Love on the Spectrum is a Netflix reality miniseries that provides a unique perspective of people diagnosed with autism and their search for a soulmate. The show insightfully and romantically presents how several autistic individuals from various regions of the US differ in their outlooks on finding romantic partners. It delves into how these individuals strive for romance and how their autism influences their approach to dating. Love on the Spectrum’s second season premiered about a month ago, and in this season, it continued to present a nonjudgmental look into romantic struggles and triumphs.

One of the audience’s favorite characters is Abbey Romeo, a TikToker living in LA. She is incredibly passionate about animals and loves Disney films. Abbey compares her experience with autism to Ariel in The Little Mermaid because both Ariel and Abbey struggle with communication. She shares her concerns about not being able to make the right conversations on a date, so she visits an autism expert, Jennifer Cook, to improve her communication skills. Through this, Abbey gains confidence and eventually finds her match: David. Their relationship is heartwarming and extremely sweet to watch. A favorite from Season 2 is Tanner Smith, who had never been in a relationship before the show. Besides being a newfound reality star, Tanner also works at a restaurant, is an autism activist, and loves fitness. He constantly makes everyone smile with his amiability. Tanner begins his search for love and eventually finds Kate. Although their dates were charming, they were also quite awkward, so Tanner and Kate did not make a compatible match.

The general public has had a wide range of reactions to this miniseries, from supportive recognition to reluctance. There is widespread appreciation for Netflix for casting individuals with various needs and communication styles. As a result, many autistic viewers found themselves represented within the cast. In the show, these individuals were given the same freedom that the majority of adults are given, which is to find their own match. They are not infantilized, and if they do make suspect decisions, they may be asked further questions by the producers, but they are never told that their decision is wrong. With the events of the show constantly tugging at their heartstrings, the general public fell in love with the cast members and their various personalities. 

However, some critics explained various underlying issues with Love on the Spectrum. One scene commonly referred to is when a parent cried when receiving a diagnosis for her child, which, for people with autism, felt like mourning the child she wanted rather than appreciating the child she had. Another general criticism is that the show was not made for the autism community, but it does not offend them either. Gender roles were also blindly followed, with males paying for food and opening doors, and there was a lack of LGBTQIA+ representation. Another opinion was that there were no creative dates, and traditional dating norms were abided by without innovation. For example, dates were often in busy restaurants, instead of quieter and calmer atmospheres. 

This Netflix series has not been renewed for a third season, but the public highly expects it to be due to its widespread popularity. By representing how autism influences individual approaches to dating, Love on the Spectrum is insightful and heartwarming.