‘The Little Mermaid Live’: Sebastian’s Claws, Flounder & 5 More Buzzy Moments

SHAGGY, JOHN STAMOS, QUEEN LATIFAH, AULI’I CRAVALHO, AMBER RILEY, GRAHAM PHILLIPS
ABC/Mitch Haaseth

The latest live production on network TV was a hybrid of the classic animated film The Little Mermaid with musical performances from the cast.

Starring Auli’i Cravalho as Ariel, Graham Phillips as Prince Eric, Queen Latifah as Ursula, John Stamos as Chef Louis, and Shaggy as Sebastian, the event had people talking as several moments stood out, but perhaps not in the way they were intended.

Here, we take a look at those parts of The Little Mermaid Live.

Sebastian: Crab or Michael Jackson Circa “Thriller”?

Shaggy was dressed in red for his character, but the outfit choice didn’t quite resonate with viewers — especially since he wasn’t wearing claws… but those in the audience were?

Some compared his outfit to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” get-up and even Britney Spears for “Oops I Did It Again.” According to ABC’s SVP of Live Programming, Robert Mills, “Shaggy wore crab claws in early rehearsals and it looked ridiculous.” He later shared a photo:

The No-Longer Cute Flounder

Viewers were also disappointed in the Flounder puppet, especially compared to the animated version and other aspects of the production.

The Impressive Ursula

While some were disappointed in the takes on some of the iconic characters, that was not the case with Ursula, from her costume to Queen Latifah’s performances.

The Duet That Worked … If You Ignored the Plot

Ariel and Prince Eric’s “If Only” duet was great … if you only ignore the fact that it comes at a time after Ariel has given up her voice and before she gets it back.

Original Ariel Took the Stage

The night began with Jodi Benson, the original voice of Ariel, inviting viewers to join her and “dive together into a magic adventure under the sea.” “I am so thrilled to be here. I can’t believe it’s been over three decades since I sang ‘Part of Your World’ for a beautiful animated feature film called The Little Mermaid,” she said.

Which Prince?

At the end of “Les Poissons,” Stamos broke character to joke, “I knew I should’ve played Prince Albert … or Eric.”

Where Was Sebastian in the Kitchen Scene?

In the animated film, Chef Louis chases Sebastian around the kitchen. In The Little Mermaid Live‘s musical performance of “Les Poissons,” Chef Louis chases a kid in a crab costume.