One of the criticisms most often lobbied toward television is its lack of representation. That said, there have been series that have been lauded for challenging the status quo, and, while not perfect, great strides have been made towards increasing the visibility of gender, race, and queer representation. But people with disabilities continue to be underrepresented —even outright ignored — on television.
If they’re not reduced to being secondary, recurring characters — 9-1-1‘s Christopher Diaz (Gavin McHugh), for example — they’re being played by actors who do not have disabilities themselves, like Glee‘s Artie, a character in a wheelchair played by Kevin McHale, who is not. However, one sitcom, Speechless, not only featured a special needs actor in a main role, but nailed exactly what the reality is for those with disabilities, and those who love them.
What Is ‘Speechless’ About?
Speechless follows the lives of the DiMeo family: Maya (Minnie Driver), a headstrong mother who is relentless in her pursuits; Jimmy (John Ross Bowie), the easy-going father; athletic daughter Dylan (Kyla Kenedy), the youngest and most mischievous; nerdy middle child Ray (Mason Cook), who is frequently the target of Dylan’s pranks; and JJ (Micah Fowler), the oldest child who has a wicked sense of humor and a quick wit. He also happens to have cerebral palsy, and communicates to others by using headgear with a laser pointer which he uses to point at words, letters, and numbers that are on a board that’s attached to his wheelchair. JJ is assisted at school by a full-time aide, groundskeeper Kenneth (Cedric Yarbrough), with whom he makes a connection.
The character of JJ is a unicorn of sorts, a character with cerebral palsy who is front and center as a main part of the cast, and who is played by an actor with cerebral palsy himself (unlike his character, Fowler can use a walker for shorter distances and speak, albeit with great effort). What further separates JJ from the bulk of special needs characters is in how he is utilized. JJ has legitimately funny lines, emotional depth, and behaves as a normal teen would, not as a PSA or as a token character meant to showcase how wonderful the character’s caregiver is by keeping them around. As a result, Fowler and his character are empowering, proving that those with special needs don’t need to have pandering storylines or be ignored, but can be just as effective given meaningful material.
‘Speechless’ Premise Humorously Addresses the Realities Facing Families in This Situation
Speechless isn’t only unique in having a character with disabilities, but in how it addresses the realities that face families with children who have disabilities. In the first episode, we learn that the DiMeo family has moved frequently in an effort to find a school that can effectively accommodate JJ, and believe they’ve found it in Lafayette High School. It is, however, in an upscale part of town, and the family is forced to move into the cheapest house they can find in the neighborhood, which we’ll politely call a fixer-upper. The move, and the school’s efforts at promoting how inclusive it is, are exaggerated to the point of satire. Many parents have to either pay out of pocket or make extreme decisions to ensure their child gets the help they need.
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Speechless also succeeds in showcasing how all members of the family are affected. Maya is constantly attentive to JJ and helping him live with his disabilities, or at least her perception of his disabilities (she forces the school to cancel a pre-game bonfire for the football team after she realizes JJ wouldn’t be able to traverse the rocky hillside to get there, earning JJ’s ire for making him the reason why). It often puts her at odds with Kenneth, who tries to normalize things for JJ at school, and alienates her other two children, similar to how Mary (Zoe Perry) dotes on Sheldon (Iain Armitage) in Young Sheldon.
Other episodes see the family contend with issues unique to their situation – feeling guilty for having fun at an event — paintballing, where JJ isn’t involved — and those that every family deals with, like first dates and parents struggling to rekindle their passion after years spent doting on their children. It all feels authentic, as it should, given creator Scott Silveri based the series on his own family, with an older brother with cerebral palsy and two younger siblings. Despite being cancelled in 2019, it stands as a testament to how television can — and should — challenge conventions.
Speechless
- Release Date
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2016 – 2019-00-00
- Directors
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Christine Gernon, Bill Purple, Rob Cohen, Anya Adams, Claire Scanlon, Jay Chandrasekhar, Ken Whittingham, Michael Weaver, Stuart McDonald, Tristram Shapeero, Ben Lewin, Cherie Nowlan, Victor Nelli Jr., Geeta Patel, Phil Traill
