Common Sense Media Review
By Kari Croop
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fresh family comedy puts "disability" in a brand-new light.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Speechless
What's the Story?
He might be SPEECHLESS. But 16-year-old JJ DiMeo (Micah Fowler) is anything but silent, using a laser pointer and a communication board to spell out his thoughts and try to keep his crazy family in line. His mom, Maya (Minnie Driver), is his most vocal advocate, with a reputation for moving mountains to get her son access to the opportunities he deserves. But she's so absorbed with fighting for her oldest son that she sometimes forgets that her other children -- brainy middle child Ray (Mason Cook) and competitive young runner Dylan (Kyla Kenedy) -- need her, too. Good thing JJ's dad, Jimmy (John Ross Bowie), is the voice of reason -- if only he could get a word in edgewise. Cedric Yarbrough rounds out the cast as a school groundskeeper turned mentor for JJ.
Is It Any Good?
It's rare -- perhaps unprecedented -- for a prime-time comedy to take on the topic of special-needs advocacy. But it's even rarer to do it with such skill that you forget you're being educated. And that's where Speechless truly excels, delivering a serious message alongside smart comedy that makes you laugh and, more importantly, makes you think. It's compelling family television at its very best.
Creator Scott Silveri's own experiences growing up as the sibling of a nonverbal brother with cerebral palsy adds obvious authenticity to the family dynamic, physical challenges, and emotional struggles of special needs families, and Driver makes an effectively charming turn as Maya, the show's impassioned mother unhinged. But Fowler's winning performance as JJ -- a character as complex and disarmingly funny as any other typically abled teen on television -- is the secret ingredient that makes Speechless a show that's truly worth talking about.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the real-life family of Speechless creator Scott Silveri, who grew up with a nonverbal brother with cerebral palsy. How do Silveri's experiences inform the plot and enhance the characters in ways other writers couldn't?
How does Speechless compare to other shows about characters with special needs? How are disabilities typically portrayed in film and and on television? What's Speechless doing differently, and does it work?
Is Speechless a good choice for families? Why, or why not? How do the DiMeos stack up as role models in the ways they solve problems and communicate?
TV Details
- Premiere date : September 21, 2016
- Cast : Minnie Driver , Micah Fowler , Mason Cook
- Network : ABC
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings ) , School ( High School )
- Character Strengths : Communication , Compassion , Perseverance
- TV rating :
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : February 12, 2026
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