Once Upon a Time

Once Upon a Time goes under the sea on its Nov. 3 episode with the introduction of Ariel (aka the Little Mermaid), her strapping beau Prince Eric and Ursula the wicked sea witch.

The story finds Ariel (JoAnna Garcia Swisher, who will appear in a handful of episodes) rescuing one of the ABC fantasy's regular characters before experiencing her own adventure, which incorporates elements from the 1989 animated Disney classic. "Once we realized we were going to Neverland, it felt like the perfect place to see Ariel," says executive producer Edward Kitsis. Fans should look for winks at some of the movie's iconic moments, such as a gag with a fork that nods to the clumsy dinner scene, says ­executive producer Adam Horowitz.

As for speculation that Lana Parrilla's Evil Queen will transform into Ariel's eight-legged nemesis, Kitsis hints, "In a world where our crocodile turns out to be Rumplestiltskin, you never know what might happen." Holy mackerel!

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