Representation in Atypical
Representation makes people feel seen and understood. The show Atypical does a good job at representing different groups of people who are historically underrepresented. Represented groups in this television series are people with disabilities, the LGBTQ+, and people of color. The show is directed by a woman named Robia Rashid, which impacts the representation and how it's presented.
Sam, played by Keir Gilchrist, is the protagonist of the show. The character is a teenager who has autism and the show is mainly about Sam wanting to find love. The show also explores the themes of what it means to be "normal" and normality in general. Sam often has struggles with trying to feel like a normal teenager. The show received some criticism after it's first season because the actor of the protagonist is not autistic in real life, some may have felt that was offensive because a person with autism may have understood the role more profoundly. However, the crew of the show understood this and hired autistic actors and writers for the upcoming seasons. After that change was made, the show received many positive reviews.
Sam-
A group the show represented greatly was the LGBTQ+. Sam's sister, Casey, played by Bridgette Lundy-Paine, is a bisexual woman in the show who has a lesbian girlfriend named Izzie, played by Fival Stewart. The two characters are a great representation of how a regular high school couple would act. They aren't stereotyped into having a tragic love story just because they are two women that love each other. They go through their difficult moments and talk it out just like any other healthy couple would, showing audiences that everything may not always be perfect and that's okay, communication is key. Izzie and Casey are a great example of what a healthy LGBTQ+ relationship may look like.
