What portrayals of autism in the media AREN'T annoying?

[Nervous Rex]

There are so many on-the-spectrum or close-to-the-spectrum characters in the media that are just plain annoying. It's like Hollywood doesn't want you to like them - instead they want you to feel sorry for the other characters around them.

Sheldon from Big Bang Theory is a good example. From the few clips I've seen, I know I wouldn't be able to watch that show just because of how annoying Sheldon is.

Rainman is another one. Almost everyone else's reaction to him is to be annoyed or disturbed. It's a good movie, but I feel like they fell short in that area.

Monk kind of walks the line. Everyone Monk encounters is annoyed and exasperated by him, but they put enough into his character that you can care for him and his story. And some of the characters around him do love him despite his behavior.


Are there any portrayals of autistic people in the media that aren't annoying? Characters that the audience can actually find endearing and care about?

 

[FayetheADHDsquirrel]

I don't really stress over that so much. If I don't like a show, I don't have to watch it. That said, it does bother me some when ASD characters are presented as dangerous or something because I get concerned that people will distrust us if they watch too many such shows. I like the ASD presentation of Matthew on The Chosen and I think Nathaniel is ASD as well even though it has not been verified as far as I am aware of. I know some people probably think that Matthew is too "stereotypical", but I like the character and the stereotypes do exist for a reason. There are people who fit the stereotypical version of ASD in real life so I don't see anything wrong with presentations where the character is a socially awkward savant type.

 

[Nervous Rex]

I like the ASD presentation of Matthew on The Chosen and I think Nathaniel is ASD as well even though it has not been verified as far as I am aware of. I know some people probably think that Matthew is too "stereotypical", but I like the character and the stereotypes do exist for a reason. There are people who fit the stereotypical version of ASD in real life so I don't see anything wrong with presentations where the character is a socially awkward savant type.

I forgot about Matthew from The Chosen. That is a very good portrayal of autism that is not annoying!

 

[Outdated]

I haven't seen it yet, but Upright is supposed to be very good. The main actor Tim Minchin is autistic, and he helped with the writing as well.

Upright (TV Series 2019– ) 8.4 | Comedy, Drama

 

[Jumpinbare]

There are people who fit the stereotypical version of ASD in real life so I don't see anything wrong with presentations where the character is a socially awkward savant type.

I was/am (if you throw in clumsy too).

 

[FayetheADHDsquirrel]

I was/am (if you throw in clumsy too).

I relate to several stereotypical traits myself.

 

[Richelle-H]

Sheldon from Big Bang Theory is a good example. From the few clips I've seen, I know I wouldn't be able to watch that show just because of how annoying Sheldon is

I completely agree with you, and I also find most representations of autism to be off from my perspective, even the reality shows that feature autistic participants. Of late there were only two that didn't make me mental about how autism is portrayed, as if we are all incapable of dealing with the world on our own.

My personal favorite is "Extraordinary Attorney Woo". While the actress portraying the lead character is NT, her nuanced performance is quite resonant and I wish there was more than the one season. It is a Korean series on Netflix, but it has many dubbed audio tracks -English included- if one does not like reading subtitles.

 

[UFO]

My memories of Adam (2009) are vague, but while he was a stereotyped Asperger-case, he wasn't portrayed as an annoying or comical character. Only realistically hard to get on the same frequency -kind of guy. Please be free to correct me, I really don't remember the movie that well.

even the reality shows that feature autistic participants.

In my country they had one reality show about autistic people. During first season they thought they were doing goodhearted (but heavily scripted) documentary, but ended up actually portraying characters as stereotyped weird, socially awkward, simple-minded and cute freaks. Second season improved much when they increased the variety and picked even some only mildly autistic persons that were very hard to distinguish from NT:s.

 

[Alexej]

I have found on NEtflix a Korean series about an autistic advocate - Woo.
An intriguing portrayal.

 

[Neonatal RRT]

There are so many on-the-spectrum or close-to-the-spectrum characters in the media that are just plain annoying. It's like Hollywood doesn't want you to like them - instead they want you to feel sorry for the other characters around them.

Sheldon from Big Bang Theory is a good example. From the few clips I've seen, I know I wouldn't be able to watch that show just because of how annoying Sheldon is.

Rainman is another one. Almost everyone else's reaction to him is to be annoyed or disturbed. It's a good movie, but I feel like they fell short in that area.

Monk kind of walks the line. Everyone Monk encounters is annoyed and exasperated by him, but they put enough into his character that you can care for him and his story. And some of the characters around him do love him despite his behavior.


Are there any portrayals of autistic people in the media that aren't annoying? Characters that the audience can actually find endearing and care about?

Well, all I can say is that it is fiction. It is entertainment. Another example might be medical dramas, how medical equipment is used, how hospitals are run, etc. My wife and I literally cannot watch any of them without thinking, "That would never happen in a million years.", "Doesn't work that way.", "A doctor would not have those skills." "That piece of equipment doesn't belong and why is a mechanical ventilator hooked up wrong, attached to a suction catheter, making a noise that a med pump makes?" "Who is the medical advisor on this shoot?" "It's like they aren't making any attempt at reality."

So it is with these pseudo-autism-like characters. They might get one or two characteristics correct, then throw in other characteristics that throw you off because they aren't autism-related, but presented as such. Again..."Where is the medical advisor on this shoot?" I have a difficult time with a lot of fictional characters, stories, and premises for the simple reason that the writers didn't make any attempt at presenting enough reality to make it plausible...as if it could really happen.

I guess I don't see the characters as annoying, per se, but more or less unrealistic and misrepresented...and that's what throws me off. The thing is...there are a lot of ignorant people out there that view these characters and situations and think these are some representation of reality because it fits within their cognitive biases. Granted, not a lot of us would be great actors on popular network series and in the movies...some of the high-intellect, skilled masking, ASD-1/Asperger's variants perhaps...but probably not others. I think autism, in the raw, as it were, is represented accurately in documentaries, but I am not sure it is the substance for entertainment.

 

[Judge]

That's a good question. Yet the first thing I think of when it comes to media and entertainment is that likelihood of casting and direction. Whose perception of their own possible experiences in interacting with autistic persons may been considerably less than cordial. The challenge being to move beyond such perceived stereotypes.

Though I have to also draw one considerable "parallel" here. That those in charge of casting are forever responsible for stereotyping so many exclusively based on past performances. Regardless of neurological distinctions. I'm also guessing that if there are autistic persons employed in such a capacity, that there are very few of them.

To put it simply, it's what they do- regardless of an actor's range or ability. Often unfairly restricting them to a specific genre. So it doesn't come as a surprise as to how such persons may be cast for a role that seldom goes beyond other considerations of stereotyping.

That while a few "top drawer" actors have the ability to transcend stereotyping, most have insufficient notoriety and acclaims to avoid being "pigeonholed" professionally speaking. Though it also helps to have well-paid agents who protect their client by avoiding such roles as well. A process that inevitably may perpetuate all kinds of stereotypes well beyond autism.

 

[Dagan]

"Reacher" is quite respectable. Most Sherlock Holmes are done well of late.

 

[Nervous Rex]

To put it simply, it's what they do- regardless of an actor's range or ability. Often unfairly restricting them to a specific genre. So it doesn't come as a surprise as to how such persons may be cast for a role that seldom goes beyond other considerations of stereotyping.

I think you're right. I think everything needs to be good for a good character. If the actor's performance is bad, the character will be shallow and wooden. If the writing and story is shallow, there will be no way for the actor to put anything into it.


And sometimes I think that maybe there actually was more to a character, but it went over my head.

 

[Captain Jigglypuff]

The brother from There’s Something About Mary, Warren, seems to be autistic and even though he’s being portrayed by a NT actor, the writers did a good job at making have some of the classic symptoms but he isn’t treated like some sort of burden or punchline.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

My wife went to visit her buddy in convalescents home she told him his brother a fellow Aspie and friend of Mine lost his so because their mother, sister and brothers girlfriend colluded to have son removed from their care. now same sister, is in good faith helping get into long term care. Wife told him good faith does not always work in your favour. My wife's buddy just saw older brother as weird. Rest of family concurs. Either way older brother passed brain tumour. I did not know at the time both of us are on the spectrum. Real life is usually more interesting than made up stories, usually sadder Wife's buddy is 6 months older then me just passed inflection point 71 now bothers me how accurate my stats are.