Netflix Will Debut Their First Autistic Lead Character in "Atypical" Next Month

Netflix has been in the news lately after some truly ruthless cancellations of your fave shows, but their CEO tried to justify it by announcing that they'd try riskier pursuits.

Atypical might just be one of those. It follows Sam, an 18-year-old high school student in Los Angeles, who wants to find a girlfriend and get more independence from his family.

The storyline seems like a pretty clear-cut, coming-of-age comedy, with an awkward teen boy trying to find love in those notoriously cruel places we call 'high schools'.

There is, however, a pretty important twist that elevates it from your standard coming-of-age series: Sam is on the autism spectrum and has to deal with the limitations placed on him by both his family and society.

To help depict autism spectrum disorder accurately and thoughtfully, the show's producers brought in a professional from UCLA Center for Autism and Research and Treatment.

While it's definitely not the first show to depict a main character who's on the autism spectrum, it's one of the first to be produced by the streaming site.