Does Mental Health Better Than ‘13 Reasons Why

The first scene on Atypical takes place in a therapist’s office. Sam tells his therapist, Julia /Amy Okuda/, about feeling like a social outcast, and she receives him with warmth and patience. Over the course of the series, they name his feelings, encourage him to connect with his parents, and put himself out there. When Sam is bullied, he is given the tools to cope with the pain, and while he struggles, he leans on his parents. That’s not to say that there aren’t problems with Atypical or Sam’s therapist and the series’ portrayal of autism, but the idea that it is the norm for a teenager to seek the counsel of a professional and trusted adults is a central one here. It’s crucial that this notion resonate with susceptible young people, because they are frequently imbued with the idea that there is no hope for them. Unfortunately, 12 Reasons Why is one of the main perpetrators of this dangerous idea.

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