Healthy Living

Autism: TV Makes Strides in New Programming

What’s the motivation behind Atypical?

When describing her motivation for the show, creator Robia Rashid noted that she wanted to tell a different kind of coming of age story. Something like “Atypical” may be especially important at the moment for several key reasons. First of all, a person’s high school years can be incredibly difficult, but simultaneously formative. Shows like “Atypical” can help students better make sense of the world around them as they try to navigate it for themselves. For autistic students watching “Atypical,” they may feel a certain kinship with Sam that reminds them they aren’t alone. For neurotypical viewers, “Atypical” may give them insight into a condition that’s difficult to understand and help increase their sense of empathy for people who are different than they are. In either case, given that the number of diagnosed cases of autism has been rising in recent years, a television show like “Atypical” will certainly find a growing audience.