Purple News

Documentary digs down on Barney, the purple dinosaur created in Dallas

Surprisingly controversial figure.

Courtesy photo

Hit children's TV series Barney & Friends, which was created by a Dallas schoolteacher and filmed around North Texas in the '90s, is the subject of a new documentary airing on Peacock.

Called I Love You, You Hate Me, it's a two-part series debuting on October 12that documents the mixed feelings that the lovable purple dinosaur drew.

Barney was created by Sheryl Leach as a way to keep her son, who was enchanted with dinosaurs, entertained. It started out in 1988 as a home release called Barney and the Backyard Gang. That became Barney & Friends which debuted on PBS in 1992 and aired through 2010.

The show was filmed in the Dallas area, first in Allen, then the Studios at Las Colinas in Irving, then to a space in Carrollton.

The Peacock documentary was produced by Scout Productions, the company behind Netflix's Queer Eye.

I Love You, You Hate Me is a limited series chronicling the rise and fall of Barney the Dinosaur’s furious backlash — and what it says about the human need to hate. From Barney-bashing to frat parties to homicidal video games, something in American society broke into a million pieces, and it’s never been put together again… or is this just who we were all along?

Scout senior VP Joel Chiodi tells TV Insider that the show traces the creation of the character and inadvertenly helped sow the seeds of modern-day hate culture, stating that it "unpacks how a children’s character who stood for inclusion, understanding, and kindness birthed a movement of anger and criticism that threatened the show, its creators, and their futures."

A trailer gives a peek into how the backlash affected Leach, with quotes from luminaries such as Al Roker and Bill Nye the Science Guy. Leach's son Patrick was sentenced to 15 years in jail in 2015 for shooting his neighbor in Malibu, California following an argument.

This is not the first Dallas subject for director Tommy Avallone, who also produced a documentary on Dallas metal band GWAR.

kids

Free Fair Fun

State Fair of Texas adds dazzling drone show and more free events in 2026

State Fair of Texas Ferris wheel at night

Photo courtesy of State Fair of Texas

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Spending money at the State Fair of Texas is easy to do, so it's nice to know that there's also a long list of free activities for visitors each year, including music, performing artists, educational exhibits, and more.

A number of new free entertainment options are also on the docket for the 2026 event — running September 25-October 18 — including a dazzling new drone show among other highlights, according to a release.

Stars of the Fair, a three-night drone show on October 2-4, features images of Big Tex and other State Fair icons lighting up the sky. Created by Coppell-based Sky Elements, each of the three nights will feature two shows, beginning at approximately 8:15 pm and 9:15 pm.

Other new entertainment choices include Wacky Chad, who delivers an action‑packed, interactive stunt comedy show; daily fountain shows at The Esplanade of State, running every 30 minutes from 1-5 pm; two new exhibitions at the Hall of State; Texas in the Saddle, an innovative and educational horse show; and more.

Drone show at the State Fair of Texas A drone show will be one of many free entertainment options at the 2026 State Fair of Texas. Photo by Kevin Brown

Music and more free performances
As previously announced, the State Fair’s live music lineup will include nearly 100 artists performing across four stages, with the reimagined Chevrolet Main Stage now located inside Fair Park Coliseum.

Main Stage headliners will include Clint Black, La Alianza Norteña, Bowling for Soup, Paul Wall’s Fall Ball, Kansas, 3OH!3, Gym Class Heroes, and more.

Other performers include “¡Fiestas de Marionetas!,” in which a small village of more than 85 handmade marionettes come to life to celebrate a fiesta of color, culture, and creativity, and World of Magic, featuring award-winning illusionists and futuristic elements.

Free fun for the kids
The new children's area called Little Lone Stars Land will feature a variety of kid-friendly entertainers, including Wacky Chad (September 25-October 6), USA Breakdancers (October 7-18), and strongman Mighty Mike.

And visitors should be on the lookout for State Fair-inspired inflatable characters like Little Big Tex, Amy-Dillo, and Champ, who will entertain guests with their wild antics.

Other free fair favorites
At night, the Starlight Parade will light up the Fair Park skyline, featuring over-the-top spectacular floats. The parade wanders through the fairgrounds all 24 nights of the event, bringing a colorful assortment of floats, life-size puppets, animated characters in ornate costumes, and more.

Car lovers can get their fix in two different ways: At the Texas Auto Show, where auto enthusiasts can browse the latest and greatest models, and via Chevrolet's brand-new take on its Ride & Drive event, which gives qualified drivers the chance to get behind the wheel of the most anticipated vehicles of the year.

The fan-favorite Pig Races will return to Chevy Park Plaza, with piglets dressed in racing silks running the course four times a day.

Find these free events and more interactive experiences, photo opportunities, games, product samples, and giveaways offered by State Fair of Texas partners. A full lineup of entertainment options is available at BigTex.com/Attractions.

animals fairs-festivals families free events kids music state fair of texas theater