Dead End: Paranormal Park from Hamish Steele is a new animated series on Netflix about teenagers who land their first jobs at a haunted theme park. The series creator's graphic novel DeadEndia serves as source material. It also marks the second time these characters have come to life in animation: Steele made Dead End, a one-off animated short for Frederator's Too Cool! Cartoons on Cartoon Hangover. The show about teenage malaise and employment is debuting just in time for summer. Dead End follows Barney Guttman (Zach Barack) and Norma Khan (Kody Kavitha) as they explore paranormal phenomena with the help of their talking dog, Pugsley (Alex Brightman). If it sounds familiar, it's likely because you watched Scooby-Doo Where Are You! growing up.
Dead End: Paranormal Park and Scooby-Doo Where are You! have key similarities in that they both follow a ragtag group of teenagers with a talking dog as they stir up the paranormal, but they are distinct. The differences range from surface-level observations, like that the monsters in Dead End: Paranormal Park are not just people in costume, to distinctions that put Dead End: Paranormal Park in the category of shows you should add to your queue this summer. The characters serve as multi-dimensional explorations of people and relationships, and they develop more than those in the original Scooby-Doo.
Barney Guttman is a trans-man coming to terms with his family's refusal to accept him for who he is. You get this when Barney sets out to the park in the first episode, and his mom asks him not to leave because she told Grandma he would be there for dinner. When Barney rebuts that his mom likely deadnamed him during the invite, she says his grandma is not very understanding. Barney states, almost to himself, "She's not the only one." From this introduction, we know that Barney's primary needs are to feel accepted and loved by those he considers family. His wants are also readily apparent: he wants to move out!
Norma Khan is pansexual and her story is one about neurodivergence and autism. At the start, we learn that Norma's mom is overbearing but all-around lovable. Norma has a hard time breaking out of her shell, however. When she first encounters Barney on the bus to the park, she is noticeably uncomfortable being around strangers. When Barney addresses her by name, all hell breaks loose. He tries to remind her that they know each other, they are neighbors and classmates. She hilariously and boldly states that she's "bad with names" and "bad with faces." While this bit serves as comic relief, it is also an exposition of Norma's autism. She also hyper-fixates, which is what leads her to Phoenix Parks, an amusement park based on her favorite actor, Pauline Phoenix. Norma wants to assert her independence and individuality and needs to move past her separation anxiety and social fears.
As you can see already, Dead End: Paranormal Park character's come with a lot to unpack. Still, the premise is similar to that of Scooby-Doo Where Are You! and its many successors. The entire show is set in a theme park similar to the one in the iconic Foul Play in Funland episode of Scooby-Doo. There are spooky reflections in mirrors, the paintings have eyes that follow, and visual gags abound. When in the first episode Pugsley is possessed by the demon-king Temeluchus, he gives chase to Barney on the theme park's log flume ride. This visual gag is highly reminiscent of Scooby-Doo. That said, Pugsley's possession is how he gains the ability to speak, and it takes place in the first episode. In Scooby-Doo, Scooby's capabilities were explained in an episode that aired almost fifty years after the show debuted.
Also, unlike Scooby-Doo, the monsters in Dead End: Paranormal Park are not just costumed villains. That said, even demons like Courtney (Emily Osment) have more to them than meets the eye. Courtney is a recurring side character, like Pugsley. She longs to return to her home in the demon world but also develops a friendship with Barney and Norma throughout. Knowing her origins in rejection from the demon world, it becomes easy to see Courtney as another lonely person in need of people who can accept her for who she is.
What is appealing about Dead End: Paranormal Park is its representation of chosen families. Barney can live at the park by befriending Norma and Courtney, both of whom recognize him for himself. Norma finds herself more ready to step outside her comfort zone. Perhaps it is the familiar setting of Phoenix Parks that helps, but it is also the trust placed upon her by Barney. Perhaps this trope is also at the core of Scooby-Doo's appeal. After all, it certainly seems like the Mystery Inc. Gang spends its time together as a unit. They take care of each other, go everywhere together, share meals and vehicles, and are generally dependent upon one another for emotional support. Throughout the show, you get a sense that these characters have healthy, supportive parents, but it is hard to ignore the chosen-family dynamic of the Mystery Inc. Gang that has such massive appeal.
Also, Dead End: Paranormal Park has some seriality within its episodic structure, something missing from Scooby-Doo Where Are You! We get to see the characters develop love interests, and how they grow carry from episode to episode. Episodic sitcoms have their charm, but the way that you can learn and grow alongside the characters in Dead End: Paranormal Park while it maintains a goofy sense of triviality through episodic stories is a testament to the effort put into crafting a meaningful show. This article tried not to delve too deep into the show's characters and stories so that there would be some left for readers to discover.
