Atypical, episode ten

Doug confronts the bartender. In fact he punches him. Bartender admits he deserved it but they are even now. Casey gets her license. Sam visits college. Elsa cuts some hair. Julia is in his office when something slides under the door. It’s an invitation to Sam’s graduation. He’s in the waiting room. She steps out and talks to him. At dinner that night, Sam announces that he is completely independent now and wants no assistance with anything.

The next morning, Elsa goes to wake him up but he’s already up. He runs into a few road blocks but he gets his own breakfast. Casey is blowing Izzie off. Sam gets to school and tells Paige he is independent now. After school he continues the trend with Zahid, who he also invites to graduation. Elsa tries to have a heart to heart with Casey about her potential interest in women but Casey gets embarrassed. She’s still ignoring Izzie when she starts to kiss Evan. She initiates sex.

As the school year draws to a close, Sam gets his yearbook and starts to pass it around. He gets some nice messages but other people are just vicious. They write cruel things and set Sam off. He tries to get a new one but the girl handing them out won’t give it to him. He knocks down the table and storms away. Elsa is at home when she gets a call from Sam’s boss. He never showed up to work and now she is freaking out. Doug tries to calm her down. Casey knows what happened though. She talked to Paige.

Doug knows where to find him and sure enough they have a family moment near the penguins at the aquarium. Soon enough its graduation day and as they head to the school, Casey texts Izzie. Elsa finds the flyer that Doug got from the bar her dude was at. She confronts him about it once the kids get out of the car. She wants to know if he will ever get over it. He doesn’t know what to say. Graduation starts and Paige is late which is unlike her. Evan and Casey talk about getting together after she hangs out with Izzie. He wants to have sex.

It’s time for Paige’s speech but she can’t talk. Her voice is gone because she yelled so much at all the people that wrote in Sam’s yearbook. Sam doesn’t know it though. He just sees that his friend can’t do her speech so he gets up and does it for her. He does well and his family and friends are proud of him. Elsa tells Doug that they need to talk about everything. They will have the house to themselves that night so they can do it then.

Sam is packing for the lockin. Paige gets there to head to the school and just wants to know how he did her speech. He tells her he thought about it and realized that he’s in love with her. Then he grabs his stuff and heads out to go to the school leaving Paige standing alone in his room shocked. Doug tells someone about how he’s tried to get over things and move on but he can’t. Turns out he isn’t talking to Elsa though. He’s telling Wendy and she invites him in to talk.

Casey and Izzie are in the car. Casey mentions that she had sex with Evan and that sometimes something feels so right. As they sit in the car, staring forward, they both reach into the space between and link first their pinkies and then their hands. Casey’s phone rings. It’s Evan. She ignores it.

YES! They are madly in love and will totally be together next season. I also want more of Casey and Zahid being besties next season. I’m assuming there will be a next season. Elsa thinks that she’s been patient and Doug needs to just get over things. Um no. That’s not how that works. She’s heinous.

Atypical, episode nine

Elsa wakes up and rolls over. She’s in bed with Doug and he is just staring at the ceiling. Meanwhile, Sam is waiting for the minute that Casey was born so that he can wake her up to wish her happy birthday. He marks it off the birthday ritual checklist. In the kitchen, Casey finds Elsa getting sentimental. When asked about her plans she says that she has nothing big in mind, just a movie with Evan and Sharice. That’s not all though because she did text Evan about her second first time.

Sam gets some mail. He adopted a penguin and its an information packet. Before anyone can leave, Sam makes sure they cross the next few things off the ritual checklist. At school he and Bailey kiss which is just something they do sometimes. Doug picks Casey up from school and lets her drive. They talk about school and his relationship with Elsa. She’s been okay for a while so Casey thinks it’s only a matter of time until Elsa does something.

Elsa is in fact doing something. Despite Casey’s plans, Elsa has arranged for a surprise party. Evan tries to point out that it might not go over well but Elsa is convinced it is a good plan. The jig is up before Casey gets inside but Doug makes her go through the motions. As she tries to talk to people, Sam keeps interrupting to complete the birthday ritual. He links that to the health of his tortoise. Casey helps him through his moment and he tells her he will be back shortly to continue the ritual. Zahid and Paige talk about Sam kissing someone, which upsets Paige.

Doug is not coping with the Elsa situation. He keeps seeing the bartender that she cheated with. He can’t handle their intimacy. Casey is goofing around with Evan when Sam approaches to continue the ritual. She’s willing to play along now because she is in a good mood. It lasts until Izzie and the girls from the track team show up. Casey snaps and yells at Elsa because she not interested in the party.

Evan defends her and that just sets Casey off more. She storms away and Sam intercepts her. She snaps at him too. She goes upstairs to sulk while Sam tries to finish the ritual. Elsa talks to Sam and realizes that they both made Casey’s birthday about themselves. They plan to apologize. Meanwhile, in Casey’s room she is getting another apology. This one is from Izzie who missed her and is done with Nate and loves Casey and they have a forehead touching moment until Elsa announces that it is cake time.

They head downstairs and Casey asserts her heterosexuality but hanging all over Evan. They cut the cake. After everyone has left, Casey talks to Sam about the ritual and they do the last thing. He gives her a comic he drew. She mentions that she will miss it when he’s away at school but he tells her he won’t be fair because he got into the school Whitaker suggested. Elsa finds them to watch a movie but there is no sign of Doug. He’s stalking Elsa’s bartender.

Elsa is just so selfish. She really thinks that things will just be poof back to normal. Of course Doug is going to freak out. I also don’t understand why Evan always takes Elsa’s side. I’m hoping Casey breaks up with him soon. She’s clearly in love with Izzie. That “forehead promise”? And the feeling is mutual because look at Izzie’s face when Casey cuddles up to Evan.

Atypical, episode eight

Casey is making Evan eat cheese dipped in apple juice when Sam comes in. They talk about his portfolio and the changes he will face as he goes to college. He gets nervous but Zahid helps him. Casey finds out she is failing biology and needs to ace the midterm to keep her scholarship. Sam gets a call on his way to group. He finds out he got an interview at RISD! He’s proud of his portfolio but nervous about the changes.

Doug and Elsa meet with Julia to get materials for the new autism training. It’s awkward because Elsa keeps talking about their relationship stuff. Afterward, she thinks they are both heading home. They aren’t though. Doug is meeting with his peer group friend Wendy. Casey is procrastinating and texting Evan when she should be studying. Sam gets to work and talks to Zahid about RISD but when he opens his bag to get his portfolio, it’s gone.

He freaks out and Zahid calls in backup, Casey. She searches his room and then heads to the store to help him. She reads wikipedia to calm him down and then they search the store. There’s no sign of it. Doug and Wendy meet and chat. She flirts and he seems frazzled. The kids also check the batting cages but it isn’t there either. Instead the Gardner siblings end up fighting and that continues when they get home. As they storm into separate rooms there is a knock on the door. It’s Wendy and her daughter.

She swiped the portfolio so that Sam couldn’t go to college because she was worried about him. The entire encounter is awkward for Wendy, Doug and Elsa though. Soon enough, Wendy and her daughter leave. Casey apologizes to Sam and they talk about doing tough things. Sam is going to help her study after dinner. Julia bites the bullet and calls her ex. He’s in Africa for Doctors Without Borders. He won’t be back for two years.

Sam and Elsa are waiting for his interview. She’s talking to him and it sets him off. He runs. He meets with Whitaker and talks about moving far away for college. She tells him that he doesn’t have to and suggests a different school. He looks at the brochure and is interested. Doug gets home to find Elsa making a website for a haircutting business. He encourages her and on his way out of the room mentions couples therapy. She takes it as a sign and joins him in the shower.

Doug! Why! Wendy is such a better option! Don’t do this. I’m glad that Casey and Sam sorted their fight out. This episode was a bit shorter but it just really flew by. Like I blinked and it was over. It was a good one though. With the exception of 13 Reasons, I feel like most Netflix shows are built strictly to binge. They play out like one long episode.

Atypical, episode seven

Despite not having sessions with her anymore, Sam has still called Julia and kept her informed about what’s going on in his life. At school he tells Julia he can help her at the lock in. Elsa wants to go public with what happened with Sam and the cops but she realized that Doug might be better to handle it because he is a first responder. He’d be happy to. Casey gives Izzie a note about what Izzie did because she can’t talk about this stuff.

Sam goes to group and talks about what he’s good at. After the session, Whitaker talks to him about picking colleges. Doug stops by the police station and talks to the officer that picked up Sam. There is no foolproof way to handle that situation so the best they can do is put his picture on the bulletin board. Sam talks to Zahid about picking a college. While Elsa tries to fix the hole in the wall, Casey frets about her friendship with Izzie to Evan. He assures her that everything will be fine.

Paige got into the school of her dreams and suggests Sam apply there as well. He seems to consider it. Things are not fine with Izzie and Casey. Izzie believes Nate so they aren’t friends anymore. Evan stops by the house to help Elsa fix the wall. Doug gets a call from Julia about the messages and they talk about autism training for first responders. Evan does a good job on the wall and when Casey gets home he’s there for moral support on the Izzie situation.

Later that night Sam barges into Casey’s room and she tries to help him see that he needs to decide on college for himself. He ends up just getting nervous and skipping the meeting with Whitaker. He ends hiding in the art supply room and hanging out with a goth girl named Bailey. Izzie bullies by writing “slut” and “ho” on her shoes. She tries to scrub it off but it doesn’t work. Bailey is smoking and when Paige barges in she sees that and pulls the fire alarm. After the drill, Sam, Paige and Bailey are in Whitaker’s office and she discovers his art talents.

He gets community service for ditching the appointment though. Casey gets home with soggy shoes which Elsa later finds in the dryer. She sees the writing. Doug comes in and wants to talk to her about working together to provide about autism training for first responders. She’s game. The next morning, Casey finds some new shoes on her bed. She has a moment with her mom. While cleaning up trash, Sam has his own moment with Bailey. She kisses him.

Bailey is the girl from Runaway’s right? Gert I think her name is? I knew that Nate would mess things up. Izzie needs to ditch him. Elsa is still thinking that she and Doug are getting back together when really he just wants to help their son.

Atypical, episode six

Back in 1999, Elsa is pregnant and chatting with her pregnant best friend. They are going to raise the kids to be best friends. They decide to share what they plan to name the babies… Sam and Arlo. Present day, Casey and Doug want to beat up Arlo for swindling Sam out of his money. Elsa wants to handle the situation more calmly. At school Sam and Paige talk. She forgives him for lying and asks a favor. She wants him to make sure she doesn’t sleep wander away at senior lock in.

He says no though because he doesn’t intend to go. Zahid suggests getting over his fear of sleeping in other places. Doug is sleeping in the sun room. Elsa comes in with some supplies because she just oversteps all boundaries always. She mentions she arranged a chat with Arlo’s mom and Doug is annoyed because he planned to handle it himself. They decide to both talk to both of Arlo’s parents. Casey is home when Izzie shows up. Her mom’s boyfriend was on a rampage. She took her younger siblings to her grandmother’s and she is staying with Casey.

Sam comes in on a mission. They follow him upstairs to see him packing for the night at Zahid’s. He almost psyches himself out of it but Izzie helps. Doug and Elsa are headed to see Arlo’s parents. They snipe at each other along the way. Sam gets to Zahid’s house and meets his parents. They are thrilled to have him. The Gardner parents get to their destination. They get Sam’s money back but things are awkward.

Casey is having a great night with Izzie. Sam can’t handle the sleepover and flees on foot. The moms are getting along better but Arlo’s dad makes a comment about Sam and Doug gets pissed. Sam is still walking when a cop pulls up. He tries to stop him but Sam is trying to calm down and doesn’t respond. The cop thinks Sam is on something. Zahid comes running up then and tries to protect him. They both get picked up.

At the house, Casey and Izzie are getting close when there’s a knock on the door. It’s Nate. They let him in to watch a movie and Izzie conks out pretty quickly. Nate and Casey talk about school and Evan and then he tries to kiss her. She kicks him out for it. Zahid and Sam are at the police station when Zahid finally helps Sam calm down. He tells him to not let this setback stop him. Doug snaps on Arlo’s dad before storming out. The cop lets Sam and Zahid go with a warning.

On the way home, Doug and Elsa really talk and it’s not awful. Sam sleeps at home. Casey lies awake while Izzie snuggles up to her. Zahid looks into nursing. Elsa gets into bed with a smile on her face while Doug settles in with a nightlight in the sunroom.

I really think that Zahid is the best friend Sam could ask for. He recognizes the boundaries but doesn’t treat Sam with kid gloves. I also hate that Nate will probably put a wedge between Casey and Izzie. They should ditch him. Elsa is still too pushy. I like Doug though.

Atypical, episode five

A four-year old Sam is diagnosed with autism. Elsa is ready to start therapy and being pro-active but Doug wants another opinion. Present day Doug just wants to pretend nothing happened but Elsa plows right through that. He fights back but when she leaves Casey comes in and admits that she agrees. Doug relents. Casey goes to school and is now besties with Izzie. Nate makes a joke about them falling in love.

Sam’s peer group talks about resources and managing money. He goes home and tells Elsa that he wants to open a bank account. Elsa is opposed but Doug backs him up. At school, Casey rips on the pizza. Izzie and Nate jump at the chance to go hang out in her neck of the woods though. Casey is not thrilled with that. Doug and Sam go to the bank. They chat about alleviating stress while they wait. Then Sam is called and he goes into the office and opens an account. He heads to work.

He talks to Zahid about money. Casey is hanging out with Evan and the team’s pizza adventure comes up. He wants to come so she invites him but doesn’t seem thrilled. Doug is on the verge of another panic attack but he uses Sam’s technique to calm down. He still can’t find a few things but Elsa sorts him out. At school, a popular kid dupes Sam out of $700 to fund a party. He doesn’t know it though and mentions it to Elsa. She thinks it is a school event and calls the kid’s mom.

Doug goes to work and his new friend visits. Her daughter is a big fan of ambulances. While the teen investigates the rig, Doug and her mom talk about his situation with Elsa. Later he makes dinner and since there is extra, he offers to share. She thinks this is her opportunity and gets done up. It’s not. He at on his own and just left a bowl for her. Meanwhile, Casey is at the pizza place goofing around with the team when Evan shows up. He joins them but it’s clear he is uncomfortable.

Sam thinks everything is great with the popular kid and tries to show him the penguin cam. Elsa got him busted for the party though so the kid smashes his phone. Sam goes back to his hiding spot and a goth girl lets him watch the egg hatch on her phone. After the pizza party, Casey thinks things went well but Evan doesn’t. He tells her that he felt like he just embarrassed her and that he doesn’t know this her. He doesn’t really want to either.

At the house, Doug decides that Elsa can move back in… for the kids. Their relationship is too broken though. Sam finally gets to see the egg hatch and despite losing $700, considers it a great day.

I don’t understand how their bank system worked. He gave her his whole paycheck and then if he asked for cash she would give it to him? What if he didn’t? Where was his money going? She was living off his cash probably. Why was that kid Arlo so pissed? He still got the money right? Elsa has no concept of how the world works.

Atypical, episode four

Sam goes to see the counselor, Whitaker, to talk about his college essay. He wrote about going to a strip club. Whitaker suggests dealing with his autism. He’s not interested in that though. He talks it out with Casey and she tells him to lie. He goes to see Elsa to learn how to lie. It doesn’t work out. While trying to do her homework, Casey gets a call from Evan. They talk about her drunken night. She’s embarrassed.

Doug drops off her laundry and she notices that he seems a bit worn out. Elsa goes to her own group session and talks about her lying habit. At work, Sam goes to Zahid for some more lying advice. He learns the Pants on Fire technique and tests it on Paige. She ends up cutting her finger off and Sam blames it on the lie. He talks about it with Zahid. That afternoon he’s watching the penguin cam as Casey texts Izzie. Doug is slow going in the kitchen when he gets a call from Elsa telling him Casey is grounded.

After the call he drops a gallon of milk and stumbles a bit. Casey sees that something is wrong but he is adamant that he’s fine. Elsa runs into Julia, who mentions that she is pregnant which could be why she lashed out at Sam. Elsa tells Julia that she is a good therapist. Zahid gets caught with pot again and is on the cusp of losing his job when Sam lies to save him. Evan stops by and shows Casey an embarrassing video of himself to level the playing field. They are good again.

Elsa stops by the house to take the kids out to eat. Doug is there. She seems to be in a good mood and he asks why. She tells him about her new kick to be honest and he decides to push her and ask some questions of his own. He pushes for particulars of the affair and she quiets down. Alone in her office, Julia looks at her ultrasound photo and starts to accept her pregnant. She calls her mom. Doug is still asking questions. Sam writes his essay about his friendship with Zahid. Evan is asking about Izzie when Doug comes out and storms by. He makes it halfway down the driveway before collapsing. The teens rush over and call 911.

At first when Casey noticed that Doug looked tired I thought it was just going to be like adjustment to doing all the chores type tired but they put emphasis on the heartbeat before he dropped the milk so it was really just a matter of time until he went down. I’m willing to bet that Casey ends up not entirely straight because it seems crush-like the way she reacts to talking to Izzie.

Atypical, episode three

Casey is out for her morning run and Evan catches up with her. He misses her. He hasn’t seen her in a while. She kisses him. She’s wants to slow down and wait a while for their second time. He’s okay with that. Sam goes to school and all the changes, including the breakup with Paige finally trigger him. Sam and both of his parents sit down with the school counselor to check in and talk about Sam’s future.

Elsa made a plan for Sam to stay home and go to community college. Doug tells Sam that there are more options though and the counselor mentions a support group. Doug thinks it sounds good but Elsa is opposed. Sam doesn’t say anything. At track practice, Casey ends up racing with Izzie, who takes a fall and claims Casey pushed her. Sam finally goes full tilt and flees. He ends up hiding in an art supply room.

The coach has Casey and Izzie sit in her office to sort things out. They find common ground because they care for their siblings. Elsa heard about Sam pulling a runner and calls Doug. He already knows though. He picks Sam up and brings him home. They talk about the support group. Casey and Izzie continue to bond over the pressures of school and family. Doug takes Sam to the group, officially blowing off Elsa and the fancy new therapist. Speaking of new therapists, Julia and her ex-boyfriend talk about her pregnancy and their relationship.

Izzie and Casey crack open the alcohol and talk about boys. Doug makes a friend in the waiting room. Sam starts to fit in at group. Drunk Casey turns up at Evan’s house. She suggests sex but he does the right thing and just goes to get her some water instead. Elsa stops by the house to confront Doug about ditching her. He tells her that she has a point. Sam comes in and tells them both he wants to go away to college. Evan gets back to his room to find Casey asleep. He takes out her phone and calls someone. Casey wakes up the next morning at the place Elsa has been staying.

I get why he did it but I don’t think Doug should have just ignored Elsa like that. I was also terrified that Casey and Izzie would get caught drinking and get in trouble for it. Sam made great strides going to the group and also asking Paige for something that he wanted.

Atypical, episode two

Elsa is staying with one of the women from her support group. She can stay as long as she needs but Elsa figures it’ll be quick. At the house, Sam and Doug are watching the penguin cam when Casey comes in and they get ready to head out. Elsa stops by and tries to get involved but they are on their way out. She’s not happy Casey gets to her new school and doesn’t exactly receive a warm welcome.

Sam’s back to school is more confusing. Paige is back and wants to keep things casual. He’s game but doesn’t know what that means. As they day goes on, things get no better for Casey and Sam is more confused. He talks to Zahid about it and realizes that he just needs to talk to Paige. Track captain Issie gets no better as the day goes on but some of the other team members seem to like her.

Doug brings a pizza home for dinner. He notices that there is a fresh lasagna to be heated in the fridge with a note from Elsa. He is not happy. He texts her about meeting up and she thinks it is a good sign. She’s ready to cut some bangs and go. Casey reflects on her first day of school. She never wants to go back but Evan encourages her to give it a chance.

At school, Sam gets some ground rules on casual from Paige. Casey goes to school and things are no better. She does meet a halfway decent person named Nate but he’s Izzie’s boyfriend. Doug and Elsa meet and go over some rules of their own. He doesn’t want her at the house all the time or trying to interfere. He’s also not wearing her ring which causes Elsa to cry later on. Things might be on the up swing for Casey thanks to Nate.

Sam is digging the casual relationship and when Paige summons him, he assumes it’s to just make out. It’s not. She needs support but when she realizes that he still turns to Julia for that, she’s done. She breaks up with him and sends him on his way with cookies. He brings them home and shares with Doug and Casey. They talk about his breakup while across town, Elsa unpacks. As they head in to watch the penguin cam, Casey gets a text from Nate about lunch the next day.

I feel like having this show without Elsa is just better and that’s awful to say but I don’t really want to watch their marital issues. I think Casey is asking for trouble hanging out with Izzie’s boyfriend. That’s just going to make things on the team worse for her. I feel bad for Paige but she brought that last bit on herself.

Atypical, episode eight

Sam is out to eat with Paige and her family. He can’t stop thinking about Julia though. So he breaks up with Paige in the Olive Garden. Casey isn’t getting out of bed or taking Evan’s calls. She slams her door in Elsa’s face. Sam goes to see Julia and professes his love for her and gifts her with chocolate covered strawberries. She connects the dots and starts yelling at him. He has a meltdown and leaves.

He tries his normal techniques to calm down but it doesn’t work. The bus driver calls Doug and Elsa. They pick him up and bring him home. Doug goes and yells at Julia. She tells him she doesn’t know anything and he tells her to stay away from Sam.

Evan turns up at the house to talk to Casey. He wants to know if they are cool and then tells her he will take back the “I love you.” He tells her that he thought it was just something guys did because girls like to hear it. She kicks him out and then watches a documentary with Sam.

Elsa is still honoring her commitment to do hair for the girls going to the dance. Casey makes a comment about her caring about things. Zahid talks to Sam and tries to get him to go talk to the girls waiting in his house to get their hair done. Sam is not interested. Paige shows up and yells in the front lawn. She dumps some stuff in the lawn and Sam realizes that she is upset.

Casey goes to the bar to see Nick. They talk about Elsa anad why they had a relationship to begin with. Casey throws a drink at him. Sam is going for a grand romantic gesture. Doug and Elsa finally talk about him leaving the family in 2004. Casey gets to the dance and blows her mom off. She’s all hugs and smiles for her dad though.

Sam is looking for the necklace Paige lost so he can present it to her at the dance. He finally finds it in the school pool. He doesn’t like water other people have touched but he gets it for her. She agrees to talk to him. Casey talks to Sam about what things would be like if their parents weren’t together. He doesn’t realize what she’s saying. He walks away and she calls someone to come get her.

Paige and Sam talk it out. She doesn’t think they should get back together until he knows what he wants. Casey tells Evan that Elsa had an affair and apologizes for her behavior. Then they exchange “I love you”s. Doug talks to one of Elsa’s friends but something doesn’t add up. Sam interrupts to announce that he got a handjob in the igloo.

Julia sends Sam an apology e-mail. She goes home to find her ex waiting. He proposes in an awful fashion. Sam is doing great. He hugs Doug. Casey tells Evan that she hasn’t confronted her mother, just left her a note on the wipe board. It reads “Stop banging the bartender.” Elsa sees. So does Doug.

I’m happy for both of the kids but I feel really bad for Doug. He’s finally making progress with Sam and his wife cheats on him. That sucks. Julia better say no. I think she will. I hope she will.