Friday, February 9, 2024

I'm Excited For the Autism-Inclusive Show, "Carl the Collector," Coming This Fall!

PBS Kids has been working on a show called, "Carl the Collector," which features animate anthropomorphic animal children. I know many shows have that, but this one is unique in that the focus is on a young raccoon named Carl who has autism. The show, "follows the everyday adventures of Carl, a warm-hearted autistic raccoon who loves collecting things. His talents – a laser-focus pursuit of his goals, attention to detail, and a distinctive way of looking at and experiencing the world around him – have helped him amass a collection for just about every occasion (e.g., the perfect fake mustache or a soft plushie for a friend in need), and come in handy for solving problems around the neighborhood with his friends. Carl has a lot of energy and is logical and precise, yet he often struggles with anxiety in new situations and has difficulty when things don’t go according to plan. Like all of his friends, he is learning that there is no right or wrong way to be himself." That sounds really neat!

"Carl the Collector," takes place in Fuzzytown and features neurotypical and neurodiverse characters with the people working on the show bringing the same variety of backgrounds to ensure accurate/realistic portrayals and inclusivity. As the parent of a child with autism, I welcome a show that discusses ASD and strives for authenticity. While other programs have featured characters with ASD they at times are more exaggerated or a bit stereotypical. Therefore, a show geared towards kids that can help them learn about ASD while being entertained sounds wonderful. I look forward to the premiere of, "Carl the Collector," this Fall on PBS!

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