Common Sense Media Review
Spin-off sinks for everyone except besotted fans.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 5+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
What's the Story?
THE LITTLE MERMAID is a spin-off of the popular movie. In each episode, Ariel (voiced by Jodi Benson) has a problem, which intensifies and is then solved.
Is It Any Good?
Ariel, Sebastian (Samuel E. Wright), and the rest of the familiar characters are still splashing about, but the story lines are generally weak. Unfortunately, the most mesmerizing thing about this Mermaid is Ariel's flowing hair.
Trite and uninspired, this is a single-episode cartoon, broken up by Toon Disney's commercials at frequent intervals. It employs a sitcom formula that doesn't leave much room for the fun and magic the movie did so well. Some episodes don't even resolve the initial problem, leaving even the youngest viewer wondering what happened to, for example, the harp Ariel wanted to play.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the moral lessons within each episode, although it's worth noting that it's frequently Ariel's father who's the target of the lessons, rather than Ariel herself. Should the king expect Ariel to follow his dreams rather than her own? Should Ariel obey her father? Are there times when it's OK not to follow the rules?
TV Details
- Premiere date : September 11, 1992
- Network : Toon Disney
- Genre : Kids' Animation
- Topics : Animals ( Ocean Creatures )
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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