Velma' review: Mindy Kaling and company try to milk grown-up laughs out of 'Scooby-Doo's' pre-dog days on HBO Max

“This is my story, told my way,” the title character narrates at the outset of “Velma,” an adult-oriented take on “Scooby-Doo” that demonstrates the limits of stretching what amounts to a one-note joke into a series. Sporadically witty but ultimately rather tedious, the HBO Max comedy leverages more than a half-century of name equity to yield an animated prequel that’s definitely not for kids, meddling or otherwise.

Velma': HBO Max trailer teases a fun origin story for the 'Scooby Doo' character

Mindy Kaling's new Velma series slammed for sexualizing its 15-year-old characters

Velma' review: 'Harley Quinn' meets 'Riverdale' in HBO Max's meta mystery

Mindy Kaling is Velma in New Trailer for Adult Scooby-Doo Spinoff

Mindy Kaling To Play Velma In Scooby-Doo Prequel

Mindy Kaling's Velma Is Asian, White People Are NOT Okay

Mindy Kaling To Play Velma In Scooby-Doo Prequel

Velma': Mindy Kaling and Cast Talk Backlash, Scooby's Absence at NYCC

Mindy Kaling's Velma: 8 reasons the show failed