Originally, I was apprehensive about all the changes made in the first episode of the new season, particularly the absence of Emma. Emma’s character has always been the rational one, the one who keeps the girls grounded and out of trouble, the one focused on keeping the mermaids a secret. Without her, I thought, there would be a whole lot more trouble in store, and there is. Bella (Indiana Evans), the new girl in school, and a fellow mermaid, is just as impulsive as Rikki was when she first got her powers, and it seems as though it is Rikki who is now trying to be more adult, more cautious, and it is an interesting change. Not a bad one per say, but it doesn’t feel consistent with the way Rikki has been portrayed in the past.

Along with Emma’s absence, the juice bar where she worked has also been closed. (Her coworker boyfriend also seems to have vanished along with it, although, that makes sense given that Craig Horner now has a starring role in Legend of the Seeker which films in New Zealand.) The juice bar has now been converted into a café, and is run by Rikki and her boyfriend, Zane (Burgess Abernathy). This change, I think, is actually a good one. Not only does it serve to provide Rikki with more responsibility, giving her new attitude a reasonable explanation, but it also still works as a great setting. Using the café as a venue for musical performances works out well too. It adds an interesting vibe to the show, knowing that Indiana Evans could be onstage singing at some point. The idea of a bunch of teens in a band is nothing new, but it works here.

Even with the show’s facelift, Cleo remains my favorite character. She isn’t as clueless as she used to be, and she doesn’t have to work as hard to be the middleman between the other two girls anymore, but this change has been gradual over the last few years, so it’s nice to see her really come into her own. She is figuring things out on her own now, not relying wholly on other people to explain things to her. Cleo has also become more assertive, not dancing around as many issues when she wants to make a point, just coming out and saying what she has to say. I also like that she and Lewis (Angus McClaren) are, at least for now, in a stable relationship. They have a comfortable partnership, and it’s nice to see that her storylines aren’t full of boy drama this season.

My original doubts aside, I think this season is shaping up nicely. A part of me hopes that by the end of the show’s run, we will see a return of some familiar faces just to wrap everything up in a neat little package, but I won’t hold it against anyone if that doesn’t happen.