Raising Awareness About: Disability On TV

[possibilities]

Is it available in the USA?

[Llywela]

3 hours ago, possibilities said:

Is it available in the USA?

I don't know, sorry! It would be the English language version, Hidden, that you'd get over there - possibly BBC America or Britbox, something like that? Hidden S3 with Justin Melluish won't air until the new year, the Welsh version always comes first. It comes from the same stable as shows like Y Gwyll/Hinterland and Un Bore Mercher/Keeping Faith, and I know Hinterland was aired in the US, but I don't know any details, sorry. It is a good show, I've always enjoyed it!

[possibilities]

PBS also gets quite a few shows from overseas. I guess I will have to do some investigating.

[possibilities]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hidden_(2018_TV_series)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p066st1w

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7217374/

 

 

 

[Llywela]

4 hours ago, possibilities said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hidden_(2018_TV_series)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p066st1w

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7217374/

That's the one. Except I watch it as Craith, in Welsh. 😉 Season three is the one to watch for the main character with Down's.

[possibilities]

Are the seasons self-contained? Do you need to watch the first 2 season to understand the 3rd? I don't know if I want to watch two seasons of something before I get to the character I'm interested in.

[Llywela]

Just now, possibilities said:

Are the seasons self-contained? Do you need to watch the first 2 season to understand the 3rd? I don't know if I want to watch two seasons of something before I get to the character I'm interested in.

I think they are pretty self-contained. Each season tells a different story about a different murder enquiry, so the majority of the cast is new each season, with the police team being the only regulars. Think Midsomer Murders, if you've ever seen it, that's how self-contained each story is. The ongoing continuity revolves around the lead detective, Cadi John, and is pretty low key, background stuff. None of it has any plot relevance. All you'd need to know going into S3 is that after moving away as a young adult to pursue her career, Cadi returned to the area a couple of years ago to help nurse her dying father (in S3 they are selling his house), and she has a difficult relationship with her two sisters, who stayed local. That's pretty much it, and I think you'd pick most of that up yourself from context while watching. The bulk of the storytelling focuses on the investigation, and detailing the life of the killer as the net closes in. There is usually a third sub-plot that seems unconnected at first, but eventually crosses paths with the main plot to generate additional stakes as the case heads toward its climax. And that too is completely new each season.

[Luckylyn]

What the Bashir Family Tells Us about Ableism and Star Trek

 

Star Trek’s Autistic and Neurodiverse Representation

 

 

[Spartan Girl]

Lexy’s little sister Caroline on Chucky is implied to be autistic. She has trouble with eye contact, doesn’t like to be touched, yet had remarkable attention to detail when focusing on drawing or playing video games.

[Picture It. Sicily]

Newcomer who is blind cast as blind character

 

Netflix has cast Aria Mia Loberti in their adaptation ‘All the Light We Cannot See’ after a worldwide search for a blind or low-vision actress. It is her first acting role--and her first audition. She is also a Fulbright scholar and is currently a graduate student at Penn State. 

[Trini]

'‘4400’ Changed What Autumn Best Thought Was Possible as a Disabled Actor' - short essay by the actress.

[Llywela]

I don't know if the British actress Rose Ayling-Ellis has been mentioned in this thread or not, she plays Frankie Lewis in the London-based soap Eastenders, where she made history as the soap's first ever deaf actress to play a deaf character who uses British Sign Language.

Last night Rose was crowned champion of this year's Strictly Come Dancing, which she said she entered because she wanted to break down the stereotype that deaf people can’t dance and can’t enjoy music. She was consistently excellent all through the series, it was a well deserved win.

[possibilities]

9 hours ago, Trini said:

'‘4400’ Changed What Autumn Best Thought Was Possible as a Disabled Actor' - short essay by the actress.

So they decided to cast the least possibly disabled person for the role designated for a disabled actor. The adaptations they promised to make for whoever they cast amounted to... fingerless gloves?

I don't watch the show, but it sure sounds like something even less than tokenism.

Edited December 19, 2021 by possibilities

[kathyk24]

On 10/25/2021 at 5:57 AM, Luckylyn said:

What the Bashir Family Tells Us about Ableism and Star Trek

 

Star Trek’s Autistic and Neurodiverse Representation

 

 

I don't think Sock and Seven of Nine are disabled. I think they are an example of being a fish out of water. If Spock had remained on Vulcan his behavior would be normal. Barclay is better example of disability since his anxiety keeps him from being successful at work. Dwight Schultz is so brilliant because Barclay and Murdock are so different and he plays them both so well. 

[Trini]

I'm not familiar with the novel, but a blind actress has been cast in this adaptation: '‘All The Light We Cannot See’: Newcomer Aria Mia Loberti, Who Is Blind, Cast As Female Lead In Netflix Limited Series Adaptation'

[kathyk24]

Did anyone watch I am Shauna Rae on TLC? Shauna is a 22 year old woman who looks like a child as a result of having cancer which affected her pituitary gland. Shauna struggles with being an adult while looking like a child. Shauna wants to be independent but her parents are overprotective. She also struggled because her older sister is getting married while she can't find a date. I was glad to see Shauna acting her age rather than pretending to be a child.

[Bastet]

6 minutes ago, Anduin said:

There's no disability in movies thread,

Even though disability isn't specifically listed in the subtitle, I imagine it would be appropriate to discuss in the Super Social Analysis thread in Movies.

[krankydoodle]

Peacock is highlighting a collection called Disability on Screen. In addition to Paralympics coverage, there are stand-up specials from Josh Blue, documentaries like Murderball, and movies and tv shows with disability representation.

There's also a 10-episode reality show called Born for Business: "With little in common but their refusal to let their disabilities define them, entrepreneurs Qiana, Collette, Chris and Lexi meet to discuss the challenges they face in their divergent businesses." I don't watch a lot of reality tv so probably won't watch it, but would be interested to hear what others think.

Edited March 6, 2022 by krankydoodle

[kathyk24]

2 hours ago, krankydoodle said:

Peacock is highlighting a collection called Disability on Screen. In addition to Paralympics coverage, there are stand-up specials from Josh Blue, documentaries like Murderball, and movies and tv shows with disability representation.

There's also a 10-episode reality show called Born for Business: "With little in common but their refusal to let their disabilities define them, entrepreneurs Qiana, Collette, Chris and Lexi meet to discuss the challenges they face in their divergent businesses." I don't watch a lot of reality tv so probably won't watch it, but would be interested to hear what others think.

Are those programs on free Peacock or premium? According to the Disability Scoop newsletter there were fewer roles featuring disabled characters last year. This is depressing since there are more options for programs.

[possibilities]

Why did the title of this thread get changed? I really don't like it. Why can't we just talk about disability on TV without it being framed as some kind of educational project? What if we just enjoy seeing good representation?

[janie jones]

What was the old name? I noticed it got changed but couldn't remember what it was.

[krankydoodle]

19 hours ago, kathyk24 said:

Are those programs on free Peacock or premium?

I have Peacock premium and unfortunately it doesn't indicate which shows are only available behind the paywall, so I'm sorry but I don't know.

Edited March 7, 2022 by krankydoodle

[possibilities]

50 minutes ago, janie jones said:

What was the old name? I noticed it got changed but couldn't remember what it was.

It was just called "Disability on TV".

[Blergh]

12 hours ago, possibilities said:

Why did the title of this thread get changed? I really don't like it. Why can't we just talk about disability on TV without it being framed as some kind of educational project? What if we just enjoy seeing good representation?

There were worse terms it could have been tagged. 

[Spartan Girl]

I really don’t like how This Is Us is using Jack Jr.’s visual impairment to prop up the narrative of Kate being Saint Supermom who is just perfect at teaching blind kids music—despite the fact that she had zero qualifications or research and just got that job through Pearson family magic—and to trash Toby as finding it harder to come to terms with his son’s disability (conveniently ignoring that he did come around) and wanting to be more realistic about the limitations he’ll face. That just rubbed me the wrong way because Kate’s big spiel about raising Jack with no limits comes off as the ablest version of “I don’t see color.” And while it’s great to teach Jack independence but it might be wiser to hold off until he’s older than a toddler and can understand not to run off to the park on his own.

That being said, points to the show for casting a little boy who is actually blind.

[possibilities]

Oh God. I stopped watching TIU a while ago so I had no idea they had a blind character. I am so glad I didn't know because I would have felt compelled to watch and I have enough grief in my life without adding their particular brand.

[peachmangosteen]

7 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

I really don’t like how This Is Us is using Jack Jr.’s visual impairment to prop up the narrative of Kate being Saint Supermom who is just perfect at teaching blind kids music—despite the fact that she had zero qualifications or research and just got that job through Pearson family magic—and to trash Toby as finding it harder to come to terms with his son’s disability (conveniently ignoring that he did come around) and wanting to be more realistic about the limitations he’ll face. That just rubbed me the wrong way because Kate’s big spiel about raising Jack with no limits comes off as the ablest version of “I don’t see color.” And while it’s great to teach Jack independence but it might be wiser to hold off until he’s older than a toddler and can understand not to run off to the park on his own.

This made me think of the 9-1-1 episode when Eddie's son with CP got hurt skateboarding and Eddie had to come to terms with teaching him that he can't actually do everything the other kids do.

[Trini]

I don't have this channel or watch this show, but I came across this; sign language used in Craig of the Creek:

[possibilities]

Last night, The Daily Show had a blind influencer guest. Trevor seemed sincerely interested in learning more about disability and blind issues. He mentions an organization at the end of every episode, suggesting people support their activist work, and sometimes lately he chooses a disability activist group to feature. It's clear he knows nothing, but he seems like he's interested in knowing more and I give him a lot of credit because no one else with his kind of platform is even trying, as far as I know.

I can't remember the name of the woman he interviewed, but she did a little bit of debunking some common BS, though weirdly she didn't seem to know what her legal rights are-- she talked about how she relies on Lyft and Uber but they keep denying her service dog. Hey! It's illegal to deny a service dog! I know it's hard to fight this crap legally, but people need to be told that it's illegal, and if you are billing yourself as an educational resource, don't let that bit of info go by unmentioned.

Still, Iiked her, and I liked that Trevor had her on the show.

[possibilities]

There was a Jeopardy contestant who was signing something to the camera while she was being introduced yesterday. It went by too fast for me to catch what she was saying, but I'm hoping someone else will see it and report back. 

It was yesterday's show (9/13).

[Spartan Girl]

All the stupidity of The Little Mermaid backlash reminded me of the cartoon series, where Ariel made friends with Gabriella, who was deaf. She even had a octopus friend who interpreted for her. This was a Disney cartoon in the 90s and it handled it quite beautifully.

 

[kathyk24]

Yesterday was a good day for disabled people on tv. On Love it or List Hilary and David worked with a couple and the husband used a wheelchair. David had a hard time finding an accessible home. The couple chose to stay in their home that Hilary renovated.

Sesame Street featured a Muppet dog who became a service animal for a disabled girl.

[kathyk24]

Last night the Dark side of Comedy featured Maria Bamford who discussed her struggle with mental illness. She was open about staying in a psychiatric  hospital.

[Llywela]

This year's Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special featured a contestant with Downs Syndrome, George Webster, who is a presenter on the children's channel, CBeebies. He did really well, dancing a Charleston. 

[methodwriter85]

On 8/23/2021 at 3:24 PM, kathyk24 said:

For example I wouldn't someone with mental illness to play Tara in United States of Tara due to the graphic scenes of child abuse.

Personally, I don't think someone with DID could fully give consent to portray it in TV due to them often having alters that are mentally childlike. There was an Interview YouTuber Anthony Padilla did with someone who has child alters (called Littles) and he stopped the cameras whenever those emerged.

Edited January 3, 2023 by methodwriter85

[Trini]

On the new ABC show, The Company You Keep, the daughter of one of the main characters is hearing impaired, and in the first two episodes there have been scenes with American Sign Language being used.

---

There were also a few scenes with ASL in the most recent episode of The Flash; with a villain character who can't speak.

[Guest]

57 minutes ago, Trini said:

On the new ABC show, The Company You Keep, the daughter of one of the main characters is hearing impaired, and in the first two episodes there have been scenes with American Sign Language being used.

In the pilot I thought she looked familiar so I looked and she went viral in this Disney ad a couple of years ago. 

She’s also played a part in an animated series and it is the first time a signing performance has been credited alongside speaking actors. 

[Trini]

'Marlee Matlin, Paul Feig, Ramy Youssef & 34 More Sign Open Letter Advocating for Disabled Writers in Hollywood'

Quote

The Thursday, March 23 open letter, signed by stars such as Ali Stroker, Chris Cooper and Marianne Leone, Daniel Durant, Jason Katims, Krista Vernoff, Lauren Ridloff, Marlee Matlin, Paul Feig, Ramy Youssef, and Siân Heder, was created with the Inevitable Foundation to encourage the TV and film industry to hire disabled creatives in writing, producing, directing, and more positions, not just disability consultants.

The Inevitable Foundation is a non-profit “working to close the disability representation gap in film and television. Currently, disabled people make up over 20 percent of the U.S. population but represent only two percent of characters on screen and less than one percent of film and TV writers,” the org said in the Thursday press release. “By funding and mentoring mid-career disabled screenwriters, Inevitable Foundation is creating a world where disabled people are valued off-screen and accurately represented on-screen.”

 

[possibilities]

On 2/27/2023 at 1:45 AM, Dani said:

She’s also played a part in an animated series and it is the first time a signing performance has been credited alongside speaking actors. 

How can this be so? Marlee Matlin had a signing role on The L Word, which aired from 2007 to 2009, and there was the show Switched At Birth that had half the cast signing, mixed with people who didn't... not sure how old the child in the new Disney show is, but was she even born in 2009?

Sesame Street has also had some ASL on the show.

I didn't research this thoroughly, these are just the ones that sprang to mind this moment, but I'm sure there are more.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, possibilities said:

How can this be so?

Because it was an animated role it was the first sign-over credit. They filmed her signing the role and used it to animate the character. 

[Trini]

I'm not into the NCIS's, and I'm not familiar with this actor, but this article at Variety has quotes from him discussing working as a disabled actor: '‘NCIS’: How Kurt Yaeger Became the First Actor to Appear as Different Characters in All Four Editions'

excerpt:

Quote

... Yaeger said he feels encouraged by the growth in representation for disabled performers, but “there’s a long way to go. If you look at the numbers, it’s still not great. But I think there’s an awareness now with the people that are trying to figure out how to juggle it.”

<...>

“I’m not looking for charity,” he said. “I’m not looking for an opportunity because I’m disabled. I’m looking for the opportunity to act, to act well, in any role. To usurp the societal idea of what disabilities are and to contribute really amazing storylines that just don’t exist on television. ...

 

[Spartan Girl]

So you guys remember the Christopher Reeve episode of South Park, right? Look, I don’t expect anything from South Park of all shows, but boy, that episode has not aged well considering that Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s whole motivation for crossing that line was one CNN interview where they felt entitled to pass judgement on Christopher for supposedly using his stance on stem cell research to help himself and others like him.

And their whole stance (channeled by “Hackman”) that sometimes you should just accept the hand fate deals you comes off as really, really ablest. It especially doesn’t age well when later episodes have added handicapped/disabled characters at Jimmy’s summer camp modeled off of LOONEY TUNES CHARACTERS for cheap laughs. 

Honestly, the more time passes, the more I think that Parker and Stone are a bunch of self-righteous shitheads.

[Blergh]

52 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

So you guys remember the Christopher Reeve episode of South Park, right?

Honestly, the more time passes, the more I think that Parker and Stone are a bunch of self-righteous shitheads.

Welcome to the club! Never could stand them OR their so-called show but even with that said, for them to have dissed the late Mr. Reeve the way they did was the ultimate in kicking someone while they're down!

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By  the way, did either of them ever make the slightest attempt to apologize to him before his passing. ..or his surviving family after his death?

If not, the above BOO.! stands!

[Spartan Girl]

14 minutes ago, Blergh said:

Welcome to the club! Never could stand them OR their so-called show but even with that said, for them to have dissed the late Mr. Reeve the way they did was the ultimate in kicking someone while they're down!

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By  the way, did either of them ever make the slightest attempt to apologize to him before his passing. ..or his surviving family after his death?

If not, the above BOO.! stands!

All this, and I missed the part where they did anything even remotely constructive for the disabled community!

[possibilities]

I didn't see that South Park episode, so I can't comment on that. But Reeve has actually been criticized by some in the disability community, so I don't know whether or not what they said was offensive to all of us, or not.

Also, Matt and Trey actually have funded some projects for people with disabilities. I can't remember the name of it, but I saw a whole thing they funded, which featured disabled people telling their own stories.

I don't watch South Park (I've seen a few episodes here and there, but not very many), so I have no opinion about them myself. But here are some analyses of their treatment of disability, by others, some of whom praise them and consider them allies for how they portray disabled characters. They have even received acclaim by some organizations representing various disability communities.

https://dsq-sds.org/article/view/628/805

https://www.reddit.com/r/southpark/comments/112mfq8/disability_representation_in_south_park_has/

https://marysilverglate.com/2019/06/17/media-critique-the-portrayal-of-disability-in-south-park/

In fact, there is a major stream of thought that while some of us definitely could use a cure, especially with painful or deadly conditions, that a focus on cure without a focus on quality of life and respect for us as we are, is misguided.

Again, the opinion is not unanimous, but there is definitely a large population of disability activists who did not like Reeve and who do not think that cures are the best or only way to promote disability well-being. 

I personally was not invested either way for or against Reeve, but criticism of him was not taboo among disability activists I have known.

[Spartan Girl]

A very good counterpoint @possibilities. But it’s hard to not side-eye them for how they modeled off quite a few of Jimmy and Timmy’s summer camp buddies after Looney Tunes characters. That did come off as making fun of disabled people to me, and not in a way that supposedly confronts people about their discomfort with the handicapped people, that just felt insulting, at least to me.

Good for them for actually funding projects for people with disabilities, if that’s true. It doesn’t really make me like them anymore, but maybe I’m biased because I think Parker and Stone are douches who think “both siding” every issue makes them the smartest guys and the room. And I still feel like they, two able-bodied men who had never in Reeve’s position, had no right to judge him.

Edited June 19, 2023 by Spartan Girl

[possibilities]

The reason I don't watch South Park is that exact offensive tone, no matter the issue they're going after. Even when what they are saying is okay, how they say it irritates me. So I have no doubt that whatever they are ding, it's obnoxious, whether or not it makes sense from any other angle.

[ratgirlagogo]

For those of you who get Turner Classic Movies, they are having a month long series on representations of disability in the movies (Sunday evenings):

https://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/021796?source=Block

[Trini]

'Actors With Visible Disabilities “Essentially Excluded” From TV During 2021-22 Season, UCLA Diversity Report Says'

Quote

This marks the first year that UCLA tracked the disability status of actors, after receiving criticism for not including an analysis on disability representation in previous reports. According to the findings, while people with disabilities make up 26% of the U.S. adult population, they comprise only 12.2% of broadcast scripted leads.

That number shrinks to 9.9% for cable and just 5.6% for digital or streaming. Among those leads who did have disabilities, a majority reported either mental health, learning, or neurological disabilities. Only two actors had known physical or hearing disabilities while occupying a lead role on cable or digital. None were represented in broadcast.

When expanding beyond the lead roles, two actors on broadcast scripted series had a physical disability that was visible or a hearing disability, constituting just 0.3% of the shows in the study. In cable, that expanded to four actors. For digital or streaming, 11 actors had a visible or a hearing or visual impairment disability.

In fact, 67.3% of broadcast scripted shows did not include any actors with known disabilities in their main casts. Only 4% had a cast with a share of actors with disabilities approached or exceeded the adult population share.

 

Direct link to the report: https://socialsciences.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/UCLA-Hollywood-Diversity-Report-2023-Television-11-9-2023.pdf

[possibilities]

Has anyone watched "As We See It" on Amazon Prime?

I found out about it by watching an interview with Rick Glassman, who also has a role on "Not Dead Yet" [he plays the main character's Autistic roommate].

He's on the spectrum and was talking about being diagnosed as an adult, and then being on As We See It, which has a lot of autistic actors. 

It's 8 episodes. I don't know if it was renewed for a 2nd season or not.