"A Spooky Little Ghoul Like You" was one of the 'The 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo' episodes seen later than most of the others, actually think it was the last. On first watch, it was very interesting and very well done and really liked that it tried to do something different to what was seen in the previous six episodes and the next six without feeling too different. Really liked the premise and the title too (the show did have some very interesting horror-related episode titles).
Overtime, "A Spooky Little Ghoul Like You" landed in my top five of the best 'The 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo' (the others being "That's Monstertainment", "Scoobra Kadoobra", "It's a Wonderful Scoob" and "To All the Ghouls I've Loved Before"). As said, it was great to see a different episode, a different dynamic between Vincent and a villain, a weaker-willed Vincent and a different villain goal and also great to see the extent of how much Vincent means to the gang.
It's not a perfect episode. Flim Flam is annoying in the first third, the show did not do a good job toning down his over-zealousness and arrogance (only succeeding in "That's Monstertainment" and to a lesser extent "It's a Wonderful Scoob") and this is one of the worst cases. He also comes over as stupid in not seeing through Nicara's very obvious motivation to begin with and doesn't seem sorry for causing what transpires.
Have never on previous viewings been able to remember what Scrappy contributes to this episode and to this day it's forgettable, which makes him useless here. Some of the animation at the beginning is on the scrappy side.
Conversely, the animation quality does get much better, smoother and more atmosphere once "A Spooky Little Ghoul Like You" gets going. Nicara goes almost Medusa-like visually at one point and it makes for a very scary image. The music is dynamic and not discordant and the theme tune and opening titles sequence will always be memorable. There is some genuine spookiness, not just that Medusa-like moment but also Vincent's first sighting of Nicara and one of the show's creepiest villain defeats.
The episode is also incredibly funny, namely centered around the gang's attempts to foil Nicara. The best ones being when on the river and especially the wedding ceremony. The climax is one of the show's funniest and creepiest at the same time. Nicara is both alluring and freaky, of the 'The 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo's' villains she is a contender for the most dangerous and her plan is the most unique with a different goal than the others. Didn't mind Bogol and Weerd here and their bumbling is more amusing than usual. Can't fault the voice acting, particularly Vincent Price (of course) and Linda Gary in the better of her two vocal contributions of the show (she also voiced Morbidia in "Me and My Shadow Demon").
Summarising, very good. 8/10.
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