This is one of my favorite animated shows of all time as well as movie to TV adaptations. Most movie to TV adaptation are always a hit or miss affair, most tend to disappoint as they fail to replicate the magic of the original source. This show doesn't disappoint as it has plenty of weird magic and comic fuel to boot.
Believe it or not, I saw this animated series before I even seen the film, I never even heard or knew about that 80's film at the time. I did see the film later in life and I really love both as their good in their own ways. This show successfully walks that fine line of being true to its source material but doing its own thing at the same time.
The animation I thought was good, really captures and stays true to the bizarre and funny nature of the film. I really like the Neitherworld which is a fun and fascinating place, it a place that feels like a mix of Salvador Dali and Terry Prachitt fantasy from its surreal comedic nature. There is so much to the place that is a just a buffet for your eyes.
Even like the music is great as the composer Danny Elfman did the music for "Beetlejuice" he also did it for this show, the intro theme to "Beetlejuice" is another one of my favorite themes, it's such a simplistic them but it works as it has that really energetic bizarre tone. Even the into is cool as it really shows your in for one wild bizarre adventure.
But what really powers this show is in characters, story and humor. The humor in the show is great both the visual and verbal jokes work well and are actually pretty clever in tackling absurdist and bizarre humor, but also well written that not just kids will laugh but also teens and adults as this show was also for them.
Like those fake Neitherworld adds which were done with early CGI animation, there just hilarious much like the fake commercials in "Robocop 1 and 2". There is always some fish humanoid salesman that is always selling a bunch or weird sometimes disgusting products but would be a big seller in the Neitherworld.
The characters are great from some of the supporting characters mainly the ones from the Neitherworld, whom are sort of Beetlejuice's friends but kind of not at the same time, though that's mainly no thanks to Beetlejuice's slightly bad habits though in his defense their not any better. From a Frenchman who is a skeleton that is a fitness nut. A tap-dancing female spider. And one favorite of mine is the Cowboy Were Buffalo with his Were Buffalo dog. Each of them really helps in being comic foils for Beetlejuice and Lydia.
Of course, the two characters that really stand out and drive the show are both Beetlejuice and Lydia. Both characters are slightly the same but radically different at the same time from the ones from the movie, for as we see both are friends and are teenagers.
Lydia is pretty much a goth, whom is into everything supernatural and mystical. But she's the straight girl of the bunch, despite how deeply fascinated she's into the unusual and otherworldly, she still has common sense and a down to earth perspective on things.
Beetlejuice is awesome, in this show he's a hero or antihero depending on how you look at it. This guy is just a barrel full of maniac, mischievous energy. Loves to cause mischief, play pranks, get into weird wacky adventures/misadventures. Like that we see this guy has almost limitless powers as it seems like he can just about summon up or even change himself into anything. But just like his unpredictable nature, they are too as we see his powers don't always work when he wants them to, nor do they get him everything he wants.
I know that seems kind of strange but personally I'm fine with that because you honestly don't want to make your characters too powerful otherwise, they become unchallenged. The fact he has some sort of limitations give Beetlejuice mortality and also makes him a bit of an underdog as we see his powers can't summon up money or whatever he wants which goes to show even with great power it doesn't mean you're going to get everything.
But what I like about the guy is he does and express what he simply feels right in his book and not really care what anyone thinks. He's also honest about himself as we see he's not perfect, but he can admit to it and is perfectly fine with that.
I really like the dynamic between both Lydia and him which is fun and kind of sweet in a strange sense. Both are sort of a yin and yang dynamic as both balance each other out. As Beetlejuice helps her have fun, Lydia brings out a caring side which keeps him on the correct path despite his antics.
The episodes are the usual episodic format which works for this show, as each is always something different and unexpected. There are plenty of creative episodes, there are a few favorites of mine like one where Lydia and Beetlejuice get into a Neitherworld video game and must fight their way out of it. I really liked that one as I'm a gamer, so it was funny to see what games from the Neitherworld were like but also just seeing both Lydia and Beetlejuice kick some ass for once.
Another is an annoying fairy godmother is trying to turn the Neitherworld and everyone in it to her version of normal. It's really funny how Beetlejuice and the rest react when all get transformed and are forced to live in 50's sitcomvile, yeah even I would think I'm in Hell.
A third is a parody on "The Twilight Zone", what's funny is how much the episode breaks the fourth wall and pokes fun at all of the cleches and tropes that go on in that show.
Beetlejuice is a tasty drink of hilarity and fun.
Rating: 4 stars
