Television series

The Little Mermaid

Name: The Little Mermaid
Genre: Drama, Adventure
Released: 1992
Cast: Jodi Benson, Samuel E. Wright, Edan Gross, Kenneth Mars, Danny Cooksey

Other titles called The Little Mermaid: the 1989 film, the 2023 film, the 2023 film.

Fairy tale
Light-hearted

A prequel to Disney's 1989 film, this animated series follows young Ariel's underwater adventures before she dreams of the human world. It's brightly coloured, earnestly plotted, and faithful to the film's tone—perfect for children who've worn out their VHS copy and want more of the same warmth and wonder, without the life-changing love story.

TVMaze rating

4.0

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you enjoy a light, bite-sized visit to the film's underwater world, where Sebastian's bickering and Flounder's loyalty do most of the heavy lifting.

Skip it if the episodes run on a fairly formulaic rhythm of small threats and quick fixes, which can feel thin if you came for the film's emotional weight.

What it asks of you: Each episode runs about twenty-five minutes, so it takes little of your evening, rarely lingers on anything heavy, and lets you drop in and out without losing the thread.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

DuckTales2017

Another Disney afternoon adventure series with the same energy and quality animation. Scrooge McDuck and his nephews have the same blend of humour for adults and genuine stakes that made The Little Mermaid work.

But It's 1980s Saturday-morning TV, which means some plot shortcuts and tonal whiplash between comedy and peril that might feel dated.

Chip 'N Dale Rescue Rangers1989

Clever, funny, and genuinely inventive within its constraints. The same spirit of adventure, with better jokes and a cast dynamic that rewards paying attention to how they interact.

But Stylistically very much of its era—if you find that animation style irritating, nothing here will change your mind.

Batman: The Animated Series1992

The gold standard of 90s animated adventure. Impeccable voice work, film-noir atmosphere, and stories that work for children and adults simultaneously. If you love quality voice acting, this is the apex.

But Gotham is a very different place from Atlantica, and the tone is considerably darker and more serious throughout.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Little Mermaid

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Splash1984

Both explore Ariel's fascination with the human world through the lens of an outsider watching a completely foreign civilization—but this film takes that theme seriously as romance and existential crisis rather than adventure.

The live-action film that likely inspired the Disney animation: a mermaid falls for a human, music by Giorgio Moroder, Tom Hanks being charming before he was a megastar. It's romantic, funny, and surprisingly smart about what it means to be caught between two worlds.

But It's very much an 80s romantic comedy—if that decade's sensibility feels corny to you, this won't change your mind. Also considerably less wholesome than the animated series.

The Proud Family2001

A modern take on the animated adventure-comedy formula with stronger writing and better character chemistry. It grows beyond its premise in ways worth following.

But It's set in contemporary America rather than a fantasy world, which might feel like a step down if you're chasing that sense of wonder.

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power2018

Animated adventure with excellent voice acting, strong friendships, and episodes that matter. Builds a world you want to live in and characters you genuinely care about.

But It's thematically complex and sometimes heavy—aimed at a slightly older audience than The Little Mermaid's core demographic.

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power poster

Moana2016

Both feature a resourceful young female protagonist defined by her relationship to the sea and by defying her father's expectations. The structural DNA is nearly identical, but Moana asks harder questions about what it means to be bound to home.

A Disney film about a young woman navigating identity, duty, and the ocean itself. Stunning animation, Lin-Manuel Miranda's music, and genuine emotional weight. It's what modern Disney adventure looks like.

But It's substantially more sophisticated and thematic—if you're after simple adventure, it has more to chew on than you might want.

The NeverEnding Story1984

Both are animated/fantasy adventures about young protagonists discovering agency within their worlds, but The NeverEnding Story is a meditation on storytelling itself, whereas Mermaid is a straightforward adventure—different registers of the same impulse to wonder.

A child enters a magical realm and discovers the fantasy world is real, matters, and is dying. Extraordinary practical effects, a score that will haunt you, and genuine philosophical depth about imagination itself. It earns its emotional beats.

But It's melancholic and sometimes frightening—this is not a bright children's adventure, it's a story about loss and responsibility that happens to star a boy and a luck dragon.