Beetlejuice (TV series)

Did You Know?

• The series' humor relied heavily on sight gags, wordplay, and allusiveness.
• Many episodes, notably towards the end of the series' run, were parodies of movies, books, and TV shows.

Characters

Stephen Ouimette voices Beetlejuice, the main character adapted from the 1988 movie. He is still a trickster, but his personality is softer here—less rude and more likable. He keeps his magical powers, like changing shape, making objects appear, and teleporting, which he uses for laughs. Unlike the film, he is Lydia’s best friend, not her enemy. Much of the humor comes from his way with words, as sayings he uses turn into real events. He often tries to make money or pull off big pranks, but his stunts are more playful than mean. Alyson Court voices Lydia Deetz, a gothic preteen and Beetlejuice’s closest friend. She is creative, smart, and more grown-up than other kids her age, which makes fitting in at school hard. She loves art, photography, books, and spooky things, so classmates see her as odd, but she fits right in the Neitherworld. She can call Beetlejuice or go to his world by saying his name three times. He helps her feel confident and unique, while she keeps him on the right path. Roger Dunn voices Charles Deetz, Lydia’s father. He is easygoing, likes birdwatching and baseball, and often gets pranked by Beetlejuice, though the ghost seems to care about him. Elizabeth Hanna voices Delia Deetz, Lydia’s quirky stepmother. She calls herself an artist and cook, and her strange creations are not popular with humans but are a hit in the Neitherworld. Her odd nature means she does not scare easily. Lydia’s school friends include Bertha, voiced by Tara Charendoff, who also likes unusual things, and Prudence, voiced by Paulina Gillis, who is quiet and loves books. Her main rival at school is Claire Brewster, also voiced by Tara Charendoff, a spoiled, self-centered girl who often fights with Lydia and gets pranked by Beetlejuice.

Production

After the 1988 Beetlejuice movie became a hit with critics and audiences, Warner Bros. Television created an animated spin-off. The show was produced by Canada's Nelvana Ltd., The Geffen Film Company, and Tim Burton, Inc. It first aired on ABC on September 9, 1989. The series was a huge success for ABC in its early seasons. It later became one of the first cartoons to air on Fox's weekday afternoon children's block while still running on ABC's Saturday morning lineup, making it an early example of a show airing on two different U.S. broadcast networks at the same time. To make it suitable for kids, the story changed from the movie. In the series, Beetlejuice and Lydia are best friends. Beetlejuice is more of a playful prankster, and Lydia has a quirky, upbeat personality. Lydia often visits the Neitherworld (renamed from the Afterlife) to have adventures with Beetlejuice. These adventures might include fun activities, Lydia rescuing Beetlejuice from trouble, or her scolding him for trying a get-rich-quick scheme.

Merchandise

In 1990, the Beetlejuice animated series spawned a wave of merchandise, including Dart trading cards, a Panini sticker album and activity book, a Golden jigsaw puzzle, a coloring book, novels, a lunchbox and thermos set, Valentines, a Party Creations centerpiece, a Hi Tech Expressions PC game, a Rare Game Boy title, and six PVC figures from Burger King Kids' Meals. Kenner, which had made the film's action figures, started developing figures for the cartoon but never finished the project; at least one prototype has surfaced online. After a gap of over three decades, CultureFly released vinyl figures of Beetlejuice and Lydia in 2024, marking the first licensed merchandise in that time. Warner Bros. put out most of season one on six VHS tapes by December 21, 1993. In September 2008, three episodes ("A-Ha!", "Skeletons in the Closet", and "Spooky Boo-tique") appeared as extras on the film's 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition DVD. Time Life acquired the rights in 2012 and planned a DVD release. Shout! Factory then issued Beetlejuice – The Complete Series on Region 1 DVD as an Amazon exclusive on May 28, 2013, with season one also hitting retail stores that day. Seasons two and three followed on March 18, 2014. On June 25, 2024, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment re-released the complete series on Region 1 DVD to tie in with the theatrical debut of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Around that time, the show also became available for transactional video on demand through retailers like Amazon Prime Video and the iTunes Store.