Norville Rogers is better known as “Shaggy” but in this iteration of Velma, his character undergoes several changes. the character is voiced by Sam Richardson.
Shaggy’s real name has always been Norville Rogers but in the HBO Max series, the character has been completely altered to fit the modern tone. Norville is portrayed as African American with his father and mother being a mixed-race couple.
Another key note to point out is that Norville has so far not been referred to as “Shaggy” and the possible origins of the nickname might be explored in a future episode.
Character growth
Unlike the original character, this Norville isn’t extremely cowardly. While he certainly fears things the way any normal person would, he doesn’t run away at the first sign of danger.
Another clear distinction in this version is that Norville maintains a strong dislike of recreational drugs and their uses. The original Shaggy perpetuated the stereotype of being a stoner even though it was never explicitly shown due to it being a children’s cartoon.
The creators have chosen to move this new version in the opposite direction and create as much distance from its predecessor as they can.
Another major development in this series is that Norville admits to having feelings for Velma. He shares his deepest feelings with her while trying to help her escape her hallucinations but she takes it all as a joke.
He almost goes as far as selling a kidney to acquire the money she wanted so that he can woo her and is visibly disappointed when he sees her kiss Daphne.