![]() ![]() ![]() It s an extension of the Rainman stereotype, except now the Dustin Hoffman role has transformed into a gaggle of random television characters, all treated with the same intangible dignity. Diane Kruger on The Bridge or Matthew Grey Gubler on Criminal Minds. Most television shows use the autism trope as a way to explain the social awkwardness yet brilliance of the main character. Forget the vaguely-disabled younger sibling, now there’s autism! Just place a character high enough on the autism spectrum to label it Aspergers, and you’ve got yourself one high-functioning special needs person to tug at those heartstrings. It’s as if the disorder is specially tailored to exhibit how in-the-know showrunners are. Right now, thanks to increased diagnoses and a bucket of vaccination lies sponsored by Jenny McCarthy, autism is the hot topic, and the entertainment industry is milking this new unknown. Whether in addiction episodes like the one behind the most infamous Saved by the Bell clip, the abundance of HIV plotlines in the teen dramas of the 90’s, or Ryan Murphy’s n eed to insert a Downs Syndrome character in every show he creates, pop culture sure does tap into the beating pulse of popular concern. ![]() Diseases-of-the-moment usually bleed into pop culture. ![]()
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