The characters of the Atlantis universe were an engaging bunch, with the emphasis on bunch. The film stuffed them all in, alongside an actual story, so that each got maybe 30 seconds of prominent screentime; the result, predictably, was lack of interest or even annoyance with the characters, and the unfocusing of the story. But the series allowed these people to breathe, and as someone who worked with them for months before I ever saw the movie, I can testify that they were extremely engaging if given the chance. If the series had preceded the feature, both would have been successful, IMHO.

Tad Stones' original idea was to work with just Sweet, Audrey, Mole, and Vinny (the third through sixth people below) - keep them from aging due to Atlantean crystals - and set their adventures anywhere between the world wars. It was a concept of real grandeur and possibility, in an X-Files meets Indiana Jones sort of way, for the people who loved Gargoyles.

But the traditional Hollywood tinkering set in. The long time span was nixed. The stories were skewed younger. Milo and Kida (first and second people) were added [not too bad an idea since they were also good characters, but it again altered the stories]. Cookie (seventh) was added. A funny animal was added.

Then the movie came out.

My "Ragnarök" was the first script approved, and was supposed to be the example to be shown to the Disney brass, but the plug got pulled before completion. Still, as the episode farthest along, it was finished and teamed with an episode of Tad's and one by story editor Henry Gilroy for a direct-to-video feature called Atlantis: Milo's Return.