The A Word is an important BBC program that is based on an Israeli TV drama called Yellow Peppers. It is a show that focuses on a very real (read: dysfunctional) family as they try and cope with a five-year-old son who is diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum. The Iris watched the first episode of the series and can offer you five good reasons why you need to watch this…
1. The program will get people talking about autism
The world needs more stories like the The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time and Love Anthony. By watching a program like this you can engage with the family and learn a lot more about this condition. It can be quite heart-breaking to see how this child is different and the things that make him tick compared to other kids his own age.
2. The soundtrack is amazing
The idea of the show is that the autistic child, Joe Hughes (Max Vento) has issues with communication. In order to overcome this he listens to a lot of music (and in most cases he has picked up his musical tastes from his father (Lee Ingleby.)) What this means for audiences is that they’re treated to no less than the Artic Monkeys, The Human League and The B-52s in one episode. Enough said.
3. The Lake District
The Israeli series was set in a small, rural town. The A Word however, is set in one of the most picturesque parts of England. This popular holiday destination inspired lots of 19th century poets and it is famous for its lakes, forests and mountains and you can see all of this in the show!
4. Max Vento
Max Vento stars as the autistic child, Joe Hughes. He does a brilliant job of being likeable and charismatic while also highlighting the issues with communication and social interactions that people on the spectrum typically face. Vento is an actor to keep your eye on.
5. It manages to find the comedy in drama
This series isn’t pure melancholy nor does it seek to be an absolute tear-jerker. The series manages to add some comedic aspects from life into the mix- like the parents that booked a stripper for a kid’s party or the occasional funny quip from an adult. This saves things from being too intense.
The A Word airs on Foxtel’s BBC First – Sundays at 8.30pm from September 4th.
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