Top 10 Best Beetlejuice Cartoon Moments

“Critter Sitters”

The “Beetlejuice” series changed several elements from the 1988 film that inspired it. Namely, Beetlejuice is now Lydia’s friend rather than an antagonist who wants to marry her. However, the show doesn’t forget its roots with Lydia singing “Day-O” in the first episode. She also summons the Ghost with the Most using three familiar words. Actually, it’s the same word repeated three times. While Lydia regularly calls upon Beetlejuice throughout the show, the pilot had the best buildup with dark shadows, creepy music, and a haunting rhyme. Once Lydia completes her chant, her room and wardrobe are transformed as the music cranks it up to eleven. Animation studio Nelvana went the extra mile with this sequence, culminating in Beetlejuice arriving at the party.

“Bizarre Bazaar”

Beetlejuice may be vile, but nothing is more sickening than Claire Brewster’s waspy attitude. Whenever the upper-class Claire clashes with the gothic Lydia, Beetlejuice is never too far away to serve her just desserts. While there are several examples, the most satisfying instance involves a nightmarish rollercoaster. After Lydia remodels her not-so-scary haunted house ride, Claire is characteristically critical. Rather than send her on the real ride, Beetlejuice puts her on the fast track to the Neitherworld where she encounters Jacques the skeleton, Ginger the spider, and a sandworm as a grand finale. The hair-raising ordeal scares Claire away from working with Lydia on any more school projects, although if you ask us, this should be an actual theme park experience.

“Scummer Vacation”

Lydia’s parents are constantly exposed to the anarchy of the afterlife. Yet, they remain oblivious to what’s right under their noses. On a vacation to the Neitherworld, Delia and Charles nearly lose their noses, along with the rest of their heads. Stumbling upon what they think is a historical reenactment, the couple meets skeleton versions of Napoleon Bonaparte and Marie Antoinette. We get why Antoinette is headless, although Napoleon died from stomach cancer. Historical inaccuracies aside, Delia and Charles are headed to the guillotine next. Delia, in particular, cracks us up with her cluelessly chipper attitude, even when blindfolded as a blade looms over her neck. Were it not for Beetlejuice’s feet and Lydia’s driving skills, Delia and Charles would’ve become permanent Neitherworld residents.

“It’s a Wonderful Afterlife”

In this parody of “It’s a Wonderful Life,” Beetlejuice sees what the Neitherworld would be like if he were never born. Or would it be if he never died in this case? Let’s just say if Beetlejuice ceased to exist. He finds that his friends have become vain jerks, although honestly, they’re all more successful without Beetlejuice around to cause mischief. There is one exception. Lydia hasn’t lost her gothic flair, but her confidence has been drained with no Beetlejuice to liven things up. When he approaches her, Lydia doesn’t recognize him, but there’s still a connection that encourages Beetlejuice to get his old afterlife back. For all the gross-out humor and puns, this friendship gave the show a beating heart.

“Wizard of Ooze”

“Beetlejuice” spoofs “The Wizard of Oz” in this episode, which casts Lydia as Dorothy. Lydia’s arrival in Ooze contains some of the best jokes, most notably a pretty accurate description of almost every politician who ever lived. If only they were all this honest. This mayor won’t be seeking reelection, as Lydia inadvertently drops a school on him. Lydia is introduced to the beetle-like munchkins, who work in a few clever gags about the gray areas of the public domain. They can reference L. Frank Baum’s books, but singing any songs from the MGM musical is off-limits. From there, Lydia encounters several familiar faces filling “Oz” roles. The munchkins also resurface, although they don’t stick around long thanks to a hungry Beetlejuice.

“Poe Pourri”

Beetlejuice was bound to cross paths with Edgar Allan Poe eventually. In death, Mr. Poe lives out his stories, searching for his lost Lenore. During his lifetime, Poe’s writing didn’t make him an especially wealthy man. We guess he collected residuals in the afterlife, as the late poet throws cash at Beetlejuice. Looking to exploit his wealth and sadness, Beetlejuice keeps the weeping Poe around. The writer comes with some emotional baggage, including a rhyming raven, a tell-tale heart, and a swinging pendulum. Who says “Beetlejuice” can’t be educational? The nightmares that Poe has unleashed seemingly come to an end when he’s finally reunited with Lenore. Since Poe wasn’t exactly known for happy endings, though, Beetlejuice can’t quite escape the cycle.

“Skeletons in the Closet”

In the Neitherworld, lies manifest in the form of ghostly skeletons. Every lie means another skeleton is added to your closet. As you can imagine, Beetlejuice’s closet is fuller than others. Running out of room, the skeletons inevitably break free. In addition to airing Beetlejuice’s dirty laundry, one of Lydia’s lies gets out as well. The concept is creative and the skeletons are among the show’s eerier creatures with whispery voices that flow through the air like a chilling breeze. While the skeletons expose Beetlejuice for the scoundrel he is, they also bring out his softer side, revealing that he actually likes the long-suffering Jacques. Lydia is his best friend, though, a truth that ultimately saves the day.

“Spooky Boo-tique”

Business isn’t booming when Lydia and her friends open a creepy clothing store. To attract more customers, Beetlejuice comes up with a hypnotic jingle that entrances everybody in town. Sales go through the roof, but supply and demand can be dangerous. We don’t know about you, but the lyrics, “Shop til you freak at the Spooky Boo-tique,” have been living rent-free in our heads for over 30 years now. We’ll just be going about our day-to-day lives when suddenly, our subconscious will send this infectious song up to headquarters. We can’t say that we were possessed like the people of Peaceful Pines, but this moment definitely left a lasting impression. In that sense, perhaps Beetlejuice really does have mind-control powers.

“The Chromazone”

Watching TV, Beetlejuice happens upon “The Chromazone,” a send-up of “The Twilight Zone.” No matter how many times Beetlejuice changes the channel, he can’t escape host Tod Sperling, who pulls him into the television. The Rod Serling caricature reveals that the characters he created have taken over his show, enlisting Beetlejuice’s help. The premise is inventive enough to be in an actual “Twilight Zone” episode. There’s a clear admiration for what the episode is satirizing with a plethora of in-jokes and fourth wall breaks. It wouldn’t be a “Twilight Zone” parody without a twist ending. The episode amounts to a conclusion that not only pays homage to “The Twilight Zone,” but also the second-greatest horror anthology series of all time, “Alfred Hitchcock Presents.”

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Prince Vince, “Prince of the Neitherworld”
It’s No Coincidence That Vince Resembles the Titular Character From Tim Burton’s “Vincent”

Cursed Village, “Brinkadoom”
A Nod to the Musical “Brigadoon”

Getting Canceled, “What Makes B.J. Run”
A Reminder That Network Heads Know Nothing

Bringing a Tree to Life, “Spooky Tree”
We’re Surprised That Beetlejuice Didn’t Kick This Tree Over

Beetlejuice’s Two Sides, “Not So Peaceful Pines”
The Series Ends With Double the Beetlejuice & Double the Fun

“To Beetle or Not to Beetle”

Helping Lydia to brush up on her Shakespeare, Beetlejuice introduces her to characters like Hamlet, both parts of Henry the IV, and Julius Caesar, leading to some of the funniest wordplay in the entire series. The standout encounter is with Puck from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Growing annoyed with Beetlejuice, the fairy makes him look like a donkey… or as Beetlejuice puts it, “Nobody makes a jackass out of me!” For young viewers who had already seen the live-action film, this might not have been on par with Michael Keaton’s f-bomb. For a cartoon aimed at kids that aired on Saturday mornings and weekday afternoons, though, you have to wonder how this made it past the censors. Regardless, the episode encourages kids to study Shakespeare. So parents can’t complain!

What’s your favorite “Beetlejuice” episode? Let us know in the comments.