Poll: Favourite TV ambiguously Asperger's/Autistic character?

[end_boss]

Please don't kill me if maybe these characters don't ACTUALLY fit into the mold of autism or Asperger's, but I had to keep it concise for the Subject line.

Seems like TV is really adapting to the nerdier generation, and as a result I've noticed several TV comedies have incorporated a character that is extremely smart but extremely socially inept. Which are your favourites, and have I forgotten any?

It's a tough call for me, really. I like Abed because he's so likeable, but I also like Sheldon because he's not. I guess right now my bias is towards Community just because I like the show more, so for now I'll go with that. It's close, so my opinion might be swayed.

EDIT: Jerry from Boston Legal has been added due to popular demand.

Also, those who have not seen Community, I thoroughly suggest you do so. I acknowledge that not everybody shares the same tastes, but it's one of my favourites at the moment. If it's not your thing, that's cool, but I do suggest giving it a few episodes before giving up on it if you're not getting into it. It's a show that evolves over time and several of their episodes are genre parodies so you might find something you like eventually.

 

[DeadlyYellow]

I only know who one of those characters are (the third,) and don't like the show they're in.

 

[bdcjacko]

The only one I know of is the guy from Boston Legal that had ass-burger or however it is spelled. He tried to kill Murphy Brown with a knife during a birthday party and got fired, then Captain Kirk shot a homeless guy.

 

[Jazoni89]

Moss from the IT crowd.

Very clever, and very funny, yet lacking in social communication skills.

I have asbergers, yet i think moss is more nerdier than i would ever be.

(Oh and by the way, please delete social retard, not to me, but for some people they see it as offensive.)

 

[BENZOOKA]

Sheldon practically makes the whole Big Bang Theory, and I haven't seen the rest.

Although, he's anything but socially "retarded".

 

[Noatun]

Moss. His social incompetence and nasal, monotonous voice is obviously inspired by someone with a severe case of Asperger.

Still, I have to say that autistic people are horribly portrayed in films/series. They're either A. the cardboard, cliché classic autist--the one that yells and instantly goes into fetus position whenever you touch him, yet he/she can magically perform incredible feats and is actually incredibly intelligent, but just misunderstood. Or B. a 'nerd'. Well, even though some 'nerdy' qualities could be considered autistic they're not an all-defining trait for the common autist.

Autist speaking here, by the way.

 

[blind_dead_mcjones]

i prefer the character jerry (i can't spell his last name) from boston legal, as its one of the only cases where it isn't treated like a joke or with disrespect, along with not falling into the hollywood cliche definition of what aspergers is

sorry but i find the idea of playing for laughs mental disorders like aspergers, autism, OCD and the like rather tasteless

 

[retterkl]

Maybe from a comedy... I think I overall prefer JJ from Skins simply because he's one of the only characters in series 3 and 4 which makes the show appealing to watch, which for such a sucky series is a good effort.

Although of the list I voted for Moss because, although I love Sheldon, he's just too overplayed on sometimes for his quirkyness.

 

[lee1287]

....Don't watch those shows.. Soo, yeah. IMO they should al be canceled and in there place should be catch the pigeon, wacky races, and tom and jerry.

 

[Illesdan]

The only one I know of is the guy from Boston Legal that had ass-burger or however it is spelled. He tried to kill Murphy Brown with a knife during a birthday party and got fired, then Captain Kirk shot a homeless guy.

Damn you!!! I'm sick and I laughed so hard I had a coughing fit!

 

[Dags90]

Abed isn't really that Asperger's-y. He's certainly quirky, meta and extremely genre savvy, but he doesn't really seem autistic most of the time (but he does have moments). Abed is hardly "socially inept", his genre savvy gives him near social telepathy.

I would probably go with Zack from Bones.

 

[bdcjacko]

The only one I know of is the guy from Boston Legal that had ass-burger or however it is spelled. He tried to kill Murphy Brown with a knife during a birthday party and got fired, then Captain Kirk shot a homeless guy.

Damn you!!! I'm sick and I laughed so hard I had a coughing fit!

Plus Odo was there and he got mad and made grumpy faces. While the guy from Stargate did some lawyering.

 

[blind_dead_mcjones]

The only one I know of is the guy from Boston Legal that had ass-burger or however it is spelled. He tried to kill Murphy Brown with a knife during a birthday party and got fired, then Captain Kirk shot a homeless guy.

Damn you!!! I'm sick and I laughed so hard I had a coughing fit!

the first bit ain't the least bit funny when its put into context

simply put, jerry (the guy with aspergers) goes to confront shirely (played by candice bergen) over why he wasn't made partner at the law firm despite all the hard work he does and some other guy was (btw the other guy was chosen simply because he looked like the archtype of the 'good looking hardworking honest to god patriot that every american should aspire to be'), during this confrontation shirely makes the mistake of calling him 'hands', a derogatory nickname used by almost everyone else in the firm (except alan shore, whos pretty much jerry's only friend) behind jerry's back in reference to one of his habits (walking around with his hands just above his knees) he snaps and holds her hostage with the knife he was holding at the time

as for denny crane shooting a homeless guy with a paintball pistol, i think that happened in a different episode

 

[OtherSideofSky]

I don't care for any of these characters or the shows they appear in.

Having clinically diagnosed Asperger's Syndrome myself, I've never really thought of any of them as fitting the type, although of course it can manifest itself very differently in different people.

 

[end_boss]

Moss from the IT crowd.

Very clever, and very funny, yet lacking in social communication skills.

I have asbergers, yet i think moss is more nerdier than i would ever be.

(Oh and by the way, please delete social retard, not to me, but for some people they see it as offensive.)

I do not wish to offend people but I do wish to defend the language. Retarded just means slowed and has no inherent offensive value in it's proper context. Nobody would be offended if I said something is fire retardant.

 

[bdcjacko]

The only one I know of is the guy from Boston Legal that had ass-burger or however it is spelled. He tried to kill Murphy Brown with a knife during a birthday party and got fired, then Captain Kirk shot a homeless guy.

Damn you!!! I'm sick and I laughed so hard I had a coughing fit!

the first bit ain't the least bit funny when its put into context

simply put, jerry (the guy with aspergers) goes to confront shirely (played by candice bergen) over why he wasn't made partner at the law firm despite all the hard work he does and some other guy was (btw the other guy was chosen simply because he looked like the archtype of the 'good looking hardworking honest to god patriot that every american should aspire to be'), during this confrontation shirely makes the mistake of calling him 'hands', a derogatory nickname used by almost everyone else in the firm (except alan shore, whos pretty much jerry's only friend) behind jerry's back in reference to one of his habits (walking around with his hands just above his knees) he snaps and holds her hostage with the knife he was holding at the time

as for denny crane shooting a homeless guy with a paintball pistol, i think that happened in a different episode

Thanks Buzz Killington, i forgot the discussing tv shows on the internet is serious business.

 

[4173]

The only one I know of is the guy from Boston Legal that had ass-burger or however it is spelled. He tried to kill Murphy Brown with a knife during a birthday party and got fired, then Captain Kirk shot a homeless guy.

Damn you!!! I'm sick and I laughed so hard I had a coughing fit!

the first bit ain't the least bit funny when its put into context

simply put, jerry (the guy with aspergers) goes to confront shirely (played by candice bergen) over why he wasn't made partner at the law firm despite all the hard work he does and some other guy was (btw the other guy was chosen simply because he looked like the archtype of the 'good looking hardworking honest to god patriot that every american should aspire to be'), during this confrontation shirely makes the mistake of calling him 'hands', a derogatory nickname used by almost everyone else in the firm (except alan shore, whos pretty much jerry's only friend) behind jerry's back in reference to one of his habits (walking around with his hands just above his knees) he snaps and holds her hostage with the knife he was holding at the time

as for denny crane shooting a homeless guy with a paintball pistol, i think that happened in a different episode

I believe there was at least 1 other time Crane shot someone. I think I remember he was working a pro bono rape/homicide and shot his client after he said something really insulting, claiming self defense.

 

[mireko]

Abed isn't really autistic, but he's my favorite out of those.

My overall favorite is probably the other Astrid from Fringe. Not sure if she's supposed to be autistic or more of a Mentat, but cool either way.