Austin

Oh, I loved this series so much so I went back and watched it three times already, gather the family and go to ABC iview and watch this gem, because it's a brilliant story mixed with finding out who you are..

Michael Theo does a fantastic job in his first major acting role and there was so many laughs to be had all-round while watching it.

The backdrops where great Canberra really scrubs up well and England? You don't see that often in an Aussie series and it was amazing to see the story progress the way it did.

I hope there will be a second series, Theo has natural talent for comedic timing and he does it so perfectly.

Don't often say it but this show is one that deserves to have another season because of how good Michael Theo is as Austin. Theo plays the character with heart and integrity of someone in a lived experience and he nails all this scenes alongside those who have been around the industry longer then he has. His comedic timing is perfect and his dry wit was so good. This is a brilliant show and deserves to be renewed so fingers are crossed that abc does so because it would be so wrong if they didn't

Canberra serves as a wonderful backdrop especially after total control and it is great to see our country on full display.

Let's scotch some myths about autism. If you've met one neurodiverse person, you've met one neurodiverse person.

1. People with autism are often highly empathetic. Emotional empathy in particular. One of my neurodivergent (ND) staff can be brought to tears instantly at the mention of a child being hurt. Another will be annoyed by news of integrity breaches or negligence. By contrast, cognitive empathy can be difficult. Not so much between ND people but an ND person trying to read a neurotypical mind.

Consider Greta Thunberg: emotional empathy with the effects of the climate crisis, cognitive empathy in how she can't understand why intelligent people have known about climate change and how to fix it for decades, but they are not doing anything!

Some of my ND staff limit eye contact but can engage in conversation with a "normal amount" of eye contact.

Consider also that ND people "mask" to fit in. E.g. "I must maintain eye contact, because that's what normals do." Michael Theo may be Australia's most well-known person with autism. He deserves a script credit for advising how an ND person would express and respond.

It's fair to say that Austin is a show about Julian and the (often self-inflicted) chaos that surrounds him. The character of Austin is genuine and believable, largely because he is played by Michael Theo. Austin's mum and grandfather are also authentic. Protective and supportive, proud and concerned.

Austin is a great series.

Watch it and then watch Patience. (Neuro noir)

I usually avoid Australian comedies (even British co-productions such as this) as they are either total rubbish or in about 2% of cases astonishingly brilliant. Austin falls into the latter category. I would have awarded it 10 stars but was forced to deduct one due to an early scene in which Ben Miller appears in his underpants. Nobody wants that.

The characters are beautifully written and wonderfully acted, the casting was flawless with the possible exception of Kate Elliott (Heidi) whose mugging becomes tiresome. Charlotte Nicdao (Yolanda) is a standout, I found myself watching each of her scenes twice to make sure that I didn't miss a moment of her performance.

Michael Theo as Austin is the skilful glue that holds this together. What a star.

First off, I have to wonder why several significant roles in the series don't show up in the cast list. No one is listed for the daughter. No one is listed for the documentary maker. No one is listed for Austin's possible new girlfriend. No one is listed for the tour guide, and And I recognized him from several other series. Billie Piper isn't listed, though she appears in two episodes. Why is the Cast List so incomplete?

The show itself is a joy to watch. I found it by accident. And it turned out to be a happy accident. All of the acting is terrific, from the meatiest roles to the tiniest appearances. Each episode is both light hearted, clever, and heart warming. I've only seen Ben Miller in dramatic roles in the past. This was a pleasant surprise for me.

All in all I highly recommend this series to anyone looking for some laughs, smiles, a few tears, and a warm feeling in your chest.