Netflix’s newest season of “Atypical” focuses on the importance of becoming independent and surrounding yourself with people that care about you. The uniqueness of the series is about the main character, a teenage boy with autism, Sam Gardner, played by Keir Gilchrist, as he navigates through life, romance and eventually becomes more independent from his family.
This sends his family into different journeys of self-discovery. Sam’s father, Doug is played by Michael Rapaport. Jennifer Jason Leigh’s character is Sam’s mom, Elsa. Brigette Lundy-Paine plays Casey, Sam’s protective sister. The second season of Netflix’s dramedy “Atypical” begins right after season one left off. The Gardners deal with Elsa’s extramarital affair with a bartender which sets Doug into a confusing road towards forgiveness. It also sets a barrier between Elsa and her children especially with her daughter, Casey.
The affair sets off a chain of new changes for Casey as she heads into a prestigious private school with a track scholarship as she fits in with her new track mates.
Meanwhile, Sam starts his senior year of high school after ending his sessions with his therapist, Julia, played by Amy Okuda, after having an inappropriate crush on her in season one.
However, in this season Sam’s autism plays a minor role in the show. We watch as each family member handles their own issues which makes this dysfunctional family more realistic. Something to take away from this season is the acting capabilities of Gilchrist as Sam and Lundy-Paine as Casey. They do a great job when they’re together on-screen, they have such an organic relationship it almost seems like they’re actual brother and sister.
Gilchrist plays wonderfully as an autistic teen -that is fixated on penguins and Antarctica- that is bluntly honest without realizing how funny his responses can be. An example of this can be seen in episode five, where he has a conversation with his mom, Elsa about having his own bank account.
Lundy-Paine does an incredible job portraying a credible sibling that is understanding towards her brother, yet will get into disagreements with him. This rings true in episode eight when Sam loses his portfolio for his art school application and episode nine which takes place on Casey’s 16th birthday party.
However, when it comes to Leigh’s Elsa and Rapaport’s Doug it’s hard to see them as husband and wife when their chemistry isn’t there, unlike Sam and Casey. As each of the characters faces new changes there is a theme to be taken away from the show, life is tough. People make mistakes and have setbacks, but we can never let that define us. With the support of people that care about you, life always works out.
