Time - USA (2022-01-31)

89

REVIEW

A NEURODIVERSE

HANGOUT COMEDY HANGOUT COMEDY

After decades of ignoring the

autistic community, pop culture autistic community, pop culture

is making strides toward is making strides toward

inclusion. But as affirmed by inclusion. But as affirmed by

controversies surrounding controversies surrounding

shows like shows like AtypicalAtypical and movies and movies

like like Music,Music, representation representation

isn’t enough. It’s still rare to isn’t enough. It’s still rare to

find a story that resonates find a story that resonates

with autistic viewers rather with autistic viewers rather

than mining their differences than mining their differences

for material neurotypical for material neurotypical

audiences will find funny audiences will find funny

or moving.or moving.

For Jason Katims, the For Jason Katims, the

father of an autistic son, the father of an autistic son, the

drive to do better is personal. drive to do better is personal.

He built He built ParenthoodParenthood around around

a family like his own. And a family like his own. And

his new sitcom his new sitcom As We See ItAs We See It

follows a trio of 20- follows a trio of 20- something something

autistic roommates—played autistic roommates—played

by actors who identify as being by actors who identify as being

on the spectrum—and their on the spectrum—and their

devoted caretaker (Sosie devoted caretaker (Sosie

Bacon). Jack (Rick Glassman) Bacon). Jack (Rick Glassman)

is a cynical programmer. Violet is a cynical programmer. Violet

(Sue Anne Pien) flips burgers (Sue Anne Pien) flips burgers

and schemes to get laid. For and schemes to get laid. For

Harrison (Albert Rutecki), just Harrison (Albert Rutecki), just

going outside is a challenge. going outside is a challenge.

In taking such care to In taking such care to

avoid offense, the show can avoid offense, the show can

err toward blandness or slip err toward blandness or slip

into the sentimentality that into the sentimentality that

is Katims’ default mode. But is Katims’ default mode. But

by spotlighting three distinct by spotlighting three distinct

characters, and in hiring many characters, and in hiring many

neurodiverse crew members, neurodiverse crew members,

this humane comedy frames this humane comedy frames

autistic identity as more than a autistic identity as more than a

punch line or a sob story. punch line or a sob story. —J.B.—J.B.

AS WE SEE ITAS WE SEE IT premieres on premieres on

Amazon Prime on Jan. 21Amazon Prime on Jan. 21

REVIEW

Astrid & Lilly, the self-consciousness slayers

Teen TV is a haVen for ouTsiders.

For every glossy mean-girl soap, there

is a cult classic in the Veronica Mars

vein. It makes sense: Has anyone sur-

vived high school without ever feel-

ing like they didn’t belong? Which

might explain why, when it comes to

portraying female freaks and geeks,

Holly wood always gets away with

casting actors who meet its super-

human beauty standards.

By virtue of its charming leads,

Syfy’s supernatural dramedy

Astrid & Lilly Save the World breaks

that mold. Samantha Aucoin and

Jana Morrison play the eponymous

besties—witty teens thrown to-

gether by the cruel calculus that so

often relegates big girls to the social

sidelines. Timid and self- conscious,

Aucoin’s Lilly takes refuge in a bed-

room plastered with pictures of her

pop- culture faves. Astrid (Morrison)

is the bold one, with a hyper critical

mom and a white-hot crush on gothy

Sparrow (Spencer Macpherson).

The girls prowl their suburban

hell scape by car nightly to keep

tabs on their peers. When they end

up at a house party and jerky jock

Tate (Kolton Stewart) christens

them the “Pudge Patrol,” they react

like any teen weirdo worth her Doc

Martens—by ritually burning items

associated with him while howling at

the moon. They’re just venting, but

then Tate doesn’t show up to school

and a hunky stranger, Brutus (Olivier

Renaud), materializes to inform

them that their spell, such as it was,

opened a portal to another dimen-

sion. If they don’t close it, “humanity

sort of disappears.”

That quest entails vanquishing

a series of monsters, with campy

special effects and story lines that

draw parallels between fighting

demons and battling to love

yourself in a world that hates you.

If that sounds a lot like Buffy the

Vampire Slayer, rest assured that

creators Noelle Stehman and Betsy

Van Stone are paying self-aware

homage. Offbeat running gags and

sharp, foul- mouthed dialogue keep

the show fresh. But what makes

Astrid & Lilly unique is its lovingly

written, endearingly portrayed

outsider heroines. —J.B.

ASTRID & LILLY SAVE THE WORLD airs on

Syfy starting Jan. 26

THE GILDED AGE: HBO; AS WE SEE IT: AMAZON STUDIOS; ASTRID & LILLY SAVE THE WORLD: SYFY

△

Morrison, left, and Aucoin confront the evil that lurks in the hearts of high schoolers

An autistic son connects

with Dadwith Dad