Atypical

I love this show and feel like I can watch it no matter what mood I'm in. I can understand why some are disappointed in season 4, but that's pretty common when a show tries to continue to be interesting. Also the music/soundtrack is amazing, especially in season 4. I read a few reviews and didn't see many giving kudos to Paige's character so I want to do that as well. She might be sort of on the sidelines but she was a main character to me!!

I don't understand why there are so many individuals stating the show exaggerates or skews autism symptoms. My son is on the spectrum, and in the autism works when you know one person with autism, you know one person with autism. That is why they call it a spectrum disorder. I feel this show did a great job of depicting Asperger's syndrome or high functioning autism. The actor is on point...lack of eye contact, sensory processing issues, blurting out inappropriate things, not being able to read others feelings, social struggles, his obsession with one subject, his outbursts...all the way to his food preferences. They also did a great job with how the sister is pushed aside and the marital struggles due to the stress of the autism. The fears the mother has reminds me of myself. I highly suggest this show; especially for families who have been blessed with an family member who is autistic. I hope it will be back for a second season.

Sam from Atypical is so much like my son, and yet so different. Sam's roller coaster life has given my son hope for his future. He was feeling as if he could not graduate high school and have a life. My son is 15 and a sophomore. Sam's character is mesmerizing, funny, sad, interesting, and plain amazing! Watching Sam has been such a great way for my son to recognize that life for him is going to be tough but, we can laugh and cry and freak out. It's alright. It will all work out some how. My son watching Sam and Paige has also given him hope in having a girlfriend that likes him for who he is. Atypical is the absolute best show to watch for families with a child on the spectrum - despite all the horrible reviews. I'm sure those reviews are from people that do not see Sam in children on the spectrum. Which is kind of the point - no child on the spectrum is the same and the reviews that say we need to keep trying to find the perfect way to represent kids with autism do NOT understand autism's unique characteristics. I think those people should make their own show about their views of autism and leave Atypical alone. It's amazing and wonderful. Sweet and inspirational. Sam is a super amazknf kid - and so similar to my son and my students - yep! I'm also a teacher that works in a school for children with autism. I love every single one of my students, and all their unique abilities. Sam Gardner - keep on keeping on. Don't let horrible people keep you down - they just don't get you! And that's alright. You are a bright shining star! And so is your real person, Keir, because without your incredible skills - Sam would not have been in my living while my son watched with a laundry basket over his head because he doesn't like big spaces either.

Reading some other reviews it seems like the representation of Autism is slightly skewed in this show, but in my opinion it successfully walked a fine line between being accurate and presenting something that everyone can relate to. Hopefully that helps people understand the condition, while also still having an entertaining show to watch.

As a show it excels in character presentation as every main has their own quirks and struggles to overcome. Some of these struggles may be left unresolved and this is probably the only place the show falters a little. It felt like some things were left open-ended to allow for another series, so there isn't complete satisfaction in all the story lines by the end. But you can only begrudge a show so much for that, and while a tight closed story would be nice, it is better than turning into Wayward Pines where your complete story is so successful that you have a second series that is completely contrived because you had nowhere to go at the end of the first.

Overall this is a show that most people will have seen before about the struggles of an everyday family, through the lens of someone on the autistic spectrum. The characters and the drama feel realistic and down to earth for the most part and the comedy is mild but entertaining. It wasn't revolutionary, but it was enjoyable and definitely worth devoting a minor binge to in its 8 episode run.

I'm hoping that in Season 3 her character is less annoying, if not I will have to stop watching.