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Beyond the Detective Trope: A Nuanced Look at Autism in Channel 4's 'Patience'


Patience, Channel 4 detective series
Patience, Channel 4 detective series

My mum mentioned the other day that she had been enjoying the crime drama series Patience on channel four and she pointed out that the lead character is autistic. I hadn’t yet seen the programme but she described the character’s autistic traits and I immediately had a small panicky thought of ‘oh no, maybe my mum will no longer believe I’m autistic because I’m nothing like Patience!'. Anyway, we had a fruitful conversation and my fears were put to rest. I am very lucky in this way – it doesn’t go this way in all families.


I wanted to find out for myself what the programme was like so I've now watched a couple of episodes. I have to say, in all honesty, I have been enjoying it for what it is. I love crime drama series! But as I watch it I notice how my response is divided between the 'enjoying it for what it is' and a sort of unsure feeling about it all.


Channel 4's new series 'Patience' joins a growing line-up of TV shows featuring autistic characters. As an autistic counsellor, I find myself both appreciating the series' attempt at representation while grappling with the challenge its bound to have in portraying the full spectrum of autistic experience.


The show's main character Patience is played by Ella Maisie Purvis, an AuDHD actor. I wonder how it must have been for a neurodivergent actor to take on the responsibility of portraying a neurodivergent character.


Here are my thoughts about the programme. Like the character Patience, I recognise myself in certain traits portrayed on screen. The joy of pattern recognition and puzzle-solving resonates with my own experience, though it manifests very differently in my work as a counsellor compared to Patience's detective work. While we both process patterns, the nature of these patterns and how we engage with them differs significantly.



The show's portrayal of sensory sensitivity through Patience's constant use of headphones illustrates both the power and limitation of visual media in representing autism. While many autistic individuals, myself included, experience sensory sensitivities, our coping strategies are as diverse as we are. The visible marker of headphones, while authentic for some, risks becoming another stereotypical shorthand for autism.


Perhaps the most significant divergence lies in how the series, like many before it, falls into the familiar trope of the fact-driven, logic-focused autistic detective. This representation, while not inherently incorrect, offers a limited view of autistic cognition and pattern recognition. In my counselling practice, pattern recognition manifests as an intuitive following of narrative threads, an attunement to clients' felt experiences, and a willingness to step into the unknown.


Many autistic individuals possess a deep sensitivity to nuance and complexity that defies the binary, fact-based stereotype. We can be comfortable with ambiguity, drawn to existential exploration, and deeply attuned to the mysteries of human experience. The patterns we recognise aren't just logical connections but can include subtle emotional undercurrents and complex layers of human experience.


This is not to diminish the value of shows like 'Patience' in advancing autism representation. Rather, it's a reminder that no single character can capture the full spectrum of autistic experience. Each autistic person's manifestation of traits is unique - I may share some characteristics with Patience, but I am not Patience, just as no other autistic person is exactly like me.


As we continue to see more autistic characters in media, it's crucial to remember that these portrayals, while important steps forward, are individual pieces of a much larger, more diverse picture. The autism spectrum is not a linear progression from less to more autistic, but a rich tapestry of different traits, experiences, and ways of being in the world.


The challenge for future representations lies not in trying to create a "perfect" autistic character - an impossible task - but in showing the diversity of autistic experiences and moving beyond established tropes. Until then, I think that shows like 'Patience' serve as both markers of progress and reminders of how much further representation can go. (Photo credits: Channel 4, taken from IMDB)



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