I’m not here to argue about if Wednesday is or isn’t autistic, but I’m frustrated that you would do a whole episode on something that only one of you has only watched 25% of. To me, it felt like you were making some assumptions and opinions based on limited information. I think it would have been really interesting if you had a panel with other autistic people who have fully watched the show. Side note: It made me a little uncomfortable how much you emphasized how hot you think Jenna Ortega is. She had just turned 19 years old when they filmed it… Love the show but was a bit disappointed in this episode.
While we didn't have a panel of autistic people who had fully watched the show, I interviewed about 50 autistic people who had watched the show and integrated their comments and feedback. The reason we emphasized (really *I* emphasized) Jenna's appearance is because of the bias in neurotypical culture towards beauty and to show that mainstream media is more likely to show autistic characteristics in an an attractive allistic package - to pretty it up. The emphasis was meant to indicate the ableism I saw in the show's creators. I am sorry that point didn't come through for you. Perhaps I was too "sarcastic" and not as direct as I thought I was being. I did try to make those comments with a heavy wink but I must not have done it well.
While I did not watch the whole show, I read about 100 documents about Wednesday and the history of the Addams family and its creators. I also watched about 100 TikToks from Autistic and Allistic creators, and as I mentioned I interview about 50 autistic people who had seen (and MANY of whom LOVED) the entire series. I am very sorry you didn't like the episode. I will try to do better in the future.
Thanks for the info! I get where you were coming from about pretty people privilege. I think it was just the use of the word “hot” that I felt a little thrown off by. Maybe I just missed your sarcasm though! Really appreciate all the work that goes into making the pod. :)
Thanks and I really appreciate the comments. It means so much to know people are listening. I really heard your feedback and we will continue working hard to make a show that does not do harm to our culture or others!
I've seen a lot of discussion about this show in autism circles, and our family watched the first episode last night. It's adorable, fun, and my kids love it. But I got no autistic. Every "behavior" I saw was a calculated choice on her part. Can that come across as how NTs see us? Yep. But I think that's just it...the perception and lack of deep understanding.
I think it IS how NTs see us. Sometimes I have people on my team who try to copy what I would say or write and I'm like REALLLLLY???? That's how you perceive me?!?!?!?!? GAH
I have to agree that this version of Wednesday isn't Autistic. She is a caricature of the weird goth girl that allistic audiences can relate to and have empathy for and try to fix. It took me over a month to finish the show because everyone was raving about it and in my opinion it wasn't that good. In comparison I've rewatched BBC Ghosts (4 seasons) 3 times in that same period. One of the actors in BBC Ghosts Katy Wix is Autistic and I have my suspicions about at least one of the writers/actors, the US remake is not Autistic I assume because the writers are allistic.
Because allistics love to colonize.
RIGHT?????
I’m not here to argue about if Wednesday is or isn’t autistic, but I’m frustrated that you would do a whole episode on something that only one of you has only watched 25% of. To me, it felt like you were making some assumptions and opinions based on limited information. I think it would have been really interesting if you had a panel with other autistic people who have fully watched the show. Side note: It made me a little uncomfortable how much you emphasized how hot you think Jenna Ortega is. She had just turned 19 years old when they filmed it… Love the show but was a bit disappointed in this episode.
While we didn't have a panel of autistic people who had fully watched the show, I interviewed about 50 autistic people who had watched the show and integrated their comments and feedback. The reason we emphasized (really *I* emphasized) Jenna's appearance is because of the bias in neurotypical culture towards beauty and to show that mainstream media is more likely to show autistic characteristics in an an attractive allistic package - to pretty it up. The emphasis was meant to indicate the ableism I saw in the show's creators. I am sorry that point didn't come through for you. Perhaps I was too "sarcastic" and not as direct as I thought I was being. I did try to make those comments with a heavy wink but I must not have done it well.
While I did not watch the whole show, I read about 100 documents about Wednesday and the history of the Addams family and its creators. I also watched about 100 TikToks from Autistic and Allistic creators, and as I mentioned I interview about 50 autistic people who had seen (and MANY of whom LOVED) the entire series. I am very sorry you didn't like the episode. I will try to do better in the future.
Thanks for the info! I get where you were coming from about pretty people privilege. I think it was just the use of the word “hot” that I felt a little thrown off by. Maybe I just missed your sarcasm though! Really appreciate all the work that goes into making the pod. :)
Thanks and I really appreciate the comments. It means so much to know people are listening. I really heard your feedback and we will continue working hard to make a show that does not do harm to our culture or others!
I've seen a lot of discussion about this show in autism circles, and our family watched the first episode last night. It's adorable, fun, and my kids love it. But I got no autistic. Every "behavior" I saw was a calculated choice on her part. Can that come across as how NTs see us? Yep. But I think that's just it...the perception and lack of deep understanding.
I think it IS how NTs see us. Sometimes I have people on my team who try to copy what I would say or write and I'm like REALLLLLY???? That's how you perceive me?!?!?!?!? GAH
I have to agree that this version of Wednesday isn't Autistic. She is a caricature of the weird goth girl that allistic audiences can relate to and have empathy for and try to fix. It took me over a month to finish the show because everyone was raving about it and in my opinion it wasn't that good. In comparison I've rewatched BBC Ghosts (4 seasons) 3 times in that same period. One of the actors in BBC Ghosts Katy Wix is Autistic and I have my suspicions about at least one of the writers/actors, the US remake is not Autistic I assume because the writers are allistic.