Characters with Potential ASD

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Temperance Brennan, the title character from Bones, is textbook ASD/Asperger's. This has been discussed at length in different WP threads before. The reasons the network gives for never mentioning autism in the show are obtuse, but they seem to be afraid of losing audience share.

I don't think it would improve the show, anyway.

Whether she's labelled/outed or not, it's nice to have someone like us in such a positive role, compared to a walking punch line like Sheldon.

I don't think there is anything negative about Sheldon's role. It's how he's viewed that is the problem.
He's the most sympathetic character in the show IMO, while I think the person NTs relate to in BBT is a b*tch and a sl*t.

I don't see her comment in that scene as being literal. I think she was mocking the Girl Scout for her "are you sure they're real lemons" question, followed by staring her down.
Either that or she was hopeful! They are the Addams family after all, lol.
The Addams movies were great!

Travis Bickle from Taxi Driver -- Withdrawn, socially awkward, naïve about women, easily obsessed, fixates on certain things (like the famous Alka-Seltzer scene)...but also shows signs of warmth and compassion.

Bert from Sesame Street -- Likes having Ernie as a friend but seems to prefer being alone much of the time; also has narrow and eccentric interests (pigeons, bottle caps, paper clips), highly logical/practical and easily agitated.

And, even though he isn't a "character," I've always suspected that the legendary Press Your Luck contestant Michael Larson was an Aspie. The GSN documentary on him stated that he had two failed marriages early in his life, and his brother described him as "...the kind of person who would get into something and get in over his head." Watching the episode he played on, you can also see some Aspie behavior; he often stares blankly at the screen and shakes his arms a couple times when he gets excited. (Not to mention the simple fact that he memorized the board patterns -- something perhaps only an Aspie would have the patience and determination to do.)

Brick from The Middle.

I don't know which countries the British soap opera Coronation Street is screened in, but if you get the opportunity please check out a character called Roy Cropper!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Cropper

Funny story, Roy was supposed to be a psycho when he first appeared on Corrie. He was stalking Deidre! Later, his character became more 'sweet' and 'naive' as he is today. He is quoted as saying he now deliberately acts Roy's part as if the character is autistic. It's a shame they can't do a story about it though!

Sheldon is actually higher functioning than a lot of aspies, myself included.

Yep. I know of at least two real-life Aspies who are a lot more extreme than Sheldon.

That being said, I do appreciate how shows like Big Bang Theory try to portray geeks in a somewhat positive light -- especially when you consider that 20-25 years ago, the most well-known nerds on television were Screech and Steve Urkel.

I liked Screech...

Evan from Freaky Friday (2003)

Doctor Ellingham's second aunt, Aunt Ruth ("Doc Martin").

Arnold Rimmer from Red Dwarf is a comical and not very flattering example.