Netflix Greenlights ‘Atypical’ Autism Family Comedy Starring Jennifer Jason Leigh
Netflix has given a straight-to-series order to “Atypical,” a dark comedy about a family with an autistic son, set to star Jennifer Jason Leigh, Variety has confirmed.
“Atypical” landed an eight-episode order for the first season of the coming-of-age story that follows an 18-year-old with autism and his search for love and independence.
“How I Met Your Mother” alum Robia Rashid created the family comedy. She will pen the series and serve as an executive producer with Mary Rohlich and Seth Gordon, who is set to direct the pilot. The project marks a reunion for Rashid and Gordon, who worked together on ABC’s “The Goldbergs.” Sony Pictures Television, where Gordon is under an overall deal, is the studio.
In addition to starring in “Atypical,” Leigh is also credited as a producer.
British actor Keir Gilchrist will play the autistic teen, Sam. Leigh will play Sam’s mother, co-starring alongside Michael Rapaport, who will play his father. Brigette Lundy-Paine will play the teen’s sister, and “How To Get Away With Murder” alum Amy Okuda will play his therapist.
“Atypical” is the second special-needs-centric family comedy to come to TV recently. ABC’s “Speechless,” which stars Minnie Driver as the mother of a teen with cerebral palsy, is one of fall’s biggest hits, landing an early full-season order.
For Netflix, “Atypical” is one of many new comedies in the pipeline for the streaming giant, including “Santa Clarita Diet,” starring Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant, and Nick Stoller’s “Friends From College” with Keegan-Michael Key, Cobie Smulders and Fred Savage. For Leigh, the project marks her first-ever regular role on a TV series, though her recent TV credits include a lengthy arc on ABC’s “Revenge” and Showtime’s “Weeds.”
Production on “Atypical” will begin later this year in Los Angeles.
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