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Two years after its cancellation, Netflix’s ‘Dead End: Paranormal Park’ is back in the spotlight, fuelled by Elon Musk’s boycott call and conservative backlash over LGBTQ themes
Dead End: Paranormal Park is adapted from Hamish Steele’s graphic novel DeadEndia.Â
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has once again set off a storm online, this time targeting Netflix. Over the past week, Musk has repeatedly urged his 227 million followers on X (formerly Twitter) to cancel their Netflix subscriptions.
In one widely shared post, Musk wrote: “Cancel Netflix for the health of your kids.” In another, he echoed a user’s claim that Netflix “employed someone who celebrated the murder of Charlie Kirk and makes content that pushes pro-trans content on my kids,” replying simply: “Same.”
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His remarks triggered a wave of cancellations and a social media campaign under #CancelNetflix, with users posting screenshots of their terminated accounts. Musk accused the company of “paid speech” and of deliberately funding creators pushing “sexualised woke content.”
But the controversy did not begin with Netflix’s newest releases. At its heart is an animated series that the platform cancelled almost two years ago.
What Is ‘Dead End: Paranormal Park’ And Why Is It Under Fire?
Dead End: Paranormal Park debuted on Netflix in June 2022 and ran for two seasons before being cancelled in January 2023. Set in a haunted amusement park, the series featured ghosts, demons, and a talking pug. Its lead character, Barney, was a transgender teenager, making the show stand out for its LGBTQ representation.
Reviews praised the series. Mashable described it as “a brilliant show about kind, wonderful characters,” while Rotten Tomatoes gave it a rare 100 per cent rating, albeit from a small pool of reviews. When it was cancelled in January 2023, creator Hamish Steele expressed gratitude to Netflix for commissioning the show and posted on X, “It’s with a heavy heart that I tell you Dead End is over” but noted that “the powers that be don’t want any more.”
At the time, the cancellation barely made headlines beyond fan circles. But in 2025, clips from the show resurfaced on TikTok and other platforms, with critics presenting them as examples of “LGBTQ propaganda.”
One viral scene featured Barney telling his friend Norma: “I’m trans, Norma. Being here, it’s like a whole new place. I can just be Barney, and I can choose if and when I tell people.”
What had been a niche cartoon suddenly became the lightning rod for a culture war.
Who Is Hamish Steele And What Did He Say About Charlie Kirk?
The spark that reignited anger around Dead End was a post by its creator, Hamish Steele. After American conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot dead on 10 September 2025 at a public event in Arizona, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer posted a condolence message.
In response, Steele allegedly wrote on Bluesky: “Why the f**k are you even commenting on this, d***k***d? You [show] sympathy for any of the families being slaughtered by your weapons but a random Nazi gets shot and its public statement. You’re such a ducking shit evil.”
News18 has not independently verified the authenticity of the post, which circulated as a screenshot on social media.
Steele was swiftly accused of mocking Kirk’s death. Musk amplified the outrage, declaring that Netflix employed someone who “celebrated” a murder. Steele denied that, saying his words were taken out of context and that he never celebrated Kirk’s death. On Bluesky, he said his Instagram had been flooded with comments claiming “I AM CHARLIE KIRK” and added: “I never did celebrate his death.”
Nonetheless, the remarks ignited fury among conservatives online, particularly given Kirk’s stature in right-wing politics. With his funeral attended by figures including US President Donald Trump and Musk, the fallout from one social media post became the backdrop to a new battle over Netflix.
What Has Musk Said About Netflix’s ‘Woke Agenda’?
Musk used the controversy to amplify his longstanding criticism of what he calls the “woke mind virus.” He accused Netflix of deliberately paying creators to spread transgender ideology, calling it “sexualised content for children” and insisting the company was pushing “paid speech.”
He also reshared content from right-wing accounts like Libs of TikTok, which cited Netflix’s diversity reports to claim the streamer discriminated against White people. One post Musk boosted said: “Why doesn’t Netflix hire based on qualifications instead of skin colour??” His blunt reply: “Cancel Netflix.”
The billionaire also began reposting clips not only from Dead End but from other Netflix programmes flagged by critics, including a Cocomelon scene with same-sex parents and a Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous moment featuring a kiss between two female characters. In Musk’s framing, these examples were part of a deliberate corporate agenda.
How Did The Internet React To Musk’s Call For A Netflix Boycott?
The backlash snowballed online as Musk’s followers and conservative commentators joined in. Vocal activist Robby Starbuck, who has targeted corporations over LGBTQ inclusion in the past, echoed Musk’s call, writing that “no one should give this woke company another dime.” Within days, screenshots of cancelled Netflix subscriptions began circulating, accompanied by #CancelNetflix.
The controversy also rattled investors. Netflix’s stock fell more than 4 per cent in under two days, wiping out over $15 billion in market capitalisation, according to data cited by TRT World. At one point, the company’s shares touched a two-month low.
Musk’s Broader Fight With ‘Woke Culture’
The Netflix row is not just about a cartoon. For Musk, it taps into a deeply personal battle.
His daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, came out as transgender in 2020, legally changed her name in 2022, and publicly cut ties with him, saying she no longer wanted to be related to her father “in any way.”
Musk has repeatedly blamed what he calls the “woke mind virus” for her transition and estrangement, accusing schools and cultural institutions of pushing transgender ideology onto young people. In 2023, he posted: “Unless it is stopped, the woke mind virus will destroy civilisation.”
When he introduced Grok, the chatbot built by his AI company xAI, Musk stressed that it would not carry “woke bias,” presenting it as a counterweight to rivals like ChatGPT.
Although Netflix is experiencing a surge in subscription cancellations and briefly lost billions in market value, its overall metrics suggest it will weather the storm.
About the Author
Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar…Read More
Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar… Read More
October 04, 2025, 13:37 IST
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