The Deep (TV series)
A family explores ocean mysteries in a CGI-animated series.
The Deep is a traditionally 2D-animated (or Flash-animated) series adapted from a comic by Tom Taylor and James Brouwer, originally released through Gestalt Publishing. The series was developed by Tom Taylor and James Brouwer, with production by A Stark Production and Nerd Corps Entertainment (credited as WildBrain). The Australian Broadcasting Corporation commissioned it, and it first aired on ABC3 (Australia) on December 1, 2015, then on Canada’s WildBrainTV the following month. Production ended after season 4 in 2021, and no official cancellation announcement was made.
Set in the 22nd century, the story follows the Nektons, a family of underwater explorers living aboard the advanced submarine *Aronnax*. They investigate uncharted ocean regions to solve the deep’s mysteries. Will Nekton’s parents vanished while trying to reach the lost city of Lemuria, and the family refuses to give up the search. With help from their friend Nereus, the Nektons learn their attraction to underwater puzzles stems from being descendants of Lemurians.
The main storyline centers on the hunt for Lemuria. It begins in the first episode with the discovery of the Chronicle of the Deep, then continues through interpreting it, gathering pieces of the Ephemycron, encountering various Monumentials, decoding the Ephemycron, and finally locating Lemuria. Not every episode advances this arc. In season three, the Nektons find Lemuria, making that plotline irrelevant. Season four shifts to the search for Will’s parents, who reached Lemuria months earlier. Again, not all episodes are part of this arc. Will’s parents are eventually found—but the circumstances of their fate are not fully detailed in canon.
**Characters**
**The Nekton family** Antaeus “Ant” Nekton (voiced by Vincent Tong) is the youngest child of William and Kaiko Nekton. He owns a pet fish named Jeffrey. Adventurous and open to myths and the paranormal, he is eager to explore ocean mysteries. As the youngest of the Lemurian royal family, he is called the “Chosen One” by Nereus and can operate various Lemurian devices.
Fontaine Nekton (voiced by Ashleigh Ball in seasons 1–3, Shannon Chan-Kent in season 4) is Ant’s older sister. Bold, fearless, and adventurous, she enjoys teasing Ant but always watches out for him. Smiling Finn has a crush on her.
William “Will” Nekton (voiced by Michael Dobson) is Ant and Fontaine's fathe
- Premiere
- December 1, 2015
- Country of origin
- Australia and Canada
- Network
- ABC3 (Australia), WildBrainTV (Canada)
- Genre
- 2D-animated adventure
- Based on
- Comic book by Tom Taylor and James Brouwer
- Seasons
- 4
- Status
- Ended after season 4 in 2021
Lore & Background
Set in the 22nd century, the series follows the Nektons, a family of adventurous underwater explorers who live aboard a state-of-the-art submarine called the Aronnax and explore unknown areas of the Earth's oceans to unravel the mysteries of the depths. Will Nekton's parents went missing trying to solve the riddle of how to get to the lost city of Lemuria, and the Nektons have refused to abandon it. With the help of family friend Nereus, the Nektons know why they are so attracted to solving underwater riddles, as they are the descendants of Lemurians. Nereus is revealed to be over 6,000 years old and is the brother of the last Queen of Lemuria. The main story arc involves the family's hunt for Lemuria, introduced in the first episode with finding the Chronicle of the Deep. In season four, Will's parents are rescued after being trapped by a giant nautilus, not eaten.
Reader's Guide
The Deep is significant as a CGI-animated television series that adapts a comic book into a family-oriented adventure about underwater exploration and the search for the lost city of Lemuria. The series ran for four seasons, with the main story arc concluding in season three when the Nektons discover Lemuria, after which the focus shifts in season four to finding William Nekton's parents, who had arrived in Lemuria weeks earlier but were eaten by a monumental nautilus. The show features a large cast of characters, including the Nekton family, allies such as Professor Fiction and Nereus, and antagonists like Captain Hammerhead and Alpheus Benthos. The series was canceled in 2022, leaving its legacy as a niche animated series that explored themes of family, mystery, and ocean conservation through a sci-fi lens.
Did You Know?
- The series is based on a comic book created by Tom Taylor and James Brouwer and published by Gestalt Publishing.
- The Nektons are descendants of Lemurians, which explains their attraction to solving underwater riddles.
- In season four, William Nekton's parents are found eaten by a monumental nautilus searching for a key to the sea.
- Nereus is revealed to be approximately 6,000 years old and the brother of the last Queen of Lemuria.
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