Parenthood episode Tuesday, March 9

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I just read on the Internet that last nights episode included a character with Asperger's Syndrome.

Did anyone watch it? If you did could you tell us what you thought of the episode. Did the character seem realistic, or an exaggerated version of the syndrome?


Thanks. irene

I missed it. Would like to see it. Maybe someone posted it on YouTube. I saw a real messed up one on I think it was CSI or Law and Order.

I caught it by accident actually. Although its a fairly sappy show, the representation of aspergers was fairly well done: at first the parents treated it like a defect but quickly learned to accept and embrace it.

You can watch it on nbc.com - they have both the pilot and the second episode up.

It's not one episode, it's an entire series.

In the pilot episode (which aired a week prior) we are introduced to the young son of one of the main characters who is seen always wearing a pirate costume. Later we learn that the kid may have Asperger's and gets diagnosed. The boy's asperger's is supposed to be a major storyline that is explored throughout the season and how the parents cope with it.

In the last episode the parents began trying to get their kid out of the pirate costume for good and meet with another family who also has a son with AS.

To me the boy's AS was suprisingly realistic. I get sick of all of these shows who protray AS as simply "quirky geniuses" without the little details that go into it (like poor eye contact and poor social response). The parental response however is questionable but since this is supposed to be a high class family perhaps they would be a bit overdramatic about this.

I've never sat down and watched it. It does seem like a breath of fresh air to me, though.