Netflix Reveals ‘Atypical’ Season 2 Premiere Date

Netflix original series Atypical officially has a season 2 premiere date.

Following a standout season 1 debut, the streaming platform announced via Twitter on Tuesday that popular original series Atypical would be returning for a second season on Friday, Sept. 7.

The series, from Sony Pictures TV Studios, tells the coming-of-age story of an 18-year-old student named Sam, portrayed by Keir Gilchrist, who is on the autism spectrum. As Sam sets out on a journey of self-discovery, romance, and independence, those around him are also pushed on their own life-changing paths and forced to face the question of what it truly means to be normal.

While the series premiered to rave reviews, it also faced criticism from some for its “flawed” portrayal of Sam. Autistic writer Mickey Rowe claimed that the series only deepened stereotypes regarding autism and used the disorder as a source of humor rather than a platform for education.

“[The script] seems to play into stereotypes that I’ve experienced firsthand that could have easily avoided and that may present damaging information about autistic people,” Rowe claimed. “As he does each of these things, it feels like the audience is supposed to laugh at how weird and different Sam is. This is the crux of Atypical‘s comedy, but there’s nothing that funny about turning someone’s disability into a punchline.”

Dr. Shafali Jeste, a lead investigator at the UCLA Center for Autism Research and Treatment, agreed with Rowe’s concerns, but also acknowledged that “it’s essentially impossible to portray everyone on the spectrum” and encouraged people to give the show credit for the portrayal that they do showcase.

Despite the mixed reviews, the streaming giant picked up the series for an extended 10-episode season, up from season 1’s eight-episode haul, in September of 2017, just a month after it made its debut.

Along with Keir Gilchrist, Atypical also stars The Hateful Eight‘s Jennifer Jason Leigh as Sam’s mother Elsa Gardner, Bridgett Lundy-Paine as Sam’s sister Casey Gardner, Michael Rapport as Sam’s father Doug Gardner, and Amy Okuda as Sam’s therapist Julia Sasaki.

Atypical is executive produced by Mary Rohlich alongside Robia Rashid and Seth Gordon. Jennifer Jason Leigh serves as a producer.

Season 1 of Atypical is currently available for streaming on Netflix. Fans can tune in for season 2 on Friday, Sept. 7.