I Think You Should Leave As An Autistic Text

[@kazoobard8589]

my friends and i frequently talk about how autistic the haunted house sketch is. the way he says “you can’t change the rules cuz you don’t like how i’m doing it” makes me cry laughing, i think because of how relatable his frustration and confusion are in that moment

[@evelynaekoko-kay9752]

That quote is so poignant to me. Like, it's in a funny context, but those exact words could be used to describe my whole life. I also strongly relate to "not everybody knows how to do everything: driving's not the only thing" as a 28 year old who still can't drive. And "you can't skip lunch" 😭 That was the first ITYSL sketch I ever watched, and from just that sketch I already perceived it as a show about being autistic in a neurotypical world.

[@MapleMcIntyre]

This!!! That sketch touched me so deeply, it’s how I felt every day at school getting constantly reprimanded for reasons I simply could not comprehend

[@evancampbell3683]

I really resonate with the "Do you know how to fucking drive" one. "Not everybody knows how to do everything, driving isn't the only thing" is literally me on a daily basis. Also "I don't know what any of this shit is and I'm fucking scared"

[@SuperRat420]

Well you're mnot the center of the universe and all of that goes out the window whewn you're on the roads with others

[@SirArthurTheGreat]

@@SuperRat420They’re not saying yes actually literally me, I’m driving without any clue how to and risking lives, just “this exact vibe is what I feel”

[@SirArthurTheGreat]

And then when the steering-wheel hurts😂

[@SuperRat420]

@@SirArthurTheGreat the vibe I get but we have standards for a reason.

[@SirArthurTheGreat]

@@SuperRat420 Yes, I agree. But this person was not literally saying that they don’t know how to drive, and yet do it anyway. They just relate to it, and your comment was coming off a little rude at first, when the statement was taken as a given.

[@mattbonk5813]

THANK YOU I’ve been saying ITYSL is one of the most autistic coded shows I’ve ever seen.Every sketch is someone with a weird hyperfixation,a misunderstood social situation or both

[@arealgoblin]

as an autistic person, a lot of his sketches makes me feel seen, especially the ghost tour and bozo dubbed over sketches

[@rainbo777]

the ghost tour lives in my head forever

[@BzechuanInteractive]

Bozo dubbed over and Ghost Tour are my favourite for that feeling of relatability. It's not very often you feel empathy for the punchline in ITYSL.

[@spookypumkin6387]

As an autistic person, I’ve never felt so called out by one tv show. I’ve been in the same situation as so many of those sketches so many times.

[@SirArthurTheGreat]

Like when the ronnie-hog comes through my doggie door? literally me every-other week i stg

[@exzyyd392]

​@@SirArthurTheGreatHonestly I've felt the whole "My life is nothing I hoped and everything I feared because for 50 seconds I thought there were monsters on the world" so many times. I remember being a kid and staying awake all night terrified for literally no reason and feeling so stupid afterwards

[@jasonmurdoc9533]

What I like about the new season is it’s positive edge. Like the guy that sees volcanos. A guy just trying to fit in with the world around him, he gets hurt by just trying to be one of the “normal people” all for one Person stop and take the time to see his side of things. “ a little goes along way all you have to do is try” these to me are the beautiful sides of the spectrum that get overlooked

[@FishBias]

The guy with the zip line is me

[@itsmebeter3538]

i like the new season because it’s coocoo crazy!!

[@Thechinkills]

And then he turns into an evil dead zombie but I see your point

[@taaaim]

As a great man once said, “HAS THIS EVER HAPPENED TO YOU?”

[@lostinthewoods1918]

I love this interpretation! It adds another level to my appreciation of the show as an autistic person myself.

[@JazLyte]

Great essay my dude and 100% agreed - I immediately wondered if dude was also on the spectrum from the first skit I saw haha. This show is, uncomfortably, one of the most relatable pieces of media I've encountered and mainly from the perspective of the social 'villain' in a lot of the skits... The one where they're doing the surfing bit in the board room and Tim ends up hurting someone trying to join in the fun JUST WHEEWWW BOYYY

[@maxonbardo]

"I gotta find a way to make money off of this I REALLY WANT TO!"

[@WeeLin]

"HERE COMES A BIG WAVE" - me, trying to participate in any light-hearted conversation or group activity.

[@j.alexamayo-hassan2616]

Honestly the biker aliens sketch totally could read as being about the joy of a shared special interest. Awesome video!

[@Goblincow]

I've been saying ITYSL is the most autistic show I've ever seen (as an autistic person myself) since I first saw it. It's so fucking good. I also love that the roles are often completely flipped: tim is either the straight guy in an unreasonable world or a very weird guy in a world surrounded by "normal" people. That's the autistic experience to me

[@ajplays-gamesandmusic4568]

Then there's the ones where Tim is the unreasonable person, and you think he is making a scene... only for everyone else to take his unreasonable stance and dogpile the normie (like the gift receipt).

[@jordanetherington1922]

Great stuff here! I hope you do more! I'm autistic too and I really felt a lot of sympathy for the guy in the Haunted House sketch, and moreover felt that the text of the sketch expects you to feel sympathetic for him too. That really struck me.

[@necrosadotor]

ghost tour was the best lol

[@necrosadotor]

@@bumpypants3241 that's very funny

[@likeahorse]

"you can't change the rules just because you don't like how i do it" its such an autistic line (complimentary)

[@MiaVilleneuve]

Literally always conceptualized the show this way. I just could never explain it in such a good way

[@TroutBoneless]

In fairness to Tim, when it's time for my lunch break I'll straight up refuse to do work. "Nah man, it's lunch time, I'll get you afterwards"

[@mmo4754]

Yes, I think you are correct. I too made that connection. The ghost tour really made it hit home for me. I've been in so many situations where I've been like "WTF, I'm literally following the rules that YOU GAVE ME, why am I being punished/teased?"

[@waner17]

very arguable that’s not the point of his sketches always i think most ppl understand that it’s not appropriate to talk like that and interject even if they do do it💀 most people participating in society carry at least some levels of self awareness and it’s pushing the irony of ppl in society today that extremely lack social and emotional awareness like many of his characters

[@waner17]

you can heavily lack social awareness and cues while knowing at the same time that behavior is wrong or unaccepted….some people just lack the genes that give us shame and a pause button, or they know when to hold back. tim’s sketches play on the what if we all just let lose of these expectations and went unhinged lol

[@paddykinahan]

You've perfectly articulated the exact thoughts I've had ever since watching that first season years ago. I always feel so sorry for Tim's characters, even when their situation is hilarious, because they are just so innocent and bewildered

[@oliviapasquarelli99]

I can think of so many examples. Patti Harrison’s reaction in the sketch about ‘Santa coming early’ to bring an office a new copy machine is so real, I relate heavily. I often get confused and frustrated when people don’t get my jokes but laugh at really bad ones to be polite. Or the one where one friend insists an intervention happens at her house and it turns out to be the Garfield house. In the new season where Tim is a contestant on a dating show and he doesn’t participate because he just wants to use the zip line into the pool all day. Every sketch tbh.

[@lvl1rock]

I've been meaning to watch this video for awhile now, and I'm so glad I did. Very nice analysis, this resonates a lot.

[@luckymankwok]

I felt like comedies back in the 90s-00s like Mr Bean often poked fun of an autistic characters who're unable to fit in or misread social cues, while Tim Robinson's sketches took a step further and deconstructed these social cues in a level you can laugh WITH his character by feeling funny and relatable; sometimes the social cues even flipped for what's being normal like in the housewarming gift sketch, Tim's friends actually agreed with Tim and made Steven Yeun swallowed a receipt

[@ahmeddemha]

Not sure if Tim is autistic, but he did confirm he has anxiety.

[@dstopianmusic]

I’m so happy I’m not the only one that read the show like this, it’s so painfully relatable to me

[@thomasboonty852]

I couldn’t help but think about this as I was watching the show. Thanks for putting it into words!

[@justinfalzon6854]

I call this style of comedy Austistic Comedy. Philomena Cunk is another great one. You have to literally get up and leave because you're laughing so hard and its just awkward.

[@nathanielbeven9052]

as soon as i read the title, i knew it was applicable and instantly thought of the haunted house sceen. happy it was covered.

[@michaelreddington1234]

I’m not autistic but my Wife and Son are. As someone who was learning a lot about autism at the time of me finding this show, I could definitely see some of the characters in the show as being a very OTT interpretation of an autistic person. That Haunted House ending was so sad as well. From laughing out loud to being so sad for that character. I just wanted to be his friend by the end of it.

[@jossypoo]

OH MY GOD YESSSS. I NEEEEEED this. The entire concept of the show is about avoiding social embarrassment, and undertaking herculean efforts to do so.

[@MsDaddee]

Amazing job! Your explanations are so clear and have a nearly perfect pacing! please keep it up! There is a saturation of over explanation and lack of substance in KZbin now a days. Love what you are doing! :)

[@jaysaturna]

Oh, this reading of the show is right in my q-zone!

[@BlossomTheCocoon]

I Think You Should Leave is incredibly autistic coded. It's one of my favorite comfort shows

[@oliviapasquarelli99]

Patti Harrison’s reaction in the sketch about ‘Santa coming early’ to bring an office a new copy machine is so real, I relate heavily. I often get confused and frustrated when people don’t get my jokes but laugh at really bad ones to be polite.

[@GemiKnight84]

I've been trying to put my finger on why this show resonates so hard with me - this analysis is SO satisfying

[@molly4561]

great video! i've always thought some of the bits on the show were autism coded, especially ones like the clown bit where they're watching videos in the office

[@quasarulas3968]

I think basically the show is like a cosmic gumbo, it kind of moves to the beat of jazz

[@jeremyusreevu237]

Very interesting analysis of the show. I do definitely agree with a lot of what you're saying, and you make very compelling arguments. Personally, I think that I Think You Should Leave is a deconstruction of the sketch comedy subgenre. Each sketch hinges on the surreal awkward delivery of its jokes being the motivation for comedy, rather than the joke itself, which is why a lot of the premises in I Think You Should Leave can come off as malformed and lacking a basic throughline; because that was by design. The show takes you through this bizarre, magical world, and allows you to fully submerse yourself in the awkwardness of the series, and the unique structure is what makes the show so unique in terms of its delivery.

[@Luigifan4ever11]

You put it into words so fantastically. Thank you.

[@marinamorton8458]

Dude this is why i love the show. I’ve been in all of these situations as an autistic person

[@BD-yl5mh]

Weirdly, Mr Bean is another comedic character I’ve seen people compare to neurodivergence and one of my early impressions of ITYSL was that it kinda felt like a modern, American Mr Bean that spoke in full sentences. It’s that common through line of “here’s a sympathetic weirdo that keeps ending up on the wrong side of social norms and we laugh along while he tries his best to adapt”

[@waner17]

i don’t think it has to be fully just one or the other idea but i also believe he has a certain level of self awareness that i know most people have a spectrum of where he knows how absurd and narcissistic and nuts some of the characters act/react and it’s less of poor disabled characters that are understood and more tightly wired weirdos that are sometimes trying to start chaos. it’s almost giving sad puppy in the window the way everyone is ultra analyzing this in 1 direction and turning it into a pity festival for the misunderstood when half of these skits don’t apply to the theme discussed here 💀 like the pay it forward sketch? what part of the spectrum are we attributing that to?😭😂

[@BD-yl5mh]

@@waner17 I don’t think Mr Bean totally lacked self awareness. Some of his sketches were also blatantly about him trying to queue jump or get access to a blocked off room. He was also at times an asshole who kind of used his weirdness as cover

[@Gysklar]

Oh man this is something I noticed right away about this show and just very recently wrote a whole mini essay to my friend about it (he had got me into it). I mentioned to him that I hadn't seen anybody else comment on any if this so far online but I was certain I wasn't alone because it seems so obvious. Serendipitous the algorithm carried this my way! Fantastic video and analysis! Thanks so much for making it so I didn't have to lol :P (you definitely did a much better job than I would have)

[@seanmcdonald1111]

I wanna live in I think you should leave world because whenever they go to work they just watch funny youtube videos

[@MH-tm3yu]

Great video! Thought there should be some commentary on this show and I'm glad I found this video! I (autistic) started seeing clips of this show and I was put off at first. I definitely picked up Tim's character as not "normal" at first but didn't click (because, surprise surprise, I thought some of his opinions/points made sense in context) and I was definitely projecting my own insecurities onto the show. I definitely agree with your view on it's social commentary. The tough part is it just feels like now everyone has access to more video examples of awkward Autistic coded behavior (ie how I am/could be perceived by others). I think laughing/making jokes is an important first step in normalizing difficult topics (ie. dealing with grief/loss, Queer comics owning stereotypes, Chris Rock and similar comedians helping to expose the intense racism African Americans face everyday, using political cartoons to challenge oppressive systems etc.) , it's just scary that you could be compared to "the episode where Tim does x and y". Before, you were just a bit awkward. Now, your co-workers all can see, "Oh hey! Steve is *just* like that weird Tim guy. Well, at least we know not to get involved if hes like 'that'..." My previous co-workers would have had a wonderful time comparing me to Tim if this had come out at the time. It makes interacting with the show in a light-hearted way difficult because even though I'm in on the joke, I'll still have to deal with being this kind of awkward in my life, unintentionally, and dealing with neurotypical people who probably aren't aware of what Autism even is! Sometimes masking can make things just as awkward as not doing it and there is no third option 😅 I do think the show is funny and well intentioned, it's just tough when it's used in a mean-spirited way. tldr; show is funny, just more true to than life than I'd like it to feel 😅

[@GlitzPixie]

Yeah I feel that

[@thefirmamentalist9922]

I’ve been trying to figure out what the common thread was with this show. I think you hit the nail on the head. Brilliant analysis.

[@a.block.of.tofu.]

Im autistic and this is my favorite show since it came out. Fittingly, i never really quite put together everything you mention, but it hightens my appreciation even more.

[@maxinator317]

After watching this i truly think of every sketch in this show very differently.

[@greagandev]

Thank you for taking the time to do this analysis. Very good.

[@BluetheRaccoon]

OMG you finally made my complicated feelings for Amelia Bedellia make sense. I'm an autistic AFAB, and sometimes I felt like her character empathized with me, while other times made fun of me. She's essentially an autistic charicture.

[@majorgeneralmalaise]

Auto captions disabled 😢

[@plussyplatinum]

Personally, I see the sketches as “what if an idiot was in a normal environment ” 💀

[@Jorge.2004]

oh fuck what the fuck im not even supposed to be here

[@GRicheson]

Hope I don’t jack off

[@lukeeasterling4836]

he's doing the dub, bozo is, not "a guy"

[@meegsoteegs]

What really convinced me that this was autistic coded was the zipline sketch from the new season. That was SO me as a child😂 very little masking, just there to do my thing✨🥰💅

[@jeffersonclippership2588]

Still waiting for a video essay that talks about the social commentary of Little Buff Boys

[@angrykirby3121]

Great video, I knew there was something special about this show I just couldnt explain it

[@thatsjustchrisc]

DUDE THIS MAKES SO MUCH SENSE 😭 I was going “woahhh wait” this whole video

[@RayRassa]

really enjoyed this vid a lot, great analysis !

[@josephinepaquette]

Great analysis of one of the most hilarious, relatable and genius tv shows ever made!

[@WolfTeen2010]

I wish I knew that this video existed before, I love it! There's definitely some more sketches in the new third season that could be read as autistic coded as well

[@Jenspo]

Awesome video dude! Excited to see what you make going forward!

[@Pyromaniac77777]

You deserve more subscribers, great analysis. Always nice to find a neurodivergent youtuber

[@morganwardfilm]

Yup thank u, i was struggling to explain to ppl why i found the show relatable, like a surreal slice of life instead of an absurdist skit show

[@dogerogue6621]

No-one understands me when I try and tell them that the situation in the Brian's Hat sketchs is something I legitimately worry about at work when I try something new 😅

[@BigBenTheDude]

Hearing the music from the WarioWorld level select hub in a video about ITYSL and autism is like a mental flash bang

[@mitchlmitten5874]

Glad im not the only one who interprets the show this way. Good video!

[@craigfilmgeek]

What a terrific analysis! Great work

[@BradleyGalbraith]

What a thoughtful commentary!

[@MDMDXL]

Incredible! I had not thought of it that way, I buy it completely EDIT: thanks to this analogy I understand the "WET STEAKS" sketch

[@nicolebrown622]

Or the “wet wet mud” sketch

[@SuperheroWannabe]

This is a great analysis! Good stuff!

[@nonverbal-turtle]

i relate to his character so hard as an autistic person

[@pdpUU]

This seasons Summer Fling sketch was extremely relatable for me 🤣

[@badartwineaunt]

i got reccomended this show by a fellow ND person and now i get why hahah

[@dbolt_]

Brilliantly done!

[@justicedavenport5030]

But those are two way hinges, they should open both ways

[@ChillGoblin]

Interesting take!

[@EmeraldLavigne]

This made me cry when I saw this because OF FUCKING COURSE it is, how have I never seen that!? I'm not autistic, but I am PROFOUNDLY ADHD, to the point that sometimes the distinctions are meaningless. And my bf *IS* autistic, so this just explains further why I've always wanted him to watch this show.

[@blackbeardbarkbark]

That nacho one is just pure entertainment.

[@terrymechem4296]

I think there's also something to say about how the humor of the sketches doesnt particularly originate from a traditional setup/punchline but more from situational humor and tone. Ive tried showing itysl to people and most of the people that HATED it just didn't really understand in what way it was supposed to be funny. I don't know if that difference is due in part to autism's affect on one's perception of a situation/where one's focus is, but it's noteworthy at least. Also I will say that literally all the people I know who love this show as much as I do are similarly autistic Tldr: he says stuff with funny inflection sometimes and it makes me chuckle haha hehe

[@cassandramccarthy466]

can you do curb your enthusiasm as an autistic text next

[@Fillup82]

We can't all be part of the turbo team.

[@AlekSearcy]

The video description 😆. Great video!

[@beefybuttery8381]

As ive grown and lived i feel a deep affinity for people who have autism. I learn a lot. These are cool readings of these, and i also relate. Lots of people think im autism. I even see algorithms showing me a lot about it. And so maybe thats why i relate. It is like laughing at the absurdity of life and interactions. But also autism is so big and broad. I also must admit looking back st life and thinking about friends i now know to be autistic. Like sometimes i was just like why dont you get social norms mate? Now i look back and think oh i could just be explicit and all that time in college you didnt know, but we still loved you but we were confused and maybe the lights were too bright and your clothes felt bad in the washing machine there and we all had fun and i didnt know

[@beefybuttery8381]

While i, not autistic, many people think this even clinicians. So i do relate and also learn from autism people because there is lots of good advice for the world. Idk why life is confusing, but it doesnt seem like its autism for so many reasons but i do learn a lot from people about confusion. One example is that i tend to smile big when other people arent around and tone it down around others. I thought thats what unmasking meant but its the opposite

[@SanderGoldman]

Extremely agree with all this. Though Im curious if any autistic folks here ever feel like the show crosses the line into making fun of the autistic coded behavior. I love the show but I'll admit there are points when certain skits seem to be getting their humor from laughing at autistic coded behavior, like when various adult men characters scream like babies at slight provocations, which seems less empathetic than most of the humor in the show. But I'm not autistic so im wondering how people in the community read it.

[@codarobo]

I have definitely had this thought before, but the fact that the humor is so focused on Tim himself really makes me feel like it’s him making fun of himself in a way that everybody can find funny. And tbh as this video points out, the way it’s depicted is so relatable to some autistic people (despite being highly exaggerated) it feels less like an outside caricature of autism and more like someone who really understands what it feels like depicting it in a larger than life way. After seeing pretty much all of ITYSL and even some of Tim’s other comedy, I do get that sense that he’s been in a lot of awkward situations and that drives his sense of humor. If he’s not autistic then he has a better intrinsic understanding of how it feels than most people do, and he’s certainly been able to tap into that to make something that has a broad appeal. I’d compare his work to Chuck Tingle’s almost - someone who is autistic and whose humor and style seems over the top and silly (and is) in a way that made many people think he was just making fun of or playing the role of an autistic person as a bit; but it turned out once Chuck started talking to his fans that he is actually just autistic and this is his style of humor and writing; it may be absurd but it isn’t inherently making fun of autistic people. We do just like/make this kinda stuff sometimes!

[@SecretDogPillow]

Great essay!

[@MaxAlbiston]

My manager once asked me to clean the microwave. Wanting to do a thorough job, I disassemble the microwave and clean it inside and out. Turns out she just meant to wipe down the inside. I am no longer tasked with cleaning the microwave...

[@strikerstar1958]

Send this to Tim, you might get royalties (I'm banned from using the work laminator)

[@ernie39]

an insightful reading!

[@steamedhamlet]

I felt like the greatness of season 1 and 2 didn't really carry over to season 3. It didn't feel the same to me... I don't know why.

[@neptunehenriksen]

Honestly, I couldn't really get through the video bc of the whole separating the person from autism language... doesn't sit right with me. I'm sure you made some good points but I can't handle "people with autism" and "on the spectrum", those phrases have been used to justify so much violence towards, and dehumanisation of, autistics. Look into it for yourself if you're curious. It's pretty dark stuff.

[@megaman02468]

I just recently realized I’m (most likely) autistic. Then, I realized that’s probably also why I find this show hilarious and a lot of people I know don’t.

[@paulygeegolly1777]

Im using this video to self diagnose myself.

[@DoctorDogma]

I love the K.K music from Animal Crossing as background music in the video 😂😊

[@HennessyHendrix]

thank you for this video this is a great video

[@fridaynightpizza7158]

i don't think the country singer was improvising, i think part of the joke is that it's a song he had prepared but he didnt think anyone would go for, tim's character thinks he's just riffing and tries to join in, ruining what could be a magical moment. i might be wrong but that's always been my interpretation

[@wadedrake6169]

@10:38 "seethe"

[@SushiDaddy]

Finally, somebody said it out loud. Great video. What was that ending music? I recognize it from my childhood.

[@vernontk]

Thoughtful video

[@dougclendening5896]

So basically what you're saying is that Larry David is autistic too.

[@ozarkharshnoisescene]

YESSSSS

[@mattfoley99]

...is the background music to this Dan's theme from Alpha 3?

[@freyastuchbery7130]

Oh yeah for sure GENUINELY GENUINELY THAT SOUNDS SARCASTIC IT ISN'T

[@DragonKeeper69]

This show and Detroiters both feel like art about being autistic

[@WhatsTherapy]

Interesting vid