* * * * *At the moment, when flicking through Netflix, I find myself drawn to the light-hearted sitcoms and comedy series. I binge watched nine series of How I Met Your Mother last year and my January of 2020 was racing through two seasons of Sex Education. When life is heavy, or busy, or stressful, I don't want to jump into a complex, hard-to-follow and emotionally harrowing thriller or drama- I want the fuzzy comedies that will make my heart warm and give me all the feels.
Atypical 100% achieved this.
I was so pleasantly impressed with this show. It had humour, it had heart and it had a certain charm that makes it so easy to fall into and binge. While the storyline itself revolves around Sam, a teenager on the autistic spectrum trying to navigate love and dating, it also delves deep into the lives and relationships of those around him. I found myself instantly invested with all the characters and their growth throughout the series.
I'd definitely recommend Atypical for people who want a heart-warming and funny watch but also like a bit of drama and 'gasp' moments and reveals.
Obviously, the show explores a lot into the sensitive subject of autism and how it can affect an individual as well as the lives of their family, but I thought this show handled the topic really well and I found it eye-opening and insightful.
spoilers ahead | spoilers ahead | spoilers ahead | spoilers ahead | spoilers ahead | spoilers ahead
This show had me feeling all the feels. I was gasping, laughing out loud and feeling a lot of love for all the characters (...minus Elsa). They're such a diverse and interesting group of people and it was easy to get invested in their lives and all the trials and tribulations they go through.
My favourite plot thread of the entire series had to be Sam's relationship with his dad, Doug. From the beginning, it's clear that Doug doesn't feel that much of a connection with Sam. They don't share any common interests and Sam's dad feels like all his efforts to bridge that gap between them in the past have been thrown back in his face. So, throughout this season, it was so heart-warming to see Sam start to confide in his dad and to see Doug grow more comfortable around talking to Sam. They grew a lovely bond and Sam has developed the ability to trust and rely on his dad which was a pleasure to watch. Their relationship growth and development was definitely the best part of this show. It filled me with warmth and I had a huge smile during every interaction of theirs.
