Summary: Sam (Keir Gilchrist) is like most hormonal 18-year-old boys; he wants a girlfriend. The biggest challenge for him is that he is not a typical teenager, Sam experiences life differently as he is on the autism spectrum. Throughout his childhood, this challenging soul has brought a significant number of changes in the lives of his family. He has lived a life without much human contact or interaction, but with the encouragement of his therapist, Sam wants a girl. All of this brings an unexpected series of changes into his families life, but especially for his mother, Elsa (Jennifer Jason Leigh). Her life has revolved around her son’s schedule since his diagnosis and identified as being on the spectrum. This new phase of life opens the door to a multitude of adjustments in the lives of everyone who exists in Sam’s relational orbit.
Short review: This television show was exceptionally polarising and led to a love/hate relationship with the whole experience.
Interesting fact: One out of every 100 people in Australia are on the autism spectrum. (230,000 people)
RRs rating: 3 stars
What was there to love?
The concept is original and intriguing, which draws the audience into each episode. The writing is creative but does become predictable after a few shows.
Thankfully there is a multitude of strong characters to keep things engaging:
- Keir Gilchrist as Sam - He manages to encapsulate the persona of someone on the autism spectrum and the challenges that are faced by many around the world and what they face in society.
- Brigette Lundy-Paine as his sister Casey is great in her role as the under appreciated and forgotten sibling within this scenario
- Also, Jenna Boyd as Sam’s girlfriend and Michael Rapaport as Sam’s father, Doug, provide some of the more appealing elements of the shows.
What was there to dislike? Without giving away any potential spoilers
- The role of Elsa, the mother, is played exceptionally well by Jennifer Jason Leigh. She begins the series as a sympathetic character, but as the show progresses, her character goes downhill. Her coping choices make for some of the most unappealing elements of the show.
- The over-the-top antics of Sam’s friend and relationship manager, Zahid (Nik Dodani) is a painful experience to endure. His inclusion is designed to provide the laughs, but within the first episode, his antics become excruciatingly cringe-worthy. His performance and the writing led to a continual use of the mute button whenever Zahid came onto the screen.
- A realistic view of the effects of autism on the whole family
- A few laughs without berating or minimising the impact of autism on a family.
What red flags does Atypical raise?
- This show is intended for mature audiences only and should not be classified as a family show.
- The majority of the show focuses on sex. It diminishes the value of this wonderful relationship between a husband and wife and trivialises it in every relationship on screen.
Thank you to The Breakfast Team for the challenge of reviewing Atypical.
Join the Breakfast Show on Thursday mornings to hear the latest films to hit theatres. Russ will share a bit about the latest release in film or television. He will try to provide Christian insights on today's entertainment.
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