Dinosaur is a 2024 Scottish comedy and drama streaming on SBS. It is a refreshing take on a person who’s on the autistic spectrum. The show’s main draw is that the viewers aren’t subjected to the typical white male savant autistic character that’s prevalent in the media. Instead the viewer follows the journey of a white female autistic character who is not a savant, but has a particular interest in dinosaurs.
Nina is a palaeontologist and her days are spent working at the Glasgow Museum analysing dinosaur poop. Her off time is spent with her sister Evie who is also her roommate. Evie is an important part of Nina’s routine, this includes a specific night where they indulge in takeout and go for walks before breakfast. This is not seen as a sacrifice or a hassle for Evie but a joy to indulge in with Nina.
Nina has a blissfully made routine that brings her comfort, but her perfectly ordered life is disrupted by the arrival of Ranesh, her sister’s finance. A man her sister had only been dating for six weeks and who Nina had never met. She is rightly sceptical of him and has decided that she doesn’t like him. Unfortunately, Ranesh’s first impression is less than stellar as he tries to relate to her in a classically neurotypical fashion. Calling her disability a “superpower” and talks about another autistic person he knows as that would be a blueprint for herself. This is all to show he doesn’t understand the autism spectrum or her needs as an autistic person.
Nina’s dislike of Ranesh results in her breaking her carefully made routine. The audience sees her initiate a relationship with the recently installed neurotypical barista outside the museum. Another instance is when she goes bowling with her colleagues, though Nina’s sensory issues hold her back at first.
When Nina is in an uncomfortable situation she takes a moment to retreat and calm herself. From there without the rush of sensory input she is able to assess the situation and ask herself if she can stay or would it be best to leave before a meltdown occurs.
This is an important lesson for autistics and takes time to learn as in early childhood we are told to push through this discomfort and stay. It’s refreshing to see an autistic person reacting sensibly, as I have seen many shows where the autistic person melts down, usually with a captive audience.
During these situations, people are upset by her withdrawal but they accept this as a part of her, most of the time. Like anyone who cares for a disabled person or has incorporated them into their life, there can be moments of frustration. These can be from misunderstandings, communication breakdown and friction due to personality differences. When these scenes occur Nina’s actions aren’t written off as just an autistic trait to be forgiven. Feelings have been hurt, frustration has boiled over and while Nina has caused strife, others in her life have done the same to her. The tornado of vexation results in dirty laundry being aired and brings clarity to Nina and the other characters. Where necessary Nina apologies for misunderstandings caused by her lack of social awareness. It’s made clear to the audience that she’s not apologising for her disability but the hurt she caused.
If you want to understand a part of the autism spectrum that you rarely get to see by the media, then you should check out Dinosaur for a perfect balance of Scottish comedy and drama that at the end of the day is all heart.