Scrappy is a character who was conceived in the 1970s and appeared on Hanna-Barbera television animation. He was created as a new element to re-energize the show and help it get past its stale scripting problems. He had to have some kind of special ability, or at least a gimmick that made him stand out from the crowd and give the series a fresh lease of life.
When he first appeared, he was a snarky twerp who over-reacted to everything and was aggressively shoved into scenes. By the time he got to his second season, however, he had toned down a lot. He still was a bit of a twerp and a jerk, but he had become more tenable. He also was able to be more interesting and had a few memorable catchphrases.
In the modern era of Scooby-Doo, Scrappy has been toned down and recast many times, often paired with Daphne to make them more like Shaggy and Scooby’s real partners. This has been a relatively successful strategy, but it hasn’t helped to make the current series more interesting or believable.
Eventually, he was dropped from the franchise. His fans, of course, aren’t pleased. Some of them became so irritated with him that they even turned him into a villain in the 2002 live-action movie. They’ve made him into a derogatory term, referring to late-addition characters rejected by fans and sent away with a tragic death scene or simply ejected from the show.
Other names for Scrappies include Misaimed Fandom, Unpopular Popular Character, and Creator’s Pet. These characters are regarded as being the worst, even though they aren’t the baddies; they’re the least likable, and the audience reaction to them can be visceral and sometimes over-the-top.
There are a few reasons for this reaction, one being that Scrappies tend to be sarcastic and off-color in their portrayal of others. They can make people laugh, but they can also make them cry.
Another reason for the reaction is that scrappy characters are often viewed as less serious than the protagonists. They might have a cheesy or annoying voice or tics that can make them seem crass or sexist.
These traits are often accompanied by a lack of respect for other characters and their feelings. The audience’s reaction to a scrappy character can be a strong indicator of how serious a show is, or whether it needs more depth and substance in its writing.
If a show is in serious trouble, then the writers may decide to tone down a scrappy character. This can be done through various means, including changing them to be more logical and relatable, or removing them entirely from the series. They can also be made into a villain, a snarky narrator or a tragic figure who causes more damage than he or she is worth.