The Big Bang Theory vs Community: How to Write Autism WELL

[@noahthe0tter]

What do YOU think of Community and Big Bang Theory? Is Big Bang Theory actually GOOD? Am I painfully wrong? 🤔 Tell me down below 👇

[@omegamac10]

Not wrong, but I don't think it's been stated anywhere that Sheldon is or isn't autistic.

[@scrubaatividya]

@@omegamac10 as far as I know yeah Sheldon literally has never been actually said to be autistic, atleast not in BBT, (I think he might've gotten the diagnosis in Young Sheldon tho? I havent fully watched it but I feel like I remember a scene about it existing) since the character was played like he was autistic because thats the vibe that Jim Parsons had gotten when reading the script, it was HIS idea to portray Sheldon as autistic which completely invalidates any comparison being made since he was never originally written as such

[@omegamac10]

@@scrubaatividya that's interesting. Sounds like Young Sheldon was retconning his character. As time goes by I hope they start just having actors that are autistic and they play characters with autism.

[@InservioLetum]

For starters, Sheldon is not autistic. AT ALL. Full eye contact, empathy, complex relationships, and while his character is specifically predicated on being difficult, so was Jack Nicholson in _As Good As It Gets._ While Abed is quite clearly an aspie, he overcompensates with what appears to be a grab-bag of random traits; some of which conflict, making it rather painfully apparent that this is someone that started with the DSM, instead of special ed. As for the humour, that is not geared AT nerds, it just happens to overlap with a lot of the material. How I have to explain that a show by Chaim Levine would be jewish comedy, is just baffling to me. Misassociation being a prominent feature of much of the spectrum, I wouldn't worry that you didn't catch that, however. Watch _The Nanny_ and you'll see a lot of the same tropes, without the thematic colouring of the nerds tricking you, or indeed Mr. Lorre's signature pacing. Silvia particularly, Nanny Fine's mother, should be immediately familiar to TBBT watchers. While I too was advised to watch Community, I can barely get through even one episode, as the cringe factor and sheer wilful FORCING of napoleon dynamite levels of awkwardness, is so overpowering that trying to resist the urge to run away makes me physically queasy. The Office (both english and yank variants) has the same effect. Virtually anything with Will Ferrell or Audrey Plaza, and most things with Jack Black and that embarassing cat clock impression he foists on every script. Don't get me wrong, I am a HUGE fan of the Panda; that casting was dead on the money. Mr. Black clearly does have a gift, but he needs to stay off camera. Maladroit comedy used to be Ross, in Friends. Mad Dog, in Frasier. Danny DeVito, Billy Crystal, Bob Reiner. Clearly part of the gang, but just a little "off" that brings up feelings of compassion or pity. Spaceballs, with the enormous helmets, strikes this tone perfectly. Curb Your Enthusiasm, meanwhile, overshoots trying to be too clever with nested in-jokes, with the younger members of the cast in particular, giving off a hostage video vibe not unlike that girl in the leather jacket interviewing Fvckerberg for the metaverse launch. It's like a couple having a screaming row on the bus... you feel incredibly uncomfortable and don't know where to look. That is not funny. No amount of laughter has ever made anyone wish the ground would open and swallow them up. Feeling awkward or humiliated, however, DOES cause that response, and consistently at that. I do not understand why people think that spider-crawling-up-your-leg feeling of discomfort, is FUNNY of all things. It's like they're _TRYING_ to be a bad version of Jim Carrey, and as a result look a lot like Gary Elwes doing his version of "teh clawwww" in Liar Liar. Audrey Plaza especially, VISIBLY enjoys making people uneasy in the same way Andy Kaufman did. It wasn't funny when Andy did it -- he admitted as much and clarified that was never the point -- and it's certainly no funnier now. In stark contrast, the TBBT cast are people I've met in literally every culture (for clarity, I was a diplomat's child and moved schools A LOT). My best friend at the moment is in fact essentially an Amy, and we ALL know a few of Sheldon's mother. I know three Raj's who are perfectly normal and confident at LARPs, but out in among the normies, they clap shut. They're not indian, but Raj's nationality was an ancilliary detail that had next to nothing to do with the humour of the show. TBBT isn't a nerd comedy, but a comedy WITH nerds. Two and a Half Men isn't a piano comedy either, in much the same way.

[@Doctor_nulll]

@@scrubaatividya yeah, Sheldon wasn't even diagnosed in young Sheldon, infact I'm 96% sure i read that the creator stated that Sheldon was not intended to be autistic, and in his eyes will never be.

[@amanul_2474]

"Jeff you can be my father" "I don't wanna be your father" "Perfect, you already know your lines"

[@tomwanders6022]

Im dying… 😂

[@lnyn5392]

I cried inside

[@user-hj9xv4gp5e]

I have some autistic friends and while I can see similarities I never really thought Sheldon was autistic. I always thought he just had OCD and had some form of narcissistic personality disorder combined with, a sheltering and overprotective mother. I feel its not that he doesn’t understand how he effects people but he simply does not care enough to bother being empathetic (narcissism). I do agree though Abed is definitely a portrayal of autism and a rather good one in my opinion.

[@rigpa10]

this guy is a dummy -

[@pappaOfswe]

Streets ahead

[@jodzict]

I think it’s important to mention that abed’s character too played into the stereotype of being inconsiderate and prioritizing his own feelings over others. Even Abed’s final line in the ‘6 candles’ episode is about how Abed intentionally tormented Britta for his own gain. What I think is special about these instances is that the show wouldn’t always let Abed brush off his behavior like with Sheldon, Abed’s actions really had consequences for himself and it allowed the audience to sympathize with him and understand him more. By the 3rd season, there were whole episodes about how Abed’s behavior was being questioned, and there were some really intense growing moments for him. By season 5 & 6, Abed had become the most emotionally intelligent and considerate person on the show.

[@j_fenrir]

god i absolutely hate when shows excuse shitty behaviour because of autism. like not being neurotypical doesnt give you a free pass to be a dick?? yes, being unintentionally hurtful can definitely happen because of autism, but not learning from it and having that be "fine" is so scummy. I genuinely think its because people forget autistic people are human too, and can be as good or as bad as any other person

[@ALittlePriest101]

Yes! I loved that episode in season 5 where Hickman calls him out on his behavior. Like yeah, Abed is autistic, but that doesn't mean he gets to be inconsiderate about other's feelings. And I love how much he grows as a character.

[@Gojiexpert2217]

Yes that’s true but as a neurodivergent person myself I think that abed gets a lot right such as his ability to anylyze peoples behavior and actually understand their reactions

[@ReznorQuake]

@@ALittlePriest101i think that episode should’ve been done in a much different way and still get the same good message across, talking about how Hickey physically restrained Abed by handcuffing him to a cabinet, that’s horrible to do to anyone let alone autistic people, and with that autistic people are unfairly physically restrained a lot of the time irl usually due to meltdowns because we’re harder to understand, makes it harder to watch. i just dislike that aspect of the episode

[@trebaneconapise7793]

@@j_fenrir not only that we're also human but that we're adults, there's a lot of underlying infantalization.

[@Emperor-Quill]

The episode where Abed makes that film about his parents never fails to send me into tears. Being autistic, it's really, REALLY difficult to put my emotions into words, so often times, I just keep them to myself. Watching someone so much like myself have not just a way to communicate, but also be listened to just sends my soul into oblivion.

[@noahthe0tter]

Exactly this. For me, making these videos is how I've found I can get MY thoughts as an autistic person out there. And for Abed, it was home movies

[@riddlussy3109]

I feel the exact same. Although abed isn’t my favourite character (gotta be Troy for me), he resonated with me so well.

[@wombat7961]

What is autism but a lack of social development. By this standard quite literally everyone is autistic. On the show community everyone has a lesson to learn about themselves, their peers and society but only Abed was labeled as the shows scapegoat for someone who has been deprived and neglected. There is a very real way to look at people and talk from the heart and examining what isolation does to the brain.....or there is medication and victimization and the need to feel special by labelling yourself with an obscure and generic term like autistic

[@radicalreaderasmr45]

You did a terrific job putting your thoughts into words here. 🥰

[@telercoi3234]

I think for me the biggest difference between Sheldon and Abed is the feelings towards them in the show. With Sheldon, it feels like a lot of “We love him and we’re friends with him but also we think he’s terrible and hate him a lot of the time,” whereas with Abed it’s more “Look at this little weirdo! He’s our little weirdo! We disagree sometimes and we’ll call him out if needed but we love him and he’s an inherently valuable person!” It felt like over time, the BBT writers didn’t love Sheldon anymore, but the Community writers always loved Abed

[@gizel4376]

i don't know about that, they litterally maded a spin off on him, i think he's not a good autism portrayal, he's the portrayal people wanna see, the portrayal that provide the most comedic content

[@GamesFromSpace]

Sheldon's a childish asshole who is also autistic. Abed is autistic, but it doesn't define or limit him, unlike Sheldon who uses it as his entire presentation to the world.

[@waltermh111]

​@@GamesFromSpacebut so many autistic people also make it their whole identity. Sheldon was as much a stereotype as every other type of person in the show. It's a comedy after all and not the type that takes itself seriously. It has no real drama aspects. Comparing the 2 shoes is a bit silly

[@GamesFromSpace]

@@waltermh111 Why is it silly? Should we not analyze characters in fiction?

[@jonaskeller6399]

I'm just watching the first season of BBT again and Sheldon is much more normal and bearable there. He has a lot of moments of being funny without being mean and also of showing genuine care in his limited way. But as I remember, he gets more and more obnoxious as the show drags on. Also, Howard is a sex offender and belongs in jail.

[@DadpoolandPulverine-f1w]

Im really, really glad we have Abed for an autistic character rep

[@noahthe0tter]

Me too! He is a fantastic autistic coded character. So glad I finally understand why y'all love him now

[@shaunstark1365]

Cool username

[@trebaneconapise7793]

Exactly, not only is he smart, funny and pretty much the most emotionally mature one in the group while still being flawed, he's not a cishet white boy like the ultimate stereotype Sheldon embodies (I also like that he's not that fond of trains...), he was actually based on Dan Harmon's Pakistani friend from what I heard, even though Danny Pudi is Indian, and there's a lot of queer interpretation in the fandom regarding his relationship with Troy. So like. Amazing. The way they worked with his difficulty understanding emotion (alexithymia is kind of a bitch, first hand experience here) and socializing through overanalyzing it and being able to specifically describe patterns in people's behavior when predicting it but struggling with interpreting some reactions in the moment was so precise and detailed, love it. I have the 2-hour compilation from youtube on my phone in a "comfort" file to watch or listen to when I need to destress. I've replayed it soooo many times, doesn't get old.

[@ScaryMason]

My grandpa was somewhat autistic. I can’t tell how much because he learned a lot of coping skills so it wasn’t really obvious. But every Thanksgiving dinner he brought up the Donner Party. He didn’t know how to interact socially so every family get together he would sit on the couch while and talk endlessly. However, my sisters tell me he wrote back and forth some very personable letters. I miss him dearly.

[@mbaelstromos0002]

As someone getting tested for autism and doing this research, I started to see how Sheldon was a bad portrayal, and even people said I acted a lot like him. My mom thought he was a good springboard for Autism, but I had to explain to her that while he does exhibit some traits, he is a stereotype.

[@noahthe0tter]

Yeah it's really unfortunate. Like I said in the video, for a long time people assumed all autistic people acted like this, simply because this show was very popular. Definitely pretty sad. I'm glad there are good reps like Abed out there though

[@gandalf_the_purplewithredd2057]

Also he's a genually shitty person and I hate when people say I looked or acted like him just because I was a hyperlexic child or because I didn't like getting hugged or because I like talking about my scientific interests

[@flovonnejohnson707]

...... According to the writers of the show, Sheldon wasn't intended to be written as autistic. He was apparently modeled after one of the writers who was later diagnosed as autistic. He's never confirmed to be autistic in the show

[@JohnnyJustice777]

​@@flovonnejohnson707He wasnt though. His mother had him tested

[@foeloko]

Sheldon doesn’t have autism

[@EpicMailPotato]

I think what makes Community and Abed so good as well is that Abed, despite being the 'one who can't express emotions' is actually the emotional centre of the group. He's most likely to be the one to pull together in the end, he's most likely to actually apologise for how he's hurt people and he's often times the only one actually aware that what he did was wrong. I think the key example of this is at the end of the Halloween episode where they show the insanity test results right before credits roll

[@RachelAnnPotter]

Proof: the darkest timeline

[@reaperraider999]

Abed is the logical center of the group where I feel that Troy is the emotional center. I'm not disagreeing with your comment because sometimes Abed does fill troy's role and vice verse (which is why they are such a great pairing) but usually Abed wrangles in the group when they make illogical choices and Troy wrangles them in when they need more emotion. Prime example for Troy is the season 2 episode "Mixology Certification" which is one of my absolute favorites. Also you can see how each character leaving impacts the group in S3 E4 "Remedial Chaos Theory" (the dice roll episode) which is widely considered to be one of if not the best episode of television ever.

[@blackbird-sleeper]

Abed has a benefit- to me at least- as being a rare autistic person on the screen who isn't good at math, or science, and that's their "thing," the autistic savant stereotype. Instead, he's a film major, and he uses narratives to piece together how the world works. It's me! Abed is just like me! The fact that so many other people in the comments are saying they're autistic and found Abed relatable proves that he's a character taken seriously and not a stereotype.

[@Gamba6783]

Your comment made me think though I haven’t finished the video yet but a tidbit I like about Abed’s change to the film major is that when he switches he’s not really very good at it. The bias of that savant stereotype makes you think he’s going to be immediately amazing at it and even the episode, in my opinion, leans into that assumption but then you see the video at the end and it’s not a masterpiece. Even outside of finally getting good autistic representation, it’s refreshing to see a character who jumps from their “safe” career path into the thing they actually want to do and not immediately be perfect at it, like we see in so much other media. As much as we want to be good from the start, the thing we love will still take practice and it does show his improvement through the show. And not to say his video was the worst ofc.

[@robbyhanlon]

The difference? Community had heart. Plain and simple. Character growth, actual jokes and creative storytelling didn’t hurt either.

[@theblankyblankness]

This video was Dean-lightful.

[@noahthe0tter]

Ayyyy

[@TaylorWeston]

It was a good Chang of pace from what I normally watch on KZbin. Subscribed!

[@13Kr4zYAzN13]

This comment is streets ahead

[@theblankyblankness]

@@13Kr4zYAzN13 we can banter if you want to banter but I’m leaving early for the chicken run. (And no I didn’t KZbin search for relevant episode memes.)

[@franki1990]

Sixseasonsandafuckinmovie

[@Yardnoc3103]

Important to know that Dan Harmon, the creator of community, has gone on to say that Abed is a bit of a self-insert. That he too often has to use film to understand other people. So Abed is just Harmon dialed up to 11.

[@ASuddenRose]

Yeah! Dan Harmon actually shows up pretty early when you Google famous people with autism, and he was the showrunner for 5 out of 6 seasons, so he frequently was able to check in with that. Having someone with autism majorly involved does great things!

[@MasoTrumoi]

Dan specifically said that he wrote Abed before he himself knew he was autistic, and the acknowledgment grew out of that realization about himself. As usual, no surprise that good representation comes from the writer knowing the topic from experience

[@markborok4481]

Bill Brady, co-creator of "Big Bang Theory" is also on the spectrum, according to an interview he did with Mayim Biyalik on her podcast.

[@EmSquems]

It’s always nice convincing people to watch community. It’s become my hyperfixation and I watch like what? 3 hours worth of community related content. It’s actually how I communicate with people sometimes

[@noahthe0tter]

Community is fantastic. So glad I finally watched it

[@aspider3254]

Ik this is a small thing, but Abed is not “autistic-coded”, his character explicitly has autism, the autism isn’t coded, its part of his character.

[@matthiasjilimin700]

what does coded mean?

[@kingdavidoft807]

Coded means that the show never tells you that a character is autistic, but he shows a lot of traits that indicate that he's autistic

[@Emiturbina]

​@@matthiasjilimin700 Stereotype but when you don't want to say stereotype

[@crowbirdy]

Yep, they literally say it in the pilot!

[@eviemelie3014]

Wasn’t Jeff saying that as an insult?

[@GoofyGooberGawrsh-h8d]

Yeah, I just wish with all of Sheldon's terrible actions, he would just LEARN or GROW. But he doesn't. You hit the nail on the head. Thanks for doing great videos on autism awareness man

[@noahthe0tter]

No problem! I'm always happy to advocate for other autistic people like me

[@animeandcartoonshticks1394]

he does , did you watch the latest seasons? ovb he is gonna stay mean , its a sitcome every character is evil , abed also does terrible things , i don't want to defend the bigbang theory writers do , i think for me the bad part is how others treat sheldon

[@craig2196]

​@@animeandcartoonshticks1394 the difference is. I wouldn't want to murder Abed for what he does.

[@animeandcartoonshticks1394]

@@craig2196 sounds like a you problem if you think sexualy harassing women is less worthy of your rage than sheldon saying mean things

[@UniChimma]

@@craig2196me

[@willjohnson8446]

Just to clarify, the Russo brothers directed Community, but (aside from one season) it was written by Dan Harmon and his writing room. Dan based the character, Abed, on a real person he’s friends with. That always helps because it means Dan has a pretty good idea how the real Abed would react. Dan’s also neuro-divergent (self-diagnosed with autism) and the character of Abed often serves as a voice for Dan’s own opinions and issues. Most importantly, Dan’s a writing snob. He’d be frankly angry if his jokes didn’t have punchlines and were simply the audience laughing at the nerd being nerdy.

[@lyranorthernstar3802]

I thought Dan Harmon wrote community and the Russo brothers directed it. Also Dan’s said in the past he wanted to be like Jeff but in reality he acts like Abed.

[@OrangeCat1992]

Yes. The Russo brothers were directors and only basically for the first three seasons. Joe came back for two episodes in season 5 but that’s it.

[@lyranorthernstar3802]

@@OrangeCat1992yep season 4 that explains the gas leak year 😉😂

[@j_fenrir]

yes i love abed nadir appreciation! i relate to him so much even though my autism isn't quite as "overt" as his (couldn't think of a better word lol). It's just so nice seeing accurate autistic people on screen, it gives me the warm 'n' fuzzies y'know?

[@12DAMDO]

Troy and Abed are my favorite Community characters so i'm glad to see the appreciation they receive online

[@noahthe0tter]

They are both fantastic!

[@ottojablonka]

“6 SEASONS AND A MOVIE” I absolutely love community because of Abed and Troy. They were never meant to be such an inseparable duo but the chemistry between both the characters and the actors was just way too good. After Troy left, Abed was basically the only reason why I kept watching.

[@Croga]

There is no way to overstate the genious of Dany Pudy and Donald Glover. And not only are they both geniouses, the combination of the two is just magical. They made the show and I hope with everything I have that they will get back together for a movie.

[@pinkleWeenkies]

@@Crogadanny glover is incredibly talented

[@SawyerFan.1]

Sheldon is canonically not even autistic or autistic coded, he's simply just weird according to the creators

[@jadesoda5305]

If you watch the show its pretty obvious theres like 3 behaviors he has that would imply he’s autistic and like 58 that imply he’s just really really smart and likes to live life almost entirely logically instead of emotionally

[@UniChimma]

But being smart is not and autistic trait

[@Missingno_Miner]

Which they did solely because they didn't want to take up the responsibility of a good portrayal.

[@DanKaschel]

​@@UniChimmathat's the point. He's not autistic. People are insisting that he is despite all evidence and then getting mad at a "bad portrayal".

[@MasoTrumoi]

​@@jadesoda5305almost nothing about Sheldon's life is logical instead of emotional

[@sofietje8997]

Also LOVE the representation of abed!! I would suggest the queens gambit too, even though she is diagnosed by the asd community and does not have that much hints as community gives. I resonate with her way more though. Still great vid

[@noahthe0tter]

Oh? I've never seen the Queen's Gambit! Sounds like I should watch it ♟️

[@mattlombardi7358]

Can’t even lie, I started to think I was autistic because of the character of Abed Nadir, because I too live my life as if it were a narrative and not a life.

[@j_fenrir]

god thats so relatable tho. like "damn i gotta get out of bed, i have a narrative arc to finish!"

[@mattlombardi7358]

@@j_fenrir gotta keep the watchers interested!

[@nathanielmorgan9108]

Wait...that's characteristic of autism? I uh...that's interesting...let me go and question my life now...

[@sweeney60]

My life has always felt like a movie. Took me well into my teens and even twenties just to realize that I couldn’t take things that happened in movies and put them into real life. Then in my early twenties I got my autism diagnosis and suddenly things started to make sense.

[@lululuvscats]

Abed is not just my favorite character on the show, he's basically _everything I want to be_ as a fellow autistic. He's aware of his own flaws, but at the same time isn't ashamed of them and pursues his own creative hobbies without worrying what the rest of the world will think. Not only that, he genuinely tries to learn from his mistakes and while he does get made fun of occasionally, his friendships with the study group actually feel genuine. I cried so hard when Troy left because I also know what it's like to latch onto one specific friend who not only GETS me, but also keeps me grounded in the real world. Hell, I'm crying right now writing this XD That's how good this show's writing is and how much they nailed it with Abed's autistic representation.

[@jennabeth6851]

I think there are some really great moments with Sheldon. Especially his interactions with Penny at times feel very honest. His reaction when Penny gave him an autograph for Christmas and he didn't quiet know how to react, and when he says the Penny that he doesn't like the change from 5 star rating to thumbs up and thumbs down system and his reaction when Penny doesn't take it seriously. They had some very honest moments but they are definitely few and far between.

[@wavewingman5993]

This will undoubtedly be addressed in the video, but I couldn't resist coming down to the comments to give my two cents. In my opinion, the biggest difference between these two is in how their actions are received, both by the audience and by their fellow characters. Sheldon is basically a one-note character; he always acts on selfish impulses, usually putting his friends through a lot of trouble. Yet, he always brushes it off with a quip and is allowed to keep doing this. Unlike Sheldon, Abed is allowed to go both ways. He does often act on his own, without considering his friends. But he clearly isn't malicious, nor does he play into the "unfeeling" stereotype like Sheldon- he clearly values his friends highly. He can also do things for their benefit often, even if it's usually in a weird Abed sort of way. He doesn't excuse all his mistakes with one-liners, and when he makes them, the episode usually leaves him with something to think about. On the flip side, his quirks can also be very endearing, and it's clear that the rest of the cast likes having him around, eccentricities and all. I think it's this duality that makes Abed so well-loved, he's prone to going off into his own world and acting on his own impulses, so he's not perfect, but he's rarely, if ever, malicious, usually means well, and values his relationships with the people around him. On the other hand, Sheldon comes off like a selfish asshole that the rest of the cast would genuinely be better off without, no matter how many "we love you, actually" speeches they use to handwave his douchiness.

[@SuddenReal]

As an a-social person, I get what you're saying. Abed is a-social, while Sheldon is anti-social. Abed wants to engage with other people, but doesn't know how, while Sheldon just doesn't care.

[@alisilcox6036]

Abed has other excellent writing aside from his communication, too. For me, its that he makes mistakes and is considered and held responsible for them, and, relatedly, frequently people see him as in need of "help" or deny him agency, only to find out that actually hes fine or maybe hes trying to help them... Or that they simply have no idea what he actually wants. And as a character he is also a role model in that he operates as a leader and will confront his issues when he notices theyre there, and communicate with his friends to resolve them as far as hes able.

[@noahthe0tter]

Exactly - he makes mistakes, but he's held accountable and he learns from them. That's so crucial for creating a character people will resonate with, and one this show does really well in general I noticed. I do agree also, he often is the unsaid leader in multiple scenarios. Very good stuff.

[@alankent]

BBT executives, writers and staff has stated on numerous occasions that Sheldon Cooper is not autistic. I know many autistic people and the character presents nothing like that. He is brilliant and has OCD as well as being self absorbed. If you struggle with OCD, Sheldon is very funny. If you are self absorbed, he gets on your nerves.

[@floridasavannah]

I think one of the reasons Big Bang Theory took off was many of the Gen X and older who grew up getting sh!t on for their nerdy interests. Say what you will about the characters getting made fun of, but they have full pride in being themselves. My mom was one of those kids, who got a joke reward in High School for "biggest star wars fan" in the 80s. She learned more about fan conventions from the Big Bang Theory and she had so much fun going to Megacon and even a straight Star Wars Convention.

[@nobodybutaghost]

When I watched this I thought, "well community just is fair to compare shows, it makes everything look so much worse" and then I went, "actually it's totally fair, these other shows need to step it up." The world-class writing is only made better by the fact that it doesn't have a laugh track. It lets character driven emotional moments not feel weird in the context of the show, it lets there be more jokes, and it doesn't accidentally shame the audience for a joke or reference they don't get. Especially with so many references and homages. What's great about community is you can like any character. I can say my favourite character is the dean, or Subway, or Todd, because they're all increadible. And what's important about community is you can find anything funny. It's not a rule, no guidelines of when to laugh. There's jokes in the background, in the foreground, and even in the subtle ways a character smiles (yes, there actually is, it's an Abed joke)

[@noahthe0tter]

@@nobodybutaghost exactly this. Community is on a wildly different level with its writing, and I'm shocked how GOOD it is. Sooo many other shows just don't have that level of cleverness, even outside of Big Bang Theory

[@ptfornatale]

Sheldon doesn’t have autism according to the producers he has OCD and is Sheldon he might have been influenced by autistic people but he is not an autistic person.

[@DanKaschel]

In my head cannon he also has narcissistic personality disorder. I think it fits. But just to be clear, I wouldn't be mad if he portrayed it badly because it's just something I decided.

[@NyckulasLowe]

To be clear, Sheldon’s character was not autistic in anyway.

[@jfess1911]

I never really saw Sheldon as autistic, just an oddball/jerk. The point was to make him funny, not realistic.

[@NathanChick-n8q]

I like Sheldon and I could write an entire essay on why I like him.

[@locusofintent]

I'm not autistic. As far as I know, none of my close friends or family are autistic. But I still hate Sheldon Cooper. The idea that his hostile, anti-social behavior is due solely to his supposed autism irritates me. That we are supposed to laugh at that behavior, frustrates me more. I much preferred the portrayal of Temple Grandin in her biopic or even Gary Bell from the scifi show Alphas.

[@christopherneedham9584]

Sheldon was never written to be autistic. This is something that people attribute to him that the writers didn’t intend.

[@locusofintent]

@christopherneedham9584 Hmm. If that's just something that the audience just put on the character, then it's not on the writers. But then I wonder - was Sheldon just written to be a sociopath or something? His behavior is monstrous and almost solipsistic. Thanks for the message

[@DanKaschel]

​@@locusofintentJust guessing but I think he was written with narcissistic personality disorder.

[@angelahull9064]

I interpreted him as having undiagnosed autism, OCD, and PTSD from bullying. His behaviors seem more of a maladaptive coping mechanism to deal with bullying and a chaotic world that refuses to try to understand him. He does have moments of growth on the show, mostly because of the influence of Penny, but I think the writers took the lazy writing route. They got tired of the character but Jim Parsons is too much of a big draw for the show's success that they couldn't get rid of him until Jim was ready to be over it. The writers got way over their heads in creating such a complex character whose issues can't always be resolved in a comedic fashion in 24 minute episodes. Jim Parsons is more than capable of delivering the goods, but the actors on these shows are practically forbidden to make creative changes and suggestions. So the writers just amped up the tropes and try to come up with those most mean things for Sheldon to do and say for seasons 6 through 10. The Intimacy Acceleration shows Sheldon at his best, but look who he is hanging with: Penny.

[@SavagioTs]

Sheldon in BBT is just an asshole. By the way, try watching the Young Sheldon, IMHO writing there was much better and in it Sheldon is definitely a more sympathetic character

[@denverbeek]

I don't mean to defend the stereotype, but Sheldon's quirks are borderline adorable.

[@jadesoda5305]

Not even a stereotype some people are just incapable of admitting to themselves they can be the bad guy like sheldon abed is a nice escape from reality where his quirks always save the day and have no unfortunate consequences. Sheldon is the reality of living your life in a way different from the norm, the status quo, you might make peoples lives harder because of it and theres nothing wrong with that you dont owe it to anyone to act normal

[@Stratmanable]

@denverbeek That's good, because what he displays is closer to borderline personality disorder than it is to autism.

[@franki1990]

​@@jadesoda5305You have it backwards. Are you sure you watched the same both shows?

[@emblemblade9245]

Bazinga

[@Thegamingtrouge]

Donde, está, la biblioteca. Me llamo T-Bone La araña discoteca. Discoteca, muñeca, La biblioteca Está en bigotes grandes, el perro, manteca. Manteca, bigotes, gigante, pequeño, la cabeza es nieve, cerveza es bueno. Buenos dias, me gusta papas frías, los bigotes de la cabra Es Cameron Diaz.

[@noahthe0tter]

Hahaha 🤣 the greatest ending to any episode

[@kido3925]

Good Video, but if I remember correctly, Sheldon wasn't written as a person with autism. He was supposed to be a person with a very high IQ who only wants to follow logic (like Spok I guess). So therfore he doesn't understand irrational behaviour and emotions. I could be wrong, but I just found an article in which one of the producers confirms my memory. But I still understand that despite the original concept for the character, it can still be a bad representation, because a lot of people think he's autistic.

[@UniChimma]

Yes, but I also think a person with really high IQ is also more open minded than the average human, because you can understand why people think what they think and understand them even if they are wrong

[@kido3925]

@@UniChimma I think you're right. But Highly intelligent people can struggle with irrational behavior right? I don't know if that's like a false rumor, but I always thought that social incompetence isn't that rare with really really really smart people.

[@UniChimma]

@@kido3925 I don’t want to sound arrogant, but some people believe I’m really intelligent, and yes, I am really socially awkward, and I was a little bit as Sheldon as a kid, but know I think I understand better the other people

[@NextToToddliness]

There is a huge difference between codification and caricature. Abed was coded as being on the spectrum, while Sheldon is an amplification of stereotypes and generalizations. Abed was allowed to be a person and not a machine driven by spite, apathy, and misanthrope. Sheldon's perceived diagnosis is the butt of the jokes, while Abed's perceived diagnosis informs & runs parallel to the jokes. We laugh with/at him like we do with all the characters of Community. In the Big Bang Theory, Sheldon's behavior & perceived diagnosis sets him apart from the rest of the "normal" characters forcing you to constantly ask yourself why they even hang out with him.

[@DanKaschel]

Abed isn't coded. He's autistic.

[@onion405]

Sheldon was tested, results came back normal

[@joshuavis2736]

Must be a bad psychiatrist lol. It’s obvious he’s autistic coded, the reason they didn’t make it official is so they could easily make fun of Sheldon without people saying the show is ableist or discriminatory

[@antoniafrank6192]

Just a quick note: Part of the reason the big bang theory feels so awkward with the laughtrack is that they mostly filmed it in front of a live audience, so the majority of laughter is a real audience (even if it might have been forced)

[@becca1189]

If a line didn't get the desired reaction from the audience, sometimes they would try others & keep the one that got the most laughter for the broadcast. Ad-libbing was often welcome from the actors as well. ❤🧡💛💚💙💜

[@felix_a_fiend]

The way I have the exact same manifestations of autism as Abed will never cease to amaze me. It’s not just “I can relate to him.” I literally only understand people because I consume media.

[@natnuss98]

As someone who liked casually watching TBBT I'm happy that Sheldon was never canonically autistic. Like this show was my white noise for years and I just watched for the girls anyways.

[@cooperminion825]

I feel like the problem with Sheldon is that he grew up with so many people bending over backwards for his every want. He was rarely told "no" and never really taught how to respect others. I personally blame his mom who basically reinforced all his bad behavior. When we meet him in TBBT, everyone just puts up with his behavior just bc it's easier than trying to correct his behavior

[@angelahull9064]

He was often told no, but he managed to wear people down who didn't want to to put in the effort to work on his issues with him. They thought his genius must mean he knows better but chooses not to do better. They reinforced his negative conceptions of himself: he's superior, he's homo novus, he's a robot, he's an alien, he has no deal, etc. Only Penny challenges him and most of his moments of growth are the result of their interactions and friendship. He does realize he needs his friends even if they're not really all that good friends, they just never leave him. Honestly, everyone on that show has something awful about them but no one really changes much to be their better selves. It's a mean-spirited comedy, not a drama.

[@jasonmeade955]

I think this is the real reason Sheldon behaves like a 5 year old for the entirety of TBBT. He was never made to grow up. It isn't autism. It's just terrible parenting.

[@cooperminion825]

@@jasonmeade955 I think it's maybe 20% autism and 80% bad parenting. Some of the things he does, like having trouble detecting sarcasm, do fall on the spectrum. However, the fact that everyone catered to his every whim turned what could've been another awkwardly charming scientist into the annoying jackass that we're all familiar with

[@caydencampbell3069]

​@@cooperminion825 Sheldon's not autistic you do realize that right

[@pajrc1234]

4:55 most of the show was not written by the Russos, as far as I can tell. All seasons except for season 4 it was Dan Harmon, and the Russos wrote season 4.

[@noahthe0tter]

Ohhh ok! Good to know - I know they were executive producers consistently though

[@mayohyundai1152]

No the Russos were not the season 4 writers, i believe there was ab entirely different duo brought in. The Russos did direct some of the best action focused episodes like the paintball ones, but as far as writing season 4 thats not them

[@pajrc1234]

@@mayohyundai1152 oh right that's my bad, i mixed it up with that other duo

[@OrangeCat1992]

The Russos were directors for about half of the episodes during seasons 1-3. Joe Russo came to direct 2 episodes during season 5. Dan Harmon was the show runner for every season except for season 4.

[@spicyman6006]

Season 4: 💨

[@omegamac10]

This is weird to me because I never heard of Sheldon being autistic. He's always been just a nerd who's selfish and bossy most of the time. If he was autistic and everyone knew i don't think his friends would hate him as much. They'd most likely just be more understanding and caring. This makes me wonder if other nerds in tv and movie history would be called autistic today. Like Steve Urkel or the nerds in Revenge of the nerds.

[@itsgonnabeanaurfromme]

He definitely has some features of an autistic person. But to me, it's more like Aspergers. You can definitely tell that as annoying as he is, he has said multiple times that he does not choose to be and this is just the way he is But I also agree that we can't just give annoying, nerdy characters, the definition of autism to excuse their behavior

[@noahthe0tter]

Yeah a lot of people thought he was what all autistic people were like when the show was airing

[@TerenceA72]

You think his friends hate him, that's interesting. Autisum isn't an excuse for being an asshole, Sheldon constantly reminds us that he does know better, he literally tells people 'I know more than you, I am better' it's usually just after he's been a total prick to someone. It's all fine and well saying be understanding and caring but I throw that out of the window when the attitude is repeatedly 'I knew what I was doing was wrong but I did it anyway, I'm autistic you just have to live with it' other characters say things like 'It's the way he is' and 'its just Sheldon you'll get used to it' what they are actually saying is 'He's an asshole, yes he's treats us all like we are beneath him but we just let him' I'm of the opinion that if someones being a prick tell them, it's the only way they are going to learn.

[@omegamac10]

@@TerenceA72 it looks like you didn't read what I actually wrote.

[@aethermca]

That's because he is not autistic, it is said explicitly in the show that he was tested, and the doctors said he is not (also the producer of the show). He's just a bundle of a lot of weird-nerdy-genius guy traits together

[@sarah_757]

I intensely dislike chuck lorre's sitcoms. I've always thought BBT was a low effort hack job, padnering to an exteme lowest common denominator. Community really put work into their characters and stories. I suppose that's why it got canceled; executives can barely grasp BBT, never mind the tight, snappy, super witty dialog on Community. I lovr Abed and really appreciate the in depth writing for him.

[@erikkillmonger5624]

I disagree that Sheldon didn't change. He grew considerably over the course of the show; his relationship with Amy being the most obvious. Abed, on the other hand, stayed pretty much the same, which is probably more realistic. Also, the Russo brothers were NOT writers on Community. 4:50 They didn't write a single episode; they were directors.

[@pharaohavalon8566]

I’d argue he just got better with having Amy in his life as a constant. He still treats others like crap.

[@ewakowalska4532]

I don't think anyone mentioned it here, but personally my favourite autism representation character is Donnie from Rise of Teenage mutant ninja turtles. It doesn't seem forced, they never announce it in any way, the autistic traits are just there and fit with his character. It comes out very natural. The show in general had some good character writing, it's a shame it was cut short. Another one would be Hunter from owl house, although he was never confirmed officially as autistic (or I think he wasn't, correct me if I'm wrong).

[@SleepingPepper]

Sheldon is in no way shape or form autistic, its been confirmed by the creators and the actor that the character is NOT autistic.

[@ripleyjlawman.3162]

I don’t know where you get your delusions, but Jim repeatedly acknowledged Sheldon’s autistic coding, and along with Johnny implicitly compared him to a real life autistic writer in at least one interview, the supposed confirmation of Sheldon not being autistic is a boiler plate argument from the creators of the show, stemming from their refusal to be responsible with the jokes they made about Sheldon, since confirming him as explicitly autistic would supposedly ‘limit/stifle’ the show’s comedic tone.

[@SleepingPepper]

@@ripleyjlawman.3162 Sooooo, on paper he is not autistic....just like I said

[@HandsomeLongshanks]

The main problem i have with any media protrayal is that every person with autism displays it differently. I know people who act like sheldon and people who act like abed and 100s of other manifestations of personalities because they're individuals. If you take any 1 person and put them in media, they look like a stereotype. That's just what happens because the human psyche is weird and starts thinking "they must mean ALL autistic people are this way" when it's really "THIS autistic person acts this way."

[@kyshtym]

YES! i wrote tv for 40 years (cheers, frasier, modern family, etc., etc.) and i run into this all the time. the character is a specific individual, not a representation of everyone who shares their characteristics.

[@jonnyharding3646]

Sheldon doesn't have autism

[@basedjack6101]

This is my favourite community episode. There may be others that are better, but this is the one that let me know this show was special, and I would love it

[@DragoRaRaRa]

Ok im 4 minutes in and its kind of abundantly clear that this guy didnt watch big bang theory. Yes sheldon is an annoying man child but to say he doesnt have growth? Thats just not true. He opens up about himself, he does care deeply for his friends, he finds love and gets to a place in his life he never thought he would with friends who love him and a wife who loves him and by the end of the series he understands that even though he is a genious he wouldnt have made it where he is without the support of the rest of the cast. Also side note the show never once says sheldon is autistic AND the creators and actor for the character says he isnt. So while the character exhibits auistic behavior, he has never once been confirmed to have autism.

[@Naoise012]

Thank you! I was starting to think no one here actually watched Big Bang Theory. Sheldon is constantly growing and changing and being held accountable for his actions. They "put up with" some things like his knocking ritual because that doesn't really matter in any meaningful way, but when he actually messes up they tell him and he adapts like when he made that entire diagram of circles to denote the privacy of information because he didn't understand what made something private.

[@lucaspms1234]

Sheldon is not canonically autistic, as such it doesn't even make sense so debate about whether he is good or bad representation, he is not trying to represent anyone. And to say that he is never held accountable for his bad behavior and never grows makes me think if you guys have actually watched the whole show or just the first 2 seasons.

[@chazchoo99]

6:15, I've never seen the show before, and this clip made me tear up at work 😅

[@randomasshumanbeing2078]

I adore Community, but I can’t really watch it around my family. I’m obsessed with it, but they all think it’s super weird and strange. Anytime I watch it, they either change it, or say “it’s that weird show again” Screw them, I relate heavily to Abed and Annie. The show is super funny and strange, I love it. Seeing other people also enjoy the show makes me so happy considering everyone I’m always around don’t like it.

[@deepakganesan9327]

Sheldon is never described as having autism. The producers of the show even went on to say that he doesn't have autism he's "just Sheldon". Even if he displays certain behaviors that autistic folks would display, he's not autistic, nor do the writers try to have him be representative of people with autism.

[@kinesissado9636]

Sheldon was not suppose to have autism because it undercuts a point that people often miss in big bang theory: none of these people are good people.

[@stillinfamous]

This was my understanding; I was under the impression that Sheldon’s quirks were just that.

[@eternallucifer7709]

The writer saying Sheldon doesn't canonically have autism doesn't mean much when he essentially wrote the guy as the ultimate stereotype of autism. Canonically or not, the elements are there

[@kinesissado9636]

@@eternallucifer7709 I’m somewhat on the fence about it. The writer stating Sheldon doesn’t have autism is important in early seasons. One of the points they were trying to get across in the earlier seasons was that these characters are not good people. This means that as much as a viewer might want to feel sorry any time someone is mean to Sheldon, it is often times deserved. Sheldon inability to grasp social queues was implied early on to not be due to a disability, but due to his lack of interest in others/narcissism. One example is the running gag they had on Sheldon being unable to pick up on sarcasm. A subtle thing with this running gag was that Sheldon inability to pick up sarcasm was when the sarcasm was directed at him in instances where he seems to believe he has a better grasp of a situation than anyone else around him, but in actuality he does not. This is due to his (purposeful) lack of interest in understanding anyone else’s perspective. As the seasons progressed, these instances of being unable to grasp sarcasm (in this specific circumstance), progressed to being unable to grasp sarcasm in total. The viewer stops being able to perceive his difficulty in grasping sarcasm as something that’s a fault of Sheldon. It becomes more likely to a viewer that his struggle with sarcasm is due to an underlying disability (especially when they made an episode where Sheldon has an emotional breakdown at his difficulty).

[@eternallucifer7709]

@@kinesissado9636 I don't know about early seasons, but in later ones it becomes clear that things like not understanding sarcasm and being arrogant with others is not because Sheldon is an asshole but because his brain works that way. This was made even clearer in Young Sheldon, where we literally have a episode where Sheldon and Missy took a test to see their intelligence and Sheldon fails miserably in understanding emotions at an honestly terrifying level. And frankly, if the writers had never intended to have Sheldon be autist, my guess is that their reference to the character were people with autism. Sheldon's schedules, plans and roommate agreement showcase autist people needing to control their environment. And it is shown that Sheldon isn't just trying to control things,s he genuinely lives by what he established where there are times when he rejects something he would have liked or accepts something he despises because his rules tell him to do so.

[@MHM6081]

Mean and unlikeable people can be autistic too. Also most people's introduction to autism was "Rain Man." I didn't watch Big Bag Theory when it aired. My sister told me to watch it for the longest time, because she said that Sheldon reminded her of my son. When I did watch it, I was surprised. Even Sheldon's movements reminded me of my son. Years later, my son was diagnosed with autism. So there might be some merit that Sheldon has autism. Pretty impressive considering, both shows did not intend to portray autism, initially. They were based on characters that the creaters knew. Also, I have no issue with characters being "coded." If people could identify with a character and feel less alone, so be it.

[@omegamac10]

I think we were all told that rain man was an idiot savant. Definitely don't remember the word autistic back then. Maybe the term has been changed or erased because of how bad it sounds. Idk. Oh also I think Abed was always intentioned to be autistic. I think very early on characters suggest he might have Asperger's syndrome, which now I'm hearing is another term that's being phased out.

[@MHM6081]

@@omegamac10 kzbin.info/www/bejne/sJ3NdXeAqLWDiK8 Here's the scene where the doctor tells Tom Cruise's character what Raymond's condition is, "Autistic Savant," used to be called "idiot savant." I think you're right about Abed. I got confused.

[@omegamac10]

@@MHM6081 I want to add a time stamp link to this. Thanks for finding it. It’s pretty amazing to hear they we’re phasing out idiot savant back then in favor of autistic savant. kzbin.info/www/bejne/sJ3NdXeAqLWDiK8si=Ymeao1HnpIUPR1QX&t=120

[@franki1990]

"Savant" is just another stereotype that's not an autistic trait, it has to do with another neurodivergence and IQ measurement

[@RileyOsburn]

As someone in an autistic family who is almost definitely on the spectrum themselves, I have always loved Sheldon. I haven’t watched Community to say anything about Amed, so I won’t. While Sheldon undeniably has the number of tropes attached to him, however I always saw it as part of his charm. I hate it when a character is so stereotypical you just want to claw your eyes out, however for Sheldon I think it’s always made him more accessible, in a way. Also, sometimes a trope (albeit rarely) is true, and so I find I relate to Sheldon on many many levels.

[@mysteriiis]

Absolutely. Sheldon isn't 'bad autistic rep'. He's what can happen when someone never gets diagnosed

[@franki1990]

Yeah, and that was never ever addresed​ in the series so, bad rep @@mysteriiis

[@mysteriiis]

@@franki1990 It absolutely is. First off by multiple episodes where either Amy is coaching Sheldon through improving some particular issue he has; and episodes where where we're shown just how debilitating Sheldon's problems actually are. There are also multiple side/one off characters with are clearly neurodivergent, or just don't care to go along with social norms. Far from being obnoxious assholes; or pathetic creeps; they're various versions of exceptionally cool. This tends to go for other characters in the world of academia as well. Even Amy, awkward as she is, quickly becomes far more charismatic and likeable than Sheldon. And the guys are almost always portrayed as the bottom rung of their university's social ladder. Sheldon even gets repeatedly bullied by a colleague who on paper should have far less rizz than him. The boys of BBT aren't meant to represent all nerds. They're nerds who've theoretically won the war. Big degrees, jobs in their preferred fields, etc. But soon discover nothing's changed from high school. Because no one every taught, or forced, them to learn and grow.

[@neranlindo]

Just correcting something. The Russo Brothers didn't write any episodes they only directed it (and for just one season and a half). The person you should be thanking for making Community is Dan Harmon, it's creator. He's most known for co-create Rick and Morty.

[@SideWalkWalking]

This was. A nice, well-done video. I didnt get into BBT, but loved Community. Im so glad you got such a good impsct feom watching it!

Sheldon is not an authist person

[@Morboxx]

Community is one of those shows I come back to and I don't usually come back to stuff. One of the best shows to ever exist, seriously.

[@GeekRedux]

Great take on TBBT and Community! I've been enjoying your back catalog and your takes on different autism-coded characters in the media. If you haven't watched "Astrid" (aka, "Astrid et Raphaëlle") you really should. The title character is not merely "autism coded" but explicitly identified as autistic, and they deal with her issues head on. It would be interesting to see your take on the character and the show. Note: It's only seems to be available via PBS Masterpiece streaming in the US, and it is in French with subtitles; it's a French-Belgian production.)

[@povijestpovijest9569]

Sheldon doesn't have autism, his mom had him tested.

[@aram69420]

idk if this is satire or not, but Sheldon definitely has autism, or at least on the autistic spectrum. The show creator probably doesn't even know what that is

[@noahthe0tter]

Yeah, I would imagine they don't realize what autism truly is, as I stated in the video, the show simply spread many harmful stereotypes during its run

[@povijestpovijest9569]

@@aram69420 He mentioned it a few times. His mom had him tested to see what's wrong with him. Doctors gave him no diagnosis.

[@BlaxkSun]

@@noahthe0tterreally a bad take here

[@RhebeDraws]

I think the second time this Its said the joke is that he was tested in Texas and his mom never took courage to seek other doctors opinion

[@Beisenterg]

One of the best autistic characters in media is Andrew from whiplash

[@rebeccaackerman2443]

The creator of TBBT made it clear that Sheldon is not autistic. It's just something the audience assumed because of his "traits." The show was based on nerd culture, which can be anybody. At least in Community, it is already hinted at or pointed out on the show that Abed is on the spectrum. And as someone also one the spectrum, BTW, it does make better representation than what people "assume" is because of TBBT. But, surprisingly, I still find that show funny too. Also, I miss Troy and Abed in the morning.

[@Qoobon_]

Sheldon isnt meant to have autism, the creator even confirmed that he doesnt have it. Yes, he shows signs of autism but he's just meant to be smart but weird.

[@attackofthecopyrightbots]

the part where he makes a movie for his dad my dad didnt get it but man that hit me literally me and my dad "why are you so weird abed"

[@sudevnair4070]

It was never mentioned that Sheldon has autism

[@ripleyjlawman.3162]

So writing him like a stereotype is just for kicks?

[@greenguy369]

Sheldon specifically stated in the show and outside of the show by The producers as not being someone with autism. That label was foisted on to him by people like this channel's irresponsible creator.

[@osvaldoillescas3329]

But Sheldon Cooper is not supposed to be an autistic/neurodivergent character? I'm a big fan of the show and not even once I thought he was autistic.

[@joshelguapo5563]

Idk if Sheldon is a good representative of autism, but he's definitely a good representation of a certain type of physicist. I know a couple of Sheldons. They're not always emotionally unintelligent as Sheldon but he's a good representation of the narcissist physicist.

[@Jade_d577]

Sheldon's not autistic, They have not even mentioned that he is autistic once in the show

[@ripleyjlawman.3162]

Because writing him like a stereotype of an autistic person is so much better….

[@danahlrich7519]

As someone who is autistic( high-functioning autism), I find Big Bang Theory to be incredibly insulting. To me, this show invented the offensive autism stereotype.

[@noahthe0tter]

Absolutely

[@AntNBAallday]

Community’s head writer was Dan Harmon The Russo bros directed a few episodes

[@Jupiter862]

This video really Chang-ed my mind about Abed. Maybe he isn’t a Dean-linquent after all.

[@kannonball426]

Important info here. SHELDON IS NOT AUTISTIC! The creators say multiple times that he doesn't have autism or down syndrome or anything of the sort when fans were asking.

[@hunterkiller1440]

Sheldon isn't autistic. He being a boy genius surrounded by adults coddling and babying him did not prepare him to socialize as an adult. That's why he behaves childishly despite being a genius. His lack of rudeness was generally overlooked as a child, thus it didn't phase him at all when he is rude as an adult because that's how he grew up and how he saw society as the norm.

[@noahthe0tter]

Sheldon is not being coddled by anyone around him. He is an asshole surrounded by other assholes. A lot of people assumed he was autistic when the show was airing, which, whether intentional or not, caused harmful stereotypes

[@hunterkiller1440]

@noahthe0tter I meant when he was a child, he was surrounded by adults who treated him differently. It's kinda like child stars who work with adults who don't know how to socialize with children their age.

[@Anna-fq1md]

Thank you. I forgot there was a reason I never watched the Big Bang Theory. I thought I was missing out, but nope.

[@DaisyEdwards-md7jl]

Dan Harmon said that writing Abed helped him come to terms with his own Autism

[@noahthe0tter]

Really? I didn't know that. That's absolutely fantastic to hear though

[@Olivetree80]

It doesn't seem like you watched much of the Big Bang Theory, because his character has a ton lf growth, and he always has sweet moments throughout the show. I actually find him to be really likable, but he isn't exactly an ideal or relatable representation of Autism, but that's because the writers didn't intend for him to be. The show has a lot of flaws, but Sheldon makes it watchable imo.

[@PutingPinoy]

Dan Harmon is the main person to credit for the writing, not the Russo dudes. Good video though!

[@noahthe0tter]

Thank you very much! I'm very happy with the discussion this video has sparked about representation and character writing like this in general

[@PutingPinoy]

@@noahthe0tteragreed! Abed is the best, but I think what made it even better was that he had Troy as a bestie!

[@dragonstryk7280]

One of the least realistic parts of BBT was how the entire group agreed on nerd stuff. Like 90% of our conversations are actually arguments, really. MtG, Star Trek, Star Wars, etc., we do NOT agree with each other in general. Like, just look to anime nerds who get into a "best girl" debate, and you see it: We are ready to FIGHT.

[@noahthe0tter]

Yeah that's also true. The show really just doesn't understand nerd culture in any aspect

[@BeersAndBeatsPDX]

Everything about the Big Bang Theory seems forced as if it's an executive saying "this is what nerds are like right? " "This is what autism is like right?" Nothing in that show feels genuine.

[@noahthe0tter]

Indeed

[@glorkeShprork]

Baby Driver is also peak autism portrayal and 100% worth a watch.

[@zachayres4959]

You get a like bc you watched community. I have tried for years to get more people to watch this show. It's the best

[@IsabellaCoelho]

I know several autistic people (in my family), including my brother. They are all wonderful human beings. Everyone have their own personalities and quirks. I would say that my brother just thrives through live and I'm very pround of him. Never met someone as unpleasant as Sheldon.

[@taylordukes1658]

The Russo brothers were directors on Community. The writing is thanks to Dan Harmon and his writing staff.

[@lindsey9728]

Sheldon fits the mold for OCD. It’s a pretty accurate depiction of it. OCD and Autism are very different from each other with minor overlapping behaviors but both produce “weird” behavior. His indifference to the feelings of others can be explained by having his OCD coddled instead of treated and therefore didn’t feel the need to hide it like most kids with OCD do.

[@folkloreofbeing]

Didnt the writers of TBBT say Sheldon is NOT autistic?

[@mrseaweed88]

He still shows lots of lazy stereotypical features that autistic people sometimes exhibit IRL

[@mistermangoman69]

I kinda feel that might just be try and avoid criticism, he is highly implied to be autistic and nearly everyone thinks he is, doesn’t matter what the creators say he still fits into a lot of negative stereotypes

[@xandertrejo]

The writers of Community also said they thought it was more Asperger's for Abed but the audience takes away what they want.

[@spinkertoot]

They can say whatever they want, but that's the way he was written, so that's what he is

[@aethermca]

@@xandertrejo That's because Asperger's is not a diagnosis any more, so is not a matter of "audience takes away what they want" but of "audience actually knows the correct terms to be applied

[@Spacemarine658]

Sheldon has like an episode or two were he gets sooooo close to character growth or consequences but then bam the punchline kicks in or a laugh track plays and he gets away with it

[@whattheblah8773]

the difference is that sheldon was written to be autistic, and abed was written as a self insert where the writer later in his life (after the series ended) found out he was likely autistic

[@chelsjones]

i think the problem with looking for The One Perfect Autistic Character is that there is so many of us and we’re all so different. there probably is autistic people that relate heavily to sheldon, the problem for me isn’t that he’s Not Autistic, it’s (like you mentioned) that he doesn’t LEARN! his autism is used as an excuse for his bad behaviour, not an explanation. this is why we need MORE autistic people in media because then we can portray all the different ways autism can present. my personal favourite autistic rep is quinni from heartbreak high (played by an actual autistic actress chloe hayden) because she’s just so very Me the same way abed seems to be so very You. it’s like making one queer character and asking them to represent the entire lgbtq+ community, it’s impossible! anyway sorry for the little rant, thank you for this video it was great and i’m gonna go check out some of your other stuff!!!

[@spicyman6006]

No! Thank you for creating this video and having it come up in my feed. In my opinion this video was an hour too short. I'd pay money to hear a full depth analysis on why Abed is better than Sheldon.

[@noahthe0tter]

Unfortunately I have found whenever I try to do an hour length video or around there, they to not do as well as my 9-12 min content. I gotta do what works I guess 🤷‍♂️

[@thelegend2146]

I am definitely a neurodivergent person (I just got an appointment to test for autism and ADHD) I watched the first two seasons from The Big Bang Theory, but dropped it because it was so mean spirited , Like I don’t see them as friends or even like each other , they are all just…mean and I say that as someone whose love language is teasing and Bullying “ not really bullying since it’s not one-sided we all do to each other lol” Like I feel bad for Sheldon because even though he’s not the nicest person necessarily Most of the times he genuinely do not understand what is going on and what he’s doing is wrong and people around him know that, but just make fun of him while knowing he wouldn’t understand it Not to mention none of the characters is nice maybe except Penny Leonard is someone that I will not not respect in real life , he’s not funny and just mean while obsessing over a girl just because she’s pretty Howard Is The type of person that you cover your drink when he enters the bar , he constantly being a pervert Raj it’s not as bad, but definitely some sort of enabler Community fun since you see, the character actually having chemistry with each other

[@noahthe0tter]

@@thelegend2146 community is full of likeable characters, agreed. Big Bang Theory just doesn't

[@Shadoflare64]

I'm gonna play devil's advocate just a bit here. I think Sheldon coming off the way he does is more of a symptom of Chuck Lorre's writing style. BBT has kind of a mean-spirited tone, especially in the later seasons. EVERYONE in this show is an a**hole, yet the show seems to believe this is somehow endearing. Two & a Half Men had kinda the same issue. You talked about Sheldon's disinterest in personal growth. Penny's just as bad. She treats Leonard HORRIBLY, but she gets away with it because, ey, she's pretty and Leonard gets laid if he listens to her. It's a common element through the series with all the girlfriend characters that's the problem. It has this "college bruh" sensibility to it where sex is the solution to everything. "Haha, these pathetic nerds are so dumb! The solution, get laid!" The show's depiction of geek culture is like, the clearest evidence of this. Early seasons, it fell more on the "playful satire" sort of thing where you'd see the guys argue over meaningless details in comics and stuff like that. The thing is the early seasons never really depicted it as a bad thing. They still had jobs and lives and stuff. They were just nerdy and introverted. As the show went on, the characters got increasingly pathetic and flanderized to a point where it really felt like you were supposed to feel sorry for the girls being stuck dating nerds. Like it got HATEFUL.

[@thomasedwards9450]

As a neurodivergent (non-autistic) physics grad everyone I ever met that reminded me of Sheldon was no where near as smart as they thought they were and were usually projecting their own insecurities. The true genius’s were usually quietly confident.

[@kayakyakyakr]

You hit the nail on the head about the big bang theory. Season 2 was actually really good as they seemed to get that making a show for nerds could be really funny. I remember the episode that they bounced a laser off the moon and the fact that they were absolutely geeked about it. They presented it in a way that was really good. Unfortunately they went back to the old haha, it's a nerd tropes and was so very shit.

[@mattbelanger8993]

I feel like the nuance of Sheldon over the years and the great moments they gave him overshadow a lot of your arguments against him.