Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

. . . to be appalled at the way a young man with autism is being presented in the Netflix series 'The Good Doctor'?

84 replies

The13thFairy · 23/01/2026 13:07

Shaun is a surgeon. He gives a running commentary to other surgeons (and some patients) on his relationship, how it's becoming sexual and in what way. Everyone is informed when he first has sex, and that he climaxed and his girlfriend did not ~ we see him reading a book called 'The G spot'. He has sent round a survey ~ only to the other surgeons, not patients this time, ' shower sex, yes or no?' And now it's going to be his girlfriend's birthday. He sees fit to place a sex toy (it buzzes) on a female surgeon's desk and ask her, and a female colleague, if this is something they would like themselves.

This dreadful behaviour is presented as a bit annoying, but cute.

OP posts:
MopATopsShop · 23/01/2026 13:15

🗣 I AM A SURGEON

BubblesandTiara · 23/01/2026 13:15

It's a TV show. Don't watch it if you don't like it.

You can find TV shows where you can be "appalled" at the way ANYONE is being presented (young, old, white, black, Asian, smart, dumb).

Not everyone will agree with the way Lucifer (Morningstar) (and God and the angels) are being presented. Again, just a TV show.

As long as it's a fictional character.

MopATopsShop · 23/01/2026 13:14

Stompythedinosaur · 23/01/2026 13:13

I agree, it's lazy stereotyping, not based in the reality of the experience of neuro diverse people.

How can they represent the experiences of EVERY ND person in one character?

There has to be ND people that fir his character very well. So maybe he just represents those ones?

Stompythedinosaur · 23/01/2026 13:13

I agree, it's lazy stereotyping, not based in the reality of the experience of neuro diverse people.

beefthief · 23/01/2026 13:13

I don't understand your complaint, sorry

MopATopsShop · 23/01/2026 13:11

I'm autistic btw, and so are my kids. There ARE some people who present that way with autism. Is it pushing some stereotypes, yes. Are stereotypes sometimes stereotypes for a reason? Also yes.

Its entertainment. Not a documentary.

You can always turn the TV off.

Needmorelego · 23/01/2026 13:10

Well you're a bit late to complain.
The show ended 2 years ago and ran for several seasons.
I only watched a couple of episodes so can't really comment that much.

Jamsponges · 23/01/2026 13:09

I haven't got to that bit yet but I agree autism doesn't justify disrespecting privacy or boundaries

MopATopsShop · 23/01/2026 13:09

It's a TV programme.

No one would watch it if the scope of his autism stretched to him watching too many pokemon trading card videos on youtube after work.