Portrayal of autistic people in films/TV

I can relate to this. I used to pretend to be Data when I was younger. I actually think I thought I was him at times as I could relate to him so much.

It is, but it doesn't seem to be as well-known in the UK for some reason. It's certainly far better than The Big Bang Theory IMO.

Yes I remember Abed too. Community is a great series.

My favourite example of this is Data, from Star Trek: The Next Generation. He's obviously not autistic, given the whole "android" thing, but what always struck me were the parallels between the way he's always trying to learn and imitate human behaviour (with limited success) - as a kid, that's exactly how I felt. It's played for laughs almost as often as it's pushed for poignancy, but there was always a reason for it in the context of the story; they made his arc important in every story, and his journey (for me) is the core of the entire show and everything that they've done with that crew since.

That made me feel a lot less worthless and broken, and I'm forever grateful for that.

Patrick Stewart might get all the attention for his acting, but for me Brent Spiner sits above all for the way he put more into his character than anyone else in the show.

I'm a big fan of Abed in Community. Some people say he's not a realistic portrayal of a ND person, but I have a friend who is autistic and exactly like him in so many ways! It's a sitcom, so everything is heightened and exaggerated to some extent, but I think they treat him sensitively for the most part. His traits aren't played up any more or less than the neuroses of the other neurotypical characters.

Yeah i saw it but I wasent sure if she was diagnosed with autism as well
My claim to fame is I replied to her Dad on a thread he started in a Unique( charity for people with rare chromosome disorder, s) facebook group ,my son has a different rare chromosome disorder that is thought to be the underlying reason for his disabilities.

It was determined in a one off special episode that she has DYRK1A syndrome - a rare chromosomal condition, of which ASD or autistic like behaviours are a characteristic. It was a great episode, they met up with others with DYRK1A syndrome and their families (not actors, actual people). I really enjoyed There She Goes, my husband and I found it funny and relatable.

Have you watched " There she goes" on BBC player it's very good about a girl with severe learning difficulties, non verbal ( not sure if theu ever said if she was autistic but presents very much like my son who is ) Its based on the writers own daughter.

I think the real issue at the moment is there is no representation of autism in its most severe form where people have high needs. People and professionals really minimalise the needs of my son because their version of autism in their head is much higher functioning. Very rarely do you see a non verbal autistic person with severe learning disabilities on TV.

The problem is that now there are very few, or no, portrayals of low functioning (or complex, or profound, or whatever term people prefer) autism, so that the trend has moved away from understanding and supporting those most in need. It’s great that those who can communicate with words, manage their own personal care needs etc, are having the difficulties they face highlighted but it shouldn’t be one or the other. People may not like it, but people who are more similar to rainman than Sheldon cooper do still exist and need all the support society can provide.

maybe I’ve missed some joyful/loving but realistic portrayals of this type of autism in recent media
though!

Is anyone in film or TV really a representation of any of us, including NT people? I've never identified with a character in film or TV. I'm from a working class background, if you went of TV representations I'd be loud mouthed, hanging about on the front street drinking and smoking, talking about 'the social' and getting into unnecessary arguments. I'm also a social worker, I've watched a few TV shows with social workers in, they're nothing like any social worker I've encountered.

I understand why TV and film writers don't write in autistic characters. It's a minefield and they are immediately criticised because the version they present won't relate to everyone. Take Big bang theory for example, how many posters here have criticised it. Sheldon is a fictitious character in a comedy, so like any comedic character needs to be exaggerated for comic purposes, the producers never even said he had autism and are still being told they got it wrong. If they had mentioned autism the criticism would be 100 fold. The thing is there are some people out there who are like Sheldon, or Rainman and they need to be represented too. But the other 1000 versions of autism that then go unrepresented. There would need to be a lot more autistic characters to get a general and fair representation of the real diversity within the label. Many characters we know well present with autism traits they just don't say it. Maybe if people were less critical there would be more representation?

I would love to see more characters where autism is mentioned but not like a big story line. A bit like when gay characters first appeared on TV in the 90s, it was always a big story with media coverage. But now no body cares, it's accepted. These days gay characters often don't state they are gay, you just see them with a same sex partner or it's referenced in passing. That's when you know something is totally accepted as normal, when it just is without any fanfare or controversy.

I haven't seen Patience but it is the English language copy of Astrid - Murder in Paris. Astrid is probably the best thing I've watched with an autistic character. It is an excellent TV series and a beautiful exploration of female friendship. One of the 2 main characters is autistic, the other is neurotypical but chaotic and disastrous with men. They try to understand each other better as solve various murders. It is extremely funny, but in a helpful non-derogatory way. It is on channel 4 with English subtitles.

I agree with others that Sheldon in BBT is autistic but he is separately not the nicest person so I can understand why the producers don't want to label him as autistic. He is autistic but also a bit of an arse.

There is a fascinating area of study where people look to diagnose historically people real or imaginary. It covers all types of illness such as epilepsy, coeliac, autism, lactose intolerance, downs syndrome etc etc.Diagnosing the past | Wellcome Collection

Obviously it is done with huge caution but it demonstrates that many things we thing have only become prevalent recently like ND and allergies/intolerances have been around for a long time, we just didn't have a name for them. Or realise that they were anything other than personality traits.

Interesting. Can you give an example?

Strangely, I often find the best depictions of autistic characters are those who were never intended to be autistic or, at the very least, weren't written as "autistic representation." Sometimes characters naturally seem to fall into that niche, something fans often pick up on even when the writes are unaware. In some cases writers or actors acknowledge this, either outside of the show or canonising it within the show, but often it's never explicitly mentioned by anyone involved in the show.

Another vote for A Kind of Spark on BBC. The main character and one of her older sisters are autistic but they present differently. The actresses who play them are both autistic. In the second series, there is a new character played by the actress who plays Patience (CH4) - forgotten her name - and again, she has different traits again.

I love that programme so much because one of my children saw themselves in Addie, the main character, before autism was really on our radar. My child has since been diagnosed autistic and I credit AKOS for much of that.

Someone mentioned Mr Darcy - any fans of A Room With a View (book or movie) here? Both George Emerson and his father always struck me as autistic.

I don’t read Belle as autistic at all. She doesn’t have friends because she’s more educated than everyone else in the town, and she has a pretty good understanding of social skills when it comes to getting Gaston out of her house. (She figured out that “I really just don’t deserve you!” would get him out with less of a conflict than telling him to leave her alone forever.) She doesn’t have any problem reading anyone’s emotions.

I see a bit more of a case for Hermione, but I can also see an argument that she’s maybe didn’t develop better social skills until her teens because it can be hard for very smart kids to make friends if they’re not around other very smart kids. She understood Cho’s feelings of being conflicted between Cedric’s memory and Harry, and she understood Ron being jealous of Harry in the fourth book. In fact, Hermione in the later books has to explain people’s feelings to Harry a lot.

By Bruno, you mean Bruno from “Encanto”? Yeah, I think he’s probably autistic.

I always remember ‘shut up, Edgar!’

There’s a book called Angel by the author Elizabeth Taylor and the main character is autistic or adhd. Published in 1957. There does seem to be some unusual characters in books from the 50s or thereabouts and no one so much as comments on the individual’s differences - just accepted as they are. It’s quite interesting.

She wasn’t described as autistic, but I liked Chloe on “24.” Her lack of caring about social norms was helpful in that she was willing to help Jack Bauer do what he needed to do to save everyone, even if he didn’t have proper authorization from CTU. She was very job-focused, but not to the exclusion of everything else. She was a loyal friend to Jack, and she got married and had a son (who both died, unfortunately, because about three-fourths of the characters in that show eventually died). Chloe always had the best lines, too. 🙂

I know exactly what type of character you’re talking about, though, and I think you’re right that that seems to be the most prevalent type of autistic character at the moment.

The partners of those with autism only have experience of their partners autism and how it impacts them and their family
As the parent of a severely autistic non verbal teen I could wax lyrical about how my sons autism impacts him and our family but my experiences are very different to other parents, whose autistic children present differently to my son.
I don't think you csn get a portrayal of autism wrong as such as everyone is so different
As long as it's clear it's just a portrayal of one individual.

It was an infuriating watch, but with some great moments. The women were far more sympathetic characters than the men.

I don’t feel like Sheldon in bbt is meant to be autistic, I felt that due to his high intelligence and being pushed ahead in school etc he was unable to develop his social skills in age appropriate ways and so acts as he does due to missing experiences.
Hermione I feel has anxiety issues and also Elsa anxiety due to being forced to hide her abilities and hurting Anna with them in the past. I didn’t think any of these characters were autistic when watching the films.