Love on the Spectrum U.S. Season 2 on Netflix

[Magna]

It's here. I've loved all of the Love on the Spectrum shows and the 2nd season of the U.S. version is on Netflix now. I love watching a show about my fellow autistic "brothers" and "sisters". It makes me wish that 97%-98% of the population was autistic and 2%-3% NT rather than the other way around when I watch it. Another aspect of the show that really stands out is how obviously the autistic people in the show enrich the lives of their family, friends and even strangers. Their family members make a point of saying so as well.

I recommend that anyone interested in autistic related content watch it.

 

[kriss72]

I see it with my daughter (18), she enjoys to point out all the similarities with me, and I enjoy to spend time with her

 

[AndyFBlues]

I need to check it out.

 

[marc_101]

I watched some episodes the other day. I like it. It helps. My only wish is that they would also show ASD people that are more subtle. The ones that are not so obvious to diagnose and perhaps went years without a diagnosis. But that would probably not make as good TV. Nonetheless, progress!

 

[kriss72]

@marc_101 we saw an episode yesterday with one that was diagnosed, I think at 17...

 

[marc_101]

Do you remember the episode number?

My first date would have made for good TV now that I think about it. I'm good at masking most of the time. My friends arranged for a date and we went out in a group. The total number of words I said the whole night was probably between 0 and 2 words. Yikes. Now that I know better, a first date in a group = shutdown.

For those looking for a happy ending: No, there was no second date. But yes, I eventually, many years later, became much better at dating and had many girlfriends. But no, still not good at long-term relationships.

 

[kriss72]

Do you remember the episode number?

My first date would have made for good TV now that I think about it. I'm good at masking most of the time. My friends arranged for a date and we went out in a group. The total number of words I said the whole night was probably between 0 and 2 words. Yikes. Now that I know better, a first date in a group = shutdown.

For those looking for a happy ending: No, there was no second date. But yes, I eventually, many years later, became much better at dating and had many girlfriends. But no, still not good at long-term relationships.

Journey in season 2 episode 4

 

[Bolletje]

I loved the first season! Will definitely check this one out too.

 

[Magna]

I see it with my daughter (18), she enjoys to point out all the similarities with me, and I enjoy to spend time with her

I watch it with my NT wife and she and I identify with certain aspects of the people, their situations and their family dynamics. We see those things from two different perspectives and I think that helps us.

 

[Levitator]

It's here. I've loved all of the Love on the Spectrum shows and the 2nd season of the U.S. version is on Netflix now. I love watching a show about my fellow autistic "brothers" and "sisters". It makes me wish that 97%-98% of the population was autistic and 2%-3% NT rather than the other way around when I watch it. Another aspect of the show that really stands out is how obviously the autistic people in the show enrich the lives of their family, friends and even strangers. Their family members make a point of saying so as well.

I recommend that anyone interested in autistic related content watch it.

I can't look. I'm afraid it would be a continuous parade of "Jesus, tell me I don't look like that to people". Though, I think nerdy, introverted girls are entirely magical. Double standard, I guess.

Nothing against my male friends. It's just, well. You know what it's like to look back in retrospect at yourself and cringe.

 

[Levitator]

I can't look. I'm afraid it would be a continuous parade of "Jesus, tell me I don't look like that to people". Though, I think nerdy, introverted girls are entirely magical. Double standard, I guess.

Nothing against my male friends. It's just, well. You know what it's like to look back in retrospect at yourself and cringe.

I should probably apologize. I'm having a really hard time coping with larger life situations, and now self-acceptance on top of that. What's important is that these look like really charming people, and I'd completely hang out with them, and I should stop thinking so much about myself. It's frustrating, though, because I'm stuck thinking about myself precisely because I'm seldom meeting anyone.

My self-image is that I'm roughly as awkward as Elon Musk, but I suspect I'm probably being generous with myself because he builds spaceships, and I'm a bum.

 

[Mr. Stevens]

My self-image is that I'm roughly as awkward as Elon Musk, but I suspect I'm probably being generous with myself because he builds spaceships, and I'm a bum.

I'd say his need to attack people outweighs any rocket building. Don't judge yourself too harshly.

 

[Levitator]

I'd say his need to attack people outweighs any rocket building. Don't judge yourself too harshly.

Well, I meant to make it clear it's about my own insecurity, and I don't want to miss opportunities to support people who are worse off, because I found it very fulfilling with my one-handed friend.

In hanging out here, I don't want to make myself the equal of people who have worse problems, which these guys and gals do, and I don't want to underestimate my own problems either. It's a very lost feeling when you realize you thought you merely somewhat fit a stereotype and then no; it's more than that, and you're some sort of hard-wired misfit, and you have never had any comprehension of how other people see you.

 

[Dagan]

I swear that most people view us as just very, very insecure people...and honestly, if someone doesn't know any better how to spot the difference(s) - which they mostly don't - then, yeah, I can understand their thinking. It's why I get so detailed explaining or asking anything and likely gets mistaken as pretentious or levels of anger. Oops.

This series is full of hope, though. I agree. There's many a blueprint and many an inspiration to be found. Yes, there's certainly parts of it that I relate to with a bit of embarrassment hitting me...especially the attempts trying to inject humor into conversation, but it falls flat or hits way wrong. Again....oops.

 

[Levitator]

I swear that most people view us as just very, very insecure people...and honestly, if someone doesn't know any better how to spot the difference(s) - which they mostly don't - then, yeah, I can understand their thinking. It's why I get so detailed explaining or asking anything and likely gets mistaken as pretentious or levels of anger. Oops.

This series is full of hope, though. I agree. There's many a blueprint and many an inspiration to be found. Yes, there's certainly parts of it that I relate to with a bit of embarrassment hitting me...especially the attempts trying to inject humor into conversation, but it falls flat or hits way wrong. Again....oops.

As I've said a few times, my experience is that people are very consistently nasty or rejecting towards me, but they don't even seem to be aware that they're doing it. Then, anything that you do, whether intentional or otherwise, to make them aware that they're rejecting you; that sets them off, because they don't like that realization. But they don't own it, they double down and act like you deserve it. It's that uncanny valley where you don't overtly look to people like you are put together differently, but what difference they do see, they interpret it as ugliness of character or spirit, and they impute it straight to you.

These guys, are very obviously all over the place because that's how their attention works, and if they're going to get rejected, at least I hope it's not in a spiteful way. But that's probably not much comfort. I do sympathize for them a great deal, and I think they would be fascinating to get to know. You can certainly extrapolate from a position of less disadvantage and relate to people who are worse off and try to offer support based on that.

 

[marc_101]

Journey in season 2 episode 4

Thanks! Just watched episode 4 of both seasons. I really like Kaelynn. So sweet.

 

[Au Naturel]

I watched some episodes the other day. I like it. It helps. My only wish is that they would also show ASD people that are more subtle. The ones that are not so obvious to diagnose and perhaps went years without a diagnosis. But that would probably not make as good TV. Nonetheless, progress!

Subtlety and television? HAHAHAHA!

 

[Au Naturel]

Do you remember the episode number?

My first date would have made for good TV now that I think about it. I'm good at masking most of the time. My friends arranged for a date and we went out in a group. The total number of words I said the whole night was probably between 0 and 2 words. Yikes. Now that I know better, a first date in a group = shutdown.

For those looking for a happy ending: No, there was no second date. But yes, I eventually, many years later, became much better at dating and had many girlfriends. But no, still not good at long-term relationships.

Practice makes perfect! But only if you are willing to learn and stop insisting that the other person was "in the wrong." It is rare that there is a fault; it is usually just ordinary incompatibility.

 

[marc_101]

Subtlety and television? HAHAHAHA!

Yeah. It's always a puzzle to me. Subtle sells well too. I guess it's more difficult to do.

Also, about Love on the Spectrum, what's up with the dogs? I think they use the pets as an eye roll. Whenever somebody says something a bit odd, they show a pet, usually a dog, just hanging in there.

 

[VictorR]

It seems just yesterday that we were discussing the casting call for LOTS US Season 2 and several members here had thrown their hat in and some were interviewed.

Love on the Spectrum Season 2 Casting

Northern Pictures is looking for participants for a new season of the Emmy Award winning Netflix series Love On The Spectrum We are looking for SINGLE people living in the United States, who are on the autism spectrum and are interested in dating. You may have no history of dating or you...

www.autismforums.com

Speaking of which, they are currently doing interviews for LOTS US Season 3.

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As for my thoughts on the (US) show, seasons 1 and 2...

I liked that the participants (both primary and others) came from a variety of life/career stages, confidence levels, and introversion/extroversion, though skewing a bit on the younger side (not sure if that's normal or not for dating shows - this isn't a genre I normally watch), and that everyone seemed to be genuinely themselves, and that we get to see personal growth and development.

I thought Jennifer Cook (author of Autism in Heels: The Untold Story of a Female Life on the Spectrum among others) was a really great coach.

On the flip side, I did there was a missed opportunity to move away from the stereotype (influenced in part by those whom Kanner had studied at his practice) of autistic persons being white and middle or upper class.

I've also noticed that the participants generally had enthusiastically supportive parents, and this is also a demographic that is overrepresented in various media - there are many autistic persons who didn't / don't have such a privilege but I suppose that wouldn't make for good television, as it would potentially lead to backgrounds and family dynamics to sidetrack and overshadow the point of the show.

On a random note, the participants' families also seemed disproportionate likely to have a dog - Forbes reports about half of US households have a dog but it seemed like almost every family on the show had a dog.

Overall, I did enjoy the show and I look forward to the next season, with hopes that they may bring in changes that address some of my reservations, while continuing with their strengths.