From Looney Tunes to Toy Story, cartoons have often bridged the gap between a fun viewing experience for the younger and older alike. This common ground can unite families and provide an enjoyable evening for all. Dead End: Paranormal Park continues that tradition.
Created by Hamish Steele, Netflix’s recent animated series combines the supernatural shenanigans of Scooby-Doo with the spirit and style of Hilda. It follows Barney, a blue-haired boy with a pug, and Norma, a girl full to the brim of fun facts, as they conquer their first job working as security guards for a haunted theme park.
From the first episode, Dead End delivers on its premise of demons, humor, and diversity. Teen audiences will be thrilled at the suspense and stakes that Barney, Norma, and their demonic coworker Courtney face, which never go too long without a quip or comment to defuse the tension. The larger mystery surrounding all the disappearances at the park is engaging, too.
Dead End smoothly includes a reassurance that their show is for all viewers, too. Barney shares a touching coming-out scene with Norma early in the show, confirming what queer viewers might have picked up on in the first episode. And Norma herself openly uses the exact words to describe her anxiety and hyper-fixation with the park’s history.
Between the consistent diversity across all of its characters and the charming balance of fantasy and horror, Dead End: Paranormal Park is definitely worth a watch.
Written by our Communication and Marketing Intern, Elizabeth Carr