Autism is not something you really see handled all that often on TV, or at least that well, but thankfully that's starting to change these days. Netflix has a new comedy series that puts the condition front and centre in a funny yet heartwarming way.
Called Atypical, it's a coming of age story told from the point of view of Sam Gardner (played by Keir Gilchrist), an 18-year-old on the autistic spectrum searching for love and independence. According to Netflix's description; "While Sam is on his funny and emotional journey of self-discovery, the rest of his family must grapple with change in their own lives while exploring the question: what does it really mean to be "normal"?"
Jennifer Jason Leigh stars as Sam’s mother, Elsa, while Michael Rapaport plays Sam’s father, Doug. Brigette Lundy-Paine plays Sam’s sister, Casey, and Amy Okuda is his therapist, Julia.
Atypical is by The Goldbergs writer/co-executive producer Robia Rashid and Academy-Award winning director/executive producer Seth Gordon while Jennifer Jason Leigh also serves as a producer.
Eight half-hour episodes of Atypical will be available on Netflix on August 11th.
