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.
Geekly started a new deep dive series about Autism Representation in media. Our first post in that series was about Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory, and it was posted in May. Was it that long ago? Yikes! Well, Geekly’s back with another deep dive about Autism Representation. Today’s piece of media is the short-lived Netflix animated series, Dead End: Paranormal Park.
Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. As I mentioned in our previous Autism Representation post, I’m a late-diagnosed autistic person and ADHDer. Yes, you can have both. Ever since my diagnosis, I’ve been viewing media through a different lens, trying to see if a piece of media has good or not-so-good Autism Representation. I intended this series to be something Geekly released once a quarter. We’re getting this post right under the wire with Dead End: Paranormal Park because this series not only has an Autistic main character, but the other main character is transgender. I also happen to be trans and gender queer and intended to give Transgender Representation in media the same treatment. So today, we’re releasing two posts about Dead End: Paranormal Park.
Since Dead End: Paranormal Park only lasted two seasons (for a total of 20, 20-minute episodes), we’ll go through each pertinent episode in sequential order for both characters. Our subject for this post is Norma Khan, a 17-year-old bisexual and autistic Pakistani-American girl who gets a job at the park because of her adoration of the films made by character Pauline Phoenix. Already, I love Norma’s intersectionality. Let’s get started with Dead End: Paranormal Park’s first episode, “The Job.”
Season 1, Episode 1, “The Job”
We first meet Norma Khan in her room, decked out in Pauline Phoenix (the actress behind Phoenix, “Paranormal,” Park) paraphernalia: Pauline posters, Pauline bedsheets, and even a Pauline lamp. Norma has an episode of Dead End (one of Pauline Phoenix’s television shows) playing as she prepares for a job interview at Phoenix Park. Something tells me Norma listens to this show on repeat often. I’ve done the same. I may have audio taped cartoons (on cassette tapes) so I could play them at night to fall asleep. I’m sure Norma wouldn’t do anything like that. Wink.
Norma’s mother dotes on her. She worries more about Norma’s job interview than Norma does. She hugs and kisses Norma as Norma tries to break away. I can relate. We know little about Norma, but Dead End: Paranormal Park hints that Norma’s mother may want more affection than Norma is comfortable giving. This is in keeping with some autistic kids. This moment also suggests that Norma’s job interview may be her first time alone; it’s certainly her first step as an adult. Autistic people do tend to have a higher unemployment rate than the general population, and often, this is less about capability and more about finding the right work environment. It sounds like Phoenix (Paranormal) Park is Norma’s perfect job environment.
“The Job” sprinkles in some references to Norma’s hyper-fixations. In fact, when she believes she didn’t get the job at first, Norma flat out says, “Looks like I’ll have to find something else to hyper-fixate on for fifteen years.” Norma earns this line because she spews paragraphs of Pauline Phoenix facts while Norma and Barney are trapped in a haunted mansion. Only Norma doesn’t yet realize the two of them are trapped. She’s too busy info-dumping on Barney about her special interest. I watched this episode with one of my daughters, and she chuckled. You’re not like that at all, are you, Mapa? Yep. That happens sometimes. The train needs to reach the station before we can switch tracks.
Season 1, Episode 2, “The Tunnel”
“The Tunnel” begins with a Norma flashback. She’s a child attending Phoenix Parks and in line to visit Buster Scruffs (one of the employees dressed as a mascot). Norma panics. Her feet sink into the concrete. While I’m unsure if this sequence is directly tied to an autistic shutdown (where an autistic person retreats from their surroundings) or if this scene is just a child reacting to too much stimuli (which can cause autistic shutdowns), Dead End: Paranormal Park does a fantastic job of showing Norma’s internal world.
When we shift to the present day, Norma storms into the haunted mansion. She doesn’t care that Pugsley can talk (a side effect of his former demonic possession) and is livid that Barney clocked into work before her. The group brushes past Barney, staying the night at the park, and promptly finds a gold pass. I love how she prefers to go to the park’s staff meeting when presented with the option to do anything in the park. Dead End: Paranormal Park drops another line of Norma obsessed with Pauline Phoenix, before she wishes for the three-hour version of employee orientation. I can attest that I could withstand a three-hour orientation on my special interest. This tracks for an autistic person.
What also tracks for autistic people is Norma’s odd eye contact. When Badyah Hassan (leader of the staff orientation) begins orientation, Norma info dumps and gives Badyah intense eye contact. Norma bores a hole into Badyah. That made me laugh. It’s so accurate. Many people believe that autistic people can’t make eye contact, when it’s just as likely that autistic people will make intense eye contact. In short, autism leads to odd levels of eye contact: none or too much. And of course, Norma takes over the orientation after Badyah sarcastically asks if she wants to do so. Norma puts on a performance voice (another autistic thing to do), and I felt called out. Both of my daughters recounted a similar instance with me at a board game cafe.
Season 1, Episode 3, “Trust Me”
“Trust Me” centers around a team-building exercise at the beach. Norma is reluctant to leave her mother’s car because she believes everyone at work hates her, while Norma’s mother counters with no one knows you. This is a great representation of an autistic side-effect, rejection sensitivity. Rejection sensitivity may occur when an autistic person has experienced so many instances where they said or did the wrong thing, or they just acted like themselves (and not like a neurotypical or person without autism), and got rejected, so the autistic person believes people hate them even when there’s empirical evidence to the contrary. I’ve received a pep talk from a loved one like the one Norma gets so many times, I’ve lost count. I love that Dead End: Paranormal Park touched on this subject.
Before “Trust Me’s” volta (the turn), we get a lot of Norma being literal. The team-building guru speaks in metaphors, and each flies over Norma’s head. Physical things don’t bind us. Yes, they can. The opposite of trust is fear. No, the opposite of trust is mistrust. I agree with Norma on that last one. Autistic people can be very literal. I got diagnosed with autism after my younger daughter was diagnosed (autism is hereditary), and my daughter would always answer with specific times whenever someone asked what time it was. For instance, it’s 4:18, instead of 4:15 or 4:20. We didn’t know when she was younger, but that’s an autistic trait. I still agree with Norma that the opposite of trust is definitely mistrust.
And I like how Dead End: Paranormal Park mixes up Norma’s affect. When she says, the opposite of trust is definitely mistrust, her voice is flat. Other times, she’s very expressive, overly so. Excellent! The montage of Norma screwing up every trust-building exercise is also excellent. Her forward trust fall had me in stitches.
This next bit ventures into spoiler territory, but who are kidding? We’ve already shared some spoilers. The team-building guru is a fear demon in disguise, and he intends to feed on the gang’s fear. While everyone else enters a nightmare realm where their greatest fears come to life, Norma’s fear world is the real world. She worries about every interaction with people. She relives every social misstep. Eventually, Norma’s rejection sensitivity overwhelms the fear demon. I love how the animation style changes when we fully enter Norma’s perspective. It’s another subtle way Dead End: Paranormal Park portrays autism. The Norma we see in the picture above may be closer to how she views the world.
And that’s how autism works. It’s another way of viewing the world. Neurodivergent brains process things differently from neurotypical brains. This is another excellent example of autism representation. This may dovetail into Norma calling her coworkers by the attractions they monitor at the park. I like how most people take offense, but Badyah leans into her nickname death slide. Badyah’s the one who sits beside Norma on the beach and comforts her; Norma may have found a kindred spirit.
Season 1, Episode 4, “Night of the Living Kids”
“Night of the Living Kids” is more of a Barney episode. We get our first look at Patrick, Barney’s younger brother, who’s having an overnight birthday party at the park. Patrick plays Pin the Tail on the Dinosaur, and when Barney recognizes him, he takes cover. After Barney says that Patrick can’t see him, Norma doesn’t get the context and replies that he has the blindfold off now, so he can see Barney. Classic Norma.
And in classic Norma fashion, she finds the one kid at the party who’s as obsessed as she is about Pauline Phoenix. Vince even outbid Norma for Pauline memorabilia on an online auction. Norma finally has someone else she can talk to about her special interest. As Norma says, Finally, an intelligent conversation. The two’s conversation sets up the mystery of Barbora (not Barbera), Pauline’s angry and athletic stunt double. The two’s convo gets interrupted by children who lost all the sleep they ever slept, hence the episode’s name “Night of the Living Kids.”
Season 1, Episode 5, “The Nightmare Before Christmas in July”
“The Nightmare Before Christmas in July” takes a break from Barney and Norma and focuses more on their 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. Note: I’ll mention this in the transgender representation companion post to this one, but the demon Courtney is non-binary/gender queer in the comics, but Netflix changed their pronouns from they/them to she/her; I’ll use Courtney’s preferred pronouns of they/them.
Even though “The Nightmare Before Christmas in July” is predominantly a Courtney episode, we get a classic Norma moment during the game show. When the demon host says the next leg is a “lightning round,” Norma shouts, Trivia. Nope. Not trivia, Norma. Actual lightning.
Season 1, Episode 6, “Wait Time: 22 Minutes”
“Wait Time: 22 Minutes” gets its title from the line for the newly opened Dr. Love Ride at the park. The Dr. Love Ride has been closed since before Norma was born, and naturally, she wants to experience the ride before spoilers flood her timeline. This is in keeping with everything we’ve learned about Norma. She and Barney get separated in the line because Norma takes the employee express lane, while Barney stays in the main line with Logan, who wants to make sure the wait time sign of 20 minutes is correct. Since Barney has a crush on Logan, he texts Norma incessantly.
In classic Norma fashion, she doesn’t get why Barney is freaking out, but it’s what she says that rings true for an autistic person. Barney’s in a line with Logs, so the danger seems minimal. Lol. Often, autistic people can brave large crowds if they have at least one person they know well. Norma doesn’t get Barney’s dread because she views Logan as a safe person to brave Dr. Love’s long line. Pugsley has to spell out the awkward social implications for Norma. I love this. I wouldn’t have been able to attend Pride if I hadn’t gone with some of my safe people. And I might’ve missed the social cues of Barney’s crush on Logan.
I also love Norma’s line to Barney. I’m the socially awkward one. Stop stealing my thing. The rest of the episode’s runtime, in reality, revolves around Norma, Courtney, and Pugsley possessing Barney and taking turns trying to woo Logan. Norma asks standard questions and gets frustrated when Logan answers them out of order. He needs to answer the questions in the order they were asked. I could see an autistic person getting frustrated by this, and the lesbian couple standing by Barney (possessed by Norma) bemoan that kids these days are too literal. Yeah. That tracks for an autistic person.
Throughout the body-swapping antics, Norma remains on task. What starts as helping Barney with Logan turns into saving Barney from the in-between, a place where possessed souls go. “Wait Time: 22 Minutes” ends with Norma finally getting on the Dr. Love Ride. She begins info-dumping to Logan as the ride begins, only to have the ride shut down as she’s about to enter. Awesome!
Season 1, Episode 7, “Norma Khan: Paranormal Detective”
The title “Norma Khan: Paranormal Detective” is a bit of a misnomer. At first, Norma takes the role too seriously. Norma’s covert scene with Vince (nice call back) is over-the-top, leading Badyah to say that the two of them are more suspicious than if they faced each other. Note: Norma and Vince sit on with their backs to each other, and Vince struggles to give Norma the magazine featuring Barbora that he mentioned during “Night of the Living Kids.”
Norma is blinded by her obsession with Pauline Phoenix that she ignores all the evidence that clearly paints Pauline as the one behind the missing Pauline impersonators. Tunnel vision can occur for autistic people. I’ve been blinded by my special interests. While this tracks for an autistic person, Badyah proves to be the better “paranormal detective.” I love Norma’s detailed evidence board. The picture above is a zoomed-in segment of that board. Trust me, Norma goes into excruciating detail, making her an autistic queen.
Norma refuses to view Pauline as a threat even at the end of “Norma Khan: Paranormal Detective.” It takes Pauline Phoenix’s ghost charging at Norma before she jumps into a haunted television screen. I’m sure this will end well.
Season 1, Episode 8, “The Pauline Phoenix Experience”
“The Pauline Phoenix Experience” casts the gang in Pauline’s former roles. That’s why we get that awesome black and white picture above. Even though this episode does a lot of heavy lifting for the Dead End: Paranormal Park’s main storyline, it does reveal the depths of Norma’s Pauline Phoenix fandom. She figures out they’re in Pauline’s movies/TV shows before Barney, but plays along because it’s her dream come true. She knows the lines. She’s probably heard them millions of times and this is her time to shine.
Norma goes as far as trying to “kill” Barney because her character tries to do so in the films. Talk about commitment. But she breaks when she comes to terms that Pauline was using her and all her fans. Autistic people tend to have strong moral compasses that can be obscured through the lens of fandom. By the end of this episode, Norma breaks down, but after she mourns the loss of her idol, she’s ready to exact change.
Season 1, Episode 9, “The Phantom of the Theme Park”
Dead End: Paranormal Park is a queer version of Scooby Doo. The park is based on a drag queen. It was only a matter of time before we got a musical episode. “The Phantom of the Theme Park” takes inspiration from several musicals, but its main influence, naturally, 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. While “The Phantoms of the Theme Park” doesn’t show new aspects of Norma’s for us to discuss at length, it follows through on Norma’s strong moral compass.
She sacrifices herself to be Pauline Phoenix’s new vessel and hatches a plan to end the park’s suffering. Even though the plan doesn’t go as planned, Pauline is banished, but now we have the return of Temeluchus. Uh oh!
Season 1, Episode 10, “Into the Fire”
I’ll level with you. I can’t believe I’ve gone this far without mentioning Norma’s odd speech patterns. I grew up in the South and don’t sound like it. Sure, some of this is due to my moving away from the South, but not entirely. Even while I was living in the South, folks wondered if I had a foreign accent. Norma’s odd speech pattern is spot on.
Norma takes charge during the demon invasion. She reverts to calling park employees by the attractions they monitor. Death Slide and Norma to the rescue. Demon lords Zagan and Temeluchus battle for surface world supremacy. Demonic fun ensues, but everything turns out okay in the end. The demons leave. The humans are no longer turned to stone. After Phoenix Parks returns to normal (relatively speaking), the crew discusses what to do next, unaware of someone watching them. It’s a citizen of heaven.
But that will wait until season two.
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” gives us our first full look at an angel, Fingers, who is a massive hand with a face in its palm. When Fingers extends its body (a long arm stretching from heaven), it resembles Gord’s, the red-skinned demon, who looks like a worm. Coincidence?
Most of “Take the Angels Bowling” sets up the impending denizens of heaven descending on Phoenix Parks, but there are a few wonderful Norma moments. Her friend Badyah knows Norma wouldn’t want to wear used bowling shoes, so she bought her a fresh pair. That’s thoughtful. Judging from the smell and look of the loaner bowler shoes, that’s a good call by Badyah. Norma and Badyah have started a podcast about ghosts and demons. Very on brand. Norma’s more interested in setting up a podcast schedule than bowling. Also on brand. And when Badyah info dumps about the finer points of bowling, Norma asks if that’s what she sounds like to Badyah. Awesome!
Season 2, Episode 2, “Evil Twins Are People Too”
“Evil Twins Are People Too” steers into the television trope of a character having an evil twin. Barney and Norma’s twins are the worst parts of themselves, but this becomes a blessing for Norma. She fears that Badyah isn’t as into their podcast or at least as into demons as her, which is true, but after an unpleasant exchange with evil Norma, Badyah tells Norma that she does the podcast to spend time with her. Norma makes the mistake of tying her relationship (spoiler: Norma is crushing on Badyah) with Badyah’s liking or disliking her special interest. This is fantastic.
Honestly, I’ve done the same at times. Because an autistic person views their special interest as an intimate part of them, they can tie relationships (or a relationship’s depth) to these interests. I even like how long it takes Norma to realize she has feelings for Badyah. There’s a reason I often talk things out to myself. I love this inclusion.
Quick Point: Badyah mentions that Norma does all the demon sounds during their podcast. This is most likely an example of echolalia, the repetition of phrases or noises that autistic people can make. I would guess that Norma makes these noises outside the podcast.
Season 2, Episode 3, “The Trials of Barney”
“The Trials of Barney” puts Norma’s story on the back burner. Secretly, Barney joins a demonic gym and trains to become a pro wrestler in the demon league. Barney proves to be one heck of a heel, earning the respect of most demons at the arena, especially his opponent, Asmodeus. Near the end of the episode, Badyah compliments Barney and then asks if he’ll be on hers and Norma’s podcast, proving that Badyah supports Norma’s special interest (demonology) and finds some enjoyment from it. Personally, I’ve found this to be the case. One’s loved ones can’t go long hearing someone enthuse about a topic without getting invested.
Random Note: The rock song (“Fight Like a Demon Boy”) that plays during Barney’s training montage slaps.
Season 2, Episode 4, “Eat the Parents”
“Eat the Parents” features Logan meeting Barney’s parents. For this reason, Norma doesn’t feature as prominently, but we get another round of her using a hilarious, ornate voice. Maître de Norma is so over-the-top it makes Barney question what’s wrong with her. This is so on point for many autistic people. You either get zero inflection or all the inflection in the world. I also like that Norma’s dream dinner guest is what she thinks is an adorable spider skull demon. To each their own, I guess, but this shows the depths of Norma’s special interest.
And clearly, romantic comedies were an obsession for Norma at some point. She goes full army general while discussing how crucial meeting one’s parents during a Rom-Com plotline is. I love how “Get Married” goes straight to “Buy Matching Coffins” on the timeline. Norma has watched enough Rom-Coms to know that all of them end after the couple gets married.
Season 2, Episode 5, “The Ride of a Lifetime”
Hurt feelings and a lover’s spat abound in “The Ride of a Lifetime.” Norma plans to tell Badyah how she feels about her, and Pugsley sees the conversation is not going well. 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. While this episode focuses on Norma’s love life, it still manages a callback to Norma knowing how long the Ferris wheel ride lasts. Excellent!
Badyah thinks Norma wants to cut her from the podcast, so she tries to prevent Norma from talking. Badyah doesn’t know what to think when Norma tells her that she “like-likes her.” I love how Dead End: Paranormal Park handles this scene. Badyah says she thinks she’s straight, but she doesn’t think about it too much. The showrunners have said that Badyah could be queer, but she comes out in a different way. I could also see Badyah as aroace (aromantic and asexual, where you don’t tend to have a lot of romantic feelings or sexual attraction). I would’ve loved to see where Dead End: Paranormal Park chose to take Badyah’s character.
Season 2, Episode 6, “My Super Sweet 1600”
Norma spends most of “My Super Sweet 1600’s” runtime avoiding Badyah, and she doesn’t attempt to hide her Badyah aversion. This tracks for an autistic person. Many of us, including me, have a difficult time masking irritation. I love how even when Norma attempts to “act normal,” her eyes narrow to pinpricks, and it gives away her emotions.
Badyah tries to smooth things over (from her rejecting Norma’s romantic advances) by hooking up Norma and the Gazan, the demon/vampire, celebrating her Super Sweet 1600 birthday. Gazan and Norma strike a friendship, and their heart-to-heart talk helps Norma see what she needs: space. “My Super Sweet 1600” ends with Norma quitting her job at Phoenix Parks. Gasp!
Season 2, Episode 7, “All Dolled Up”
Dead End: Paranormal Park does a great job of showing many ways a person can come out (with their gender identity and/or sexual orientation) and the responses that may occur when one does. More on that in a minute, but we’re talking Norma’s autism representation right now. “All Dolled Up” gives us a window into Norma’s childhood. We spend more time in her childhood home, see that she’s taken down all her Pauline Phoenix paraphernalia, but her mom clings to the Norma she used to know, the Norma whose dream job is Phoenix Parks, and she quit.
Norma’s mom cooks Pauline pancakes. This was one of Norma’s safe foods, as she ate it every morning growing up. This is definitely an autistic thing. Even as an adult, I still have safe foods, foods I know I can turn to for their texture, flavor, or even lack of flavor. My daughter, whose autism diagnosis led to my late diagnosis, ate chicken tenders/nuggets for every meal she could. I chuckled when Norma switched from pancakes to chicken tenders. Excellent.
By this point, Norma’s personality is set. Her status as an autistic queen is secure. “All Dolled Up” gives us the revelation that Norma is bisexual. I’ve said it before, but I love Dead End: Paranormal Park’s intersectionality. Norma’s scene where she comes out to her mom is heartwarming. It differs from Barney’s, and that’s the point. This show does what it can to show the spectrum of outcomes of coming out to one’s parents. We even learn that confident Logan is not yet out to his parents.
Season 2, Episode 8, “The Other Side”
“The Other Side” shows what Barney and the rest were doing during Norma’s doll infestation from the previous episode. Norma shows up at the end, making amends with Badyah. The two are friends, but Norma needs space. Fair.
This episode sets up the main conflict for Dead End: Paranormal Park’s second season. We’re headed to heaven, floor four.
Season 2, Episode 9, “Going Up”
Before we get into spoilers–there’s little chance I can cover “Going Up” without revealing some plot points–let’s discuss some quick Normaisms. Norma already has hers and Badyah’s next four hangouts and topics of conversation scheduled in her diary. While I don’t plan my days in this much detail or that far in advance, I am writing this deep dive in June, and it’s scheduled for mid-September. Yikes! Maybe I do plan that far in advance. Autistic people do like a regimen. I also like Norma’s wonder at heaven when she first arrives. As she says, I’ve spent so much time studying demons; I didn’t think about what was going on up here. Again, tunnel vision. I wouldn’t have Norma any other way.
Now, we get into spoilers for a show that’s been around for three years. 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 in nature, this plot point metaphorically plays into Dead End: Paranormal Park’s main characters in profound ways. Fallen angels (angels whose halos are broken) no longer fit what it means to be an angel, so Courtney has more in common with Norma than they may have first thought. As an autistic person, Norma doesn’t fit in with neurotypical people. We’ll go more into the Barney side with the trans representation post, but Courtney’s subjugation in heaven rings true for a lot of autistic people.
Courtney isn’t allowed to be Courtney. Their personality–or any personality–runs counter to what the heavenly society can accept. There’s a lot to unpack with heaven’s insistence that everyone must conform and follow preconceived notions. One could rewatch Dead End: Paranormal Park multiple times and find new angles. This is the mark of a great show. One final point: I love how Barney asks if he can hug Norma at the end of this episode. Barney shows Norma respect with this question; Norma doesn’t always like human contact. I’m with you, sister.
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. Pugsley loses himself behind this onion-head mask. I don’t know if this was the intent, but Pugsley is literally masking. Masking for autistic people is when one attempts to look less neurodivergent. 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 autism representation post, we’ll focus on how Pugsley’s journey mirrors Norma’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.
Heaven (not sure if the character commanding Fingers is God, but they’re certainly from heaven) commands Pugsley to become The Watcher. Heaven insists there is no other way of thinking. Any other ways of thinking are incorrect, and that’s where Pugsley’s internal battle with Fingers’ programming mirrors autism. Most of the world runs on the neurotypical’s (someone who isn’t autistic) way of thinking, hence the term, neurotypical. Pugsley doesn’t think in the same way as Fingers and their boss (or bosses). Instead of allowing Pugsley’s different way of viewing the world, heaven forcefully changes his mind.
Furthermore, Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy, a therapy often used to change autistic people’s behavior, can be compared to animal (or dog) training. I don’t know if a link with Pugsley and his heavenly training (as a metaphor for ABA therapy) was Dead End: Paranormal Park’s intention, but if it was, that’s brilliant. Even if that wasn’t the show’s intent, the world’s a better place when Pugsley’s allowed to be Pugsley, and our world could be better if accommodations were made available for autistic people instead of forcing autistic people into boxes–or onion-shaped masks.
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
Phew! This was long. It’s even longer if you read the companion piece, Dead End: Paranormal Park’s Transgender Representation. While this show’s geared toward children, Dead End: Paranormal Park does a stellar job with autism representation. I’m not the first to cite Norma Khan as one of the best autistic characters. The show handles Norma’s autism with grace and style. I love Dead End: Paranormal Park’s intersectionality. Each character is thoughtfully layered.
If you have any other movies or television shows that depict autism 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.
Happy Friday, Geekly Gang! Marvel Studios Animation released its fifth project in its short four years of existence with Eyes of Wakanda. This series looks amazing. The premise of time-hopping through history, showing Wakanda’s secret spies, the Hatut Zaraze (War Dogs), retrieving Wakanda’s advanced technology, sounds exciting. And Eyes of Wakanda is fun, I can see where storyboard artist Todd Harris wanted to go with Eyes of Wakanda’s story, but the reduced episode run makes it difficult for the Eyes of Wakanda to find its stride.
The War Dogs’ mission is to sneak into outside countries and recover lost Vibranium artifacts that, if they fall into the wrong hands, could expose or bring harm to Wakanda. The Hatut Zaraze do their best to keep Wakanda hidden from the outside world. This idea dovetails into the first Black Panther film; Killmonger found a Wakandan artifact on display in a museum. More on this moment later. Eyes of Wakanda’s first season features four key moments in Wakandan history: the Bronze Age, the Trojan War, the beginning of China’s Ming dynasty, and the First Italo-Ethiopian War. Each episode leans into the region’s cultural aesthetics. Eyes of Wakanda shows accurate depictions of the people who lived in each location during that time. I can’t say it enough, the art style is fabulous.
I also like how these four episodes are stand-alone stories. You don’t need to watch either of the Black Panther movies or do any other MCU homework. Everything you need to know is contained in four half-hour episodes. The first and final episodes of Eyes of Wakanda’s first season stand out above the middle two. I like the idea of reintroducing Iron Fist in the third episode–there’s hope we’ll have another Iron Fist sighting in the MCU–but the middle two episodes don’t do as much to explore Wakanda. The first episode shows how far advanced Wakanda is from the rest of a Bronze Age society. The fourth directly ties into Black Panther and Killmonger (this is the artifact, the axe, Killmonger steals from the museum). I have mixed feelings about forcing Eyes of Wakanda to connect with Black Panther, but the MCU is going to MCU. The bookend episodes also delve further into their protagonists.
In the first episode, we follow failed Dora Milaje candidate Noni, while the fourth episode centers on eager Wakandan Prince Tafari. I didn’t see the same character development in the middle two episodes. Or at least, the middle two didn’t stand out as much.
Eyes of Wakanda’s short run works against it. A couple more episodes like the first and fourth could’ve allowed Eyes of Wakanda to find its footing. Several television shows need at least two or three episodes to “really get going,” and I got that vibe from Eyes of Wakanda. With a larger episode order, Marvel Studios Animations could’ve shown more sides of Wakanda.
Still, what’s here is fun, and two hours isn’t a long investment for an animated series. And I can’t stress how amazing Eyes of Wakanda’s animation is. To this point, What If? was Marvel Studios Animations’ crowning achievement for art style and direction. Eyes of Wakanda gives What If? a run for its money. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Happy Friday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here, and we’re going to discuss Ironheart’s final three episodes. There’s little chance that we’ll cover this subject without major spoilers, so this is your spoiler warning. Last week, Ironheart finished strong, but I wondered if it would continue this momentum during its second episode release. In short, it did.
Ironheart managed to raise the stakes with almost every scene; that’s good to see. Sacha Baron Cohen was electric as Mephisto. Unlike my thoughts from last week (I guessed Ironheart would show Mephisto ruing its fifth episode), Ironheart held off showing Mephisto until its final episode. That’s a fantastic choice. This kept Mephisto from being watered down over two episodes. The MCU has been building toward Mephisto for a while. (Yes, there will be some minor MCU homework, but Ironheart does a good job revisiting Dormammu and the events of the first Doctor Strange.) The show ends on a cliffhanger. It looks as if Mephisto wins. That’s an intriguing ending for what would’ve been Ironheart’s first season. We’ll have to discuss Ironheart’s future at some point. Why not now?
Few Marvel shows on Disney+ have received second seasons, and that’s before considering Ironheart’s potential for underperformance. Disney+ hasn’t yet released its streaming numbers for Ironheart, but I’d imagine it didn’t do well because the show starts slow–really slow–and there’s a chance fewer viewers will give Ironheart episodes 3-6 a watch. Seriously, the last four episodes save the show. Despite leaving a lot of bread crumbs, I doubt Ironheart receives a second season. We’ll see Mephisto and Ironheart again in future MCU projects, but it’s a shame their story won’t continue through a second Ironheart season or an Ironheart special. I’d be okay with a one-shot Ironheart Disney+ special.
Getting back to Ironheart’s final three episodes, the characters grew on me. I was warming up to them during episode three, but Ironheart really did ramp up the tension and/asked interesting questions with each of its scenes. Of course, there were the ubiquitous battles. Ironheart wouldn’t be a Marvel project without the fights growing in intensity. But Ironheart did enough groundwork to make Riri’s showdown against The Hood’s gang, Zeke Stane, and The Hood meaningful. Each of these factions (and yes, The Hood’s gang and The Hood) has different goals and desires, and I like how Ironheart pitted these characters’ motivations against each other.
Even Mephisto’s goals differ from The Hood’s. Did I mention Sacha Baron Cohen is amazing as Mephisto? I have? Well, I’d watch Ironheart just for his performance, but Ironheart had plenty of amazing acting performances. I don’t want to list them all here. Few, if any, Ironheart characters fell flat, but I’ll take this moment to give a shout-out to the surprise Doctor Strange (from the comics) character Zelma Stanton.
Regan Aliyah’s adorkable Zelma Stanton does a great job of tying Ironheart into Doctor Strange and Wandavision/Agatha: All Along. I like how Marvel digs deep into its comic book lore in odd but meaningful ways. Ironheart wouldn’t work without Zelma. Kudos for including her. I have one small gripe. The now iconic scene of Mephisto tempting Riri Williams is a little on the nose (from a writing perspective), but Cohen’s gravitas is outstanding, and I don’t care if I’ve heard a similar version of the devil.
So, is Ironheart worth your time? I’d consider skipping the first two episodes and watching the episode recap for episode three. I’d definitely skip Ironheart’s first episode; it’s a slog. I’m concerned about how the MCU will continue the stories introduced in this show, so I’d have to give Ironheart an incomplete. It ends with a compelling cliffhanger, but there’s little chance we’ll get a satisfying payoff. Please, give us an Ironheart Disney+ special. Beyond those early hiccups, Ironheart was a fun watch. It even manages to set up a solid foundation for future MCU stories.
Ironheart’s future is up in the air. I wish I could tell you that all the great story threads introduced in this show will get a satisfying resolution, but only time will tell. Honestly, Riri’s reunion with Natalia and showing signs of Mephisto taint gave me a smile. Not since Thanos have we seen a Marvel villain succeed, and Sacha Baron Cohen’s Mephisto can serve as a fantastic MCU villain.
Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. The first half of Ironheart’s episodes were released this past week, and I’ll share my thoughts, but as you can see, I’m not giving each episode its own review. JK Geekly has covered Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and Daredevil: Born Again, and typically, we give each episode its own post. We’re not doing that for Ironheart because it drags. With these first three episodes, the show takes double the time it needs (for at least the first two episodes), so we figured we’d cover the first three episodes as if they were one and a half episodes or a single Marvel special.
At its heart–Ha! Heart was unplanned–Ironheart has the structure for a good story. It sets up an interesting conflict between tech and magic, I like the show’s social commentary, Riri has an intriguing (enough) backstory, and I like many of its characters. Ironheart’s execution is lacking. Quick note: We will go into spoiler territory throughout this review; you’ve been warned. Ironheart actively keeps why Riri Williams wants to make an iron suit a secret for over two episodes. Really? While it makes sense for Riri to obscure her motives from other characters, it hurts Ironheart’s story, keeping the viewers in the dark. Spoiler: Her dad, Gary, was a Tony Stark superfan, and that’s why she wants to build an iron suit. We could’ve gotten that information in any one of five flashback scenes with Gary, but Ironheart deliberately keeps the audience at bay.
And Ironheart uses too many flashback scenes, with none of these scenes pulling double duty. Those flashback scenes with Gary Williams show his and Riri’s relationship, but give few other details (like Gary is a Stark fan), and it isn’t just the flashback scenes. Most of the scenes in the first two episodes are one-note. This leads to the show doubling in length. Fortunately, Ironheart’s third episode, “We in Danger, Girl” picks up the pace. Joe turns out to be Obadiah Stane’s son, Ezekiel, and this is done in a scene that pulls double duty. 1) Riri needs tech to go undetected by The Hood. 2) Ezekiel reveals who he is and why he has so much advanced tech. In fact, Ironheart’s third episode sheds most of what bogs down the previous two episodes, so I’m cautiously optimistic about next week’s Ironheart offering.
While it’s not always about the action, “We in Danger, Girl” cranks up the action and tension while raising the stakes at most turns. It even manages to throw in a few welcome comedic moments. I like Riri’s panic attack side story. We don’t get enough superheroes struggling with the very act of being a superhero. Riri’s moral ambiguity at the beginning was also welcome. I even liked how Riri struggles because of her ethnicity. I just wish Ironheart’s story were tighter.
But “We in Danger, Girl” did enough for me to watch Ironheart’s next three episodes. The cast is excellent. I like this version of Slug better than the comic book version; I need more of this Slug. The story is picking up the pace. I’m excited to see how The Hood and Mephisto interact and how Riri’s not-so-good choices will impact her future. Riri is a flawed and compelling character, and her relationship with the AI Natalie (Riri’s friend who died) is top-notch, but I wonder how many viewers will sit through Ironheart’s first two episodes. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Daredevil: Born Again wrapped up its first season this week with “Straight to Hell.” This episode sees the return of Karen Page and The Punisher. Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. Daredevil: Born Again’s first season was uneven but entertaining. I had guessed a week or two ago that this season would end with Kingpin leaking Daredevil’s identity, but I forgot about the MCU’s plan of turning Kingpin into the ultimate street-level threat. While I enjoyed Kingpin’s side of the story, Daredevil didn’t get the same care. In fact, this show could’ve been named Kingpin: Return of the King.
Let’s begin with the interesting half of Daredevil: Born Again’s story. Kingpin’s rise to power plays out like a Marvel-flavored House of Cards or Breaking Bad. Kingpin wheels and deals himself into the best position. Daniel Blake’s journey to become Kingpin’s right-hand man was a joy. Sheila Rivera and Commissioner Gallo, scrambling to adapt to the changing political climate (dictated by Kingpin) and attempting to fix corruption from within, delivered plenty of tense scenes. Gallo’s story culminates in the single most violent moment in MCU history (so far), and that includes a Deadpool movie. I won’t spoil it here, but you’ll know the scene when you see it. Even Daredevil’s most aha moment comes when he figures out Kingpin’s ultimate plan: turning Red Hook into his private city-state.
Kingpin establishing a vigilante task force is the thread that can drive countless MCU television shows. This one plot point could and should affect a Punisher, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist reboot. This task force could appear in a future Spider-Man movie. Depending on where these characters reside, Hawkeye and Moon Knight could get tangled up with the task force. This is why I believe Daredevil: Born Again should’ve been a Kingpin show like Max’s The Penguin. I haven’t even mentioned Vanessa and Wilson Fisk’s complicated relationship. There’s so much meat to this half of Daredevil: Born Again’s story. By comparison, Daredevil’s story is thin.
Daredevil was an afterthought in his own show. With the exception of a few scenes, Daredevil could’ve been deleted from the show, and the show would’ve ended up the same. As a result, most of Daredevil’s story failed to capture my attention. I mentioned Heather Glenn’s lack of chemistry with Matt Murdock for weeks. She jumps on the Kingpin train quickly during “Straight to Hell.” Makes sense. I don’t know if Murdock will even miss her; he doesn’t act like he does. I never bought the two’s relationship.
I wonder how integral Kamar de los Reyes’s White Tiger was to Daredevil’s half of the original script. If Daredevil: Born Again was supposed to be a Kingpin show, it would make sense if more than one vigilante were active during the bulk of the season. It would also make sense for Daredevil to mentor White Tiger during his exploits. Daredevil: Born Again did a good job of integrating White Tiger into Daredevil’s narrative where it could. The show also managed to honor Kamar de los Reyes. Rest in peace.
The Punisher is inactive for most of this season’s run and only resumes his vigilante activities during “Straight to Hell.” It almost seemed like Daredevil: Born Again saved all its juicy Murdock/Daredevil story threads for its season finale. The show reintroduces a potential love triangle among Daredevil, Karen, and Punisher. It’s difficult to establish a love triangle like this when two-thirds of the characters receive little to no screen time until the final forty minutes. What’s worse is that the Murdock/Daredevil supporting characters like fellow attorney-at-law McDuffie and cop turned private investigator Cherry serve little more than plot devices.
Murdock, donning his new duds, was fun, and Bullseye was electric in the few episodes toward the end where he appeared. I can’t wait to see where the MCU takes Daredevil, but Daredevil: Born Again season one was more of a Kingpin show, and that’s okay. I just wish Marvel had renamed the show to reflect the show’s true main character. Daredevil: Born Again season one was the street-level version of Avengers: Infinity War with Kingpin swapped for Thanos.
Let us know your thoughts on Daredevil: Born Again’s first season and the season finale “Straight to Hell.” Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Daredevil: Born Again ended this week’s episode, “Isle of Joy,” with a bang. Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. Daredevil: Born Again’s first season draws closer to its end, and “Isle of Joy” tied up numerous story threads in satisfying ways and reintroduced a fan favorite character. I do have one major gripe, but let’s start with the several positives.
Kingpin and Vanessa’s story continues to drive Daredevil: Born Again. Matt Murdock/Daredevil’s story highlights stem from Kingpin and Vanessa in some form. The power couple resolves their differences and creates a unified front. By the end of “Isle of Joy,” Kingpin and Vanessa are equal partners in the criminal underworld and politics. This story thread is organic. I don’t want to spoil the big reveal toward the end of this episode, and I don’t want to beat this drum any further. Kingpin and Vanessa scenes are a must-watch.
The same can be said of Kingpin’s rise as mayor. Guevara’s Sheila Rivera and Gandolfini’s Daniel Blake are welcome additions. Blake’s character introduced reporter BB Urich (portrayed by Genneya Walton). I like the nod to Ben Urich, BB’s uncle, who was murdered during Daredevil season 3. This builds tension between the media (working under the table), the police who don’t see eye to eye with Fisk (like Commissioner Gallo), and Mayor Kingpin. Daredevil: Born Again has done a great job constructing this power dynamic and struggle.
Furthermore, Fisk’s vigilante task force shows the city’s pulse and the government’s corruption. We get little airtime for Rivera, Blake, Urich, Gallo, and Officer Powell, but the scant moments “Isle of Joy” spares for these characters pack a punch. I really like Officer Powell in this episode. He gets two minutes but does more work in those minutes than some scenes do in fifteen or twenty. Daredevil: Born Again illustrates that it can be character-driven while progressing a plot. I’m fighting the urge to drop the one gripe I have. Must. Continue with one final positive.
Wilson Bethel returns as Dex (Bullseye). Yes! He’s worth the wait. Every scene with Bullseye is electric. Pure adrenaline. This includes the final scene that we’ll discuss in a minute. “Isle of Joy” has a shocking ending. I’ve waited long enough. I must include the one negative. I don’t believe Matt Murdock and Heather Glenn’s story.
I know. I mentioned how awful the Murdock-Glenn story is in a previous episode, but “Isle of Joy” hammers home this point. Murdock wants Glenn to admit that Fisk is one of her patients. He’s a lawyer. He should know the law, and that Glenn can’t confirm that Fisk is her patient. Any time Murdock pressed this issue–which was often–he came off as a teenager who didn’t understand how things work. Glenn wasn’t much better regarding Murdock. He’s clearly upset that she’s accepting an invitation from Mayor Fisk for a black and white ball. Adult Teenager Murdock storms off, and Glenn gets butt hurt when he shows up late to the event. What did she expect? This makes me question if she’s good at her job as a therapist.
During the event, Glenn complains to Vanessa that she doesn’t even know Matt anymore. First, we’ve seen these two on one date the entire series. I don’t believe she knows him at all. Second, why is she confiding personal issues with her client? Again, this smells like she isn’t good at her job. You know what? No. Heather Glenn isn’t a good therapist. During this scene, she lost all credibility.
We end with the showstopper. Major spoilers for anyone who hasn’t yet seen “Isle of Joy.” You’ve been warned. Matt discovers that Vanessa ordered the hit on Foggy and confronts her. When Murdock hears a gun cock, he knows its Bullseye aiming for Fisk. Matt jumps in front of Fisk and takes the bullet, and “Isle of Joy” ends with Murdock bleeding out on the dance floor. This sequence had an amazing pace. I don’t know if I quite buy Murdock taking a bullet for Mayor Fisk. We know Murdock won’t die. The show’s named after his alter ego. But I’m interested to see how Daredevil: Born Again season one continues after this chaotic scene.
What do you think about Daredevil: Born Again, Geekly Gang? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Daredevil: Born Again’s episode this week, “Art for Art’s Sake” has me torn. The pace is simultaneously fast and slow. Quick spoiler: Muse perishes during the episode. While the man behind Muse makes physical appearances earlier in the show, Daredevil: Born Again could’ve done more to develop him further. In short, “Art for Art’s Sake” sends mixed signals.
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. Daredevil: Born Again’s weekly episode left me scratching my head. I don’t know what to make of its pacing. I expected the first season to end with Muse’s demise. Instead, they get right to eliminating the threat. I would’ve liked to have seen more of Muse before he left the show. While the show could travel interesting waters, Daredevil: Born Again raced to Muse’s end. I figured Heather Glenn’s strange patient was tied to Muse or was Muse. That ended up being true. He was conspicuously the next patient after Wilson Fisk and Vanessa. For what it matters, the idea of no one noticing Muse fits; I was more focused on the couple. But I wanted the show to explore Muse more.
I wouldn’t classify Muse as a villain of the week. He’s more than that. While I didn’t care for how fast Daredevil: Born Again gave him the boot, how Muse left was intense. Despite any reservations I may have, Daredevil taps the suspense vein. Is it too soon to make a blood reference? Muse met a fitting end; I hoped he would’ve stuck around longer.
So, if Muse isn’t this season’s main threat, what is? I have an idea of where Daredevil: Born Again intends to take the season finale (episode nine; thanks again for the clarification, MetalAusten of BlueSky), and if I’m right, it could be a doozy. At one point in the Daredevil comics, Kingpin reveals that Matt Murdock is Daredevil. Daredevil: Born Again looks to be building toward that end, but it’s taking its time. See what I mean by this episode’s pacing. It raced to the end of Muse while dragging its feet toward something bigger, like Daredevil’s identity getting blown.
Kingpin has been sitting on Murdock’s identity for years. He’s known Murdock and Daredevil were the same person since the original series. Why wait until now to unmask Daredevil? Sure. Kingpin did warn Murdock not to resume his “activities” as Daredevil or else there would be consequences. But two episodes remain until the break, when this bombshell (if it does happen) will occur. Does Daredevil: Born Again intend to mark time until then? Why not build the tension while Muse continues his reign of terror? The show may have missed a symbolic gesture of Kingpin holding Muse’s mask while unmasking Daredevil.
And again, I can hear a sceptic ask, but what about Heather Glenn? She’s been set up as an anti-vigilante, and Matt says her name after he rescues her. First, Glenn’s anti-vigilante stance happened in the last episode or two.We haven’t known she’s been anti-vigilante for long, and the show has had opportunities for this inclusion. Second, Daredevil: Born Again hasn’t sold me on their relationship. The only time their relationship gets brought up (since the one date right after Foggy’s death and a couple of sex scenes) is when Heather asks where Matt was overnight. This was before Matt resumed work as Daredevil. The series hasn’t shown me that they’re close.
A quick tangent. While watching Daredevil’s side of this story, I’m reminded of Jim Plath’s pet peeve: the reluctant superhero. He’d say that the reluctant superhero cliche was overplayed, and that was ten years ago. Until the last two episodes, Daredevil’s story is a reluctant superhero story.
The Vanessa and Wilson Fisk angle remains the most intriguing. Venessa all but sends a gangster to attempt Kingpin’s murder. Or did she? She could’ve warned Wilson of the threat, but something tells me Buck (Kingpin’s right-hand man) always stands in the shadows while Kingpin eats. In a previous week, I mentioned that I like Heather Glenn more as Fisk’s therapist. I can’t wait to see how she tackles the layers of this relationship. Daredevil: Born Again could build an interesting dynamic of Kingpin using Glenn to get to Murdock before he reveals Daredevil’s identity.
As much as it may sound like it, I didn’t hate “Art for Art’s Sake.” Most of the show’s better moments happen on Kingpin’s side of the ledger. Venessa and Wilson Fisk’s relationship has me wanting more. Kingpin navigating his role as mayor has been a treat. I loved Daniel Blake’s heel-turn in this episode. In one scene, Blake went from a sniveling Mayor Fisk superfan to a cold-blooded manipulator that Kingpin can and should use in the future. And it felt organic. The gangland unrest, while understated, simmers in a tasty way. And I like the inclusion of Kingpin’s anti-vigilante task force. Like many other elements (in the show), its formation was rushed, but Officer Powell galvanizes the team.
Kingpin’s rise as mayor is Daredevil: Born Again’s bright spot. While I question some of the show’s decisions, it’s done enough to hold my interest, and I can’t wait for the finale. There’s a chance we have more than one surprise in the offing. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Daredevil: Born Again’s second episode this week, “Excessive Force,” ties several loose ends, and Daredevil makes his triumphant return in costume. Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. I apologize for the delay this week. Everything ran smoothly with the family issue on Wednesday, so we’re back with more Daredevil: Born Again.
This week’s tandem of episodes had a similar feel to Daredevil: Born Again’s debut. If Disney+ had only released “With Interest,” fans may have been miffed (the first episode didn’t go far with the main storyline), but the streaming service dropped two episodes this week with “Excessive Force,” and I can see fans happier with the second offering. I enjoyed “Excessive Force.” As I said in the intro, it ties up several loose ends. That’s always appreciated. Wilson Fisk and Matt Murdock’s journey to find their true selves, their inner Kingpin and Daredevil, mirrors each other’s journey.
The inevitable fight sequence at the end has choreography that harkens to the original Daredevil Netflix series. Kingpin unleashes his baser instincts on Adam, the man with whom Fisk’s wife, Vanessa, cheated on him, while Daredevil rescues Angela Del Toro, Hector Ayala’s (White Tiger’s) niece, from Muse. Both scenes are earned. Earlier in “Excessive Force,” Vanessa and Wilson have an exchange that suggests Kingpin has Vanessa’s okay to revert to his mob boss ways, while Del Toro approached Murdock for help, letting him know where her uncle thinks a serial killer (Muse) is hiding, and Murdock has the idea to “f*** it” and rescue Del Toro himself as Daredevil. Since the police killed her uncle, Del Toro doesn’t trust the police.
I liked that Daredevil: Born Again brought back Angela Del Toro. In the comics, Del Toro dons her uncle’s White Tiger costume, and there’s a chance that Camila Rodriguez (who portrays Del Toro) could do the same. Del Toro does a good job of giving Murdock the kick he needs in the hindside. Running parallel to Del Toro’s mistrust of the police is that Fisk runs the police, and he’s formed a task force of dirty cops to find Muse. As I said, plenty of loose ends. Hamish Allan-Headley’s Officer Powell joins the newly formed task force. Powell has been one of the better side characters introduced in Daredevil: Born Again, but that’s because he’s had a handful of pivotal scenes. And that’s where Daredevil: Born Again has had issues.
Matt’s love interest (Heather Glenn) asks him if he knows any vigilantes he could introduce her to for a book she plans to write about vigilantes. While this could’ve worked, it came out of nowhere. We’ve met Heather Glenn more often than Officer Powell, and this is the first we’ve heard of this intention. Officer Powell’s motives are better developed. Angela Del Toro approaching Matt Murdock to help stop Muse makes sense (her character is well developed despite this episode being her second appearance), but Cherry (Matt’s ex-cop friend/employee) serves little more than a plot device when he warns Murdock against fighting Muse as Daredevil. We know next to nothing about Cherry. Even though he’s physically been in the series three times as much as Del Toro, I forgot he existed.
I mentioned the vlogger vignettes in a previous review. The shaky-cam on the street works better in a Spider-Man property. It’s out of place in Daredevil: Born Again, but further than that, it doesn’t do enough to show New York’s citizens. I don’t know if the audience should know who the vlogger is and follows them as another character (perhaps a friend of Murdock’s) or if the vlogger could attempt to interview Mayor Fisk, which could serve double-duty as a scene transition, or omit those scenes and show Murdock serve more citizens (than the one Fiddle Faddle thief) as a lawyer. Personally, I’d choose the latter. Showing Murdock trying to fix NYC’s issues as a lawyer, but needing to do more, would further the idea that the city needs Daredevil.
Those couple of sticky points aside, Daredevil: Born Again is a great Marvel show. “Excessive Force” saw the return of Tony Dalton’s Jack Duquesne/Swordsman. He’s an underused superhero (last seen in 2021’s Hawkeye as Kate Bishop’s wealthy stepfather), and I’m glad he gets another chance to shine. Thank you, MetalAusten (on BlueSky), for straightening out Geekly’s misunderstanding of Daredevil: Born Again’s schedule. The show WILL return next week, and we can’t wait. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
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