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A quick review of 3-part podcast series that rips apart Disney's The Little Mermaid
Podcast Name: Revisionist History
Where You Can Find It: Listen on the Pushkin Industries Revisionist History page or in your favorite podcast player, look for them in Season 6 (July & August 2021)
Average Episode Length: 37 minutes each
Episodes Listened To: All three episodes in the series
I like Malcolm Gladwell's Revisionist History podcast, but I have to admit that I don't listen to every episode.
Sometimes the titles and episode descriptions grab me, sometimes they don't.
This was one of those times when the description grabbed me and wouldn't let go.
What It's About
On each episode of Revisionist History, Gladwell goes deep on a topic or event. Sometimes these are things from far back in history, sometimes more recent. He dissects and asks questions (sometimes really "out there" questions) and then does his best to get to the bottom of things.
In the recent 3-episode series about The Little Mermaid, Gladwell and several guests dig into to the original story, written by Hans Christian Andersen, and Disney's animated musical version from the 1990s.
These Episodes Have Something for Everyone
I was coming of age when this Disney movie became a mega hit, so I was keen to listen to Gladwell's "revised" version of it (and of Disney's formula for subsequent mega-hits like Aladdin, The Lion King, and countless others).
I'm not a parent, so it's been at least 20 years since I've watched The Little Mermaid, but that doesn't matter. These episodes have something for everybody, no matter your gender or parental status, or your experience with this particular movie.
I went into the series expecting a lot of talk about feminism, because, I mean, come on...the story is ripe for criticism. But feminism and female roles are only part of the conversation; there's a lot more to consider about the messages in this movie. The discussion and facts about the movie's origin story will surprise you and give you some thoughts to chew on.
At one point, there's discussion about the rise of "adult" jokes in popular shows targeted to kids, and I was like "YEEEEES!" when I heard this (there were multiple times in Episode 2 when I said, “holy SHIT!”). As someone who doesn't have kids, I’ve still always felt like these mature jokes and references are too much.
Episode 3 is when Gladwell reveals a rewritten version of the movie's ending. It was recorded with some big-name actors voicing the characters. The cast is impressive, but, due to the limited dialogue at the end of the movie, no one really shows off their acting chops.
I give the podcast's revised ending 4.5 out of 5 stars, but I appreciate the reasoning behind all of the changes.
Bottom Line
I give this 3-episode series a 10 out of 10. The team at Revisionist History outdid themselves with the concept and I think it's a must-listen for everyone.
Have you listened to Revisionist History's episodes about The Little Mermaid? What do you think? Post a comment below (no spoilers, please!).