Atypical Season 2 Episode 3 Review

Atypical follows a teenage boy named Sam who is autistic. As this a blog about autism, I thought I would share my opinions on it, as there are lots of vocal people who don’t like this because it doesn’t display autism correctly. I will say I am bad at emotions, so I do guess until they state what they are feeling. The way I do my reviews is slightly different to most. I will describe each scene and may interject my thoughts or opinions there and then. That is because I would like most people to read this, even if they can’t watch the program. I then sum up and give my overall opinions about the episode/s. On the final episode, I will sum up the whole season as well.

Atypical Season 2 Episode 3

We start with Casey running along a road. Then we see Evan join her. Casey asks what he is doing he says going for his morning run (I do get this one, its funny because he doesn’t have a morning run). They run a bit father then Casey jokes about what he is running in, his jeans and jacket. Evan then points out then, that the only way he can see Casey is if he joins in with her run because she spends some much time away from him. They talk a bit more then Casey pulls Evan to one side (Up against a tree) and kisses him. Casey then asks Evan if they can slow things down between them, as she may have rushed into some things. Evan agrees, then they both organise another time they can meet each other.

Then we hear Sam speak. He talks about how most mammals survive by knowing and sticking with your pack. Sam then speaks about how the members of his pack keep migrating, to other: schools (shows Casey), Houses (shows Elsa), patients (shows Julia) and away from him (Shows Paige waving at Sam before walking away from him).  He also says that everyone was worried for his first day back at school because Casey wasn’t going to be there, but because of his break up with Paige it shouldn’t of been the first day they should have worried about, it was his ninth. It is a really exact number- 9. Most people would look at it as the second week of school, but as Sam has to be exact its day 9 to him.

*Titles*

Right we meet a new character Ms. Whitaker.  This seems to take place in her office. Doug and Sam in the office and Doug is speaking to Ms. Whitaker. Elsa then walks through the door and apologise for being late although she is on time, but sally early. Doug asks if she is bragging or apologising? Ms. Whitaker seems not to mind. Elsa sits down, whilst Sam continues drawing. Elsa thanks Ms. Whitaker for seeing them. Elsa says that she wanted to talk to her because Casey is no longer at Newton and some things at home have changed. Sam interrupts and says what Elsa really meant was that she had an affair and dad kicked her out of the house. Doug then points out to Sam that that is private. Ms. Whitaker says they want to help Sam in anyway they can and points out that Sam hasn’t applied to any colleges (to us in the UK, University). Elsa then says that they have that worked out. Sam is going to stay at home, do a couple of courses at the Community College and continue to work at Techtropolis. Ms. Whitaker doesn’t look very impressed, Doug says to Sam does he still want to do that it is okay to go to college if he wants to. Sam says he is fine with staying at home. Ms. Whitaker then says as he is still deciding that she runs a peer-wide group for students on the spectrum specifically around transitions such as graduation. Both parents seem to have different reactions, Doug sounds interested whilst Elsa sounds like she doesn’t want Sam to have that support. Ms. Whitaker then says that it helps on the spectrum for adulthood and independent living. Ms. Whitaker then calls all of that under her own name for it- the abyss. Mainly because it sounds scary. Sam then says that he doesn’t think that he wants to do it. Elsa then buts in and says that she thinks that we don’t need a group- Yes! I was right! Elsa reason is that she has made an appointment for Sam with Dr. Brob. Doug then says that he thinks the groups sounds interesting and he and Sam will think about college.  Elsa then says to Doug that they agreed the college plan over a year ago and Doug replies things change. They start to argue, whilst Ms. Whitaker doesn’t know what to do and Sam is still drawing. There is a brief pause of silence. Ms. Whitaker then says well, that’s the bell everyone looks confused and then the bell rings. Doug, Elsa and Sam then leave the room together. Doug says bye to Sam and Elsa talks to Sam saying if he needs to ask anything I am here for you. Sam replies quickly and says no and walks away to his next class. Elsa is left confused.

We see Casey running on the track against her teammates. We hear Sam talk about how everyone has the urge to run- to flee, when you are autistic it is called elopement. Whilst we see Casey and the captain race each other. The coach shouts at them to slow down but they continue to race each other until the captain falls and blames Casey for pushing her. Sam then continues to talk and talks about the worse elopement story he heard was the lion story. An autistic boy went on safari with his parents in Africa. He was frightened by all the smells and sounds of the jungle. It became too much for him, so he ran off into the night. Where legend has it, he was eaten by a lion.

We then see Sam in class. The teacher in that class says they have a group assignment where they will work in groups of four. Everyone moves and has a group except Sam. He puts his noise-cancelling headphones on and continues to draw. The teacher keeps trying to talk to him, eventually, the teacher tries to take his headphones off him. Sam then takes them off and is overwhelmed by the noise he leaves the class. He then leaves the main school building where he gets accidentally run over by a driving education car with Beth at the wheel. She gets out the car and says, ‘Oh my God I’ve killed Sam’. Its funny, slightly. Sam then gets up and walks back into the school where he hides in the art office. He puts on his headphones and recites penguins.  He doesn’t realise someone else is already in there.

It cuts to Julia oddly. She is talking to one of her colleagues about how Miles proposed to her. Then we see Miles is in the room. He says that Julia’s friend is going to take her side of things. Then Julia’s friend says that she doesn’t know why she is here and that she is feeling a little uncomfortable. Miles says he would like an answer to his proposal. Julia says I did, I said give me more time. Miles says that Julia is in denial about him proposing like she is with the baby. Julia keeps making lots of excuses. Miles also mentions that Julia hasn’t told her parents that she is pregnant. Her excuse is that her mum will freak out and she has a weak heart, so she doesn’t want to kill her mum.    

Then it goes to the coach telling both Casey and the Izzie off. The Coach says that they are staying in the room until they get along. Izzie asks if Casey can get her phone from her bag. Izzie phones someone, she asks if they can watch the baby for a couple more hours. Casey ask the question most of us were wondering, do you have a kid? Izzie says no, but in a less friendly way. Izzie then reveals that she takes care of her three siblings. Casey realises then that Izzie is from a rich family like the rest of the school. Casey then says to Izzie that her brother has autism, so she is constantly watching out for him. Casey says that Izzie isn’t how she expected. Izzie points out that she doesn’t get a chance to mess up. Izzie then talks about one of the other races, Penelope, drove her car into a tree and her parents bought her a new car. Izzie then mentions that another of the team, Quinn, has vodka in her locker in case she is bored and a bikini for some reason. Izzie then says at this school whatever she does matters. She feels like she has to be perfect all the time and it is exhausting. Casey asks if that is why she has been so rude to her. Izzie’s says probably. They seemed to be getting along better.

Doug is in Newton when he gets a phone call- its Elsa. She says the school rang to say Sam has eloped. Doug say I know, I’m here, Sam texted me. I going to pick him up now. Elsa tries to weasel herself in by saying I will meet you at home. That’s when Doug says No, there is no need. Elsa changes tactic slightly and says call me if you need me and reminds them that they are seeing Dr. Brob at 4. Doug then hangs up the phone. Doug and Sam are now at home. Doug tries to make conversation with Sam, Sam answer back. Doug asks if he is okay as he got hit by a car. Sam says that Beth wasn’t a real driver yet, so she was barely driving. Then Doug asks about him running out of class. Sam says it was too loud. Dog asks if Sam wants to talk about how he is feeling. Sam says no, I don’t.  Doug says that he looked at the group Ms. Whitaker was talking about.  Doug says that they are meeting later if Sam wanted to try it. Sam says why would he want to talk about his feelings with a bunch of random people, that just want to talk about their problems? Doug says they aren’t random people. They aren’t random people, they are kids with autism that are graduating soon. Sam realising, he may have lost his argument slightly says, ‘you brunt my grilled cheese’.

It goes back to Casey and Izzie. They are still talking to each other. Casey talks to Izzie saying that she doesn’t think she will be able to get away from her home because people like Sam and Doug will always need her. Izzie says she will be right back and leaves the room. Casey texts Evan that she is in detention and will get there when she can. Izzie then comes back and says I’m tired of always being perfect why don’t we have a break and shows Casey a bottle of vodka from Quinn’s locker.

Doug and Sam go back to Newton to go to the peer group. Just as Sam closes the door to go into the peer group. Doug gets two texts fro Elsa saying that they are late for Dr. Brob’s appointment and where are they.

Elsa is in the waiting room still waiting for them.

It then shows the peer group. Led by Ms. Whitaker, she talks to one of the people called Lily, about she had something to say. Lily then says that she always goes to the same dentist but now she can’t because she has retired. Ms. Whitaker asks what she will do now, Lily says that she will let all her teeth fall out. Sam then says that sounds pretty dumb. Ms. Whitaker says to Sam that we don’t judge in this room. Then one of the other people in the group, Amber, repeats what Ms. Whitaker has just said. Then Ms. Whitaker has to tell Amber not to judge Sam judging. Lily then says I know it is dumb, but I just can’t see anyone else. Then one of the other people in the group says that if she waits long enough I can do them, I want to be a dentist. Ms. Whitaker says that change can be very difficult for everyone.

It goes back to Casey and Izzie. Izzie then talks about her mum. You can see Casey is getting tipsy or is drunk. Izzie then says that the reason that she spends so much time with Nate is that she doesn’t want to go home. Casey asks not because he’s your boyfriend and you love him. Izzie says not really sometimes it doesn’t feel quite right at times.  Then Izzie asks the same thing about Evan and Casey say no. So, Casey much of said a bit more about him, I’m guessing.

It goes to Doug waiting outside the group. A parent asks if it is his first time. Doug says yeah it is. They then say that she and her daughter have been coming here for six months. They then say that Ms. Whitaker is wonderful. Doug adds that she is scared of sushi. They joke around a little. Then the parent asks if he is hungry and offers him some cheddar chips. The parent asks what he does. Doug replies saying I’m a EMT. I save people lives, no big deal. The parent laughs a bit. Then says her daughter is obsessed with ambulances and that he should leave before she gets out or he would be answering a lot of questions. Doug says if she wants she can have a ride-along. The parent says that would be great and she gives Doug her phone number. She says her name is Megan. Then as she is about to say her number...

It goes back to the peer group with Sam. Ms. Whitaker asks if anyone else wants to share anything else they are feeling. Sam says he does, Sam explains that the changes that he is facing at home, with his mum leaving the house, his sister not going to the same school as him anymore, his therapist won’t see him anymore and his ex-girlfriend wanted to have a causal relationship and then no relationship. He feels like a prey animal with no pack. Then on top of all that he is graduating into the abyss and that is scary. Ms. Whitaker says that what he is feeling makes a lot of sense. Lily then says I didn’t think it made any sense at all. Sam replies back More sense than letting all your teeth fall out. Everyone laughs a little. Lily the say true. Ms. Whitaker then explains that change is inevitable but there are ways of helping with that change. The group then ends, and Sam leaves the room.

Sam then walks up to Paige and asks if she would walk with him between lessons. Paige says she would walk with him between lessons. As Paige turns away Sam then walks back to find Doug.

Casey then walks into Evan room, drunk, Evan then says she could get in more trouble with her school. Evan then leaves Casey in his room to get her some water.

It goes to Doug, washing up then there is a knock on then Elsa lets herself in. Elsa says to Doug that they need to talk. They both need the schedules of what everyone is doing, and she wants Doug to follow through with something if they say they are going to do it. Doug agrees, he then says that he and Sam thought it better to go to the group. Sam walks into the kitchen, where Doug and Elsa are. Sam then tells them both that he decides that he wants to go to college. He knows things will be hard or scary, but he can handle it or ask for help. Elsa says if it is something you really want to do then I support you. Then Elsa decides to leave.

It goes back to Evan as he walks back to his room with a glass of water for Casey and finds her asleep on his bed. Evan tries to wake her up but to no avail. He then goes into her bag to get her phone and phones someone... we then see her asleep in a different bed, she wakes up to Christopher complaining that there is two of them now. Elsa then comes into the room with some pills and a glass of water. Elsa then says we have a lot to talk about.

Review: This episode is interesting we see Sam being more independent things like; choosing a College or choosing to go to a group which he didn’t want to go in the first place. We see Casey and Izzie getting on more, it will be interesting to see how close they are going to be in the remaining episodes. Doug and Elsa are becoming more divided, but they are also are getting along better the more time they are away, so I wonder what will happen between them. Julia is in denial about herself being pregnant and Miles proposing.  Evan is well trying to be on the good side of everyone, but mainly Casey, although with him not seeing Casey it maybe interesting to see how he handles Casey being away from him 90% of the time especially if Izzie does more things with her. We saw an autism group which to me is amazing! From that, we saw lots of different people on the spectrum which is also good to see. Also, it was good to see to see at least one of them be wearing gloves, as I wear gloves as well, is nice to show people using some aids to get by. It was also good to see the competitiveness between the Clayton track team, but mainly Izzie and Casey- even if Izzie tried to cheat. It brings out how much they are all part of one team and they are all trying to push their limits as athletes. Talking about pushing their limits, Sam decided to ask for help- that to me seemed unusual to me. Sam was very isolated now he is branching out and becoming more independent. This is good to see Sam isn’t going to stay dependent he has decided to be independent.

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