Reservation Dogs

The show's co-creator and star, Devery Jacobs (Elora), identifies as queer and Indigenous, and contributes to the writing and directing of the series. The series also features a trans director, Sydney Freeland, and a queer writer, Tommy Pico, underscoring its commitment to authentic representation. The character Cheese is described as 'Ambiguously Gay' and consistently introduces himself by stating his pronouns ('he, him, and his') as an active ally to trans, queer, and gender non-conforming individuals. Willie Jack is also noted as 'Ambiguously Gay,' with a family member asking if she has a boyfriend or girlfriend, leaving her sexual orientation open to interpretation.

A significant element of the narrative revolves around the suicide of Daniel, a friend of the main characters, which is depicted in a flashback scene in the first season and profoundly impacts the group's journey. In one episode, Officer Big and Kenny are assaulted and held captive by masked white supremacists performing a ritual, highlighting a direct violent confrontation, though specific graphic injury details are not heavily emphasized.

In a highly disturbing scene, white supremacists are shown engaging in a 'grotesque ritual' involving a giant owl effigy and the 'sexual penetration of decapitated catfish,' accompanied by chanting. While explicit nudity or sexual acts between main characters are not a primary focus, the dialogue and situations among teenagers and adults can be suggestive, implying romantic relationships and sexual activity without graphic detail. For example, the teens' general interactions and occasional flirtations, while not explicit, contribute to the mature rating.

Bear is regularly visited by an Indigenous warrior spirit, William 'Spirit' Knife, who acts as a guide and offers philosophical advice, demonstrating direct interaction with the supernatural. In one storyline, Willie Jack believes she caused a tornado after asking a white man (who claimed to be a wizard) to curse her nemesis; elders in the community confirm she interfered with 'bad medicine,' leading her on a quest to reverse the curse. Additionally, Willie Jack seeks advice from her auntie Hokti, who is portrayed as a 'medicine woman' and interacts with a 'cheerful and chatty ancestral spirit' named Gram.

The characters negotiate with 'meth heads' to sell stolen potato chips, indicating the presence and dealing of illegal drugs within their environment. Officer Big, a tribal police officer, instructs characters to stop 'smoking marijuana in front of him,' confirming casual marijuana use among residents. The series creators Taika Waititi and Sterlin Harjo aim to portray the hardships Indigenous communities face, which include 'alcoholism and disease.'

The central premise is driven by the grief over their friend Daniel's suicide, which is a continuously intense and emotionally heavy theme, including a flashback to the event. The discovery of a white supremacist group performing a 'grotesque ritual' in the forest, involving a giant owl effigy and sexualized acts with decapitated catfish, creates a highly unsettling and frightening atmosphere.