As a kid, Beetlejuice: The Animated Series was my gateway into the weird and wonderful. I didn't fully grasp the Tim Burton film it was based on, but the cartoon? That was my jam. It was spooky without being scary, funny without being too grown-up, and just the right amount of bizarre to keep my little brain buzzing.
Looking back now, I'd give it a solid 7/10. The show takes the skeletal framework of the movie and spins it into something entirely its own. Beetlejuice is less menacing and more mischievous-a fourth-wall-breaking, pun-slinging ghost with a flair for the theatrical. His friendship with Lydia is oddly wholesome, even if their adventures in the Neitherworld are anything but.
The animation is bold and surreal, with twisted landscapes and grotesque characters that feel like they crawled out of a haunted sketchbook. As a kid, I loved how unpredictable it was-one minute you're in a sandworm-infested desert, the next you're at a monster beauty pageant. It didn't always make sense, but that was part of the fun.
Rewatching it now, I appreciate how clever some of the writing is, even if the humor leans heavily on wordplay and slapstick. It's not deep, but it's inventive. Lydia's goth-girl intellect and Beetlejuice's chaotic energy make for a dynamic duo that somehow works, even when the plot goes off the rails.
It's not for everyone, but if you like your cartoons with a dash of macabre and a whole lot of personality, Beetlejuice delivers. For me, it's a nostalgic ride through the weird side of childhood-one I'm glad I took.
Want to dig into more spooky animated series or explore how cartoons handled the supernatural back in the day? I've got a few eerie picks up my sleeve.
