The Tar Monster

The Tar Monster is the fifth episode of the third season of Scooby Doo Where Are You!, and the thirtieth episode overall in the series. It was later repackaged as the fifth episode of the third season of The Scooby-Doo Show, and the twenty-ninth episode overall in the series.
== Summary ==
The gang head to Turkey to visit their friend, Dr. Brixton, who has discovered a buried city that has remained untouched for thousands of years. Dr. Brixton informs the gang that his workers were all frightened off by a tar monster, so the digging had be postponed. The underground city was said to be guarded by the monster, who protected the ancient treasure and has kidnapped Stoner, one of the professor's assistants.
After a brief encounter with the tar monster, the gang follow his tracks to a nearby tar pool. There they find an ancient piece of pottery. The next day, they head down to the ancient city with Dr. Brixton, who discovers that the ancient treasure has been stolen. The gang searches for clues, and finds pottery similar to that found the night before, as well as another tar pool. The monster gives chase to Shaggy and Scooby while they search. Fred, Velma, and Daphne find the final clue when they discover a map of the underground city. They trap the monster, who turns out to be Stoner. He used an air compressor and a scuba suit to swim through the tar pools so he could steal the treasure. After he was arrested, the gang uses the map to find the missing treasure. They locate it behind a hidden wall in the inner sanctum.
== Characters ==
* Mystery Inc.
** Scooby-Doo
** Shaggy Rogers
** Fred Jones
** Daphne Blake
** Velma Dinkley
* Professor Brixton (only appearance)
* Kareem (only appearance)
* Ben Gazi (only appearance)(no lines)
* Tar Monster (only appearance)(no lines)(Mr. Stoner's disguise)
* Workers (only appearance)(no lines)(flashback only)
* Spider (only appearance)(no lines)
== Locations ==
* Turkey
** Underground City of Byzantius
== Suspects ==
Suspect 	Motive/reason
Kareem 	He looked suspicious after the gang arrived.
Ben Gazi	His creepy behavior and frightening appearance.
=== Culprits ===
Culprit 	Motive/reason
Stoner as the Tar Monster	To rob treasures from the buried city
== Cast ==
Don Messick 	Scooby-Doo
Spider
Casey Kasem 	Shaggy Rogers
Frank Welker 	Fred Jones
Mr. Stoner
Heather North 	Daphne Blake
Pat Stevens 	Velma Dinkley
Michael Bell 	Tar Monster
Henry Corden 	Kareem
John Stephenson	Professor Brixton
== Trivia ==
* It is established that Shaggy can play wood instruments and percussion instruments.
* The gang told their college friend Eric Staufer about this case, and he used the cyber Tar Monster in his computer game in the direct-to-video film Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase.
* The name Byzantius is a reference to Byzantium, an ancient Greek city located in present-day Turkey that became Constantinople, and later Istanbul.
=== Adaptations ===
* In the live-action theatrical film Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, the gang faced the Tar Monster in Byzantius, and its costume was later put on display at the Coolsonian Criminology Museum. During the film, it was one of the costumes brought to life by Jonathan Jacobo, in his revenge against the gang.
=== Goofs ===
* When Shaggy climbs into the back of the Mystery Machine, the gang's luggage disappears. When the camera zooms in on Scooby's tail, the luggage returns.
* When Freddy and the girls find a workman's toolkit, Daphne asks, "What's it doing way back here?" but Velma's mouth is moving.
== Availability ==
* Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!: The Complete Third Season DVD set released by Warner Home Video on April 10, 2007.
* Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!: The Complete Series (limited edition) DVD set released by Warner Home Video on November 9, 2010.
* Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!: The Complete Series DVD set released by Warner Home Video on November 21, 2011.
* Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!: The Complete Series DVD set released by Warner Home Video on November 13, 2012.
== Quotes ==
== Gallery ==
File:TarMonster01.jpg
File:Stoner.png
File:6018.png
File:6020.png
File:6021.png
File:6022.png
File:6023.png
 
Category:TV Episodes
Category:Scooby-Doo
Category:Scooby Doo Where Are You!
Category:Scooby-Doo Where Are You! episodes
Category:The Scooby-Doo Show
Category:The Scooby-Doo Show episodes
Category:The Funtastic Index