In the last decade, I have watched several TV shows that depict one or more characters with autism. Some of my favorites are Bones, Atypical, The Big Bang Theory, and The Good Doctor. Then, of course, there are so many others that I have not yet watched, such as Everything’s Gonna be Okay, The A Word, and Community. As far as the shows that I am familiar with go, there are both positive and negative aspects in these autistic portrayals that I believe are crucial to discuss.
One of the biggest criticisms of autistic characters on TV in general is that they are often full of stereotypes. For instance, Shaun Murphy is a savant in medicine, Sheldon Cooper in physics, and Temperance in forensic anthropology. While it is true that autistics are often very passionate about a certain interest or interests, it is definitely not true that most of us are gifted, and especially not on the savant level. In fact, only around 10% of autistic people are considered savants, leaving the other 90% without equal representation. Although, I have to admit, it is better than suggesting that all autistic people are intellectually disabled, non-communicative, and completely dependent on others as television used to imply.
Another common mistake I’ve seen in some of these shows is the use of the autistic character as a prop rather than another person. In other words, it seems that autistic characters are sometimes written to show the audience how autism affects OTHERS, not the autistic person themself. I have read several articles of other neurodiverse people expressing the same concern, that the internal struggles and emotions of these autistic characters are often ignored, and instead, the way that their autism helps other people grow and learn is the focus. In my opinion, we need more films that allow the audience to really be put into the shoes of an autistic person, not the shoes of those around them.
On the other hand, something these films do tend to get right is the pattern of autistic people being extremely driven. One of the most common strengths of autistic people is their increased ability to be focused, determined, and able to succeed in more competitive fields. While not all autistic people have the exact same ability to hyperfocus like these characters do, it is still a much more truthful and reasonable depiction.
Overall, I do expect the portrayal of autistic people on TV to continue to improve over time as more and more acceptance and awareness is spread. Aside from the stereotypes and infantilization, these shows also seem to keep picking white or male characters for their role, unfortunately perpetuating the idea that autism “looks a certain way.” Since autism DOES look different depending on the person’s gender, it is especially vital that more female roles are given. This is something I also look forward to seeing change over time, especially because it will help ALL autistic audience members see themselves finally represented.
I portrayal and understanding of Autism is changing a lot, but there are still stereotypical based representation happening. I really like how you talked about autism being looked from the perspective of other people and not the person experience personally.
One of my favorite shows is the Good Doctor and though they are developing his character and his role, it is not representative of the vast majority of people with Autism.
I recently watched a movie called I Am Sam, about a father with autism trying to raise his daughter. He is no intellectual genius like Shaun Murphy or Sheldon Cooper. He has the intellect of a 7 year old, but is still able to live his life, raise his child, get a job, have friends, and even go through a court process.
The spread and awareness ins happening radially. People are really taking the time to understand the full epithets of Autism and straying away from some of the stereotypical assumptions.
I really liked this blog post, I think it does a great job of spreading awareness. It brought a few things to my attention that I had never thought of, specifically the idea of autistic people being used as props rather than characters. I never noticed it before, but my family has watched and love shows like The Good Doctor and Community, and in hind sight I can see how this is 100% the case. I’m glad it has been brought to my attention so I can be more aware of it in the future.