New NBC show Parenthood deals with Asperger's

Page 1 of 3 [ 34 posts ] Go to page 1, 2, 3 Next

Joined: 7 May 2009
Age: 49
Gender: Female
Posts: 75
Location: terra firma

02 Mar 2010, 11:10 pm

This is the first time I have heard Asperger's named during a scripted television show! One of the characters may have it they said in the course of tonight's episode. This is very exciting. No more of that speculating whether Sheldon on Big Bang Theory may have it, even though the writers have said no, this was put into the script on purpose tonight. What will be interesting is to see how it plays out if the character does indeed have it, right now it is just speculation. Parenthood is the show to watch!

Last edited by moonnymph on 03 Mar 2010, 10:47 am, edited 1 time in total.

Descartes
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 8 Apr 2008
Age: 32
Gender: Male
Posts: 6,288
Location: Texas, unfortunately

02 Mar 2010, 11:50 pm

That's interesting...at first I didn't care to watch this new series, but now I may tune into it to see for myself.

Katie_WPG
Velociraptor

Joined: 7 Sep 2008
Age: 37
Gender: Female
Posts: 492
Location: Winnipeg, MB, Canada

03 Mar 2010, 8:05 am

I found the way the show handled it was a bit offensive, to be honest.

It's an understandable reaction on the parent's part to think that there is something fundamentally "wrong" with their kid, but that doesn't make it "right".

I don't know whether or not the parent's will eventually let up and realize that they over-reacted, or whether they'll get increasingly more histrionic and paranoid as the series progresses. Especially considering that the mother wants to place him in Special Ed, and the father was coming around to her way of thinking near the end.

SamwiseGamgee
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 18 Jan 2009
Age: 36
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,387
Location: Canada

03 Mar 2010, 9:06 pm

I've been waiting for this show for a few months because I heard Peter Krause was in it. To my surprise I found the cast was full of actors that I like. Plus it's going to address Asperger's. I definitely look forward to future episodes.

The fact that they named Asperger's in the very first episode made me think that the people involved must know what they're doing and will portray it well. I did some searching to try and back up my theory and found this:

Quote:

"Parenthood" (which premieres Tuesday at 10 p.m. on Channel 4), loosely based on the 1989 Steve Martin movie, is produced by Jason Katims from "Friday Night Lights." He says the network was at first supportive but wary about the Asperger’s story.

"They want to be careful of making something either feel too heavy, or something where you’re not talking to a large enough audience," Katims says.

But Katims had a very personal reason for wanting to tell this story: his 13-year-old son has Asperger’s.

"My hope would be that it normalizes it," he says. "So there’s no stigma to it, no mystery to it."

And it’s that hope that has many parents of children with Asperger’s and autism happy to see those conditions depicted on television.

Though specific numbers for Asperger’s diagnoses are unavailable, Autism Spectrum Disorder rates have been measured as high as 1 in 90 children in America. New Jersey has the highest rate in the nation.

Saines has seen the "Parenthood" pilot, "and I think it's terrific," primarily for the way it depicts the struggle of the parents to accept and then start to deal with their son's diagnosis.

"You have to put in so much extra work, so many extra hours when your child is on the autism spectrum," she says. "It's hard to do that without support, because nobody's there to say, 'Thank you, good job. This is working.' To see characters portrayed on television, I think in and of itself becomes a support group for everybody."

For anyone who wants the full article: How TV shows try (or choose not) to depict Asperger's syndrome

_________________
My dream is to one day know what my dream is.
~Michael Novotny

chessimprov
Toucan
Toucan

Joined: 11 Jun 2010
Age: 44
Gender: Male
Posts: 293
Location: Philly

21 Jul 2010, 7:27 am

http://www.hulu.com/watch/133234/parent ... sus-possum
Episode 2. all of the eps are available until July 30

Capper7
Raven
Raven

Joined: 28 Jul 2010
Age: 33
Gender: Male
Posts: 108

29 Jul 2010, 11:03 pm

A few friends know about my AS now, but once it was only my parents and I. When Parenthood aired, we often watched it together. The other story lines are all very strong, and Max's is no different. In the season finale, it becomes apparent he doesn't know about himself while the family participates in an autism fundraiser. The show definitely knows what they are doing, however. Writers defer to professionals if I remember correctly. Once, information followed the show by the actors about donating to a charity which supports autism and AS. It's so good I can't wait for Season 2 in the Fall!

Xenu
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 26 Dec 2008
Age: 30
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,438

29 Jul 2010, 11:33 pm

Capper7 wrote:

Autism Speaks does not support Autism or Aspergers you need to be informed.

Capper7
Raven
Raven

Joined: 28 Jul 2010
Age: 33
Gender: Male
Posts: 108

30 Jul 2010, 6:49 pm

Xenu wrote:

Capper7 wrote:

Autism Speaks does not support Autism or Aspergers you need to be informed.

Sorry. I just brought up the fact that it's not just in the show for a character's use but they appeared to be doing something about above and beyond for awareness. (I didn't even remember which one they mentioned.)

Xenu
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 26 Dec 2008
Age: 30
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,438

30 Jul 2010, 7:26 pm

Capper7 wrote:

Xenu wrote:

Capper7 wrote:

Autism Speaks does not support Autism or Aspergers you need to be informed.

They lied. Autism Speaks supports hatred and segregation of people with Aspergers. They are devoted to "cure" us because we should not be alive because we are different.

imbatshitcrazy
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 29 Jun 2010
Age: 30
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,492

30 Jul 2010, 8:15 pm

@Xenu: i am proud to have Asperger's. it is my identity.

Xenu
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 26 Dec 2008
Age: 30
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,438

30 Jul 2010, 9:19 pm

imbatshitcrazy wrote:

@Xenu: i am proud to have Asperger's. it is my identity.

I am as well! I wouldn't want a cure because there is nothing to cure! However Autism Speaks doesn't believe that and believes we are all sick mutants who need to be changed! Which is why we need to boycott this evil and hateful nazi company!

imbatshitcrazy
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 29 Jun 2010
Age: 30
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,492

30 Jul 2010, 11:04 pm

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=il59S3HT6jI[/youtube]

TheDoctor82
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 28 Feb 2008
Age: 42
Gender: Male
Posts: 2,400
Location: Sandusky, Ohio

31 Jul 2010, 1:28 am

ok, they kinda totally missed the mark on Autism from what I'm seeing, but to be fair, they seem to be missing the mark on oh I don' know....everything.

This show is incredibly boring with generally bland, shallow, & rude characters. So far the only one I like who isn't a total cliche is Craig T. Nelson. It's almost like.....watching "Friends: the Parental Years". This is so fast turning into Funky Winkerbean....

And oh god...are they actually using the Jenny McCarthy method in talking about Autism? Yeesh.........

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww...little kid isn't "normal", so it's a horrible thing, right?

Well here's the bright side: TV barely gets ratings anymore :wink:

imbatshitcrazy
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 29 Jun 2010
Age: 30
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,492

31 Jul 2010, 8:59 am

TheDoctor82 wrote:

true. i agree with you. us aspies (still getting used to it since we don't have anything else) hate autism speaks because they promote segregation and hatred of people with autism.

TheDoctor82
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 28 Feb 2008
Age: 42
Gender: Male
Posts: 2,400
Location: Sandusky, Ohio

31 Jul 2010, 1:47 pm

imbatshitcrazy wrote:

TheDoctor82 wrote:

true. i agree with you. us aspies (still getting used to it since we don't have anything else) hate autism speaks because they promote segregation and hatred of people with autism.

I just say "mild Autism"

lovecholie
Raven
Raven

Joined: 13 Nov 2008
Gender: Female
Posts: 111

20 Sep 2010, 5:04 pm

I'm just hoping that one of the parents starts showing characteristics. I'm thinking it's the mother. If the writers don't pick up on this, I will have to stop watching.

Page 1 of 3 [ 34 posts ] Go to page 1, 2, 3 Next

Jump to:

New NBC show Parenthood deals with Asperger's Post Reply New Topic

New NBC show Parenthood deals with Asperger's