becomes a major part of that video and we get an insight into how those meddling kids go about solving a mystery.
Synopsis[]
The gang is in a documentary about their crazy adventure at the Cheever Penitentiary. Daphne explains that who they ran into they did not expect at all.
Morgan Freeman is filming a documentary with the help of Jeanene, the camerawoman. Morgan speculates that there might be ghosts in the prison; just then, a yellow shadow looms over him. It is the ghost of Jean Lebeau! Jean warns them to leave, since it is now his prison. Crashing into the scene, the Mystery Machine nearly hits Jean's ghost. Fred speeds back in fear, but the ghost throws rocks at the van. It spins around quickly and is then launched into the air by a slope. Finally, the van collides with a prison wall.
Morgan checks if the gang is okay, and they notice that Jean Lebau has vanished. Morgan tells the gang that he came to the prison to do a documentary there since it is rumored to be haunted; the gang are at the prison to investigate those supposed haunts. Jeanene comes over and shows everybody that the camera footage is gone. The gang and Morgan Freeman agree to solve the case together.
Everyone walks around the prison together, passing the hall of portraits: it is a long hall with portraits of every warden that has run the prison. Shaggy and Scooby find 'Warden Snickersen' to have a funny name. It turns out that Mr. Snickersen was in charge of the prison in 1872, the same year that a prisoner, Jean Lebau, started an uprising and burned the prison to the ground. Just then, someone bangs on one of the doors and walks in, to reveal himself as Arthur Lebau, a real estate agent. He's hoping to turn the prison grounds into condos to make a fortune. Daphne notices that he has the same last name as Jean Lebau, and he concedes that he is Jean's great great grandson.
Interrupting the scene in form of the documentary, Daphne explains that real estate agents are always prime suspects in these mysteries, especially ones associated to the ghost. A grumpy caretaker busts through the building, complaining about how he has to clean up the wall that the Mystery Machine crashed into. In a suspicious manner, he grumbles that he hates the prison, and wishes that it would disappear forever. The gang explore a cell block, with Shaggy and Scooby echoing in it. Velma finds a clue: strange tracks of some kind in the dust. They also look pretty recent. Shaggy interrupts with the documentary, explaining that he hates it when Velma finds a clue, because it means that's when the ghost will appear and try to scare them off. Daphne says that it usually happens in surprise. Suddenly, the ghost of Jean Lebau actually appears!
In the documentary, Morgan asks Velma what exactly a 'jinkies' is. She says it just comes out, like how the others say their catchphrases randomly. The ghost chases them through the prison. The gang, Morgan and Jeanene hide in some mailboxes, losing the ghost. Morgan finds it weird how a finger over the nose can stop a sneeze in the series; unfortunately, the ghost hears this and gets back on their trail. A Scooby-Dooby doors scene plays out with the mailboxes. They lose the ghost again.
Morgan asks Fred if he could tell him more about his 'splitting up and looking for clues' line! Morgan questions if Fred knows the danger of splitting the gang up, to which Fred responds by changing the subject. Back in the prison, the gang split up: Fred, Daphne and Velma go to the infirmary and Shaggy, Scooby and Morgan going down into the basement. Shaggy and Scooby reveal that they never actually go down to the basement, but instead go searching for food! So naturally, they find themselves in the cafeteria. They create a gigantic stack. As Shaggy and Scooby are eating the food, a large shadow casts over them; it just turns out to be a mouse casting a large shadow. Jean Lebau's ghost sneaks up right behind Shaggy and Scooby as they are laughing at the mouse. They try some of their old antics to get away from the ghost. This includes disguising themselves as cafeteria ladies to trick him.
In the infirmary room, Daphne, Velma and Fred find tracks that match the ones from before and discover that they were coming from some ground-penetrating radar equipment. Somebody has been using it all over the prison. Shaggy and Scooby crash into the rest of the gang and they land on the floor with a thud. Velma looses her glasses again.
Morgan Freeman asks Velma if she's ever considered contact lenses. Velma says that she actually has tried contacts once (while fighting the Creeper) and she even lost those too. Velma puts her glasses back on and quickly runs away from the ghost, whom she mistook for Morgan. Mr Freeman explains the physics of the Scooby-Dooby doors gag while the ghost, the gang and Jeanene chase each other around a block of cells. Suddenly, Jeanene disappears out of nowhere.
Shaggy, thumping his foot impatiently, accidentally triggers a trapdoor, plunging him into a hidden chamber beneath the floor. The group discovers a set of ancient stairs leading them down into the depths of the prison. As they descend, they notice strange symbols etched into the walls, hinting at a dark past.
In a hidden compartment, Daphne discovers the diary of Jean Lebeau, an inmate from 1872. The diary uncovers a sinister plot by Warden Snickerson: he would purposely misdirect ships during storms, causing them to crash on the treacherous shores. The wreckage, loaded with gold and silver, would then be recovered by the prisoners and collected by the warden. Jean Lebeau, a courageous inmate, led an uprising against the corrupt warden, resulting in the prison's demolition and the treasure's disappearance.
The finding of the diary confirms the legend of Jean Lebeau's ghost, who has haunted the prison ever since, a quiet guardian of the lost treasure.
Velma uses her wits and deductive reasoning to find the secret treasure room of Warden Snickerson. In the documentary, the gang explain that this is great since they now have what the ghost wants, it's trapping-time and Scooby is being bait for a whole box of Scooby Snacks!
Scooby, dressed as a king is gleefully claiming a treasure as his own. Suddenly, the emerges from a coffin and gives Scooby a fright, chasing him around the room. Just as the ghost corners Scooby, Fred’s trap springs into action, launching the ghost into a cell. A mysterious hooded figure attempts to help the ghost but is also caught in the trap. Unfortunately, Shaggy and Scooby’s clumsy stunts lead them to the same fate, ending up in their own cell.
According to Velma, the ghost of Jean Lebeau was really Jeremy Snickerson, the great-great-great-grandson of Warden Snickerson. Morgan interrupted to remind the gang that this wasn't the first time they'd unmasked someone they hadn't met before, citing Captain Cutler as an example. The hooded figure turned out to be Jeanene, Jeremy's twin sister. Morgan clarified that the portrait of Warden Snickerson had made Velma suspicious because Jeanene bore a strong family resemblance. After studying Jeanene's credits, Velma found out the Snickerson surname. Meanwhile, Jeremy was utilizing ground-penetrating radar to find the treasure beneath the prison. Once they found the lower levels, the twins could try to loot the treasure for themselves. Having heard the family legend of Warden Snickerson's hidden treasure, the twins had devised a plan to retrieve it. Jeanene had taken a job as a camera operator for Morgan's documentary as a cover, while Jeremy searched for the gold. Their goal was to scare everyone away so they could complete their mission.
After the twins are taken away by the authorities, the gang finds out that Shaggy and Scooby have escaped out of their cell! They had tunneled out ,for what must've seemed like an eternity, for a desperate craving. They went straight to the cafeteria and made piles and piles of food! Morgan steals Scooby's final line.
In a flashback in which Velma loses her contact lenses, the Creeper from the Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! episode Jeepers, It's the Creeper.
After unmasking Jeremy Snickersen as the culprit, Morgan Freeman states that Mystery Inc. has unmasked a culprit they have not met before, pointing to the ghost of Captain Cutler from the Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! episode A Clue for Scooby Doo.
Notes/trivia[]
Velma announces the celebrity guest.
This episode did not air in the United Kingdom due to unknown reasons.
This episode was the thirteenth of the season aired in Australia, as the second part of an omnibus showing, after The Dreaded Remake of Jekyll & Hyde!
Character designs shown in the featurette.
Freeman was first announced as a guest star by Kate Micucci in the "50 Years of Scooby Snacks" featurette on the 50th Anniversary Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! Complete Series Blu-ray set.
In the videos, the frame count (the fourth number in the top left corner) runs to 60 instead of 24 (film) or 30 (US TV).
Although this episode aired on October 1, 2020, the copyright notice reading 2019 Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. can be seen, meaning that this episode was produced in 2019.
When the Mystery Machine crashes into the prison gate, the members of Mystery Inc. are thrown towards the back of the vehicle. However, the laws of physics indicate they should have been thrown forward, the same reason passengers often get ejected through the windshield during car crashes.
Mystery Inc. appears completely unharmed from a crash that, given the circumstances, should have been fatal.
One of the suspects is a caretaker responsible for managing Cheever Penitentiary, despite the prison being abandoned for over a century and in disrepair.
During a flashback, Velma is shown losing her contact lenses while investigating the Creeper. However, in neither Jeepers, It's the Creeper (the Creeper's original appearance in Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!) nor One Minute Mysteries! (the Creeper's reprise in Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?) is Velma seen wearing contact lenses.
Morgan Freeman: Oh, oh. Velma seems to have lost her glasses. Velma: My glasses, I can't see without my glasses! Morgan Freeman: Velma, have you ever considered contact lenses? Velma:(Being interviewed) Actually, Mr Freeman, I tried them once. (Flashback of Velma searching) My contact lens. I can't see without my contact lens! (Back to interview) Glasses are more my style.
Scooby-Doo: Err... I have no self-control.
Morgan Freeman: And they would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for these meddling kids and award winning actor, yours truly, Morgan Freeman. Fred: Ah, Mr. Freeman, I think they were supposed to say that last bit. Jeanene Snickersen: Oh no. No no. That sounded so good. Jeremy Snickersen: Yeah, pretty great having you say it, Mr. Freeman. Thank you. Morgan Freeman: You're welcome.
