Atypical is a show on Netflix that had an extremely high suggestion rate for me so I chose to watch it. After watching the first episode, I'm somewhat impressed by the amazing character selection for the protagonist.
Sam is the main character in the series that has autism so making life changing decisions is quite difficult for him. The series does a fantastic job of displaying that as well, it appears as if Sam was made to play this role. In the show he has this look on his face that's the same throughout the show, has this obsession with penguins, very literal, and needs everything to be in a specific area. People with autism are usually associated with unusual obsessions and things that have to be in a specific order such as his room. Sam’s room is quite tidy and it's laid out perfectly just for him. In general, his role was mapped out well and did a remarkable job of making his acting believable.
Sam is aware that he is different and made comparisons to Antarctica nearly throughout the entire show. He said that Antarctica was considered a desert because it only receives eight inches of rainfall but if you look closer you'd truly see that it isn't a desert at all. The so called desert isn't what it appears to be such as himself. He's comparing Antarctica to himself because he feels as if people think of him as something that he is not. For example, there was a part in the series that showed him riding on the bus but he was sitting a peculiar way compared to everyone else and a woman stared at him. Maybe she thought he was strange but it deals with preference, Sam prefers not to have his back against bus seats. Everyone has a preference, it may be different than the next person but it's has the same concept. After hearing Sam say that Antarctica was like the desert, I understood why he admired it so much.
Continuing with Antarctica, Sam’s room is filled with the color blue and things that are or resemble penguins and Antarctica. Blue is a very cool and relaxed color, which are words that I would use to describe Sam’s personality. However, the color blue has so much more meaning than cool and relaxed, I associate blue with intelligence and creativity because those are characteristics that describe him. Sam works at a technology store because he's able to retain all the information about electronics easily. It's one of his many capabilities that others sometimes fail to realize. All in all, blue can be interpreted many ways but with Sam, it's intelligence.
Atypical is a show that gives your insight from an autistic person’s point of view which is very informative, something I think everyone could use. The series explain how difficult it is to be autistic and I learned so much from watching one episode. It's so many shows that immediately grab my attention and this show is one of them. Netflix must've had it right, this is a show I would and will continue to watch.
One thing I would caution you on is making generalizations about individuals who have autism. I am sure you meant to say that individuals with autism often have some sort of focused interest or hobby, and it just so happens Sam's is facts on Antarctica. The way you wrote it, some people who aren't familiar with the characteristics of autism might have perceived that all individuals with autism like Antarctica. It might even be helpful to do some research and then give your audience some background on autism and how this character portrays it well in your opinion.
ReplyDeleteI do like the realizations you came to when it comes to connecting Sam's personality to his Antarctic facts. When I watched the show, I think that's exactly what the creators were trying to do. Perhaps Sam finds solace in Antarctica facts because he connects with them on a deeper level. I also appreciated how you focused on some of the strengths Sam has through his autism (such as his knowledge of technology and his overall intelligence).
I think too often individuals who are labeled with having a "disability" are then viewed as being weak or lacking any power in their lives. However, I think if we take a closer look, often these individuals will have strengths and abilities that the "typical" human could never possess.
I was referring to Sam's obsession with penguins but I just took the specifics out to reduce confusion for the audience's sake.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the feedback, thank you!
Atypical sounds like it has an interesting plot. If I wasn't constantly working, I'd probably give it a watch. It sounds like this Sam character would be great working alongside me. It sounds like his attention to detail and mental capacity would be a great addition to the team. We all could learn something from this kid. Theoretically, of course.
ReplyDeleteWhile shows and books about people with autism have been done before, it's admirable that this show would be streamed on Netflix. It's very important that the general population is exposed to these things so that we don't have as many people calling in claiming that their neighbor with any type of mental obstacle killed their cat. It's a waste of time for us at the office, and with more education like this, people will start to realize that people with autism or schizophrenia or any other condition aren't to be feared.
-Dexter