"Critter Sitters" is the pilot episode of Beetlejuice: TAS. It aired September 9, 1989 on ABC, a little a year and a half after the release of the movie.
Plot[]
Beetlejuice, in the Neitherworld, sings "Day-O" while he goes at the "Shocking" Mall, but realizes he has no money before begging the audience for some. Meanwhile, back on the real world, Lydia sings "Day-O" while riding her bike home from school, saying hello to her dad, Charles, and her pet cat, Percy (who gets spooked by Beetlejuice hidden in the vent, causing Percy to jump on Charles). Lydia goes upstairs only to find her mother, Delia, decorating her room with frilly yellow curtains. As Delia goes to the kitchen, Lydia redecorates her room and recites Beetlejuice's incantation. Beetlejuice arrives, and Lydia tells Beetlejuice about her babysitting business. Lydia goes off to babysit Little Arnlow. Beetlejuice, seeing the chance to make money to buy Lydia an anniversary present, goes into babysitting himself in the Neitherworld, as he babysitting Neither-babies. Little Gooey, Porcupine Baby and Great Huge Baby, are left to him from the Neither-parents, Big Gooey, Porcupine Mom and Great Huge Father
However, things backfire when Beetlejuice needs help from Lydia, who's busy babysitting Arnlow and playing "Attack of the Giant Baby." Lydia and Arnlow go with Beetlejuice into of the Neitherworld. Beetlejuice says "I was a baby", and accidentally transforms himself into a baby. Baby Beetlejuice plays along with the Neither-babies while run along to the "Shocking" Mall. Lydia takes Arnlow to stop Baby Beetlejuice and the Neither-babies at the mall. At the mall, the Neither-babies cause mischief as they made a mess at the Neither-mall. Lydia tries get Baby Beetlejuice to say "Beetlejuice is an adult again" and eventually succeeds. Beetlejuice's regrows, but the Neither-Police Cops orders everyone, including Beetlejuice and Lydia, to come out of Neither-Mall. Beetlejuice goes on trial at the Neithercourt for his most recently mischievous acts.
The verdict for Beetlejuice is "Guilty," but just as Mr. Nethertorture is about to pull the "Guilty" switch as Beetlejuice faces the Sandworm. Lydia and Arnlow arrive, and Lydia she proves Beetlejuice's innocence. Judge Mental raises his thumbs up so Mr. Nethertorture pulls the "Innocent" lever, releasing Beetlejuice. He tap dances in delight with Lydia. Seeing Judge Mental unhappy, Beetlejuice tells the truth about Lydia and the Neither-babies. Judge Mental declares Beetlejuice guilty once again, and Mr. Nethertorture pulls the "Guilty" lever. Beetlejuice holds onto the cage bars, avoiding the sandworms attempting to eat him. The Neither-Attorney catches Lydia, who calls out to Great Huge Baby. Great Huge Baby lifts the Neithercourt ceiling up and pulls Beetlejuice's cage to safety. One the sandworms, though, burrows through the floor. Arnlow goes to the sand areas with the sandworm with Beetlejuice, so Lydia orders Beetlejuice to say the magcial cheesy Jack-in-a-Box sentence to scare the sandworm, and flies along to saves Arnlow. Finally, the sandworm, who's had enough, tries to escape, but Great Huge Baby grabs the Judge's gavel and hits a sandworm on the head, causing it to retreat. Lydia proves Beetlejuice's innocence by telling a story about Beetlejuice deserves a second chance. Judge Arnlow freely releases Beetlejuice. Mr. Neither-attorney orderes Beetlejuice to pay the ultimate price for all the damages he caused, but Beetlejuice snaps his fingers and the Neither-Babies rush to cause mischief for Mr. Neither-Attorney. Beetlejuice and Lydia celebrate their anniversary party, as he has "A Pair of Pants", which really look like those lips, and Lydia has a Spider Brooch. They hug each other and Beetlejuice spins his own head causing Lydia to laugh.
Cast[]
- Beetlejuice (played by Stephen Ouimette)
- Lydia Deetz (played by Alyson Court)
- Delia Deetz (played by Elizabeth Hanna)
- Charles Deetz (played by Roger Dunn)
- Percy (played by Susan Roman)
- Judge Mental (played by Len Carlson)
- Jacques LaLean (played by Charles Kerr)
- Ginger (played by Tabitha St. Germain; as Paulina Gillis)
Trivia[]
- In this pilot episode (meaning the first episode) of the animated series, the bridge on which the Maitlands (Adam and Barbara) died in the movie appears at the beginning.
- Also referencing the 1988 live-action movie, Beetlejuice and Lydia are both singing variations of the Banana Boat song (Day-O; originally performed by Harry Belafonte) when they are first seen.
- This episode is based on the babysitting sequence from the movie "Three Men and a Baby" (1987).
- Whenever Lydia wants to visit Beetlejuice in the Neitherworld, she says a special chant at a table with a kerosene lamp in the middle of her room: "Though I know I should be wary, Still I venture someplace scary; Ghostly haunting I turn loose... Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice!" And with that Lydia's room turns into a medieval castle. The table and lamp disappear and Lydia turns the tablecloth from the table that wraps around her into a red poncho. This sequence appears again in Bewitched, Bothered & Beetlejuiced
- This episode marks the first time Beetlejuice broke the 4th wall in the show.
Pictures[]
See all image pictures in this episode.
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