even if you have never heard of this show before, it is an absolute must watch for neurodivergent people (and neurotypicals imo but most probably wouldn't bother). it genuinely has the best representation i have ever seen of a wide array of neurodivergent conditions displayed through unique characters, including the main character, who is canonically autistic. it's called carl the collector. yes, it is technically a kids show... BUT BEFORE YOU SAY ANYTHING PLEASE GIVE IT A CHANCE I SWEAR IT'S WORTH IT!
I'll give a breakdown of all the neurodivergent characters, their conditions and the way they are individually affected below the cut:
Carl
Conditions: autism, anxiety
Carl is the main character in Carl the Collector, hence the name of the show. He is proud to be autistic and his favorite thing to do is collect and sort things. He is highly perfectionistic and has clear ideas of what he wants and needs. He has trouble understanding other's feelings and what to do in new situations, and he's very routine-based and does not like to try new things. He is low masking and often stims in public by flapping his hands and wiggling his fingers. He is very sensory seeking and doesn't struggle as much with overstimulation, although crowded and hot places can sometimes be overwhelming for him. He experiences panic attacks and gets very anxious in conflict with his friends and when unexpected changes occur. All of his friends know that he is autistic.
Lotta
Conditions: autism, synesthesia, dyspraxia
Lotta is one of Carl's friends who loves making music and is talented on many instruments. She is very high masking and stims subtly by twirling her tail. She often copies others to fit in, which is sometimes misunderstood as rudeness. She is sensory avoidant and struggles a lot with loud noises and strong smells, which means she is often wearing headphones, earplugs, or a mask. Her dyspraxia makes her strongly dislike activities that require movement and coordination, such as dancing. She sees shapes and colors when she hears music and some other sounds. She is very private about her neurodivergence, and the only other character who knows that she's autistic is Carl.
Forrest
Conditions: ADHD
Forrest is one of Carl's friends who is very athletic and impulsive. He often struggles to wait his turn and attempts to manage too many things at once. He is very sensory seeking and enjoys racing and climbing trees. He is also highly competitive and is driven to accomplish his goals. None of his friends are aware of his neurodivergence. He is also gender nonconforming.
Paulo
Conditions: autism, apraxia
Paulo is Carl's friend who he meets one day at the store. Paulo is nonspeaking and uses an AAC device. He collects banana peel stickers and loves space. He does not mask and stims by rocking and swinging his arms. His sensory needs are unknown, as he only appears in one episode of the show. Paulo has not met any of Carl's other friends.
Forrest is nonbinary and you can't convince me otherwise
What are they running from if not hte gender binary? Think about it.
(this is a silly post don't take this too seriously this is just a headcanon)
The Evidence:
1) The show I think goes out of its way to avoid gendering them, only dropping a quick 'he' once in the first 15 episodes, including no gendered language or pronouns in their dedicated episode "A Forrest of Plans". The kids call them Forrest every time. If you look up "Forrest Carl the Collector " the first autocomplete result is "gender". [EDIT: In the very next episode I watched they said he twice, it hurt to hear :'} ]
2) During "The Super Blue Moon Sleepover", where the kids have a pajama party, Forrest's pajamas are a cute pink with stars on them. Color doesn't define gender, but it's still a deliberate choice to give the sporty runner character cute pink pajamas and not blue or anything else. This is what they feel the most comfortable wearing at home, and what they wear to bed every night.
3) The blur they leave behind when they run real fast is kind of trans colored. My monitor color settings might differ from yours but I definitely see it on my screen. :} It's not a perfect match but I still find it cool!
4) Vibes.
I like Forrest as a character a lot and it makes me really happy to imagine them as androgynous nonbinary like me. I love this show a lot and I love that this headcanon even exists. Also Lotta is transfem I might make a separate post about her I love Lotta so much
I can't imagine the 2 being a ship considering Buddy tried to kill Forrest, but I can imagine Buddy getting a peanut allergy, Forrest saving him, and having Forrest essentially be Buddy's moral compass.
