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)