The Hughes family work and love and fight like every other family. Then their youngest son is diagnosed with autism and they don't feel like every other family anymore.
In its way, The A Word is every bit as good a family drama as, say, This Is Us. Its use of a diverse cast with multiple generations of family members is skillful; its tone switches between laughter and tears without seeming excessively manipulative.
Not having a child with autism I don't feel qualified to say whether The A Word's portrayal of the disorder and its impact on the family is accurate. As a piece of drama, though, it was compelling and unexpectedly cheering.
As we get more of Joe's world, we get more of the people in it. The A Word benefits greatly from the expansion, cementing itself as an emotionally astute, smart and funny series just waiting to be discovered.
