"The Good Doctor" Series Premiere, Sept. 25
I finished reading the horrible In A Different Key last week so seeing the parents of the autistic patient portrayed in a way other than perfect martyrs was a happy shock to me. They were bigoted and less effective with their son than Shaun was and the fact that the writers made that choice while we know A$ is "partnered" with them was really good IMO.
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Freddie Highmore name checked “Neurotribes”
http://www.hollywoodoutbreak.com/2017/11/14/how-the-good-doctor-has-changed-freddie-highmores-views-on-autism/
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Professionally Identified and joined WP August 26, 2013
DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity
It is Autism Acceptance Month
“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
In the episode, titled “22 Steps,” Dr. Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore) must confront prejudice while caring for a patient on the spectrum, played by Bird. Bird appears to be the first person with autism spectrum disorder cast on the show.
Already a fan of “The Good Doctor,” Bird auditioned for the show after learning about the opportunity through his agent. When he learned he landed the role, he told The Mighty he was speechless. “This has to be a trick or a dream or something,” Bird remembers thinking. “I can’t believe this is actually happening.”
Shortly after finding out he was cast, Bird flew to Canada to start filming. He said the set was very much like an actual hospital, and he enjoyed exploring the set when he wasn’t filming.
Bird’s favorite part was doing his own stunts for the show and getting to meet the whole cast.
Bird said he enjoys acting and can memorize his lines within a day. He also never forgets lines or notes from the director. Acting has also helped him build his verbal and communication skills and has made crowds, loud noises and social interactions less taxing.
Bird credits the progress he’s made with his social skills, and as an actor, in part to The Miracle Project — a program that introduces kids on the autism spectrum to the arts, and has worked with shows like “The Good Doctor” and “Atypical” on previous casting endeavors.
He also plays an autistic teen too. I am watching it now. I have a feeling that Murphy's black female co worker thinks he has an adjustment disorder and she hasn't picked up yet he is autistic.
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Son: Diagnosed w/anxiety and ADHD. Also academic delayed.
Daughter: NT, no diagnoses.
Any autistic characters in it?
You can watch the Korean version online here
Any autistic characters in it?
Yes, the main character is, and he is a quiet introvert who has much more depth than the smiling little twit of the US version. There is the air he knows he is different and he struggles to find his place in the world, and his job is an opportunity. He uses his skills because they are what are available for his chance of life. Not quirky at all, serious.
Also his condition is merely there because it is the premise of the show's plot. It does not celebrate autism at all for it's own sake. The US remake completely missed the point of the original.
It's kind of funny (in a cringe-y sort of way) to watch him and see my younger self. I guess it's realistic in that respect.
Other than that?? It's just another doctor show.
It's nice to see some out-of-the-closet, human representation. I'm not Dr. Murphy anymore (and frankly I think I'd rather be associated with Sheldon Cooper), but I'd rather people think of that than OTHER notable examples.
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"Alas, our dried voices when we whisper together are quiet and meaningless, as wind in dry grass, or rats' feet over broken glass in our dry cellar." --TS Eliot, "The Hollow Men"
Hmm. I just discovered that ABC Television has actor Freddie Highmore (The Good Doctor) advocating for Autism Speaks in what appears to be a Public-Service Announcement ( http://abc.go.com/shows/the-good-doctor ... dka4073445 ). I wonder if the PSA is available to local broadcasters in lieu of advertisements.
In an Autism Speaks blog post ( https://www.autismspeaks.org/blog/2017/ ... reness-psa ) from Nov. 27, 2017, it stated that "Autism Speaks is dedicated to promoting solutions, across the spectrum and throughout the lifespan, for the needs of individuals with autism and their families through advocacy and support; increasing understanding and acceptance of people with autism spectrum disorder; and advancing research into causes and better interventions for autism spectrum disorder and related conditions."
I understand that Autism Speaks is currently reinventing itself into something many people hope is a 180-degree turnaround from its former self. But, I wonder if attaching itself to the very popular television series was the right choice.
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Diagnosed in 2015 with ASD Level 1 by the University of Utah Health Care Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinic using the ADOS-2 Module 4 assessment instrument [11/30] -- Screened in 2014 with ASD by using the University of Cambridge Autism Research Centre AQ (Adult) [43/50]; EQ-60 for adults [11/80]; FQ [43/135]; SQ (Adult) [130/150] self-reported screening inventories -- Assessed since 1978 with an estimated IQ [≈145] by several clinicians -- Contact on WrongPlanet.net by private message (PM)
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The Good Doctor’s Autistic Protagonist Is a Jerk, and That’s an Important Step Forward By Sara Luterman for Slate Magazine
Sara Luterman is the founder of NOS Magazine, the first news and culture site by and for autistic people.
In a recent review, the New York Times called Dr. Shaun Murphy an “anti-anti-hero.” As an autistic person, I find the interpretation baffling. Dr. Shaun Murphy is not an abrasive misanthrope like Dr. Gregory House, the subject of David Shore’s previous medical drama. However, he is also not an angelic cinnamon bun in a white coat as many non-autistic viewers and even the writers seem to think he is. He regularly disregards explicit instructions and feigns genuine misunderstanding. The nonautistic people around him, the viewers, and possibly even the writers seem to attribute his disruptive and disrespectful actions to his autism, absolving him of any culpability. Dr. Murphy often contradicts his superior, Dr. Melendez, in front of patients. Dr. Murphy has been explicitly instructed not to multiple times. He continues to do so. It is not because he doesn’t know any better, or because he has had some sort of involuntary vocal tic. Dr. Murphy contradicts Dr. Melendez in front of patients because he does not think that the particular instruction he was given is valid or important. It’s a dynamic that plays out frequently in a variety of situations. Dr. Murphy knows the rules and decides that the rules don’t matter. It’s a House kind of move. People only assume Dr. Murphy’s pure intentions because of his disability.
I’m used to relating to white male eccentrics whose specific skills in some areas make up for their lack of tact. The attraction of competence porn isn’t that Sherlock Holmes and Will Graham have surpassed the need to concern themselves with caring about other people’s feelings. Competence porn appeals to me because these men routinely fail to perform normal human interactions, but people, both within their worlds and the other side of the television screen, love them anyway. I used to fool myself into thinking that if I was brilliant enough, people would love me too. It made my frequent social failures growing up more bearable. I have learned that there is no actual amount of success that will forgive all your sins.
I don’t know if Dr. Murphy recognizes that he is being rude. As an autistic person, it’s often hard to tell how other people feel, which can lead to misunderstandings and hurt feelings. Not knowing, however, is not the same thing as not caring. In clinical terms, there is a difference between affective and cognitive empathy. Autistic people struggle with affective empathy, which means we often have difficulty telling how other people feel based on body language, tone, and other nonverbal tells that may be obvious to others. Cognitive empathy is the capacity to understand another person’s feelings and perspective. Autism does not impair cognitive empathy. Autistic people care deeply about hurting others.
I may have a hard time knowing I’ve said something rude to a friend or family member, but if they tell me I hurt them, I feel bad about hurting them. Dr. Murphy has decided that because he doesn’t feel what he’s saying is rude, what he is saying is, objectively, not rude. That’s not autism. That’s being a jerk.
Autistic people rarely get portrayed as real, complete human beings. In Netflix’s Atypical, the autistic main character, Sam, is essentially a diagnostic checklist, not a whole person. He’s hollow inside—there’s nothing in his mind except sex and penguins. The show isn’t really about Sam. The show is about Sam’s autism, and how it affects Sam’s family. He is, in many way, a plot device in what is supposed to be his own story. The Good Doctor does not fall into the trap of being about how autism “affects families.” Instead, it portrays an autistic adult as a whole, complex person. This is partially due to the source material: Shaun Murphy’s Korean counterpart is an orphan, and on the U.S. version, he’s at least estranged from his abusive parents, to the extent it’s not clear if they’re still living or not. The show cannot tell the vomitously overused story of strained marriages and put-upon siblings because there is no marriage and there are no siblings. As a result, the writers are forced to write a story that is actually about Shaun. They and the viewers are forced to empathize with Shaun. It’s the best representation of an autistic person I’ve ever seen on television. I strongly suspect it isn’t on purpose. I don’t care.
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DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity
It is Autism Acceptance Month
“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
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-----------------
You are welcome.
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Professionally Identified and joined WP August 26, 2013
DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity
It is Autism Acceptance Month
“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
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As I posted in the LGBT section this weeks show featured a trans teengennder girl patient played by a transgender teen girl actress.
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Professionally Identified and joined WP August 26, 2013
DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity
It is Autism Acceptance Month
“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
Oh! I didn't know that the actress was trans*, as well. Cool.
It is too bad that the writers didn't inform the character (Shaun Murphy) that about 10 percent of LGBT (primarily FtM trans*) individuals are autistic. Similarly, about 10 percent of autists are LGBT.
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Diagnosed in 2015 with ASD Level 1 by the University of Utah Health Care Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinic using the ADOS-2 Module 4 assessment instrument [11/30] -- Screened in 2014 with ASD by using the University of Cambridge Autism Research Centre AQ (Adult) [43/50]; EQ-60 for adults [11/80]; FQ [43/135]; SQ (Adult) [130/150] self-reported screening inventories -- Assessed since 1978 with an estimated IQ [≈145] by several clinicians -- Contact on WrongPlanet.net by private message (PM)
ASPartOfMe
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******SPOILERS*****SPOILERS*****SPOILERS*****
At first Dr. Murphy at first looks at the Transgender issues in a very Autistically logical way. The trans girl is "he" because she was born in a male a body, emotions or identity does not occur to him. But I like that as the show goes on Dr. Murphy while not understanding her also feels a connection to her because he like her also was bullied relentlessly for being different, for being himself.
_________________
Professionally Identified and joined WP August 26, 2013
DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity
It is Autism Acceptance Month
“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
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