The fourth and final season of Atypical is now out on Netflix and I am unable to bid farewell to this brilliant show.Â
This season was packed with soul-stirring content that provides the closure that the audience craved for.
We left Season 3 with Sam (Keir Gilchrist) and Zahid (Nik Dodani) committing to being roommates on the ionic canoe that Sam anonymously purchased from Paige (Jenna Boyd), Casey (Brigette Lundy-Paine) deciding to go to UCLA while dating Izzie (Fivel Stewart) and Sam’s parents – Elsa (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and Doug (Michael Rapaport) reuniting. Season 4 explores Sam adulting, moving out of his house and finding his purpose. It also explores the lives of the supporting characters while staging their parallel journeys of self-exploration.Â
Atypical has been created by Robia Rashid who has skillfully portrayed the challenges that a kid on the spectrum faces, while constantly normalizing autism and starting a conversation about the same. She not only showcases how taxing autism can be for a child but also paints a picture of how it impacts his/her/their family members & friends.Â
The series depicts Sam’s journey through high school and his constant attempts at being an independent teenager who attends college and has an active dating life. There is an equal focus on the people in his life and their struggles and journeys as well, which makes this a wholesome watch. Sam’s ability to use art and find refuge amongst Penguins as one of the tools to cope with his social anxiety is one of the most visually appealing parts of the series.
This four season long series explores various topics- such as mental health, therapy, coping tools, relationships and zeal for life. With a power packed cast and a brilliant script, this was a promising show that is both charming and uplifting. We witness serious scenes that still have comedic relief so that it is not too heavy for the audience yet leaves them in a reflective mood.Â
You can catch the entire series on Netflix including the series finale, season 4.Â
