Atypical: Season 1

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 20 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 163 Ratings

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8.6

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8.6	User Score Universal acclaim based on 163 Ratings

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Atypical

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Season Details & Credits

Netflix | Season Premiere Date: August 11, 2017

Summary: The decision to begin dating by Sam Gardner (Keir Gilchrist), a high school senior with autism, worries his overprotective mother (Jennifer Jason Leigh) in this coming-of-age comedy series created by Robia Rashid.

Creator: Robia Rashid and Seth Gordon

Genre(s): Comedy, Drama

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Season 1 Episodes

tbd
S1:E8. The Silencing Properties of Snow
Air Date: August 11, 2017
tbd
S1:E7. I Lost My Poor Meatball
Air Date: August 11, 2017
tbd
S1:E6. The D-Train to Bone Town
Air Date: August 11, 2017

See all Seasons and Episodes

Metascore

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Mixed:

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Critic Reviews

Glenn Garvin

Aug 13, 2017

Extraordinary. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Brian Tallerico

Aug 9, 2017

At its best, Atypical allows its drama and comedy to come from that genuine, relatable place. It may have a rocky start, but stick with it. Atypical lives up to its title. Read full review

Lorraine Ali

Aug 10, 2017

The series is as compassionate as it is snarky, pairing a deep understanding about everyday life on the spectrum with a sense of humor rarely found in productions that deal with autism. “Atypical” risks offending some, but it does more good than harm by demystifying a sensitive and painful subject with an unapologetic candor. Read full review

UPROXX Alan Sepinwall

Aug 9, 2017

There’s a very important, delicate line that a comedy like this can’t cross: the one where it could be seen as inviting viewers to laugh at Sam’s many quirks (his obsession with penguins and all other things Antarctic, for instance). Atypical never crosses it--Gilchrist’s performance is too sincere and vulnerable to allow it--but at times a lot of the whimsy is generated from how exasperated his loved ones are at dealing with him. Read full review

Brian Lowry

Aug 10, 2017

Watchable but uneven, the half-hour series dilutes its genuine pathos with characters and situations that seem to have parachuted in from a different show. Read full review

Kelly Lawler

Aug 10, 2017

Atypical presents a point of view and a lead character that are, well, atypical in the TV landscape. But its sweetness and predictability make it a little too typical to be great. Read full review

John Hugar

Aug 11, 2017

This show desperately wants to get its depiction of autism right, and wants to pat itself on the back for doing so. All of which makes the uninspired characterization of Sam all the more infuriating. Read full review

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User Score

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8.6

User Reviews

justinhow

Sep 19, 2018

Good start for a new TV series with a simple but beautifully balanced central theme of a family living with a son who is autistic. However it is far from just about that and all the main casts performances are very solid.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

elijahjacobs

Nov 1, 2018

Funny, compelling, with good character development. Kept my wife and I watching episode after episode despite neither of us being binge-watchers.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

21donuts

Aug 24, 2017

I've been searching long and hard for a show that evokes this much feelings in me. I have a brother with autism, and I can relate to this show so much. It's cute and funny and unexpected. Like, with other shows you can easily foreshadow what's going to happen but with this... no, there'sI've been searching long and hard for a show that evokes this much feelings in me. I have a brother with autism, and I can relate to this show so much. It's cute and funny and unexpected. Like, with other shows you can easily foreshadow what's going to happen but with this... no, there's always twists and turns.
Honestly, 10/10, I'm so excited for season 2!!!… Expand

7 of 8 users found this helpful71

diegonelli

Feb 16, 2018

Very fun to watch. I also felt identified with many of the situations.. hopefully this puts my self esteem a bit higher.
____________________________

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Xbluannax

Nov 20, 2021

Watched all the seasons on Netflix and sad it came to an end but glad the ending was happy.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

evii1975

May 12, 2018

This TV show shines for two main reasons. The first being that it is really quite eye-opening as it follows a character with autism, and his difficulties in finding a girlfriend. It educates on how difficult life can be for those people, but also their family and friends who have to lookThis TV show shines for two main reasons. The first being that it is really quite eye-opening as it follows a character with autism, and his difficulties in finding a girlfriend. It educates on how difficult life can be for those people, but also their family and friends who have to look after them. It also shines because it contains some quite cute, and interesting relationships between many characters. Teenagers should enjoy this show, as it is something quite different but still something which they could relate to.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Nightmare_L

Aug 18, 2017

Atypical is a show that claims to be about an autistic lead character and how neurodiversity is a good thing, but in reality it is yet another glurge-ridden stereotypical "woe is me its so hard to raise autistic kids" spiel made by non-autistic people who don't care at all about whatAtypical is a show that claims to be about an autistic lead character and how neurodiversity is a good thing, but in reality it is yet another glurge-ridden stereotypical "woe is me its so hard to raise autistic kids" spiel made by non-autistic people who don't care at all about what actually autistic people think.

The show straight up justifies abusive relationships and bigotry. Sam, the protagonist, is being abused by his mother, his therapist breaks confidentiality about his case and he have very unhealthy ideas about dating that nobody thinks to try and help him understand are wrong. Its one of those shows where "quirky" means "dysfunctional family on the brink of implosion", and cringe is the go-to tool of expression. It also peppers in a unhealthy amount of racist and sexist remarks and plays them off as cute too, which is not funny.

The show also constantly makes fun of Sam's autistic traits, and he is portrayed as a burden on his family that is somehow responsible for his mother's abusive behavior. This is not a positive portrayal, this is creating a caricature for cheap laughs and even cheaper tugs at the sympathy heart string for other abusive or neglectful parents so they will feel less bad about being horrible to their kids.

If you care at all about autistic people or want a show about how its okay to not fit into the usual definition of normal, stay far away from this. Also, please, listen to actually autistic people when they say something is not a accurate or positive portrayal. This is no more positive or accurate than Rain Man was 30 years ago.… Expand

2 of 12 users found this helpful210

SEE ALL 32 REVIEWS

Seasons & Episodes

66

Series Overview
Season 4

tbd
- Season 4 Overview
  Air Date: July 9, 2021
Season 3

tbd
- Season 3 Overview
  Air Date: November 1, 2019
Season 2

tbd
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: September 7, 2018
Season 1

66
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: August 11, 2017
- tbd
  S1:E8. The Silencing Properties of Snow
  Air Date: August 11, 2017
- tbd
  S1:E7. I Lost My Poor Meatball
  Air Date: August 11, 2017
- tbd
  S1:E6. The D-Train to Bone Town
  Air Date: August 11, 2017
- tbd
  S1:E5. That's My Sweatshirt
  Air Date: August 11, 2017
- tbd
  S1:E4. A Nice Neutral Smell
  Air Date: August 11, 2017
- tbd
  S1:E3. Julia Says
  Air Date: August 11, 2017
- tbd
  S1:E2. A Human Female
  Air Date: August 11, 2017
- tbd
  S1:E1. Antarctica
  Air Date: August 11, 2017