Happy Saturday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with a reaction to Fallout Season Two’s Finale, “The Strip.” Before we get into any spoilers, I’ll set the table for this reaction/review. Fallout Season One played out similarly to Star Wars: A New Hope. The creatives behind the show didn’t know they were getting renewed for a second season, so they teased New Vegas as the setting for a potential Fallout Season Two. Conversely, the creatives behind the show knew they had been renewed for a third season before Season Two finished filming. So, Fallout Season Two’s finale plays out similarly to Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. Major plot points get introduced during the episode’s final ten minutes. Heck. There’s a rather large complication teased during Fallout Season Two’s end-credit scene.
Last week, I lauded Fallout season two’s penultimate episode for doing everything the next-to-last episode should do. It answers some questions, but held back elements for the season finale to explore. “The Strip” does a good job of answering some of these questions, but since season three is on the way, it asks almost as many questions as it answers.
I’ve kept this reaction spoiler-free for about as long as I can. We’re about to enter spoiler territory. You’ve been warned.
I’ll begin with Caesar’s Legion because it needs the least amount of explanation and receives the smallest airtime. Macauley Culkin’s character recovers Caesar’s corpse and reads the former leader’s last will. Basically, Caesar named himself his successor. Culkin’s Legate character doesn’t accept this answer and takes the crown for himself. He also eats Caesar’s message. Ew! Dude, that was on someone’s corpse, and it was decaying. Nastiness aside, Culkin’s character becomes the new Caesar and galvanizes the Legion toward the Holy Land, New Vegas, to build a palace. Caesar’s Palace. How many takes do you think it took Culkin to say that line without laughing? Watching the Legion march on New Vegas was a sight. I can’t wait for the impending battle.
Inside the Strip, Maximus fights off the horde of deathclaws. The action sequence ventures into the unrealistic. Deathclaws may be less deadly than radroaches. More on that in a minute. The scenes with Maximus and the deathclaws contain the most fan service. That’s much appreciated. Still no confirmation on what Thadeus is transforming into, but he manages to lead Freeside’s residents into a shop, where they promptly bet on how long Maximus can survive against the deathclaws. This is a nice callback to The Thorn (in Fallout: New Vegas). Combatants battled various wasteland creatures, like deathclaws, and observers would place bets. Nice!
The battle concludes when the New California Republic marches into town and takes over the deathclaw fight. While the moment when the NCR sniper kills a deathclaw brought a smile to my face, it was undercut by Lucy doing something similar a few episodes earlier. Why did Lucy need to mimic the NCR shot from the game? She was on Buffout. That was already cool and hilarious. I would’ve preferred Fallout to reserve that shot for the NCR. That’s a nitpick. The moment still rocked
Accompanied by Mr. House (via a Pip-Boy), The Ghoul searches the Vegas Executive Vault for his family. We receive a lot more of The Ghoul’s backstory, but I was left with even more questions. This is part of what I mean by Fallout Season 2 functioning like The Empire Strikes Back. The Enclave is behind most things, including the bombs falling, but we still don’t know who’s behind the Enclave. Someone’s behind it all, but we’ll get to that more while discussing Steph’s storyarc. There are a lot of storyarcs during “The Strip.”
Surprise! The Ghoul’s family is not in the Vegas Executive Vault. Their cryogenic chambers are empty, but in Barb’s place was a postcard from Colorado. This is a callback to a Ghoul flashback. It looks like The Ghoul’s family is in Colorado. The Ghoul is at least on his way to Colorado. And this separates The Ghoul and Lucy.
Speaking of Lucy, she destroys the mainframe. Rather, at Diane Welch’s request, Lucy kills Welch’s severed head. Yeesh! I’m with Lucy in this scene. Why does everyone want her to kill them? While she ponders her next move, Lucy discovers her dad, Hank, escaped, and he wants to put a mind control chip on her, forcing her to obey. Dude, Hank just went total supervillain. Hank orders the brainwashed legionnaire to subdue Lucy, but The Ghoul shows up in the nick of time, shooting the legionnaire dead, and Hank in the buttocks. You could almost see the pop-up message, “Lucy Liked That.” Lucy turns the tables, placing a chip on Daddy Dearest. Before she hits the button, she wants answers. Of course, she doesn’t get them because Hank has his own button and resets his brain. This was a stellar moment.
Hank and Lucy’s story goes so hard. Both stay true to each other. We were never going to get a straight answer from Hank, and his action at the end solidified this fact. Loved this. We only have a few more threads to discuss: Steph, Norm, and the impending Enclave.
Surprise again! Steph and Hank are married. What? And the little time we get with Steph, we see her enact Phase Two, whatever that means. Steph contacts the Enclave, who have been listening to all the radio relays up to this point. A computer updates Phase One as completed, but Phase Two’s details are redacted. Because of course they are. My guess, and this is a guess, is that Phase Two has something to do with the Forced Evolutionary Virus. And that gets me back to Thaddeus. He may or may not become a Centaur, but he definitely got some variant of the Forced Evolutionary Virus.
We catch a glimpse of the Enclave, who have a base in the mountains. My guess, again a guess, is that the Enclave are based in Colorado, because that’s where The Ghoul is headed. We know the Super Mutants, who don’t make an appearance in this episode, have a vendetta against the Enclave. See what I mean about Fallout Season Two holding back most of its deck of cards? I have no idea where any of this will lead. “The Strip” gives us enough information to keep the audience engaged but dangles plenty of loose threads.
We have a couple more threads, I promise. The Vault-Tec goons unlock the radroaches from their farm. They wreak havoc. Seriously, the radroaches deal more damage than the deathclaws. Norm manages to rescue his would-be girlfriend, Claudia, from the wreckage. Funny how Norm and Claudia are the only ones left alive after the radroaches go ham. I’m not complaining. I don’t mind a Norm/Claudia side story for Fallout Season Three. So, that leaves us with at least four groups we’re following next season: Lucy, Maximus, and Thaddeus; The Ghoul and Dogmeat; Norm and Claudia; Vault 32 and 33. Oh. And the Brotherhood of Steel; they factor into the post-credit scene.
Elder Quintus has left his Unification stage and entered his Destruction stage. I’m unsure how the Brotherhood of Steel has hidden Liberty Prime Alpha, but I’m all for a kaiju battle in Fallout Season Three. There are so many places Fallout Season Three can go, and I’m pumped. Too bad we need to wait another year for the next episode.
So, what do you think? What was your favorite part about Fallout “The Strip?” Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here again. I had intended to split my reaction to the MCU’s Wonder Man miniseries into two halves, but it wasn’t a long series, and I got into the series. In short, Wonder Man is one of the best Marvel television shows in years.
First, Wonder Man is only the second Marvel project to receive the Marvel Spotlight moniker; Echo was the first. The idea behind Marvel Spotlight projects is that one doesn’t need to know much about the MCU to understand and enjoy the show. While Wonder Man has some references to the greater MCU (most notably Ben Kingsley’s Trevor Slattery, the fake Mandarin from Iron Man 3), it does a great job of weaving in the information you need to know about the character during the series’ runtime. Second, Wonder Man abandons most superhero tropes. This is a superhero show for people who don’t like or are tired of superhero shows. The show centers around Trevor Slattery and Simon Williams’s (portrayed by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) relationship.
The two of them are theater nerds, trying their best to break it in Hollywood. Their chemistry is electric. I’m struggling not to give away any spoilers. There will be some. You’ve been warned. Captured by the United States Department of Damage Control, Slattery is tasked with fetching enough dirt on Williams to lock him away for dangerous superpowers. But Williams only wants to be an actor. Unfortunately for Williams, there’s a ban on people with superpowers from becoming actors ever since Josh Gad–the actual actor, not a character Gad was portraying–disappeared into Darius “Doorman” Davis. There’s an episode in the middle of Wonder Man that chronicles Doorman’s exploits. It was a standout episode in a series filled with standouts.
Wonder Man manages to maintain tension and intrigue, despite the title character refusing to use his powers through most of the show’s runtime. This is one of the few Marvel shows that avoids an awkward middle. You know what I mean. MCU shows are notorious for losing their way and including filler episodes somewhere around the halfway point. The aforementioned Doorman episode occurs right when most MCU shows would falter. And it’s so good.
While it helped to already enjoy Kingley’s Trevor Slattery, pairing him with Badul-Mateen’s Simon Williams is brilliant. They make an unlikely pair of friends. But that’s skin deep. If you know the two of them, they’re more alike than one might guess. They’re both outsiders. Both have few if any true friends. They need each other, and their personalities play extremely well off each other. Trev is more laid-back, and Simon lives in his head. Heck, Simon overthinks everything. Trev helps Simon to relax; he literally teaches Simon the box breathing exercise. But Simon reminds Trev how rewarding acting can be; with Simon’s help, Trev rediscovers his passion.
The rest of Wonder Man’s cast is fantastic. While the show does include comedic moments (How can you not with Kingsley’s Slattery in the production?), it never loses sight of its emotional center. Wonder Man is one of the rare Marvel shows that avoids undercutting scenes with emotional weight with a bad joke. Kudos! I was not expecting that. Honestly, I thought Trevor Slattery would ham up every scene in which he was involved. I am happy to be wrong Unlike a lot of other Marvel shows, I’m going to return to this one. Wonder Man is worth your time. It reminds us of what the MCU can be. Fingers crossed that we’ll get other great Marvel Spotlight shows in the future.
What did you think of Wonder Man? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Happy Saturday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. Today will be a busy review Saturday. I’ll share my reaction to Fallout Season 2, Episode 7, “The Handoff” this morning before diving into the first half of the Wonder Man miniseries. Ah! But that’s for later. This post is dedicated to the most recent episode of Fallout. And my, was “The Handoff” a loaded episode. It does a great job accelerating the plot threads and themes Fallout Season 2 has developed. And there’s plenty of fan service.
I’d be tap dancing a lot if I tried to avoid spoilers here, so I may drop the occasional spoiler. I apologize in advance. Consider yourself warned of future spoilers. “The Handoff” begins with pre-war Steph–that’d be the same Steph who serves as Vault 32’s current overseer–escaping a Canadian detention center with her mother. Spoiler: her mom dies, but she tells her to do what she must to survive. Yes. This is another flashback, and I have mentioned this season of Fallout has teetered toward too many flashbacks, but the flashbacks during “The Handoff” felt earned, filled in some details, and played off the current actions. I love this motivation for Steph. She’s been creeptacular since last season. This episode does a great job exploring why.
And I like Fallout’s inclusion of Canada as the “51st State” or “Little America” during the closing credits. Fallout took that straight from the games. I mean, there’s no way a sitting United States President would want to annex Canada in the real world, right? Right? That’s only in fiction. And the fact that Chet uses Steph’s Canadian identity, the vault chases her into the Overseer’s Headquarters, and history appears to repeat itself (the previous Vault 32 Overseer appeared to have suffered a similar fate) is fantastic. Even better, Steph has control of the secret box she knew Hank MacLean had before the bombs dropped. “The Handoff” does a good job of paying off some questions, while posing more. What’s in the box, Steph? What’s in the box?
We get a little bit more time with Norm. He has enough time to use the radio to attempt to contact his father and sister. And we know Hank turned on the radio on his side. How many are connected to this line? And who was Hank trying to contact at the beginning of the season? All great build ups, but I would’ve liked a little more Norm screentime.
At the Vault-Tec facility, Lucy appears to support her father’s method of “peace,” but betrays him and races to sabotage the mind-erasing device. But the mainframe isn’t what she expects. It’s run by the preserved head of Congresswoman Diane Welch. Again, “The Handoff” does a great job weaving so many of the threads together, both present timeline and the past. We caught glimpses of The Ghoul’s past where he thinks he’s delivering Cold Fusion to someone who can help (namely, the same Congresswoman Diane Welch, who protested the billionaires club meeting a couple of episodes prior), only to be two-timed by who knows how many people. We’ll get to pre-Ghoul Cooper soon enough, but these glimpses show that Lucy and The Ghoul are–as The Ghoul once said–the same, only he’s her in the future. Ah! Yet another great payoff.
And I like Lucy’s story beats in “The Handoff.” I questioned if she was turning toward her father’s viewpoint or saw some value in it, and even when she showed disdain for her father’s methods, I still wondered if she would punish him. Or how would she punish him? Or how did she intend to stop him? All great questions that kept me watching. Many of them receive answers, but I’m still unsure if she powered down Welch’s head. Even if she did, what chaos would doing so bring?
And then we return to The Ghoul, Maximus, Thaddeus, and Dogmeat. I can’t overstate how well “The Handoff” calls back imagery from past episodes. Donning power armor reminiscent of the Courier’s armor in Fallout: New Vegas, Maximus strides down Freeside. A young child looks up at him in a similar fashion as Maximus looking up at a Brotherhood of Steel Knight. A quick slow clap for Fallout. Freeside’s residents applauded the New California Republic’s return to New Vegas; I’ll do the same for these references and callbacks. It won’t be long until the quartet rumble with the pack of deathclaws, but before the gang can reach the rickety wall, Thaddeus’s arm falls off. Yeah. That’s not good. Not only was Thaddeus supposed to serve as a sniper, he’s exhibiting signs counter to a ghoul. Earlier in the episode, Thaddeus revealed he has a mouth growing near his clavicle. That, mixed with his fallen arm, makes me believe Thaddeus may be turning into a centaur (from Fallout 3). But he could be some other mutation.
The deathclaw fight scene was relatively short but eventful. I won’t give a blow-by-blow, but it was fun. Maximus does enough to help The Ghoul reach the Lucky 38, and the fight will get even more intense with next week’s finale. I can’t wait. And speaking of that finale, The Ghoul uses cold fusion to power up an old friend: Mr. House. Yes! Like I’ve been saying, we saw plenty of huge reveals during “The Handoff,” while the episode does a stellar job raising the stakes for this season’s climax.
So, what did you think about this week’s episode of Fallout? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Happy Saturday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. We made it to the weekend. Woo hoo! Today, I’ll share my reaction to the latest Fallout Season Two episode. “The Other Player” confirms who pulled the strings behind the scenes before the bombs fell.
“The Other Player” doesn’t harbor too many spoilers besides our first glimpse at a super mutant, portrayed by none other than Ron Perlman. It’s about time Perlman got screen time in Fallout. He’s been the narrator for most of the Fallout games. Nope. He doesn’t deliver his iconic line of “War, war never changes,” but it was great seeing him as a super mutant, and the small screen time Perlman received carried a ton of world-building.
I wondered why we hadn’t seen a super mutant before the seventh episode of Fallout season two. You can’t sneeze in a Fallout game without encountering at least one super mutant. According to Perlman’s character, humans have hunted them to near extinction. And no, we don’t know who Perlman is supposed to be. Is he The Master from Fallout: New Vegas? Marcus? Or someone else entirely. One thing’s for certain, Perlman’s super mutant isn’t a nightkin.
Too bad. Perlman could pull off Lily Bowen. “Oh, pumpkin, Grandma’s sorry about that. Sometimes she gets mad and listens to Leo when she really shouldn’t.”
We get even more of The Ghoul’s backstory in “The Other Player.” Fallout season two tiptoes toward too many flashbacks, especially in the past two episodes, but I liked Barb’s scenes. And the idea that The Enclave could predate the bombs dropping is a nice touch. The impression I got from the games made it look like The Enclave became active after the bombs dropped. Michael Emerson’s Dr. Wilzig also shares a good scene with Barb. And I like how Season 2 calls back to how Cold Fusion was transported. All of this is good, but a second flashback-heavy episode made “The Other Player” feel like it marked time in moments.
And what was up with The Ghoul waiting until sundown before trying to pull himself off the pole? He may have made it to the top if he didn’t wait for at least four hours. The Ghoul spending time on the pole gave Fallout an excuse for more flashbacks. That’s the only reason he wouldn’t try and free himself.
“The Other Player” made me care about what happens in Vaults 32 and 33. That’s no small feat. Honestly, Norm’s storyline–we need more Norm–set up potential stakes in the Vaults. According to the records we saw last week, Vault-Tec still intends to use the Forced Evolutionary Virus on the Vaults. That’s the same virus that created super mutants. What happens when Vault 33 runs out of water? Will they consume unfiltered water that could transform them? We’ll have to wait and see.
And I’m loving Hank MacLean’s villain arc. His worldview suggests that order without autonomy is preferable to conflict. Interesting. Hank and Lucy’s dynamic is great. I can’t wait to see where Fallout takes their relationship.
Overall, “The Other Player” is a good episode. It just misses the great label because it spends too much time in the past. Granted, everything we discover in the past intrigues me. But I didn’t care for two consecutive episodes, spending half their runtime in flashbacks. It’s excessive.
What are your thoughts on Fallout “The Other Player?” Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. We covered the DCU earlier this month, and today is the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU’s) turn. Despite Captain America: Brave New World’s lukewarm reception and Thunderbolts* underwhelming box office returns, 2025 was a great year for the MCU. Superhero films–heck, films in general–don’t make as much money. Thank you, pandemic. 2026 looks to build off of last year’s success. We’ll see the return of multiple animated and live-action shows. The Marvel Animated Universe (MAU) and street-level television superheroes may be in full swing. And Marvel Studios may only have two films scheduled for 2026, but the two films on the schedule may be the biggest ones in years.
One little disclaimer: I wrote this post months before January 2026 because I limit my Geekly output the final four months of the year to write a new novel and edit older ones; I’ll try and remember to update this list if anything changes. Without further ado, let’s get to the shows.
Wonder Man (January 27, 2026)
I should be reviewing Wonder Man as it releases, and the show will most likely have already concluded its run as of this post. If you want to see my thoughts on Wonder Man, you can check out our review(s). Hopefully, I remembered to include a link. Lol
Okay. Wonder Man has been pushed back to January 27th, so I should begin reviews next week or the following week. Wonder Man has an interesting backstory. The MCU could go in multiple directions with him. Instead of talking at length as to why Wonder Man is an interesting character, I’ll leave a link to our Wonder Man Starter Stories post.
Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 (March 2026)
While I still stand by Kingpin having the better storyline in Daredevil: Born Again’s first season, we may see Daredevil’s story take flight in the show’s second season. Daredevil: Born Again’s second season should center around Daredevil mobilizing an army of vigilantes to overthrow Mayor Fisk. Bullseye is still in play, and that should add some spice. With little left to lose, Daredevil may get desperate. While Jon Bernthal’s Punisher will most likely not return because he’ll star in his own Special Presentation later in 2026, Krysten Ritter’s Jessica Jones will join Daredevil: Born Again’s cast. I’m also holding out hope for Mike Colter’s Luke Cage to make a return.
Matthew Lillard makes his MCU debut in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 in an undisclosed role, and The Conjuring actor Lilly Taylor joins the series in a supporting role. During the first season, Daredevil: Born Again was a solid, if uneven, series. Season two should build on a series that found its footing toward the end.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day (July 31, 2026)
Spider-Man films always do well at the box office, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day looks to continue that trend. Jon Bernthal’s Punisher will return in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and he’s joined by a villainous Hulk. Geekly reported several months ago that the fight scene between Spider-Man and Hulk will predominantly use practical effects, and that makes sense, considering director Destin Daniel Cretton of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings fame has taken over the reigns.
We’re still unsure which version of Hulk will appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Will the MCU return Hulk to his savage self? Will they introduce an older Hulk from an alternate universe, and then Spider-Man will face off against Maestro? Or will the MCU choose a different option? No matter which direction the MCU chooses, I can’t wait to see this iconic fight scene hit theatres.
X-Men ’97 Season 2 (Summer 2026)
Marvel Television chairman Brad Winderbaum confirmed, “Season 2 of X-Men ’97 is going to be in 2026.” While I believe Winderbaum, X-Men ’97 Season 2 has slowly progressed. The first season aired in early 2024, but the wait should be worth it. X-Men ’97 ended on some great cliffhangers. Wolverine lost his adamantium, Apocalypse returns, and The X-Men in the past should all make for appointment viewing.
We’ve waited years for a follow-up season of X-Men ’97, but we may not need to wait nearly as long for Season 3 after Season 2. Season 3 is in active development simultaneously with Season 2. Originally, I put two quarters for X-Men ’97’s release, because we could see both follow-up seasons released the same year. If that happens, Season 2 could release in the summer, and then Season 3 could follow in the fourth quarter. I’m all for double the X-Men fun.
The whole cast is set to return for both seasons. However, Beau DeMayo was actively involved in X-Men ’97 Season 2’s development; he won’t return as showrunner or be involved with the show after Season 2. Despite DeMayo’s exit, X-Men ’97 should be in great hands. Winderbaum has stated that “The fact that we get to play in that universe (1990s X-Men Animated Series) with those actors is honestly why I went into this business in the first place.” Between Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and X-Men ’97, the Marvel Animated Universe is poised for greatness.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Season 2 (Fall 2026)
Okay. I’m writing this months in advance, and we’re nowhere near an official release date for Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Season 2. My original guess of Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Season 2 was Second Quarter 2026. Okay. I was way off. Lol
Anyway, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man surprised me. While it had some flaws, it was a strong debut series for the Marvel Animated Universe (MAU). The art style grew on me. Norman Osborn and Peter Parker’s relationship shakes up the MCU’s version of Spidey and the comics’. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man isn’t afraid to take risks. I can’t wait to see what the series does with Ghost-Spider, Gwen Stacey, and watch Lonnie’s transformation into Tombstone. I loved Lonnie’s storyline in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’s first season.
And fun news, like X-Men ’97, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man seasons two and three were worked on simultaneously. The year-long gap between MCU movies could serve to establish the MAU. I grew up on Marvel cartoons, so I’d be okay if the MAU dominated Marvel’s release schedule for a year.
Vision Quest (Late 2026)
Vision Quest has been a long time in the making. White Vision made his debut during WandaVision’s finale (2021). Since he left Westview, White Vision has most likely been trying to recover the original synthezoid’s memories or construct an identity of his own. While we don’t have any details, I could see Wonder Man factoring into White Vision’s story, if only as a nod to the comics. In the comics, Vision’s personality was a copy of Wonder Man’s.
But we do know that Ultron actor James Spader will reprise his role, so White Vision may reconnect with characters from the original Vision’s past. We don’t know if White Vision will meet his resurrected son Billy Maximoff (from Agatha All Along), or if Vision Quest will revisit Scarlet Witch. Vision Quest has the potential to further the Multiverse’s theme of magic versus technology.
The Punisher Disney+ Special (Late 2026)
As of the writing of this post, there’s still a chance The Punisher Disney+ Special could release before or after Spider-Man: Brand New Day, but it should release around the same time, so we’re giving it a third or fourth quarter release window, making The Punisher’s release date between July and November 2026.
We don’t know how The Punisher will play into the events before or after Spider-Man: Brand New Day. We do know that the special will build off of the original Netflix series and the events of Daredevil: Born Again Season 1. Frank Castle will most likely face a new street-level MCU villain. And The Punisher marks the first mid-length format for the MCU since 2022’s The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. I always liked the Werewolf By Night Special. The Punisher should be a great addition. Marvel Television chairman Brad Winderbaum described The Punisher as a “shotgun blast of a story” with plenty of “pathos and emotion.”
Avengers: Doomsday (December 18, 2026)
Earth’s Mightiest Heroes will look a lot different in Avengers: Doomsday. Sam Wilson’s Avengers, Bucky and Yelena’s New Avengers, and Earth-828’s Fantastic Four will join forces to take on one of Marvel’s greatest villains, Doctor Doom. Nuff said.
Okay. I will add that this major Marvel crossover film has seen plenty of snags, but that’s to be expected, especially after the unexpected firing of Jonathan Majors’s Kang as the central villain. Doctor Doom is the best possible alternative. This accelerated the Fantastic Four’s timeline, but Fantastic Four: First Steps did a great job of introducing Marvel’s first family to the MCU. Dozens, if not hundreds, of cameos are scheduled for Avengers: Doomsday.
Avengers: Doomsday should set the MCU ablaze. The events of Avengers: Doomsday will play directly into what happens during Avengers: Secret Wars, and after Avengers: Secret Wars, the MCU will receive a “reset.” Who knows what the MCU will look like after Avengers: Secret Wars?
That’s all we have for our MCU 2026 Preview. Which MCU project are you most excited for? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Happy Saturday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. We moved our review day from Friday to Saturday this week, and during today’s review/reaction, I’ll share my thoughts on the most recent Fallout episode, “The Wrangler.”
I’ll begin with a sentiment I’ve shared multiple times before: Fallout has an amazing soundtrack. I’ve always liked The Mills Brothers’ “You Always Hurt the One You Love,” but to be fair, the first time I heard the song was a Spike Jones and His City Slickers’ cover. There was a lot of belching and gunshots during that version. Needless to say, I’ve been listening to The Mills Brothers’ “You Always Hurt the One You Love” on repeat ever since I finished watching “The Wrangler.” Fallout is to early 20th Century music what Guardians of the Galaxy is to 60s and 70s tunes. Ah! It’s so good.
If you haven’t noticed, I’m stalling with my “The Wrangler” reaction. I don’t know how to discuss the episode without spoilers, big and small. I’ll try my best to avoid them. If I include spoilers, I’ll warn you and try to keep them to a single paragraph that you can skip. Here it goes. “The Wrangler” answers several questions while posing new ones. Fallout Season 2 has done a great job with cliffhangers.
Speaking of cliffhangers, “The Wrangler” doesn’t pay off the previous deathclaw cliffhanger. But that isn’t too big of an issue. All The Ghoul and Lucy can do is run. It makes sense that they don’t engage with any deathclaws at this stage. The opening scene gives a nod to Fallout: New Vegas (no spoilers yet as to what), but it made me smile. And I suspect this won’t be the last time we’ll see these deathclaws. I don’t know how the deathclaws will factor into future episodes, but I’m certain they’ll return. The remainder of “The Wrangler” splits the difference among exploring The Ghoul’s past and how it mirrors what occurs in the Wasteland, progressing Norm’s Vault-Tec storyline, and throwing in some Lucy and Hank MacLean mayhem.
The episode’s name derives from the Atomic Wrangler Casino, introduced in Fallout: New Vegas. You can see someone in the picture above falling from one of the building’s high stories. Ah! It’s so easy to spoil the episode. Moving on, Fallout has done a good job switching between storylines. While jarring at first, the season has found a good rhythm of when to shift from one set of characters to the next. We don’t see Vault 32, Vault 33, or the Brotherhood in “The Wrangler,” and that’s fine. I’m sure episode six will weave in one or more of these elements into its narrative.
Okay. I’m done with spoiler-free stuff for now. Here comes the spoiler-filled paragraph. You’ve been warned. The deathclaws trapped inside New Vegas are none other than the ones players can find at Quarry Junction in Fallout: New Vegas. Yay! I don’t know how the deathclaws migrated from Quarry Junction, but I trust we’ll learn more later. I chuckled when the snake oil salesman met with Fully Integrated Security Technetronic Officer (FISTO from Fallout: New Vegas) and apologized for cheating on them. And I winced when the camera panned after the snake oil salesman was fitted for a mind control device (that blew off heads in the past). Great payoff. And while observant viewers would’ve caught the initials of Future Enterprises Ventures as being FEV, meaning something else, “The Wrangler” let everyone in on FEV’s true definition: Forced Evolutionary Virus. Bring on the Super Mutants.
Oh. And I’m sure The Ghoul will find a way to pry himself from being impaled. Yikes!
End of spoilers. Overall, “The Wrangler” does a lot of heavy lifting while allowing for emotional weight. “You Always Hurt the Ones You Love” is a fitting song for this episode. I can’t wait for next week’s release. What are your thoughts on Fallout “The Wrangler?” Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. We’ve tackled the idea of live-action television shows based on comic books over a decade ago with Top 5 Live-Action TV Shows Based on Comics. It’s a good idea to update this post. Our reasoning is three-fold: 1, it’s been long enough and more shows have been produced since 2015; we increased the number of shows on this list from five to ten; and Geekly forgot about a few shows inspired by comic books in the previous list. Whoops! Before we get into the shows, let’s set down some ground rules for this list.
1: Cultural relevance will play a role, as will the show’s overall quality.
2: Some of these shows don’t stack up in cinematic quality even with their contemporaries, but they’re outstanding just the same.
3: We’ll have to stick with one show from a franchise (or specific character) because we wouldn’t want a list that includes only Batman and Spider-Man.
Without further ado, let’s get to the top 10 live-action television shows based on comic books.
Honorable Mention 2) iZombie (2015-2019)
I’ll admit it. I have a soft spot for iZombie. Geekly covered the show when it first aired, and I like the combination of zombies and weekly detective work. Throw in some ongoing drama and a heavy dose of comedy, and you have one addictive show. iZombie won’t be too many people’s first choice for live-action television show based on a comic book, and that’s why I wanted to mention it here. It doesn’t hurt that iZombie’s intro theme, “I’m Already Dead” by Deadboy & The Elephantmen lives rent-free in my head.
Honorable Mention 1) Sandman (2022-2025)
Sandman adapts the source material in a fresh way that also remains faithful to the comic book. Tom Sturridge does the unthinkable and captures the essence of Dream. Kirby makes a great Death. Mason Alexander Park is Desire. I could go on. Sandman has a stellar cast, but it misses our list for a couple of reasons. 1) The Netflix effect. Netflix used to be The Place for creative freedom; now, it’s a place for rehashed ideas, and any original show is likely to get canceled too soon and have little chance of another streaming platform picking up the franchise. 2) The Neil Gaiman effect. I have yet to watch Sandman’s second season because of the ick associated with Gaiman. Still, Sandman deserves a mention.
10) The Umbrella Academy (2019-2024)
The Umbrella Academy had a brilliant five-year run on Netflix. As one of the more recent entries on this list, I struggled to place it any higher on this list. The other thing going against The Umbrella Academy is that it’s a Netflix show. The Netflix effect claims another victim. Time could see The Umbrella Academy rise in the standings, because there’s a lot to love.
The Umbrella Academy blends quirky humor, bizarre storylines, balls-to-the-wall action, and pitch-perfect character development. The third season incorporated Elliot Page’s gender identity respectfully and made it work for the show’s story. It also doesn’t hurt that the show is based on the comic book of the same name by My Chemical Romance lead singer Gerard Way. That gives The Umbrella Academy an extra layer of cool.
9) The Walking Dead (2010-2022)
The Walking Dead made our last list over a decade prior, but the show may have hung on for too long. Those early seasons of The Walking Dead were some of the small screen’s best. Despite any flaws, this show focused on interpersonal relationships. The drama within The Walking Dead stemmed from its human characters. And let’s face it. The Walking Dead ignited zombie-mania. You can’t take a breath without huffing on a walker.
The Walking Dead started an empire. I’ve lost track of how many spinoff series this show spawned: Fear the Walking Dead (2015-23), The Walking Dead: World Beyond (2020-21), Tales of the Walking Dead (2022), The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (2024), The Walking Dead: Dead City (2023-present), and The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon (2023-present). The Walking Dead became so popular that a secondary character from the original series, Daryl Dixon, got his own spin-off. Talk about cultural relevance.
8) ThePenguin (2024)
Despite bearing the name of one of Batman’s iconic villains, ThePenguin doesn’t even feel like a television show based on a comic book. The Penguin borrows a lot from Breaking Bad and The Sopranos. Watching Oz Cobb ascend–or descend, depending on the lens you use to view his story–to mafia royalty was a joy to watch. Cristin Milioti’s turn as Sofia Falcone was excellent. Sofia Falcone (from The Long Halloween fame) was another comic book character I didn’t expect anyone to pull off well, but Milioti is fabulous in ThePenguin.
When I first learned The Penguin got greenlit, I wondered what more there was to say. Apparently, a lot. The Penguin took an interesting enough character from 2022’s The Batman and built a mythos around a character that didn’t receive enough love on the big or small screen. Penguin is one of my favorite Batman villains, and The Penguin captured a certain slimy iteration of the character. The Penguin is well worth watching.
7) Arrow (2012-2020)
Arrow is another show that stayed a little too long. It suffered the fate of many CW shows and descended into melodrama. After a season, Olicity (the shipping of Oliver Queen and Felicity Smoak) turned my stomach. But Arrow started strong. Manu Bennett may still be the definitive Slade Wilson/Deathstroke, and the “You have failed this city” and Ollie’s time on the island storylines of the first few seasons proved that a lesser DC Comics character like Green Arrow could anchor a show. Not just a show, an entire franchise. Arrow began the Arrowverse.
The Flash may have taken over as the flagship title for the Arrowverse, but Arrow led to The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, Black Lightning, Batwoman, and the web series Vixen and Freedom Fighters: The Ray. I don’t know when or if I’ll return to Arrow, but I have fond memories of early Arrow seasons. And with Arrow’s cultural impact, no one can deny its place among the top 10 live-action television shows based on comic books.
6) Smallville (2001-2011)
We go from Arrow, which spawned the Arrowverse, to Smallville, which introduced a wider audience to Green Arrow in the first place. Justin Hartley’s Green Arrow guest-starred in numerous Smallville episodes. In fact, Smallville introduced numerous DC Comics Universe characters to television viewers in the early 2000s. I’m still waiting for another actor to take on the role of Booster Gold.
Smallville’s premise wore thin for some people. The show features a Clark Kent before he becomes Superman. In fact, Smallville had the mandate “No Tights, No Flights.” Viewers had to wait a decade for Superman to make his first flight, and by that time, Smallville had seen Aquaman, Green Arrow, and even Booster Gold have a turn in full costume. Even if the “No Tights, No Flights” mandate rubbed you the wrong way, you can’t deny Smallville’s significance.
5) Batman (1966-1968)
We go way back in time for this next entry. Batman may not have aged the best, but that was never the point. Batman was pure camp. It resurrected characters in the comic book. The Riddler hadn’t been seen in a comic book since the 1950s. The 1960s Batman made The Riddler relevant. Few live-action television shows based on comic books can make that claim.
The Batman-mania of the 1960s proved there was an appetite for comic book media beyond the page. And Batman featured a lot of A-list actors. Cesar Romero, Burgess Meredith, Frank Gorshin, Vincent Price, and many others read like a who’s who of character actors. Batman rejuvenated and launched numerous acting careers. Be honest. When you saw the picture of Batman above, did you not hear Batman’s theme?
4) Doom Patrol (2019-2023)
Doom Patrol. Doom Patrol? How is Doom Patrol this high? I didn’t expect to like Doom Patrol as much as I did, but it’s easily one of the DCEU’s best projects. Doom Patrol may have released just before The Umbrella Academy, but the source material, the Doom Patrol comic book, inspired The Umbrella Academy, so that’s one of the reasons Doom Patrol makes it this high on the list.
The other reason is Doom Patrol resurrected Brendan Fraser’s career. Fraser’s turn as Cliff Steele/Robotman was fantastic. Fraser’s final scene in Doom Patrol never fails to turn on the waterworks. I bawl every time I watch it. The rest of Doom Patrol’s cast is top-notch. I like Matt Bomer in most things, and Timothy Dalton is an acting legend. But I need to give Diane Guerrero’s performance as Crazy Jane some praise. It may be a low bar, but Crazy Jane may be the best representation of dissociative identity disorder I’ve seen in a television show or movie. And I hope Joivan Wade gets another chance to portray Victor Stone/Cyborg. He was another stand-out. Everyone was. I liked April Bowlby’s portrayal of Rita Farr/Elasti-Woman. Doom Patrol is one of the few shows on this list that I’ll happily rewatch.
3) WandaVision (2021)
Marvel’s Disney+ shows had so much promise after they leapt off the screen with WandaVision. Sure, WandaVision is a continuation of the MCU, but the exploration of Wanda Maximoff’s mental state can’t be overstated. Kathryn Hahn had a star turn as Agnes/Agatha, and the rest of the cast was a joy. WandaVision is another show I’ll rewatch. Its use of sitcoms through the decades felt organic; it was more than nostalgia.
But there were plenty of call-outs to sitcoms and MCU properties. Evan Peters, pseudo-reprising his role as Pietro Maximoff was a nice touch. WandaVision did the source material proud. Hints of House of M (comic books) lead into Vision Quest (also from the comics), which will become another WandaVision spinoff Disney+ series. Vision Quest will mark two spinoffs to date. The first was Agatha All Along. I cringe at Wanda’s descent into madness, but I can’t look away.
2) The Boys (2019-present)
The Boys is the rare television show that’s better than its source material. The Boys comic book was okay. A bit gory and over-the-top, but okay, and let’s not get this twisted, the original comic book was written at the height of the Bush Administration, and it shows. The world has changed. The Boys television show adapted with it. And despite that, The Boys didn’t lose sight of what made the original comic book fun. That and Homelander scares the poop out of me. Seriously, Antony Starr’s Homelander haunts my dreams.
Writing on The Boys strikes a delicate balance of mixing over-the-top violence, black humor, deft plots, and character work. The Boys can be a big, dumb superhero show, but it also be a nuanced look at humanity and how we deal with trauma.
1) Daredevil (2015-2018)
Daredevil rises above the Netflix effect to claim the top spot. I can’t believe it, but Daredevil hadn’t yet released its first episode when we posted our original Top 5 Live-Action Comic Book Shows. My goodness, Geekly’s been around for some time. Daredevil claims the top spot in part because it’s been revived and will resurrect other Netflix Marvel shows with it on Disney+, like Punisher, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage. Except for a few moments, Daredevil’s writing was on point. Charlie Cox embodied the role so much that I can’t see anyone else portraying Daredevil. And the action sequences and filmography made me feel every punch through the screen. I’ve never felt that before or since Daredevil.
And Daredevil showcased some amazing acting. Cox’s Daredevil was fabulous, while Vincent D’Onofrio was menacing. You know what? I can’t see anyone else portraying Kingpin other than D’Onofrio. Woll’s Karen Page and Henson’s Foggy Nelson rounded out a stellar main cast. And just when I’d think Daredevil would take too many leaps by adding Bernthal’s Punisher or Yung’s Elektra or Bethel’s Bullseye, the actors would turn in character-defining performances. There’s a reason why Daredevil: Born Again was 2025’s most anticipated comic book series. It had some huge shoes to fill.
That’s our list of the top 10 live-action television shows based on comic books. I’m sure yours differs from ours. Let us know which shows you’d add or take away from this list. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. I’m late to the action, mostly because I didn’t know if we would retain Amazon Prime Video long enough for me to watch the end of Fallout Season 2 (scheduled for the beginning of February 2026). But hey, turns out we will keep Prime Video just long enough to watch Fallout Season 2, so I have some catching up to do. Let’s begin with my reaction (or review) of the first episode, “The Innovator.”
Fallout Season 2, “The Innovator”
Thank you, Todd Howard, for making an announcement everyone knew before Fallout Season 2 dropped: the Fallout series is canon and will affect future games in the franchise. Did the sarcasm come across? I don’t much care for Todd Howard. Why does he still helm Bethesda? Anyway, I love it when the Fallout series builds on the video game’s lore, and episode one, “The Innovator,” does just that. It opens with a bang. A bar airs a news report with Mr. House, but there’s another Mr. House (who doesn’t quite look like the television Mr. House) in the bar. Could there be more than one?
Before I answer that, I need to address one amazing line, “Every dollar spent is a vote cast.” Chef’s kiss, fantastic. Canonically, there is more than one Mr. House. Robert House has a brother, Anthony, who ran H&H Tools Company, which gets a shout-out in this opening scene. There is a chance Anthony is somehow involved, and what we see in this opening scene, where “Mr. House” injects a construction worker with a mind-control device, could play into a missable storyline (via journal entries one can read) in Fallout: New Vegas. In the game New Vegas, Anthony appears to have schizophrenia or paranoia. He’s worried his brother intends to use mind control on him and constantly wears foil hats. The device used in this scene would make me paranoid, too.
The Novac scene with the Khans serves as a great callback to Fallout: New Vegas. It’s a testament to how much has changed since the video game. The Khans were nowhere near Novac. Yikes! And the Fallout series does a great job of reestablishing two of its main characters, Lucy and The Ghoul, during this scene. The Ghoul devised a plan to kill all the Khans, while Lucy breaks away from the plan and attempts to persuade the Khans to let them go. Perfect! I almost wouldn’t need to watch the recap to gain my bearings. And again, I love how Fallout incorporates the game’s lore into the show. The Ghoul makes a comment about a store that used to exist in Novac about 25 years back. Evidently, The Ghoul bought a soda pop from the Dino Bite gift shop. I wonder what Cliff Briscoe is doing. Wait. He’s probably dead.
The Ghoul also mentions a woman named Darla behind the counter. There is a Darla in Fallout 4. She’s a gun lover and gun moll of Triggerman boss Skinny Malone. It’s possible she could’ve been in New Vegas at the same time as The Ghoul. And I smiled when Marty Robbins’s “Big Iron” played. Oh, and how The Ghoul healed his rope burn (by hanging) with radiation. Nice nods.
I don’t want to go into too much detail with each scene. We have three other episodes to get through, so I’ll pick up the pace.
“The Innovator” continues to do a great job of weaving in threads from last season’s flashbacks and recontextualizing them. Seriously, I’m unsure if a recap was necessary. We get a lot of the same information sprinkled through the narrative of this first episode. I like the mind control device throughline and Lucy’s quest to find her father, which is a very Bethesda-flavored Fallout storyline to showcase. How many people are searching for a family member in Bethesda Fallout games? Lol.
Anyway, I am concerned with the number of storylines Fallout attempts to juggle at once. Brotherhood of Steel Knight Maximus doesn’t even make an appearance during the first episode. I can’t imagine Fallout sporting too many episodes where every character gets time to shine. It’s not a problem yet. Since most characters reside in vastly different locations (similar to Game of Thrones), it is easier to keep track of who’s doing what. But some characters could become lost in the shuffle. Ultimately, “The Innovator” is a solid opening episode for Fallout season two. I can’t wait to see what Hank MacLean does with Mr. House’s experiments.
Fallout Season 2, “The Golden Rule”
Aw! I’ve always loved Jo Stafford’s “You Belong to Me.” The Fallout series (television and video games) features amazing music. And I love the glimpse we get of Maximus’s life before the bombs fell.
Not going to lie. Maximus falls short of his parents’ example in “The Golden Rule’s” opening scene. I don’t have an issue with Maximus joining the Brotherhood and following Elder Cleric Quintus. This season’s Brotherhood doesn’t land the same in this episode. They’re less like a military operation and more like a gussied-up raider gang. The showrunners/screenwriters threw in too many jokes. I chuckled the first time or two I saw the Brotherhood make a goof, but there were so many included (especially when the Brotherhood discovers Area 51) that it undermined the organization’s stature. The pelvic thrusts were a step too far.
The scene from Maximus’s past is fantastic and heartbreaking. I don’t want to spoil it here, but it’s well worth the watch, and the way Hank MacLean’s backstory ties into Maximus’s past is amazing. Fallout Season Two’s first two episodes have some banger cold opens. As far as the Brotherhood of Steel is concerned, I have hope their interpretation improves deeper into the season. I like the idea of a potential Brotherhood of Steel civil war. That can drive Maximus’s story and should affect the Mojave Wasteland.
We get our first glimpse of radscorpions in the Fallout TV show. Yay! Note: I watched with subtitles on and found they called bark scorpions “baby radscorpions.” Ah. No. We see two different species of radscorpions. Bark scorpions and radscorpions seldom play nice together in Fallout: New Vegas. It was a fun nod when the radscorpion eats the bark scorpion. Nice!
Overall, “The Golden Rule” makes for another strong entry. Hank MacLean furthers his “scientific” research, we catch our first glimpse of Caesar’s Legion, and I like where Norm’s storyline is headed. And “The Golden Rule” does a great job of juggling its various plotlines. It balances heart-wrenching storylines with lighthearted ones. The pacing is on point. And while I may not care for the current portrayal of the Brotherhood of Steel, there’s time for improvement.
Fallout Season 2, “The Profligate”
Thaddeus (pictured above) is a nice guy, but he’s running a sweatshop. Sam Cooke’s “Chain Gang” fits for “The Profligate’s” opening. I love the one kid asking Thaddeus for water, and Thaddeus replying with just drink the soda. And I squeed when I saw Sunset Sarsaparilla.
I’ll briefly mention the number of POV characters. Again, this could become a problem. It’s not one yet. Some major characters won’t feature for an episode or two, but if a major character disappears for five or more episodes, that could become a problem. And at the risk of small spoilers, I did like how Thaddeus and Maximus’s stories merged.
I also like the use of “The Profligate” as a title. The word occurred in the previous episode, and Macauley Culkin’s Legate drops the episode’s title after we meet him. Profligate is a perfect antiquated term Caesar’s Legion would use. I love how New Vegas is a mess. The Legion has splintered. That makes sense, especially in the manner the Fallout series suggests. The New California Republic (NCR) is all but gone. Even Victor (Mr. House’s pet Mr. House’s pet Securitron) has gathered dust. Throw in some Brotherhood of Steel shenanigans, and you’ve got yourself a party.
Overall, I like how most factions are depicted. I still think the Brotherhood isn’t the same one we got from the previous season. Lucy and The Ghoul taking jabs at The Legion made me guffaw more than once: Lucy with her knowledge of history books (Caesar’s Legion doesn’t adhere to the Ancient Romans), and The Ghoul’s line that the Legion dislikes soft Cs. And I love The Ghoul’s backstory and how it interplays with what occurs in the present day. Fallout has done a great job fleshing out most of its characters.
Fallout Season 2: “The Demon in the Snow”
I don’t believe I mentioned this in the previous episode’s write-up, but Maximus has redeemed himself. I had few doubts. But the past two episodes are a return to form, and the Brotherhood of Steel thread within “The Demon in the Snow” drives this episode. Minor spoiler: I worried that the scene of the Brotherhood airship crashing into the Mojave Desert wouldn’t be earned; “The Demon in the Snow” assuaged my worries. While I’ll miss Scribe Dane (they really grounded Maximus), they get a great send-off, and I love the scene they share with Maximus.
I’m glad we lost Knights Bevis and Butthead. Seriously. The two unnamed Brotherhood Knights playing with grenades made little sense. Like I said above (for episode two), they were funny the first time or two, but it got old. Conversely, Lucy makes for better comedic relief. We’re going into spoiler territory again. You’ve been warned. Lucy gets addicted to Buffout, and she’s equal parts PSA and junkie. Hilarious. This works because Lucy has no experience with any wasteland drug. I wonder how The Kings (a gang of Elvis impersonators in Fallout: New Vegas) transformed into ghouls (pictured above). But the Fallout series does take place twenty years into the future. A lot can happen in twenty years. Watching Lucy headshot each of The Kings was fun.
The Ghoul does little to help her. I loved how he laughed at her handiwork and how that contrasts with the pair running across their first living Deathclaw by the episode’s end. Lucy doesn’t think much of whatever is making the growling from within a casino (Buffout brain), and The Ghoul (who experienced a Deathclaw before the bombs fell) knew to fear the beast. Lucy even sobered up a little after the Deathclaw emerged. What is it with Fallout sticking Deathclaws inside buildings? This issue persists within the video games. I didn’t buy the Salem museum still standing in Fallout 4, and I don’t buy this building remaining intact during “The Demon in the Snow.” Deathclaw don’t turn doorknobs.
Finally, we see some progression with the vaults. Norm will find out more about Vault-Tec’s pre-war plans. He won’t discover anything pleasant. Vaults 32 and 33 are about to go to war. Yes! Bring on the chaos. “The Demon in the Snow” has a knack for ending each story thread on a good to phenomenal cliffhanger.
That’s all I have for the first four episodes of Fallout Season Two. From this week forward, we should be keeping up with the series weekly, but these reviews/reactions should be released on Saturdays instead of Fridays. I need to get back to my writing and game design diaries on Fridays. Our next Fallout episode review should occur on January 17, 2026. See you there. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Happy Weekend, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here, and I’m sharing my thoughts on Marvel Zombies on Disney+. Honestly, I didn’t think Marvel Zombies was necessary. I got enough of this world during the episode or two of What If? that featured Marvel Zombies. The concept is simple. Most Marvel superheroes become zombies.
The original comic book series managed to strike a balance where readers cared about the characters and had a healthy dose of hope. Most of that is dashed at some point, but readers could hold onto some hope for at least a little time. The animated series is rushed (there are only four episodes), so any hope lasts approximately five minutes. Without hope, there are no stakes. Everything becomes futile. I don’t believe this world to be anything but “let’s see all the MCU turn into zombies.” Mission accomplished, I guess. Instead of any real hope that could lead to stakes, let’s throw in all the least serious characters in the MCU, so they’re dropping one-liners every few seconds. But laughs don’t make for a compelling story.
Marvel Zombies’ short run means that it’s over quickly. That’s a plus. If you want to burn an hour and a half, there are worse ways to do it. I can’t recommend this series, but wait, Marvel Zombies could be getting a second season. Great.
Some will enjoy Marvel Zombies. You do get to watch MCU characters turn into zombies, and that can be fun. Some of the ways they turn are inventive. The animation is phenomenal. Marvel Animation Studios is knocking things out of the park, so you could watch Marvel Zombies for the visuals alone. And I do like that Marvel Zombies is a standalone story. We don’t need another show in the connected universe.
One last positive: Marvel Zombies makes Zombie Hawkeye a menace. Hawkeye is terrifying. Most of Hawkeye’s scenes are in the first episode, and I would recommend watching this version of Hawkeye. Heck, I’d watch a show with Zombie Hawkeye (the only zombie is Hawkeye) hunting superheroes.
I’ll keep this Marvel Zombies review short. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. As promised, this post is the companion piece to our Dead End: Paranormal Park Autism Representation post earlier today. Dead End: Paranormal Park is unique in that it has two main characters, one an autistic Pakistani-American girl, and the other a transgender Jewish-American boy, so we’re writing two posts about the same Netflix show. This is great news for me. If you didn’t catch our previous post, I’m a late-diagnosed autistic person and ADHDer, but I’m also trans and gender queer. Let’s dig into both sides of Dead End: Paranormal Park’s representation.
Since Netflix cancelled Dead End: Paranormal Park after 20 episodes, this post will break down each pertinent 20-minute episode regarding Barney Guttman, a 17-year-old gay and transgender Jewish-American boy who runs away to the theme park because of his complicated relationship with his family. Barney is another great example of intersectionality. Dead End: Paranormal Park is off to a great start. We’ll begin with the first episode, “The Job.”
Season 1, Episode 1, “The Job”
Dead End: Paranormal Park drops some subtle hints about Barney’s identity. We’re first introduced to him when he colors his hair light blue with a pink hair dye spray can. Members of the community see this as an obvious nod to the transgender flag, which features light blue, pink, and white stripes. Great nod. After he’s ready for the day, Barney heads downstairs from his bedroom, and this is when we get an exchange that hints at Barney’s troubled family life. First, his mother doesn’t know that he has a job interview that day. Second, Grammy-Gram (Barney’s grandmother) doesn’t approve of his trans identity.
Again, Dead End: Paranormal Park subtly conveys this. Barney’s mother asks if he’ll be back (from his job interview at the titular park) for dinner, and Barney asks who will be at dinner. When Barney’s mother lists Grammy-Gram as a participant, Barney asks his mother if Grammy-Gram knows he’ll be there. After his mother says yes, Barney clarifies if Grammy-Gram knows “Barney” will be there, suggesting that Grammy-Gram dead names Barney. Dead End: Paranormal Park does a great job of showing this family tension while not beating non-community members over the head with it, and the show also respects the viewer’s intelligence.
So far, so good. Dead End: Paranormal Park has more subtle hints about Barney’s identity. When he and Norma (the autistic Pakistani-American co-main character) meet in the bus, she doesn’t recognize him at first and claims that she’s bad at names. By the end of “The Job,” she calls him Barney. During the duo’s exploits, Barney insists that he won’t leave his dog (Pugsley) behind. Pugsley’s family. He’s the only family member who accepts him. Pets are great because they don’t care what your gender identity or sexual orientation is. They love unconditionally. Barney needs this, and he isn’t receiving it at home, so he runs away to live at Phoenix Park (Paranormal Park).
Unfortunately, trans kids running away from home happens far too often, especially when their family doesn’t accept them for who they are. At this point, we don’t know how Barney’s family, outside of Grammy-Gram, feels about his identity. Dead End: Paranormal Park is just getting started. And it’s a great start.
Random point one: I love that Pauline Phoenix, the purveyor of Phoenix (Paranormal) Park, is a drag queen. I would totally visit a drag queen amusement park.
Random point two: Courtney (the demon) is non-binary/gender queer in the comics and uses they/them pronouns, but Netflix insisted on the show using she/her pronouns instead. I still claim Courtney as part of the gender queer tribe. I’ll teach them the secret handshake. Thanks for the erasure, Netflix.
Season 1, Episode 2, “The Tunnel”
Most of “The Tunnel’s” opening minutes revolve around Norma, her obsession with Pauline Phoenix, and that Pugsley can talk. Pugsley even tells Norma what she had for breakfast two days ago (eggs with avocado and chili flakes). Yuck! That yuck was directed at a dog sniffing people’s behinds and then telling them what they ate; those eggs sound pretty good.
Anyway, Barney’s first big moment in “The Tunnel” comes when Logan Nguyen (the park’s health and safety officer) enters the staff meeting. Barney falls for Logan at first sight. I love Dead End: Paranormal Park’s decision here. Gender identity and sexual orientation are separate things. Groups like the LGB Alliance (they erase the T for transgender on purpose) often promote ideas that the world is losing its lesbians because they’re transitioning to men, especially when those trans men are attracted to women. Barney is a gay, trans boy. He’s transitioning and is still attracted to men. Representation like this debunks ideas that gender identity and sexual orientation are linked. They aren’t. Kudos to Dead End: Paranormal Park.
But the crux of “The Tunnel’s” narrative is Barney trying to hide the talking Pugsley from the world to protect him. Toward the end of this episode, Norma questions Barney’s “protecting” Pugsley by locking him away. The scene (picture above) where Barney and Pugsley call each other “bad” ends with Barney asking why Pugsley can’t go back to being his old self, and Pugsley saying that Barney is just as bad as Grammy-Gram. This is another lovely scene by Dead End: Paranormal Park. Most trans people have heard the “Why can’t you be like you were?” question before. We get another glimpse into Barney’s home life before the show, and I love how Barney is allowed to internalize Grammy-Gram’s refusal to see the real him by giving Barney and Pugsley this moment.
“The Tunnel” ends with Barney saying he’s trans. The park gives him the space to be himself. Everyone outside the park has the Barney he was before he started transitioning. This is a genuine occurrence for trans people. It’s easier to be around people who didn’t know you before you transitioned because they’re more likely to accept you as you are now. This scene is true and hits close to home.
Season 1, Episode 3, “Trust Me”
Barney’s story takes a backseat to Norma’s during “Trust Me.” We see him flirt with Logan during a team-building exercise. Most of this episode occurs through Norma’s point of view, and she envies Barney’s socialability, but Barney only has this ability because he’s on his own and allowed to live as his true self. The next bit is a spoiler, but we’ve talked about Dead End: Paranormal Park enough at this point that spoilers are to be expected. The team-building guru is a fear demon in disguise. He tricks the park staff into touching a bejeweled skull that forces each person to face their greatest fear.
Barney’s nightmare sequence gives us the first glimpse of his family. Grammy-Gram says horrible, unintelligible things about Barney, while his parents sit at the table and say nothing. This is a common and chilling scene. It drives home the point that remaining silent while others (even other loved ones) berate a trans person is just as bad as being the one who spouts the hate. Barney pleads with his parents to say something, to stand up for him, and they don’t.
Fortunately, Norma slipped into Barney’s nightmare and rescued him. Even though this is a nightmare sequence, it hits home. A 2019 report by The Trevor Project (a trans youth support group) states that one supportive parent can reduce the risk of a trans youth from committing suicide by 40%. Barney’s nightmare sequence serves as a good reminder to be a supportive parent.
Season 1, Episode 4, “Night of the Living Kids”
When Barney left home, he didn’t just leave his parents. His younger brother Patrick, reaches out to Barney by texting. Barney can’t find the words to say and doesn’t text back. But it turns out that Barney doesn’t need to. The Phoenix Parks gang is hosting an overnight kids’ birthday party, and the birthday boy is none other than Barney’s brother Patrick. I like the inclusion of Patrick. He never deadnames Barney. I found it easier for younger people, like my kids, to adapt to name changes. Heck, Patrick even adapts quickly to Pugsley’s ability to talk.
Naturally, Patrick feels abandoned by Barney. He still sleeps with the stuffed animal (a lion named Max) that Barney gave him. Patrick proves that Barney had people in his corner back at home. Patrick understands why Barney left, but he insists that Barney at least let their parents know that he’s okay. A tender moment happens near the end of “Night of the Living Kids.” Barney’s parents stop by to pick up Patrick, but Barney refuses to take off his dinosaur costume. His mother asks if Barney happened to stop by, and Barney says no. Barney’s mom looks crestfallen for a moment and then shrugs it off. She shares with Barney that the family is having issues.
Barney’s mother, claiming that Barney is “doing one of his disappearing acts again,” suggests that this isn’t the first time Barney has run away from home. Perhaps this is true. It could also be Barney’s mother trying not to reveal too much of the family’s personal business to who she thinks is a stranger. All of this adds layers to Barney’s family life. His family has obvious communication problems, and they could find closure as Patrick tells their mother a secret at the end of “Night of the Living Kids.” At this point, we don’t know what Patrick tells his mother, but it’s probably that Barney lives at Phoenix Parks.
Dead End: Paranormal Park is playing the particulars of this storyline close to the vest. We don’t yet know how Barney’s parents feel about his gender identity. We know that Grammy-Gram disapproves, and his parents refuse or somehow feel unable to stand up for him. While we don’t dive too deeply into these waters in this episode, “Night of the Living Kids” is setting up a fantabulous foundation.
Season 1, Episode 5, “The Nightmare Before Christmas in July”
“The Nightmare Before Christmas in July” breaks away from Barney and Norma’s storylines and focuses on their new demon friend, Courtney. Courtney is stuck in the mortal realm, so Barney and Norma go on a devilish game show to snag them (Courtney) a ticket home. We’ll be using Courtney’s preferred pronouns of they/them. I wanted to take another moment and ask why Netflix decided to gender Courtney. They’re a demon. Gender doesn’t make sense for them. If you want to see the original Courtney, check out the show runner, Hamish Steele’s, DeadEndia comic series.
Season 1, Episode 6, “Wait Time: 22 Minutes”
“Wait Time: 22 Minutes” gets its name from the supposed wait time for the Dr. Love Ride, a Phoenix Parks attraction that’s been shut down since before Barney was born. The park reopened the line, and a crowd gathered to hop on the ride. Barney has no interest in riding Dr. Love, but changes his mind when he spots his family walking out of the ride’s exit. Barney’s family doesn’t frequent the park often. It’s a fair bet that Patrick told his parents where Barney is, but it’s not confirmed. This keeps the tension simmering, but it doesn’t overpower this episode. Barney rejoins Norma and the gang, unaware that his crush, Logan Nguyen, is in front of them. Logan lets the gang know that he’s riding Dr. Love to make sure the sign’s wait time is correct.
Barney changes his mind, of course, and stays. The group splinters when Norma finds out there’s an employee express lane. Desperate to ride Dr. Love before spoilers flood her timeline, she bolts for the second line, leaving Barney and Logan alone. And here’s where “Wait Time: 22 Minutes” gets juicy. Barney flirts poorly, and an older lesbian couple, who rode Dr. Love when they first got together, try to help Barney. Oh. It’s awkward. Barney is so awkward, and it’s great. Again, I’ll give Dead End: Paranormal Park props for making Barney a gay trans boy. These scenes would play out much differently if he were flirting with a girl.
The remainder of this episode’s runtime, in reality, revolves around Norma, Courtney, and Pugsley possessing Barney to woo Logan. Things get interesting when Norma and Barney enter a spirit realm called the in-between. You’re not dead. You’re not alive. You’re just sort of backstage. While in the in-between, Barney curses that he didn’t say goodbye to his parents. This moves his story along, but it also shows that awkward “in-between” where you, as a trans person, can still love people who don’t accept you, but you keep your distance for your protection, and while you find yourself. Most trans people experience this. Great job, Dead End: Paranormal Park.
But there comes a time after you find yourself and gain your strength that you must stop running, and this can result in tense conversations. Barney’s journey is short. It often takes some of us years to get there. My journey took me a while because I got diagnosed as autistic shortly after coming out, so there were multiple Celtic knots I needed to untangle. While I think this journey happens a little fast for Barney, it does match one that many trans people face. Rewatching Dead End: Paranormal Park has given me a greater appreciation for it. I can see this representation helping someone on their journey.
Season 1, Episode 7, “Norma Khan: Paranormal Detective”
While the “Norma Khan: Paranormal Detective” title suggests that Norma is this episode’s central character, the scene Dead End: Paranormal Park has been building between Barney and his family occurs, and it doesn’t disappoint. Barney and his family put everything on the line. Wires get crossed when they use nacho chips and chili cheese fries as metaphors. Patrick and Pugsley don’t get the metaphor, but I do like Patrick saying we can always order more nachos, which I believe is a subtle hint at the frequently used metaphor for trans that claims rights aren’t pie, and even if they are, there’s enough to go around. But I could be reading too much into this. That last point was conjecture.
What isn’t conjecture is that Pugsley and Patrick find themselves literally and figuratively stuck in the middle of a heated argument. Barney’s parents say that they accept him. Barney claims that they don’t do enough to show that they accept him. Dead End: Paranormal Park frames Barney’s claim as the valid one, and I agree. Acceptance isn’t a passive thing. One needs to show that they accept someone. Barney’s parents had a chance when Grammy-Gram berated Barney and didn’t take the opportunity. Dead End: Paranormal Park lays out this argument in an entertaining and less preachy manner than I do. I love Barney’s response when his parents ask him to come home. You’ve got to make it one first.
This episode ends with the ghost of Pauline Phoenix escaping a television screen. This has more to do with Norma’s side of this episode’s story, but I think we’ll be discussing Pauline in the next episode.
Season 1, Episode 8, “The Pauline Phoenix Experience”
“The Pauline Phoenix Experience” casts the gang in Pauline’s former roles, hence the black and white picture above. This episode doesn’t delve deeper into Barney’s story or expand him as a character, so we’ll keep this one short. Still, “The Pauline Phoenix Experience” is an excellent episode and does a lot to progress Dead End: Paranormal Park’s overarching story. I don’t want to spoil anything here, so I’m keeping things vague.
Season 1, Episode 9, “The Phantom of the Theme Park”
Dead End: Paranormal Park is a queer show that takes place in a drag queen theme park. Of course, there’s going to be a musical episode. “The Phantom of the Theme Park” takes inspiration from several musicals, but its main influence is The Phantom of the Opera. I love this episode. The music is spot on, and the musical does a great job of forwarding the action to season one’s conclusion. But “The Phantoms of the Theme Park” does little to explore Barney’s story, except that demons have swarmed the park, and his parents are turned to stone. Things just got real.
Season 1, Episode 10, “Into the Fire”
Demon lords Zagan and Temeluchus battle it out for the surface world. Demonic mayhem ensues, but all’s well that ends well. The humans are no longer turned to stone. After Phoenix Parks returns to normal (relatively speaking), Barney’s parents commit to having his back. They won’t have him over for Friday night dinners with Grammy-Gram until Grammy-Gram learns to accept him. Instead, Barney’s invited to Saturday night dinners. A simple gesture like this can make all the difference in a trans kid’s life. Barney’s parents have taken an active role in supporting their son.
I love the growth these characters made during the season. Even Courtney learned a thing or two. Dead End: Paranormal Park ends its first season with a cliffhanger. We’ve seen plenty of demons during the first season, but we catch our first glimpse of a citizen from heaven.
Quick Break and Thank You
Thank you for reading up to this point. You’re amazing. Since the Dead End: Paranormal Park’s first season set up its characters well, the second season explores the other planes of existence, specifically heaven, so each individual episode’s write-up should be shorter. Thanks again for reading, and let’s get back to the show.
Season 2, Episode 1, “Take the Angels Bowling”
“Take the Angels Bowling” introduces Fingers, an angel with a face inside its massive hand. When Fingers extends its body (a long arm stretching from heaven), it resembles Gord’s, the red-skinned demon, who looks like a worm. It’s like the two species (angels and demons) aren’t that different. Hmm.
Barney’s story takes a backseat in this episode, but we see some great moments with him and Logan. At the tail end of the last season, Logan and Barney share their first kiss. “Take the Angels Bowling” shows Logan’s patience with Barney. At this stage of Barney’s transition, he’s still unsure of himself, and I like how Logan gives him the space to be awkward. When someone transitions (even socially), it acts as a second puberty. Whether this was Dead End: Paranormal Park’s intention or not, this is great representation.
Season 2, Episode 2, “Evil Twins Are People Too”
“Evil Twins Are People Too” may prove my hunch correct. Barney’s misadventures with demons and evil twins are a metaphor for a trans person’s second puberty. Barney lets it slip that he loves Logan. This is a common television trope. Someone says “I Love You” first, and the other person doesn’t immediately say it afterwards. What makes Dead End: Paranormal Park’s take on this trope different is the added complication of the paranormal (or the fact that Barney is trans). By the end of this episode, Barney lays it out on the line, telling Logan he loves him again and admitting that life with him could get complicated.
Fortunately, Logan doesn’t mind the complication. He entered this relationship knowing that there could be uncommon issues, but Barney is his person. I love this. It proves that there’s someone for everyone, even a trans boy with an evil twin.
Season 2, Episode 3, “The Trials of Barney”
As the episode’s title implies, “The Trials of Barney” has a Barney-centric story. I like how this episode goes back into Barney’s childhood. Dead End: Paranormal Park does a great job of showing that Barney was always a boy. He’s always been into pro wrestling and created the moniker, B-Rex, because he likes dinosaurs. Initially, B-Rex is the wrestling name Barney uses when he joins the Demon Wrestling Federation. During the perfect moment, Barney embraces his inner heel and comes out as a human. He then becomes The Living Human.
Early on, Barney hides his human identity. He finds it easier to be a lizard boy (B-Rex) instead of a human boy. Throughout “The Trials of Barney,” Barney lives as his authentic gender, and when he reveals himself to be a human, he accepts the final part of himself. And the crowd loves him for it. This is another subtle point Dead End: Paranormal Park makes. Many trans people begin by showing parts of themselves to others, and some of those parts are their gender identity, while holding back other aspects of themselves to fit in. Sure, Barney was always treated as a boy in the demonic gym, but he needed to find himself as a human boy.
Transgender people aren’t a monolith. There’s no one way to be trans, and it’s up to each person to find what their gender identity means for them.
Season 2, Episode 4, “Eat the Parents”
“Eat the Parents” features Logan meeting Barney’s parents, so we get plenty of situational comedy sprinkled throughout this episode. Everyone puts on airs, especially Norma, as they try to impress Barney’s parents. The standout scene for Barney is the one where everyone eats the soup Courtney prepared from the mysterious book she found. This soup induces mind-reading, and when Barney takes a sip, he complains (in his head) that no one will be good enough for his parents.
This comment suggests that Barney had suitors before he came out to his parents. Or perhaps not. Either way, the demon behind the cursed soup is none other than the team-building guru from season one. Lovely callback. We find that despite his confident exterior, Logan is just as insecure as Barney, maybe even more so. I like that Barney isn’t the only one worried about this relationship.
Season 2, Episode 5, “The Ride of a Lifetime”
Hurt feelings and a lover’s spat abound in “The Ride of a Lifetime.” Barney misinterprets Logan texting Josh as the two of them dating, when it’s actually about Josh getting an acting role that Logan had also auditioned for. Pugsley spends the entire episode’s runtime trying to avoid calamity of all kinds, physical and emotional harm, but you can’t rewind time to execute the perfect world.
All of this is Fingers grooming Pugsley for Dead End: Paranormal Park’s season two finale. “The Ride of a Lifetime” doesn’t unearth anything new and exciting with Barney’s trans experience, but the show’s done a fantabulous job doing that throughout its run.
Season 2, Episode 6, “My Super Sweet 1600”
Barney doesn’t have much to do in “My Super Sweet 1600.” Fingers sends the gang to bust up a demon’s (Zagan’s) birthday party, but Barney ends up becoming the life of the party. What begins with Zagan trying to kill the humans (or at least maim them) becomes a love fest with the friends Barney made while he wrestled in the Demon Wrestling Federation. Even though this moment doesn’t progress the story, I love how it shows the demons accepting Barney for who he is, for all he is (including a Living Human). Not only do the demons accept Barney, but they also praise his differences. That’s great to see.
Season 2, Episode 7, “All Dolled Up”
Barney doesn’t make an appearance in “All Dolled Up.” Well, technically, he does show up at the very end, teasing the following episode. Even so, we see a lot of Barney through Logan, who encourages Norma to come out as bisexual to her mother. I love the representation of various gender identities and sexual orientations in Dead End: Paranormal Park.
Season 2, Episode 8, “The Other Side”
We find out what Barney and the rest of the gang were doing in the previous episode with “The Other Side.” Barney dies from a falling chandelier. The rest of the gang attempts to join Barney’s soul with his body. I love the Reverso-Romero Spell that naturally turns Barney’s corpse into a zombie. Barney runs into a few “friendly” ghosts. Basically, they’re trying to trick Barney into crossing over to the other side so they can hitch a ride. I like the pink-hued ghost Jules’ inclusion of their pronouns: they/them/and the late. Nice. Why couldn’t Netflix allow this for Courtney?
Speaking of Courtney, they’re involved in the funniest scene during this episode. Barney turns full ghost. No one can see him, so he writes on the wall with charcoal. Here’s a quick recreation:
Courtney: Barney, is that you?
Barney (writing in charcoal on the wall): Yes.
Courtney: You turned yourself into a piece of charcoal?
Barney: No.
Courtney: You turned Pugsley into a piece of charcoal?
Barney writes several paragraphs on the wall. Not one inch is left uncovered by charcoal. Courtney’s eyes widen. She gasps, and then says, “Barney…there’s no way I’m reading all of that.”
This scene had me rolling a year ago when I first watched Dead End: Paranormal Park, and I rewatched it multiple times during this rewatch. It’s so good. It’s official. Courtney is my spirit animal.
Anyway, “The Other Side” ends with Barney about to cross over, succumbing to the ghost “friends” negative self-talk. This is such a great representation of one’s battle with mental health, and according to Pugsley, this isn’t the first time Barney has felt this way. Barney’s found family (Pugsley, Logan, Badyah, and Norma) helps him through this rough patch and saves him from crossing over. I love found families in media. We all have found families. They’re our communities. They can be our significant other. Often, our found families know us better than our birth families.
“The Other Side” ends with Fingers revealing his dastardly plan. Fingers, the angel, was the one who dropped the chandelier on Barney. Since he gives Pugsley the power to save Barney, Pugsley willingly goes to heaven. We’re on our way to heaven, floor 4.
Season 2, Episode 9, “Going Up”
Barney’s story in “Going Up” centers on rescuing Pugsley, so we get little trans representation in this episode. Or do we? We’ll discuss how Courtney’s story plays into Dead End: Paranormal Park’s greater trans narrative in a minute, but first, let’s discuss some quick Barney points. That almost sounds like brownie points. Tee hee! Asmodeus (Barney’s wrestling sparring partner) in any episode offers great acceptance for Barney’s identity. Those two have a wonderful bromance. You love to see it.
Before we get into Courtney’s story, I’ll begin by citing a spoiler warning. There’s little chance for us to discuss “Going Up” and Courtney’s part of the story without major spoilers. You’ve been warned. Courtney learns they’re a fallen angel. Their “horns” are a broken halo, and they’re doomed to prune the universe’s timeline of all “unwanted” branches. While bleak, this storyline profoundly plays into Dead End: Paranormal Park’s main characters. Fallen angels (angels whose halos are broken) no longer fit what it means to be an angel, so Courtney has more in common with Barney than they may have first thought.
As a trans person, Barney doesn’t fit in with cispeople. The same can be said of Norma as well, but we’ll go more into her side with the autism representation post, but Courtney’s subjugation in heaven rings true for a lot of trans people. Courtney isn’t allowed to be Courtney. Their personality–or any personality–runs counter to what the heavenly society accepts. One could rewatch Dead End: Paranormal Park multiple times and find new angles. This is the mark of a great show.
One more major spoiler: Pugsley becomes The Watcher. The Watcher is the all-powerful heavenly sorcerer who serves as watchdog for anyone who steps out of line. There’s so much to unpack here. The onion-head mask Pugsley wears to become The Watcher takes away his identity. It functions similarly to conversion therapy. The Pugsley who wears The Watcher’s mask must conform. Dead End: Paranormal Park may be geared for kids, but it has many layers.
Season 2, Episode 10, “The Watcher’s Test”
“The Watcher’s Test” does for Pugsley what “Going Up” did for Courtney. Barney and Norma’s journey can be seen through Pugsley’s. Since this is our transgender representation post, we’ll focus on how Pugsley’s journey mirrors Barney’s. Again, we’ll be going through some major spoilers, but if you’ve made it this far, spoilers won’t be that big of an issue.
First, Pugsley is Barney’s dog, so a direct link exists between these two characters. Second, Pugsley has been told by heaven (not sure if the character commanding Fingers is God, but they’re certainly from heaven) that he must fight demons at all costs, and that’s what happens. Pugsley, as The Watcher, has destroyed the Earth. Evidently, Earth ceasing to exist is better than a single demon out of place, and a demon’s place is in prison. This extremist, black-and-white thinking has been used against trans people. Someone living outside the gender binary embraces the gray, and ironically, Netflix chose to stick Courtney inside the gender binary. You don’t need the creators to tell you this was not their decision; Courtney’s new pronouns go against the show’s message.
I loved “The Watcher’s Test” callbacks to previous episodes. In fact, Dead End: Paranormal Park did a better job of weaving in these callbacks than the MCU with Avengers: Endgame. Time travel mayhem occurs during this episode, and Dead End: Paranormal Park drops Barney into the perfect scenes where he could’ve attempted to persuade Pugsley not to become The Watcher. Fight heaven’s grooming. But my favorite must be the scene that wasn’t altered. Eagle-eyed viewers may figure that something was different about Barney during an earlier episode. I won’t spoil it here, but if you’ve seen “The Watcher’s Test,” watching this same scene through a new lens is chef’s kiss superb.
Random Thought: The dedication to Leon Fechner (one of the show’s animators) during Dead End: Paranormal Park’s closing credits is touching. We leave season two with Pugsley wandering a plane that isn’t heaven, hell, or Earth. This pays homage to Fechner, who had slipped into a coma and died before the show was completed. Rest in peace, Leon Fechner.
Closing Thoughts
Yowza! This was long. It’s even longer if you read the companion piece, Dead End: Paranormal Park’s Autism Representation. While this show’s geared toward children, Dead End: Paranormal Park does a stellar job with transgender representation. Barney Guttman tops many lists of great trans characters. The show presents Barney as a complicated character. He isn’t always in the right, but his heart is usually in the right place. I love Dead End: Paranormal Park’s intersectionality. Each character is thoughtfully layered.
If you have any other movies or television shows that depict transgender people that you’d like us to cover, let us know in the comments. If you’ve made it this far, you’re amazing. We all know it. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
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