New NBC Show Parenthood With Asperger Character

Monday, March 15, 2010



8:00 PM Saturday evening came around and I was complaining, again, that there was nothing on television to watch. Most of the channels play old shows on Saturday. That’s when I noticed that there was a new show on NBC called Parenthood. Apparently, it’s been on for a little while and I never noticed.

Keep in mind, I have only watched the one episode. I still don’t have all the character names down or who all the actors are. The two that I recognized immediately were Craig T. Nelson and Lauren Graham. The show is basically about families. You have Craig T. Nelson as the father/grandfather, his grown up children and their families.

What hit close to home with me was the introduction of a child that was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome in that episode. The father was in denial. The mom was struggling with what she could do to help her child. They had dinner with a family that had a teenage boy with Asperger and the couple was totally out over the top with their approach to treatment. They recommended doing everything at once to help their son. I was like, yeah,

right. Craig T. Nelson’s character gave the advice that they needed to have a plan. Everything can be handled if you just have a plan.

I felt the confusion of the parents. I felt the frustration of the young boy that was not understood. The parents pulled some strings and got in to see a behavior specialist. This specialist confirmed that their child did have Asperger Syndrome. The first thing the father wanted to know was how to cure it. I understand this. My first instinct when my son was diagnosed, was to fix the situation. It was a blow to realize that I couldn’t and I could relate to the father when he realized that he couldn’t

They ended the episode with the father accepting his son and entering his world. It was a nice moment to watch. I look forward to watching more episodes and seeing how these characters develop and the storylines progress. It’s nice to see a show with a child on the spectrum.

7 comments:

Kristine said...

I really enjoyed watching too, and was pleasantly surprised to see a spectrum kid as a main character. The father, Peter Krause, was on Six Feet Under. :)

Tammy said...

It seems be a realistic portrayal of a child with Asperger's. Now, to see a child on the other side of the spectrum would be a huge step, too.

BeadedTail said...

I didn't see that show but it's wonderful they have that character on it and hopefully they portray the child accurately. I did hear last night that the person who forsaw the whole sub-prime mortgage mess was a guy with Asperger's. He's an incredible man!

Mrs Nobody said...

I saw this episode and loved it. My grandson is autistic and I understand how parents feel when they find out their child is "different". I love at the end that the dad dressed up as a pirate to play with his son. The biggest step is acceptance.

Jennifer said...

I've been wanting to watch this and some of my friends have told me it is really good, but I keep missing it. I'll have to pay closer attention to my guide.

Thanks for stopping by.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the info- I would love to watch- I will look for it next week. Also there is a movie out called Adam. It is about a grown man that has Asperger's. I cried and rejoiced as I watched the movie as it hits very close to home.

Anonymous said...

I knew this show was coming, and then I missed the episodes until last night. Finally - a chance to watch. I had such high hopes - and then the phone rang and I had to take it. Wonder if I can see the show online?

 
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