As Disney’s live-action The Little Mermaid swims into cinemas, you might be interested in taking a look at how real mermaids live, work, and play. To that end, the new four-part documentary series Merpeople has splashed down on Netflix and is streaming now.
Nothing to do with the aquatic ape theory (although we love that one), Merpeople takes us into the world of professional mermaids: those perennial carny faves that splash about in tanks for our amusement, their legs bound in an artificial mermaid tail. Surely that can’t be safe?
Well, no. As director director by Cynthia Wade (Freeheld, The Flagmakers) shows us, the first rule is “no dead mermaids”, and swimming underwater with your limbs restricted is an inherently dangerous act. From there, we follow both the history of this weird culture and its current state of play as a $500m industry. We even get a trip to Weeki Wachee Springs, Florida, spiritual home of the modern sideshow mermaid, which was a smash hit on opening in 1947, and is today a mecca for fish folk.
Featuring stunning underwater photography and some-jaw-dropping costumes—a lot of work goes into those tails, folks— Merpeople also shows what an absolute grind the mermaid gig is. It’s physically demanding, inherently risky, and takes a lot of skill, practice, and artistry to convince a crowd of the illusion, even if just for a few seconds. Eric Ducharme, aka “the Mertailor” is a particular focus. Specialising in costuming (at $3k and up per tail), the series follows his attempts to start a mermaid show and aquarium, pursuing a lifelong dream that began when he first saw a sideshow mermaid as a kid.
So, if you’re up for a deep dive into the world of professional mermaids, give Merpeople a spin. It’s sure to hook you.
