Atypical is a Netflix original series that follows the journey of Sam, a young adult with autism. Over three seasons, Sam faces various trials and tribulations as he comes of age. From dealing with a difficult family and navigating relationships to going to college, this heartwarming show covers a breadth of relatable topics flawlessly.
While I was originally unaware of the show’s existence, I binged the first two seasons in a matter of days shortly after I began my first year of university. Because of the show’s lighthearted and relatability, I quickly fell in love with the show and its diverse set of characters. As such, I couldn’t have been more excited when season three dropped last November.
As a young adult who has undergone my fair share of life transitions in the past 2 years, I love the fact that Atypical deals with such transitions so nonchalantly. Not only is it accepted that Sam is not like his peers (let’s face it, the best people aren’t like their peers), it’s also accepted that his family isn’t perfect, his friends aren’t always as supportive as he would hope, and that college is not near as fun or enlightening as he had expected. In addition to this, Sam is not only in love with his complete opposite, but he and his girlfriend also undertake a long-distance relationship when they both begin college. All of these transitions have occurred in my life since I graduated high school and began university, which is exactly the reason I love the show so much.
Because these events in Sam’s life parallel many in my own life–and almost undoubtedly the lives of many students–I highly recommend it as a show to not only binge-watch but to watch whenever you need some cheering up. One which reminds us that nobody’s life is perfect, but that the imperfections in our lives are what make them interesting at the end of the day.