The Scooby factor

"Scooby-Doo 2" topped the box office for its opening weekend, raking in an estimated $30.7 million, yet another testament to the cartoon canine's enduring popularity.

I'm personally baffled by Scooby's long-term appeal -- and Slate's Chris Suellentrop apparently is, too, despite making a respectable effort to explain it:

Acknowledging Scooby's durability is easier than explaining it. Scooby-Doo wormed its way into the culture through years of drip-drip accretion. It's the Cal Ripken of cartoons: Not the best, though certainly not the worst, it just shows up day after day after day, and you end up loving it for it.