Title- The Ugly Mermaid (11/3/1990)
Worlds- Water Land
I never really saw this episode, despite it being supposed to be aired with the Mush-rumours one, but Channel 4 really aired these in weird order, even airing Super Mario World episodes with them sometimes. Anyway, this episode’s pretty good. It’s a typical ‘hero faces greatest fear episode’ but it’s done pretty well.
I especially liked the fact that they realise that with the frogsuit they can pretty much breath under water so they instead make him become encased in concrete, which I’m guessing blocks the gills of the suit (although I’m probably way over analysing this). I also really liked the Doomsub, and the fact it actually reappears later in another episode is awesome. The final main thing I enjoyed about this episode was King Mackerel, don’t ask me why, but if Water Land needs a king, why not a fishman?
Of course the fish men brings me onto the main downpoints of the episode. Firstly the annoying Holly Mackerel, although I guess that was the point but still her voice screeched too much for even an intentional annoyance. Secondly, why are the Fish men living in a city of air when they need water to breath (I mean they even where fishbowl helmets so they can breath, which makes then unable to see well.) I mean the only reason is the plot of the episode is about Mario’s newfound fear of water and so they couldn’t show that without a water free place for Mario to hide. But the fact the people start panicking when Koopa springs a leak in the dome is too much, even for this show.
I suppose overall this is a bad episode, which is a real shame as it’s Water Lands only real episode, and there are good points, but the Merpeople(?) really are too much.
