With a nuanced scene showing Taylor Dearden’s Dr. Melissa “Mel” King getting overstimulated, The Pitt season 2 once again proved why it understands neurodivergence better than most shows.
The second episode subtly highlights the implication that Mel is on the autism spectrum.
Dearden’s performance and the show’s depiction of autism spectrum disorder have received praise from fans on social media.
The new scene only reignited the long-standing argument by vocal supporters of the HBO Max medical drama that The Pitt is better at depicting autism compared to The Good Doctor.
Fans think The Pitt is better at depicting autism than The Good Doctor
Image credits: HBO Max
On Reddit, several fans have agreed that The Pitt is better at depicting the condition compared to The Good Doctor.
“Good art doesn’t say everything outright; it uses textual evidence and good writing to inform,” one fan said of Mel’s portrayal.
In contrast, viewers criticized The Good Doctor for allegedly promoting several harmful stereotypes related to the disorder through its portrayal of Shaun Murphy, a young surgical resident with autism.
“It’s not that it’s strictly inaccurate (though it is), but it uses harmful tropes against Dr. Shawn Murphy to try and incorporate his autism into the plot without actually understanding what autistic people struggle with,” one Redditor explained.
Others offered a more balanced perspective, feeling that Highmore’s Golden Globe-nominated performance lacked the nuances of living with the autism spectrum disorder.
Image credits: ABC
“Not the best depiction of autism, stereotypical and not well nuanced, but the show does attempt to address relationship issues and stumbling blocks I’ve personally faced,” a viewer said.
Several viewers found Mel more relatable compared to Shaun, agreeing that The Pitt depicted the disorder more accurately and praised its more subtle approach.
“I feel very seen by her. Eat your heart out, The Good Doctor,” a user wrote.
Another viewer commented, “I have autism, and really relate to her. Probably the character feels most ‘me’ out of all the shows I watch.”
Experts have praised The Pitt’s depiction of autism through Mel
Image credits: HBO Max
Family & Child Therapy, a Virginia-based practice, described The Good Doctor’s depiction of autism as “narrow” and “occasionally stereotypical.” In contrast, the website praised The Pitt’s depiction of the neurological disorder.
They also highlighted a season 1 episode where Mel interacts with an autistic patient, understanding his sensory needs by closing the door and dimming the lights. The practice called the scene “the gold standard of neurodivergent-affirming treatment” in the medical community.
Join Violet, an organization dedicated to revolutionizing health care, also praised the episode, calling it “the most thoughtful portrayals of neurodivergent-affirming care” in a television show.
Langdon later uses the same technique in the second episode of season 2 to soothe Mel after she gets overstimulated. Therefore, The Pitt once again proved that it understands neurodivergence better than The Good Doctor.
The subtle depiction of autism in The Pitt surprised some fans since none of the other characters directly address Mel’s neurodivergence.
“Is Mel confirmed to be autistic?” one viewer asked.
Taylor Dearden has confirmed that Mel from The Pitt is autistic
Image credits: HBO Max
Actress Taylor Dearden, the daughter of Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston, plays Mel in The Pitt. Although the medical drama never explicitly states that the character has autism, Mel’s behavior, particularly during her unconventional social interactions, indicates that she is on the spectrum.
In an interview with Parade, Dearden confirmed that the makers had intended for the character to be neurodivergent.
“They said they had originally written her to be somewhere on the spectrum,” she recalled.
She revealed that executive producers John Wells and R. Scott Gemmell originally wanted to cast a spectrum actor for the role. Since Dearden has ADHD in real life, which is considered to be on the same spectrum as autism, the actress felt confident about playing the part.
In a separate interview with NPR, Dearden stated that while she didn’t know “what Mel’s diagnosis is,” she intended to convey neurodivergence as a spectrum through her performance.
The Pitt is currently streaming on HBO Max.
