Everyone Hates The Shitty, Cheap Flounder From ‘The Little Mermaid Live!’
"To the person who made puppet Flounder... WHO HURT YOU?"
In celebration of 30 years since we were blessed with The Little Mermaid, even though we didn’t ask, ABC gave us the musical television event, The Little Mermaid Live!
Not to be confused with the highly-anticipated live-action film adaptation of the original, the TV special was filmed in front of a live audience and broadcast last night in the US.
Boasting an impressive cast including the likes of Queen Latifah as Ursula, Auli’I Cravalho as Ariel and Shaggy as Sebastian, the question on everyones lips was who would play Flounder. If you’ve ever watched The Little Mermaid, you know what an integral part of the story he plays as Ariels best fish friend.
Unfortunately for everyone, no one played Flounder. Instead the decision was made that Flounder would be a puppet controlled by three different puppeteers.
Making his appearance in the iconic ‘Part of Your World’ scene, Flounders appearance shocked everyone. The demonic flounder is featured at 2.50 onwards, if your eyes can handle it.
In the comments of the video, viewers couldn’t even focus on Auli’I’s vocals because they were so distracted by Flounders kid’s art project-style appearance.
The reception on Twitter wasn’t all that warm either, with people questioning why Flounder looked so cheap, and well, that damn scary.
[Six minutes before the #LittleMermaidLive began]
DIRECTOR: Crap, we forgot about Flounder!
PRODUCER: I can go to Party City.
DIRECTOR: Hurry. Here’s exactly $5. pic.twitter.com/M5ADmzuaL8
— Mike “MattinglysSideburns” Beauvais (@MikeBeauvais) November 6, 2019
You vs. the flounder she told you not to worry about. #TheLittleMermaidLive pic.twitter.com/YWYY1XFF4K
— Tyler Roney (@TylerJRoney) November 6, 2019
Me enjoying #TheLittleMermaidLive then the the live flounder appears… pic.twitter.com/DvpvHePrPq
— Scott (@Scottomack9) November 6, 2019
Judging by his face, Live-Action Flounder def accidentally let out a fart #TheLittleMermaidLive pic.twitter.com/lAfNj4PjtD
— Charlie Kleiner (@ckleiner20) November 6, 2019
Therapist: the Flounder puppet from #TheLittleMermaidLive isn’t real and can’t hurt you
The Flounder pupet from Little Mermaid Live: pic.twitter.com/vkhQxtwNHr— Em (@princessdiva702) November 6, 2019
Posted Photo vs Tagged Photo #TheLittleMermaidLive pic.twitter.com/RqRjEzkBzl
— Ashley (@HudsandKisses) November 6, 2019
The disappointment only continued once Shaggy took stage as Sebastian the crab. Dressed in red jeans, a red jacket, red shoes and no claws, one YouTube user described as the outfit as “the ‘Thriller’ uniform.” The sentiments continued onto Twitter where others expressed their confusion.
This is Shaggy as Sebastian in the Little Mermaid Live!
His crab costume is red jeans and a red leather jacket.
Ok. pic.twitter.com/oRkrmvHrCB
— Diana (@artemis_nieves) November 6, 2019
So dancers got a crab costume and shaggy just dressed in red… #TheLittleMermaidLive pic.twitter.com/3Uuq9j8Jda
— LillieAnn (@lillieann98) November 6, 2019
The fact that Shaggy just put on a red leather coat ? https://t.co/AOQRQCUzX4
— Matthew A. Cherry (@MatthewACherry) November 5, 2019
Well… here’s hoping for a little more in the costume and props department with the live-action film.