Representation on TV: Highlights for June Include ‘Dead End: Paranormal Park,’ ‘Dark Winds,’ and ‘Our Flag Means Death’

We’re highlighting representation news from the industry and shows expanding representation on TV. These shows include Dead End: Paranormal Park, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Our Flag Means Death, Dark Winds and A Black Lady Sketch Show.

This month we have news from MTV Entertainment and Warner Media. We’re also spotlighting new Nielsen research on LGBTQIA+ media perceptions.

In the News

USC’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative and MTV Partner on Mental Health Storytelling Initiative

• The Initiative is a partnership with over 60 entertainment industry professionals and mental health experts.
• It will provide resources and data to improve the depiction of mental health on screen.

A Black Lady Sketch Show and Our Flag Means Death, Both Renewed by HBO

• A Black Lady Sketch Show has been renewed for a fourth season. 
• Our Flag Means Death has been renewed for a second season. 
• Both series have received significant attention and praise for their contributions to diversity in media on and off-screen. 

Dark Winds Renewed at AMC

• In other renewal news, AMC has renewed Dark Winds for a second season.
• The critically acclaimed series, noted for its indigenous representation, had the #1 new series launch in AMC+ history.

Jesse James Keitel Makes Her Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Debut

• She made her debut on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 1 Episode 7, “The Serene Squall.”
• Keitel previously made history on ABC’s Big Sky as the first openly trans series regular on a primetime network TV series. 

 

On TV Screens: Dead End: Paranormal Park

Dead End: Paranormal Park is a new animated series from Hamish Steele. The series is based on Steele’s popular webcomic, Deadendia. It follows the adventures of the employees of a local Dollywood-esque amusement park with some supernatural secrets. 

Dead End is groundbreaking for its queer representation. It not only includes multiple LGBTQIA+ characters and relationships, one of its main characters, Barney, is trans.

Barney is one of the very few prominent trans characters on a children and family TV show. He is also one of the only — if not the only — central character on a show like this who explicitly talks about their trans identity.

In addition to LGBTQIA+ representation, one of the series’ other main characters, Norma, is autistic. As it does with Barney, the series explores Norma’s neurodiversity with sensitivity and heart. 

Speaking of the series, Steele said, it “is about terrifying demons, vengeful ghosts, and mysterious magic. It is also about coming of age in a world that wasn’t made for you. It’s a drama about found family, identity, and making mistakes,” 

Dead End: Paranormal Park Season 1 is currently streaming on Netflix. You can read our review of Dead End: Paranormal Park Season 1 right here.

 

Spotlight: Nielsen Findings on LGBTQIA Viewer Perceptions

This month Nielsen released its new Seeking Authenticity: A View of International LGBTQ+ Media Perceptions Report.

The report collected data from over 5,000 respondents in nine different countries (UK, Canada, Mexico, Germany, France, Brazil, Spain, Italy, and the US) to better understand consumers’ feelings about the state of LGBTQIA+ representation in media programming and advertising.

Their findings paint a picture that is generally improved but varies by country, demographic, and specific LGBTQIA+ identity.

The report found that viewers see streaming channels as the most inclusive sources of content. This coincides with data from GLAAD that found content on streaming platforms was two and half times more likely to have lead or recurring LGBTQIA+ characters than content from traditional broadcast and cable channels.

Improving representation doesn’t mean there isn’t still a lot of work to do, though.

Even as LGBTQIA+ media expands and viewers express feeling more represented, the report also points out that of the 817,000 unique titles identified by Gracenote Global Video Data, only 1000 were categorized within the LGBTQIA+ genre. 

It’s important to note that the progress of LGBTQIA+ representation isn’t always linear either. Without focus and intentionality, things can backslide. As stated in the report, the number of new titles categorized as LGBTQIA+ content dropped from 50 to 36 in 2021. 

Digging a little deeper into the data, the findings further make clear that improvement in LGBTQIA+ representation isn’t equal across identities, and viewer perceptions reflect that.

While many LGBTQIA+ consumers believe that same-sex couples are now broadly embraced, comparatively few believe the same is true regarding gender diversity, bisexuality, pansexuality, etc.

One final takeaway from the report, and perhaps the most important, is that LGBTQIA+ consumers are looking for more than just an increase in the quantity of representation.

Across all identities surveyed, the LGBTQIA+ community expressed a desire for more authentic stories on screen and meaningful diversity off-screen.

46% of LGBTQIA+ respondents stated more authenticity would improve inclusivity in media content and advertising.

A significant number also pointed to behind-the-scenes culture changes and the involvement of the LGBTQIA+ community in developing stories about them as ways to create the authentic programming they are looking for. 

These things, along with more diversity within LGBTQIA+ media, will require a different kind of focus and response than simply increasing the number of queer characters. It is a bigger challenge, but it is also the future of any meaningful LGBTQIA+ representation.

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Are you excited about any of the news or TV shows discussed? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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