Though everyone thinks of Frozen as the box office blow out that catapulted Disney Animation back into the spotlight, its 2010 predecessor Tangled is a HIGHLY underrated gem that deserves a second look. Featuring the vocal talents of Mandy Moore (This Is Us) and Zachary Levi (Chuck), Tangled has an incredible pop-inspired soundtrack by iconic Disney composer Alan Menken, a spunky-but-sweet heroine struggling to find her own independence, and a colorful cast of characters to boot. Much like Frozen, both films feature a fittingly sassy love interest but the true focus of the film is about relationships between women. Throughout the film, Rapunzel struggles to separate herself from her witchy kidnapper, Mother Gothel, who raised her as her own but still uses her “daughter” for her own personal gain.
Luckily for us, Tangled was not the end of that story. In Tangled: The Series, which began with a TV movie (Tangled: Before Ever After) debuts on Disney XD Friday, March 24 (today!), Rapunzel’s adventures continue as she reconnects with her parents, her kingdom, and the people of Corona. Though she has Flynn Ryder Eugene by her side, the young princess realizes that there’s still so much she needs to learn about the world after spending her entire life stuck in a tower. While the King and Queen must deal with their reunited daughter’s curious spirit, Rapunzel sets out to explore the kingdom with the help of Eugene, her trusty sidekicks Pascal and Maximus, as well as a new character Cassandra, Rapunzel’s tough handmaiden and new best friend.
Before the show’s TV debut, our pal Amy Vorpahl (Mothership) met with Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi to find out where the new story begins, discuss Rapunzel’s new-found independence, and even start a surprise sing-along. Because really, what’s a Disney story without a little music?
Make sure you check out Mothership every Thursday at 5:30pm PT on the Nerdist Youtube, Geek & Sundry’s Twitch, or Alpha for more singalongs, behind-the-scenes interviews, games, and more!
Tangled: The Series airs Fridays on Disney XD.
