Undiagnosed Autistics in Dramas
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1. Anti Reset
Taiwanese Drama - 2024, 10 episodes
MC - Chu Yi Ping
Yi Ping is shown as being blunt, even harsh and unemotional in social settings. His thought pattern surrounds very literal and factual concepts. The abstract is harder for him to perceive. He also doesn't pick up on social cues or on what is appropriate at which point in a personal relationship. The show frames him to be more of a robot than Ever9 (which, I mean, I guess, but like, don't do that too often, guys; we have feelings).
He also easily invests emotion in things that aren't considered human (dogs, plants, robots, etc.) showing that he's a caring person, but he finds human interaction confusing or overwhelming.
I haven't finished the show (it's so hard to get through their flirting stage for my own personal reasons).
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2. Monster Next Door
Thai Drama - 2024, 12 episodes
MC - Diewdai
[This show frames characters by their Myers-Briggs personality type (ex. INFJ/ESFP/INTP/etc.) but of course that doesn't answer any questions, really. That is a long discussion for another time.]
Diew is not just "introverted". He lives a very minimalistic, quiet, private life (largely due to his fear of rejection). He hates sudden loud noises and is often wearing his headphones which play various genres of classical music or easy listening. The character does claim he really likes music, but the show doesn't seem to be showing that much at all. The headphones are simply a way to block out the outside world (and I really need him to learn about noise-cancelling headphones because his apparently do nothing for that).
Diew's only friends are 1 human with a predictable, 2-dimensional personality (at first, anyway) and 1 turtle he keeps in an annoyingly small tank. He also befriends other small animals he sees in his nearby environment (there's a reference to a Mr. Charcoal, who may also be a turtle on his university campus).
Diew finds unscripted social interaction extremely difficult. He's surprisingly upfront when not facing the person he's talking to, and he partly explains this by telling Got that he finds it difficult to be perceived with expectations of how he should act.
Diew's mother and grandfather show deep concern for his social relationships, seemingly understanding something about him that he doesn't (like that he's a little different).
I've only seen the first two episodes but feel confident enough to add him here.
[ps. Got shows a few traits of ADHD and he's a sweetie pie]
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3. Love Alice or Not
Taiwanese Drama - 2020, 12 episodes
MC - Li Si/Alice
I don't even need to explain this one. Just watch it. She's autistic as hell.