Love on the Spectrum is your new must-watch TV show
A refreshing documentary about dating with Autism
“I don’t want to be alone, I want to find someone so I can feel safe,” Abbey states in an interview. Abbey is 23 years old, lives with her mother, and like most people in their 20s, is looking for love. She also happens to have autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
While you won’t find any hot tub scenes or love triangles, there’s still the age-old drama of first-date flutters and heart wrenching rejections on Netflix’s Love on the Spectrum (USA). A departure from the typical debauchery of the Bachelor franchise or Love is Blind, LOTS is a tender look at people of various ages looking for love who happen to have ASD. It’s easy to root for these cast members and relate to the awkward first-date questions, weighted silences, and ghosting.
More than being about their love journeys, it shows the care of their family and friends, and the importance of developing more empathy for people on the spectrum, even those who appear ‘normal’. As someone with a neurodivergent family member, I cannot stress enough the importance of compassionate representation in media. This docu-series does just that, while allowing a personal glimpse inside their lives, as their parents and caregivers cheer them on.
A recent study by the CDC found 2.21% adults in the USA have ASD, though with many adults going undiagnosed, it could be much higher. Author Helen Hoang and actor Dan Aykryod are just a few in the public eye who are positive role models. They seek to expand the understanding and expectations of people on the spectrum.
In the US version of the show, we meet Steve, a man in his 60s living on his own in San Francisco, who was recently diagnosed with ASD. Dani who runs her own animation company, Subodh who makes homemade pad thai for his date, Kaelynn who shares awful stories about her Tinder dates, David who always comes baring gifts on his dates with Abbey, and James, lover of Renaissance faires.
It’s a tender-hearted look at their love journey, one worth watching.
