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Summary
Whileneurodivergent representationis more important than ever , some tv set characters limn their conditions more accurately than others . Across many shows , several characters have been implied or don to be neurodivergent , but few of them are confirmed . Whether it ’s admit in canyon on the show or off - screen by a show ’s writer , there are plenty of majuscule representations of neurodivergence on TV .
Multiple conditions amount under the neurodivergent umbrella , not just autism . While sure tropes or stereotype are used for neurodivergent type , both on - silver screen and in real lifetime , it ’s deserving noting that every neurodivergent person is unlike . Even thoughthere are plenty of grapheme who seem to exhibit these shape , not all of them have been officially diagnosedor otherwise legitimately acknowledged .
10Dr. Shaun Murphy In The Good Doctor
Diagnosed With Autism In-Show
Cast
The Good Doctorfocuses a fortune on neurodivergency , mainly through its primary character , Dr. Shaun Murphy ( Freddie Highmore).Shaun is best known for his close - photographic aspmemory and incredible power to spot the tiniest of change , although these qualities are a result of savant syndrome , not autism . While this interpretation could be liken to Dustin Hoffman ’s part inRain Man , Shaun is frequently seen try out to translate anything that he may struggle with due to his autism , and he often acknowledges his limitation . Shaun is also greatly optimistic and , in his creative thinker , run across his autism and his power as a doctor as two very different thing .
The first six seasons ofThe Good Doctorare available to pour on Hulu . time of year 7 begin airing on ABC in February 2024 .
9Sam Gardener In Atypical
Atypicalis another show that focuses on an autistic protagonist . Sam Gardener ( Keir Gilchrist ) , who is going through the final stages of puberty and entering adulthood as a soul with autism , is shown to have an incredibly supportive family and mathematical group of friends . The character is praiseworthy forcertain elements that accurately depict autism , such as Sam wearing headphones as auricle defendersin earlier season and confer others on societal billet . While it withdraw a small time for the showto find its metrical unit regarding Sam ’s autism , bythe end ofAtypicalseason 4,Sam ’s case development and how his autism was reflected by the patronize dramatis personae were handle well .
All four seasons ofAtypicalare useable to pullulate on Netflix .
8JJ Jones In Skins
skin ' 2d generation introduced JJ ( Ollie Barbieri ) , the long - term champion of Freddie ( Luke Pasqualino ) and Cook ( Jack O’Connell).The portrayal of this autistic character was a bracing change from the figure that had been seen in previous appearance and moviesand was n’t primarily advertise with plot line fence social worthlessness . While JJ struggled with social interactions , Freddie and Cook never lease this do him any painful sensation or superfluity and have stood by his side since puerility .
Even when JJ meets the rest of the crew , he is still have regardless of his strange behavior . One famed example of this is in the sequence " Pandora , " when a gathering turns into an unexpected company . JJ often referred to his overstimulation as becoming " locked on , " and without disinclination , Freddie accept this reasoning , collects JJ , and carry him home .
All seven season ofSkinsare available to stream on Hulu .
7Abed Nadir In Community
Acknowledged By The Show’s Creator As Having A Form Of Autism
While many jokes about Abed ’s mindset were made throughoutCommunity ’s six - season trial , no in - show diagnosing was ever pay . However , the show ’s Divine , Dan Harmon , has spoken out about this . While a Edgar Guest onKevin Pollack ’s podcast , Harmon discussed the similarities between himself and Abedand how this made him consult a doctor , only to find out that he has a frame of Asperger ’s syndrome . Although no official diagnosis has ever been announced by Harmon , as he indicated he was disquieted he ’d get something improper about the disorder , he did establish that he was on the autism spectrum and that he pick up a lot of his trait in the character .
Regardless of circumstance or not , Abed was easy one of the bestcharacters inCommunity , and his obsession with the TV data formatting and recreate famous present moment from the programme medium often brought laugh . Although the residue of the gang were very aware of how Abed was different socially from the rest of them , they embraced his personality and were happy to make adjustments for him . Of course , Abed ’s incriminate form of autism is heighten and dramatized for the sake of funniness , but there are plenty of second that are more insidious and precise for a person on the spectrum .
All six seasons ofCommunityare available to stream on Netflix .
6Barney Stinson In How I Met Your Mother
Diagnosed With ADHD In-Show
While it was n’t made obvious ab initio , it was afterward confirm thatHow I Met Your Mother ’s Barney Stinson ( Neil Patrick Harris ) was diagnose with ADHD as a child . This quotation was made in the season 5 sequence " Robin 101 , " which sees Barney taste and learn more about his fresh girlfriend to be the honest better half he can . He divvy up with Ted ( Josh Radnor ) that he ’d been told as a tiddler " I had A - D … something . "
This was a rather sweet moment from the quality , and although his struggle to ante up tending in course of study is played for laughs , it is an accurate representation of some hoi polloi with ADHD . What is also fascinating is that throughout these scenes , it appears that Barney is n’t engulf any knowledge . However , by the goal , he can prove that he had listened , prove yet another bit that is accurateto the genuine lives of people with ADHD .
All nine seasons ofHow I Met Your Motherare available to well out on Hulu .
5Tracy Jordan In 30 Rock
30 Rockis another show that saw a persona casually mention their neurodivergent status in conversation , with Tracy Jordan ( Tracy Morgan ) bringing up his ADHD in the time of year 4 episode " Don Geiss , America and Hope . " While the discussion of Tracy ’s genial health could be consider another one of30 Rock ’s run gags , he was always upfront and acknowledged it . Many moment throughout the show depicted Tracy ’s animation with ADHD , with himoften struggling to call up certain thing and display impulsive behavior , but he never let his diagnosis set him as a individual .
All seven seasons of30 Rockare available to stream on Hulu and Peacock .
4Julia In Sesame Street
In 2015 , the youngster ’s showSesame Streetintroduced its first canonically autistic creature , Julia . The character was impersonate and voiced by puppeteer Stacy Gordon , who used her experience knead with autistic children , as well as being a mother to an autistic youngster , to help make the execution as reliable as possible . This was a first for the show , which had tackle several hard topic for children over the years , such as divorce , the foster care system , and death . Since Julia ’s introduction to the show , she has made a pregnant impact on the understanding of neurodivergencefor young tyke , and become one ofSesame Street ’s most popular characters .
The last 16 seasons ofSesame Streetplus a smattering of early seasons are available to pullulate on Max .
3Bart Simpson In The Simpsons
WhileThe Simpsonsepisode " Brother ’s Little Helper " was examine as controversial when it was first released in 1999 , it read a very interesting perception of children with neurodivergent conditions , as Bart ( sound by Nancy Cartwright ) is diagnose with ADHD . It ’s worth noting that , nowadays , an uncomplicated schooltime principal like Mr. Skinner ( Harry Shearer ) would n’t be capable to give such a diagnosis , but in this episode , he does so . Bart is then place on medicine for his ADHD , which chop-chop does n’t agree with the boy .
This episode isa corking example of how medicament mold for people with a neurodivergent condition , especially a youthful child , and how its results can deviate depend on the content . It shows that treatment should work on a case - by - cause base , rather than an overarching stereotype or far-flung opinion as a blanket . While Bart ’s minimal brain dysfunction is n’t get up again , it ’s not needed for the show , as his characteristics do n’t demand to necessarily be tied to a medical diagnosing .
The first 34 seasons ofThe Simpsonsare usable to rain buckets on Disney+ with episode of the current season available to stream on Hulu .
2The Twelfth Doctor In Doctor Who
Acknowledged By The Showrunner As Having ADHD
While sure characteristics remain through each embodiment of the Doctor , Peter Capaldi ’s Twelfth Doctor is the only edition to have any acknowledgment of having ADHD . This was confirmed in 2015 by the showrunner at the time , Steven Moffatt ( viaMetro ) and acknowledged by the Doctor himself . In " The Doctor ’s speculation , " a unretentive prequel to the time of year 9 episode " The Magician ’s Apprentice , " the Doctor tells a 12th - century Englishman that he was begin to agree with Clara , who ’d been implying that he had ADHD . While a lot ofthe Doctor ’s freaky conduct could be because he ’s an noncitizen , that does n’t mean he could n’t also have neurodivergent status or at least an equivalent .
All 13 seasons of the modernDoctor Whoseries are available to stream on Max , though the unexampled 60th anniversary specials are teem on Disney+ .
1Matilda Moss In Everything’s Gonna Be Okay
AlthoughEverything ’s Gon na Be Okayonly aerate for two seasons , it had the best neurodivergent representation on TV to this day . Two out of three main characters in the show are autistic , with time of year 2 observe Nicholas ( Josh Thomas ) on his diagnosing journey . But it ’s Matilda ( Kayla Cromer ) , in particular , who stands out among the bunch .
Not only is the lineament work by an autistic actress — KaylaCromer was one of the first autistic actors to dally an autistic main character on television receiver — but Matilda is proud of who she is while still acknowledging the struggles she faces . Despite being autistic , Matilda does n’t rent this keep her from give a normal life as a teenager . Throughout the show , Matilda is find out falling in love , discovering her gender , and partying with friends , and she does n’t fall dupe to the wrong stereotype that is often seen in characters such as her .
Both seasons ofEverythign ’s Gon na Be Okayare available to swarm on Hulu .
