“Atypical” is a coming-of-age comedy about a high school senior on the autism spectrum. The show revolves around the young man trying to reach his goal of getting a girlfriend. The series stars Keir Gilchrist, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Michael Rapaport, and Amy Okuda.
The show follows Sam, an autistic teen, as he interacts with those around him, tries to become more independent, and pursues a romantic relationship. This premise of the show is intriguing and refreshing, especially when there is not a lot of depictions of autistic people on television. Also, the show manages to have a great premise that is not only entertaining and rather relatable, but also allows the audience to get some insight on some of the challenges faced by those who have autism and by their family members and friends. The show manages to feel realistic, but still be lighthearted.
The show excels because it doesn’t simply rely on the main character for the major storyline. “Atypical” showcases Sam’s family members, friends, and even his therapist, who each have their own problems and struggles. The show does a great job presenting multiple storylines that interweave with one another and allows the audience to understand and connect with characters other than Sam.
“Atypical” presents a complex and dynamic cast of characters. The main characters are not one-note nor static, but are fully realized key players. Sam’s mother, father, and sister all have their quirks and idiosyncrasies; they also experience their own problems going on, and the audience witnesses these characters develop and progress in such a way that the audience can understand them. Although some character’s choices are questionable, the audience still gets to see multiple layers, both positive and negative. In the end, viewers get to know, connect, and fall in love with each character.
Also, the actors play the roles phenomenally, especially Rapaport, Lundy-Paine, and Jason Leigh. They add humanity and realism to their characters and deliver heartwarming moments and great humor. The actor who truly shines is Keir Gilchrist as Sam. Sam is quirky, socially awkward, and brutally honest, yet still endearing and sweet. In fact, a lot of the humor comes from the fact that Sam takes everything too literal and has a difficult time comprehending jokes. It is fascinating how Gilchrist plays the role. He allows the audience to empathize with his characters quirks and eccentric behavior.
Despite all the great performances, there are a few characters that don’t have depth and are rather static. One particular character is Sam’s co-worker, Zahid, who is rather one-dimensional and doesn’t seem real. He serves two purposes in the show: to be an influence for Sam and to act as the comic relief. Sadly, he is not very funny. The humor the character offers doesn’t translate very well because some of the jokes are cheap and poorly constructed. However, the rest of the cast makes up for this single unlikable character.
“Atypical” also struggles in the aspect of tone. In the first episode, in particular, the tone sticks out like a sore thumb because it shifts drastically within a single scene. The show can go from a dramatic moment to a comedic moment in a split second. In fact, at times, the show feels like juggling with many different genres: a straight-out comedy, a family sitcom, and teen drama. Despite these inconsistencies that are felt early on, the show quickly seems to find its footing within a couple of episodes and is able to deliver both dramatic and comedic moments without feeling awkward. The audience is able to embrace the quirky characters and eventually the humor and how it is interwoven with the dramatic moments.
Overall, “Atypical” is a really enjoyable show with interesting storyline and likeable characters. With only eight half hour episodes, it is an easy binge. Although the show is not executed perfectly, it is still a great watch and truly funny. The show earns 3.75 out 5 paws.
