by Mike Hilty, Contributing Writer
Welcome to Cross-Platform Partners! In honor of a new movie release, I have selected a TV show to watch to pair with the movie. Think of it as a way to get hyped for the new movie, a preview of things to come, a means to tide you over if the movie won’t be released where you live for a little while, or a change of pace if you’ve run out of related movies or sequels.
For September, I picked the animated Beetlejuice seriesto pair with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice!
Legacy sequels are all the rage right now. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice was a long-awaited sequel to a dormant series. Taking away the Broadway musical that came out recently, and a handful of old video games, the only other content to come out of this franchise is a hit animated Saturday morning cartoon.
Beetlejuice, the animated series, revolves around the titular character (voiced by Stephen Ouimette) as he has wild adventures in both the human world and Neitherworld. Befriended and accompanied by his friend Lydia (Alyson Court), Beetlejuice gets into all kinds of wacky hijinx and antagonizes people and creatures from various realms.
For an animated series, I immediately noticed the difference in tone from the movie. The character of Beetlejuice is more of a jokester than someone who haunts and scares people. Admittedly, this was a great decision, because it allows kids to laugh at him, rather than be scared of what he could bring to the table. Lydia and Beetlejuice being friends is also a significant departure. In the movie, Beetlejuice haunts Lydia and her family, and he tries to scare them out of their house. They have an adventure in each episode.
The character of Lydia is also different. Winona Ryder is Lydia Deetz through and through, but this version is more positive and quirky than Ryder’s interpretation. Lydia often disagrees with Beetlejuice, saying he goes overboard with his pranks. However, when the two are together and the other is in trouble, they will go to each other’s aid in whatever is needed.
The series is episodic, so you can drop in whenever you want and not feel lost. Like any animated sitcom, there are stronger episodes versus some of the adventures that feel forced or out of place. As the series gets into later seasons, there’s a clear distinction in story by referencing topics, other shows, and other movies. Watching these as an adult made me appreciate these references more, and now I understand them.
From an animation standpoint, the vibrant colors make for a zany adventure. All the colors are bright in the human world, making everything feel alive. I’m sure it was part of the point to make the world of the living feel more lively. In the Neitherworld, though, the creature design is more rigid, and the color palette is muted. I enjoyed the animation style and the stark difference between the two worlds.
The most substantial part of the series is the music. Thankfully, Danny Elfman returned to score the theme song and the series’ music. His fingerprints are all over, and I always looked forward to hearing each episode — you’re not going to see me skipping the title sequence, because the theme song is dynamite. Also, Tim Burton returns to produce, so he understands the character in a way that not many other people would.
Beetlejuice, the animated series, is a rare success for a movie turned into a TV show. The style suits kids, but the character’s spirit is still intact with Elfman and Burton back on board. Changes from the movie to the TV show don’t detract from a fun addition to a Saturday morning cartoon lineup.
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