Sam Gardner’s final expedition premiered to much success when Netflix wrapped the fourth and final season of its hit series Atypical. Following its Season 4 premiere over the weekend, Atypical shot to the No. 4 spot on both the streamer’s Top 10 overall list and the list for TV shows on the platform. As of this writing, those stats have only continued to climb, with the series now reaching the No. 3 spot on both lists just behind Virgin River and Manifest, which has been at the top of the leaderboard for several weeks now amid its cancellation.
From Sony Pictures TV Studios, Atypical 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. It debuted its first season in 2017 and has remained a fan-favorite, though Netflix ultimately decided to end the series with a 10-episode fourth season.
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When Netflix confirmed in February 2020 that the series would conclude after its fourth season, series creator, writer and executive producer Robia Rashid said that while she was “so sad to be nearing the end of this series, I am extremely grateful to have been able to tell this story.” Robia added that the fans “have been such beautiful, vibrant supporters of this show” and thanked them “for being so open to Sam’s voice and stories, and those of the entire Gardner family. It’s my hope that the legacy of Atypical is that more unheard voices continue to be heard and that even after this series ends, we keep telling funny, emotional stories from underrepresented points of view.” Following the Season 4 premiere, Robia told TVLine that she’s proud of what the series was able to accomplish.
“I think there is a lot of power in comedy to amplify voices and stories. Our show, even when it’s dealing with the most intense issues, is at its soul a comedy. There’s a genuinely hopeful message at the center of this and I feel proud of that. I don’t need it to be dark and upsetting,” Rashid said. “I think it ends in this lovely, kind place and I feel like I need that after the year we just had. I’m proud of the work we did.”
Fans can watch the fourth and final season of Atypical on Netflix now. All previous seasons are also available for streaming on the platform. Along with Gilchrist, Atypical stars Jennifer Jason Leigh and Michael Rapaport as Sam’s parents, and Brigette Lundy-Paine plays Sam’s sister, Casey.
