Dive into ‘The Deep’ with writer Tom Taylor
Mysteries and creatures of the deep sea are investigated by the Nekton family in “The Deep,” an animated series based on the comics by writer Tom Taylor and illustrator James Brouwer.
Season Two of “The Deep” hit Netflix on Sept. 22. Season One of “The Deep” recently launched on the newly branded Universal Kids Network, airing weekdays at 6:30 p.m. Both season one and two are available to stream on Netflix.
In the show and the comic, “The Deep” focuses on a family of underwater explorers: youngsters Ant and Fontaine Nekton, and their parents Will and Kaiko.
The Australia-based Taylor spoke via phone with The
Oklahoman to discuss the creation of the comic book and the series.
“There is so much of the underwater world we don’t know about,” Taylor said, discussing the inspirations for the series. “You don’t know what’s there and you don’t know what’s coming. With that fear comes a lot of excitement.”
As the Nektons use state-ofthe-art technology to explore the deep sea, Taylor looks through science, legend and mythology to help craft the threats that the family faces.
“Everybody gravitates toward space,” Taylor said. “But space is full of nothing . ... We live on a planet where most of the planet lies explored and unexplained.”
In “The Deep,” according to the show promotional text, leviathans swim through sunken cities, pirates lurk amid floating black markets, and a mysterious group of Guardians hide long lost secrets.
“We always knew with ‘The Deep’ that we were creating something that was franchiseable,” Taylor said. “Bizarrely, we’ve never seen a family of adventurers who live in a sub.”
The show has met with success in Taylor’s home of Australia as the No. 1 animated show across all networks; similarly, it’s the No. 1 show for 6-9 year olds in the U.K., according to info provided by the producers.
“The Deep” has been given Common Sense Media’s Seal of Approval as a “fantastic family-focused adventure.” Taylor said that part of the message of the show is finding nonviolent solutions.
“None of the problems are solved by violence,” Taylor said. “I think it’s a challenge for any writer — that’s what we automatically gravitate to. It’s easy to punch the bad guy in the face at the end.”
Taylor said “The Deep” doesn’t play into TV stereotypes of an incompetent dad or nagging mom.
“Everyone in the family is competent,” Taylor said. “They are all really good at what they do.”
The collected edition of The Deep graphic novel arrives Nov. 28. Fans can pre-order now at comic shops and book retailers. With this collection’s release, all of the existing “The Deep” comic material will be out in the United States.
“We’d love to keep doing more,” Taylor said. “This has been a part of our daily lives for years.”
As a fan as well as creator, Taylor is excited that “The Deep” will become threedimensional next year with a line of toys. There are also museum and aquarium tours featuring the Nektons set for Europe.
“We have a lot of people who love the Nektons as much as we do,” Taylor said.