Has anyone here seen the NetFlix original series Atypical about a teen on the spectrum? He's classified on the show as "High Functioning". The show really bothered me for several reasons. I know that when you know someone with autism, all you know is what autism is like for that one person. There are symptoms which are more or less typical but the range of what the individual deals with are different. Television is a powerful tool which can provide understanding or stigma. This show did not seem to highlight understanding as much as I felt it contributed to stigma.

Many things in the show felt unauthentic but a few really stood out and bothered me. They have this kid very mainstreamed and claim he's high functioning. When he goes to watch his sister run track and is sitting in the bleachers with his family, the girl in front of him has a long pony tail and it sets of his sensory issues and he violently begins yanking and pulling her hair. When they go to Panda Express, his sensory issues are set off and he punches the guy whose assisting them in the face. This is NOT high functioning. This is dangerous!

A theme which is present throughout the show is how everyone should accommodate people with difference. When it's reasonable I agree but in the show it's often not reasonable and still it seems expected.

My son is on the spectrum. He has required a helping hand to get through and navigate this world which is set up for NT's. It's very challenging and would be nice for awareness through films to display the challenges those on the spectrum face. I just feel this show was a HUGE fail and Netflix could have done a much better job creating a compelling story. Have you seen it and what were your thoughts? I'd like to ask my son what he thinks but he doesn't like TV and this show would be particularly boring for him.

[RichardBrooks]

I know a lot of people had issues with it, but I liked it. It's a comedy, not a documentary.

[Shazerac]

Oh wow! portraying someone who attacks people as high functioning is just wrong! I don't see anything funny about this.

[lildaisy]

I like atypical, but I'm still disappointed. It's a bit stereotypical. He takes everything very literally and truly understands nothing of the simplest jokes. And I know that may well be the case with autism, but with high-functioning autism it's different, in my opinion. For outsiders, the stereotype image is only confirmed, I think.
I have autism myself and I wouldn't respond the way he responds to certain jokes and things... but every person with autism is different of course. Anyway, i don't recognize a lot in it and i think they really exaggerate certain things.