JADE Student Edition 2019 JADE JSLUG 2019 | Page 24

https://www.autism.org.uk/about/what-is/asperger. aspx). It would consequently be difficult to argue that Parenthood does not provide a comprehensive look at Asperger’s Syndrome, with to inclusion of lesser- known autistic traits most likely down to the fact that producer Jason Katims’ son has a diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome (Pennington and Pennington, 2011, 14), providing Katims with a personal insight into the condition which many television producers do not possess. However, a comprehensive portrayal of Asperger’s Syndrome is not necessarily a realistic one. When considering those with Asperger’s Syndrome as individuals, it is imperative to remember that people with any given neurodiverse condition do not all experience exactly the same list of traits to the same extent (Strock, 2007, 9). Why it is then that Max appears to exhibit the majority of known characteristics of Asperger’s Syndrome, with all of these characteristics seemingly manifesting at an equal severity level? Though Parenthood does acknowledge the varying degrees of the condition through the character of Hank: an adult who discovers his Asperger’s Syndrome later on in life and appears somewhat more capable of functioning in a social setting than Max(Parenthood: Jump Ball, 2014), the primary way in which the series addresses the condition is through close consideration of Max’s character. Therefore, the presentation of Max as exhibiting almost all characteristics associated with Asperger’s Syndrome is an extreme example, not representative of the majority of those diagnosed with the condition. In this presentation, Parenthood unintentionally isolates many of their autistic viewers, whose experiences are equally as valid as those of Max but not represented by him, possibly finding themselves unable to relate to any of the characters until the introduction of Hank later on in the series. 24  The Female Experience Another television programme I wish to draw your attention to is BBC drama Waterloo Road. In 2007, Waterloo Road producers presented themselves with an opportunity to address Asperger’s Syndrome in a way not frequently done by the media: through that of female character Karla Bentham. In doing so, the drama had the ability to explore the ways in which the condition often presents differently in females; leading to many autistic girls remaining undiagnosed due to their proficiency in mimicking the behaviour of their peers, even if they do not necessarily understand why they should be acting in this way (Baker, 2002, 4). It is for this reason that I wish to question Waterloo Road’s portrayal of Karla’s Asperger’s Syndrome. Karla appears to manifest predominantly male behaviour, with little ability at or attempts to mimic the behaviour of others, besides an attempt to smile in greeting her classmates and instead producing an over-the- top grin (Waterloo Road: Season 3, Episode 1, 2007). Karla’s evident expression of her social confusion is perhaps most clear when she points out that Mr Budgen was talking over one of his students reading, in order to tell other students to be quiet. Though it seems possible that somebody with Asperger’s Syndrome may be confused by this apparent hypocrisy, potentially unable to comprehend the unequal societal status of a teacher to his students, Baker’s study on the manifestations of autistic traits in female individuals suggests that it may be more likely for a female to copy the behaviour of her peers in order to mask her confusion (4). Furthermore, the exhibition of Karla’s ‘special interests’ seem to align more heavily with the way in which male special interests typically manifest. In a study on the specific interests of those on the Autistic Spectrum, Caldwell-Harris and Jordan (2014, 99)