Netflix is becoming a strong platform for nuanced, engaging depictions of adolescent experiences. This year, it released the hot-button show 13 Reasons Why, which tackled important topics like suicide and depression. And, most recently, the Lily Collins-led drama To the Bone tackled anorexia. Next month, Netflix will be highlighting the lives and experiences of teens with autism spectrum disorder in the charming original comedy Atypical.
18-year-old Sam, who falls on the autism spectrum, has the same chief concern as most teen boys: seeing boobs. However, he lives under the fiercely protective eye of a mother who believes her son can’t handle the sting of heartbreak. So Sam has to fight for the smallest tastes of adventure. What follows is a string of comical exploits, in which Sam learns how to flirt and unknowingly gets dragged to a strip club by his well-meaning friend.
One in 68 children in the U.S. has autism spectrum disorder, the CDC reports. However, representations of autistic people are limited, at best. A 2012 research study found that films like Rain Main, Mercury Rising, and NBC’s drama Parenthood reinforced common myths around autism (that autistic people avoid eye contact, for example) more frequently than they dispelled them.
Atypical stars Keir Gilchrist in the role of Sam. You might remember the Canadian actor from the 2010 film adaptation of It’s Kind of a Funny Story, which followed a teen’s journey to overcome his suicidal thoughts during a quirky, adventure-filled stay at a mental health clinic. Created and written by The Goldbergs and How I Met Your Mother writer Robia Rashid, the eight-episode first season of Atypical will premiere on Netflix on August 11.
Credits
Text André-Naquian Wheeler
Screenshot via Youtube