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OUR RATING:
4 Stars
WHAT IT'S ABOUT:
MerPeople dives into the fascinating world of underwater performers who have turned their love for mystical sea creatures into real-world careers.
WHAT WE THOUGHT:
It turns out being a mermaid kind of sucks. I mean, even Ariel wanted nothing to do with that life. In a new four-part documentary, we meet the real-life mermaids hustling to make a living on land.
As the live-action Little Mermaid hits theatres, and mermaid-core is at an all-time high, Netflix is jumping on the trend with a new doccie titled, MerPeople.
The series dives into the lives of those who make a living being mermaids or merpeople. Sparkles, one of the first mermaids we meet, is landlocked. She only has a little corner in a community swimming pool where she can splash around with her mermaid tale. She must perform on her living room floor the rest of the time.
But she's got big dreams of becoming a full-time mermaid. Until then, she has to work as a waitress and perform part-time at children's birthday parties.
Sparkles is saving money under her bed to attend MerMagic Con. There, she hopes to catch the attention of Morgana Alba, the founder of the convention and the owner of the Circus Siren Pod. But the sparkling mermaid with her glitter makeup struggles with her nerves, and she barely gets to perform underwater. Will she catch Morgana's attention or sink to the bottom?
There are pods of mermaids worldwide, and they come in different shapes and sizes. The film gives a small glimpse into a sub-culture that might seem colourful and playful at first but, in reality, is cutthroat; the opportunities are limited, and merpeople also battle several health conditions like sinusitis, ear infections, and hyperthermia.
Living life as a mermaid is also very expensive. Tails, like those made by the Mertailor, can cost thousands, and that's only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to being a merperson. Plus, deciding to live life as a sea creature comes with judgement and often estrangement from friends and family.
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