Atypical

Viewers will fall in love with Sam in the first few moments of this heartfelt show, and sympathize with his relatable plight: We all want love; some aren't so great at finding it. Sam just happens to be a bit outside the norm when it comes to reading social cues (not to mention overwhelmed by the sights, sounds, and smells of the world he doesn't easily fit into). "People on the spectrum date," says his sympathetic (if a bit clueless) therapist Julia (Amy Okuda). "You just have to put yourself out there." "Out where?" wonders the literal Sam, who returns home and immediately starts writing an online dating profile, with the help of his sister. "I spend a lot of time thinking about..." she prompts him for the questionnaire. "Penguins!" he answers truthfully. "Let's say 'sports,'" says Casey. Elsa, passing by, asks what they're doing. "Casey's helping me sign up for online dating, but she doesn't like my answer so she's just lying," says the honest-even-when-it's-uncomfortable Sam. 

Elsa herself, who has Atypical's B story, is a little harder to relate to. Exhausted after years of advocating for her son, she's both cautious (pointing out that dating is all about nonverbal communication, not Sam's strong suit), fearful (she worries that a broken heart is in Sam's future), and bitter. It's that last emotion that may be her undoing, as she finds distraction in a flirtation with a friendly bartender who values his freedom above all else -- and who makes Elsa wonder what her life would be like if she were similarly free. Her storyline doesn't exactly make Elsa the most lovable mom. But viewers will want to see how everything turns out for her, and for her conflicted, frustrated son, who's weird compared to other people, it's true -- but equally lovable.