The A Word

[SunshineDays2019]

A heads up to like minded fans that series 3 starts tonight on BBC1

Thank you, I would have missed it otherwise.

Thanks!

Brilliant, off to set it to record. Love this show.

You're welcome! Let's hope it's as enjoyable as the last two series.

I rewatched the previous 2 series Running up to this and it's so good. Things have clearly moved on a lot and I'm looking forward to seeing where everyone has landed. The actor who plays Joe, Max Vento, is knock out.

Yes he's great isn't he? He's 10 now.

Can I ask a question?

Ive never watched this.

my DC is profoundly autistic, and I'm reluctant to watch it cos I'm wondering, as its a drama and not a documentary, does it ''sanitse'' the condition IYKWIM?

Cos not all Autists can achieve things. Mine certainly cant. Just wondering.

Qui, my child is 'high-functioning' but I don't watch the show for that reason as well. Sorry, but I don't find this a source of entertainment at all, and that's what a fictional telly show is. It's shit and my child wishes he didn't have it. So do I.

Tin -Exactly.

I couldn’t possibly comment on how a family with autism would feel about it. But presuming that all drama will avoid anything that might touch a nerve is a bit rich.

Not trying to derail thread here, but if anyone here has a child with Autism, just genuinely wondering.

I have 2 children with autism and I watch it

It's always featured the family live in a nice (usually detached) house, bright, shiny cars, no poverty in sight, and glossed over as something positive. It's not. Lack of funding for treatment and support means the vast majority of families who have a child with autism live in poverty, adults with autism have extremely low rates of employment, that's not even touching on ATUs or that fact that around 10-20% of people with autism have co-morbidities such as ADHD and OCD that are by and large a) not diagnosed as services aren't fit for purpose b) not adequately treated. Education for children with autism is at best an uphill battle for the bare minimum unless you're loaded. And it's certainly not entertaining. Oh, and teens with autism! That cute, curious 10-year-old? Yeah. Check in on them in 5 years - put them in a high rise 2-bed flat in a sink estate in Scunny shoved onto UC and make a show about that because that's reality for hte most part.

What whatever you want, Jay. My opinion is that it's not entertainment. Others feel differently, make shows about it, watch it. Good on 'em.

As the mum to an autistic son who is verbal, but with social/communication/speech/sensory issues I watched the first 2 series mainly to be prepared for the inevitable onslaught of questions from friends/colleagues about it..

But I didn't hate it.. loved the music and some of the characters.. Some of it is a bit far fetched such as in series 1 he was very young, and prone to escaping the house.. He was always found wandering down this deserted road with mountains to both sides and a river (this is from memory so some details may be slightly wrong).. They'd pick him up and head to school with a kind of "oh dear you really mustn't do that" .. when obviously parents would have doors and windows bolted to protect their child.

Also things such as the diagnosis and moving to special school process all seemed to happen seamlessly and within a very short timeframe..

From the perspective of the portrayal of autism I found lots of similarities to my son, though I know lots of other posters on the threads at the time didn't feel the same..

Also I did end up being questioned on it by various work colleagues, who had watched it as it was a prime time BBC show.. They wanted to know if it was realistic or not, etc..

I felt it was good that at least for the general public who still don't really understand or acknowledge autism it brought it into their consciousness even for a short period of time.

My son is 8, and I've still had the "is he like rain man?" question, so having one other mainstream character that is autistic to discuss is better than nothing

It was all teal and brown. The clothes, the cars the buildings, little scenes etc. What’s that all about?

It’s all a bit 100mph for my liking

Thanks @SunshineDays2019.
I hadn't realised it was coming back

I cannot bare this programme. The actors are awful. Depressing as fuck.

bare? Bear.
I cannot bear autocorrect.

I have a son with ASD & I watch this. It's quite reflective of my experience as my son's Dad & i split up when he was the same age as Joe. The one thing that got to me last night was when the Mum said she felt like she was failing. I feel.like this all the time so in that respect it was very true to life...

It seemed like it was more about the Grandad rather than Joe.
Its a good program but it slightly annoys me that they are all so highly strung, surely one of them would be more relaxed?

DrDre - you’ve hit the nail on the head about what annoys me about the characters! I just want to shout ‘calm down!’ at the TV!

I dont have any immediate family knowledge of autism, but I have watched this programme.

I am not saying it is brilliant, but I dont think it in any way started out or even now, is saying this is what autisim is.

It is far more about how the adults, not just the parents, but family members and adults in the village respond to the series of events that lead to the child's diagnosis.

Most of the adults are not very nice and do not respond well. And part of it is also about the lack of resources, particularly if you live in a small remote community.

Nobody behaves well. Lots of things go wrong. The scenes with the young son of the original family, and the older boy for me are a bit clunky as they are usually used to make a point about for instance lack of support, reactions of others, decision making etc..

So on one level although none of them are particularly likeable I suspect I would not have behaved better. And lots of it is quite bleak.

And I think they use the very beautiful rural setting to contrast with how the family cope, or dont, with accepting the diagnosis.

The grandfather is an absolute shit so was surprised he was so central to the opening episode of series 3. And I suspect that this is because this unpleasant person has been given the tv makeover of oh isn't he awful but such fun to watch. Hopefully he wont feature as much in the remaining episodes.

It's based on an Israeli series called Yellow Peppers as part of world autism day a few years ago. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_Peppers

And suspect as all remakes they probably did go for a more schmaltzy approach (certainly with the older boy and mother) but I certainly dont watch it an feel isn't this cute.

Most of the time its looks really hard and with no let up.

And at no time does it say this is what autisim is.

But suspect for people with actual live experience will find it a bit superficial.

And appreciate there is a fine line between using fiction to entertain and to educate, but when you think of something like Cathy Come Home which has a huge impact, there have been occassions when fiction has helped.