Dead End: Paranormal Park – an extraordinary example of trans representation in animation

Dead End: Paranormal Park, is a new animated series based on the short film Dead End and Hamish Steele’s DeadEndia comic book series that y’all can now stream on Netflix. The series follows two teenagers, Barney (Zach Barack) and Norma (Kody Kavitha), and a talking dog, Pugsley (Alex Brightman), as they battle demons, zombies, witches, and all sorts of paranormal creatures at a haunted theme park.

But why is it such an extraordinary example of trans representation, y’all ask? Because the main character of this show, our boy Barney, is a trans teenager who’s searching for a place where he feels like he truly belongs; and believe it or not, he finds it within all these totally real supernatural forces that dwell within the park.

At a time where anti-trans rhetoric is being amplified not only within the walls of the state legislature by ignorant politicians but also in the entertainment industry, it’s important that shows like Dead End: Paranormal Park, an all-ages animated series showing a gay teenage trans boy finding love and acceptance, are seeing the light. 

And we know, okay? It’s impossible to ignore the irony of this show being a Netflix original when the streaming giant continues to provide a platform for people who send hateful messages about our community – trans folks in particular. But it is what it is and there’s nothing we can do but scream in frustration and hope that sooner rather than later things can change for the better. *screams into a pillow to calm down*

But anygays…let’s talk about the show.

What is Dead End: Paranormal Park about?

Dead End: Paranormal Park tells the story of Barney, a shy but friendly teenager struggling with life after coming out as trans. His family loves him, but between all the changes he’s been through and his uncertainty about whether they can fully accept him for who he is, it feels easier for him to run away and move to the park, where he gets a job for the summer. 

The park is built around the films of a famous actress named Pauline Phoenix (Clinton Leupp) of whom Norma – his co-worker and new friend – is a fan. Norma’s in-depth knowledge of the park comes in handy for the pair as they take on all kinds of adventures on the 10-episode ride.

Living with Barney in the park’s haunted house is Courtney (Emily Osment) – a demon trying to resurrect her evil lord and return home (a.k.a Hell). But Courtney faces some obstacles in completing her mission, as a fraction of her master’s soul gets trapped inside Barney’s dog, Pugsley, who as a result, is now able to speak. *squeals*

But if you wanna know what happens with this particular trio, you’ll have to watch the show. We truly don’t want to spoil the experience for y’all!

But what’s so special about it?

The show truly lays out its premise within the first 20 minutes of its premiere episode and quickly settles into a fun and highly meaningful rhythm that will have you smiling, laughing, and biting your nails all the way to the very end.

The show takes its time to carefully unravel the mystery of Pauline’s death and what her true intentions are as the season progresses. But something that we particularly liked about this show is that each of the episodes also works as an exploration of the feelings that the characters are dealing with.

Plus, there is so much soul in this show that it’s impossible not to see the love and care that went into it. It’s an example of what queer creators can do when given a platform and opportunity to tell their own stories.

Dead End: Paranormal Park is truly a joyful ride. So if you like animated series and want to escape reality for a few hours, we invite you to stream it ’cause we really think y’all are gonna like it. It is a show that promises a lot, so we hope Netflix allows it to continue for many more seasons.

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Dead End: Paranormal Park is now streaming on Netflix. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for all queer stuff!