Pablo thinks differently, sees the world in different ways!
Too many autistic characters are still played by non-autistic actors and written by non-autistic writers, with too little input from autistic people — but that is starting to change.
Pablo stands out for having a cast of autistic characters all played by autistic actors, and an autistic writing team — although the lead writer, Andrew Brenner is not autistic himself, all but a few early episodes have autistic co-writers. Even those without autistic co-writers draw on ideas from autistic writers, including the late Donna Williams.
Just as importantly, the show is lovely.
A northern Irish co-production from the BBC and RTE, Pablo is a series about a young autistic kid who makes sense of the confusing situations he finds himself in. He does this with the help of his animal friends in an animated world.
The live-action sections of the show set up the story for each episode, in a charmingly stimmy style that gives us a sense of Pablo’s rich — but sometimes fragmented — sensory experiences, and why he is often disoriented and sometimes overwhelmed. When he picks up some crayons and starts drawing, we shift into the world of his imagination.
Pablo
In crayon-world, a diverse set of characters represents a good spread of autistic experience. Pablo himself is minimally-speaking in the physical world, but chatty in crayon form. This implies that his language abilities are much stronger than they look from outside — perhaps apraxia or anxiety keeps him from expressing himself fluently in person. This is true-to-life, since many autistic children have a much stronger grasp of language than they are able to openly express.
Pablo’s Internal Cast of Characters
Tang is an exuberantly energetic and outgoing orangutan. Noa (short for Noasaurus) is sweet and sensitive, but finds it hard not to stomp around. Mouse gets upset when people are too noisy, unfortunately, and has a great love of the quiet.
Wren is flappy and musical. Llama communicates in echolalia, with snippets of what other people have said repeated in her broad Yorkshire accent. Draff is a giraffe who has a strong urge to share facts and very little tolerance for nonsense.
Authenticity Rating
Right from the start, then, we see something that’s still extremely unusual in visual media: the series is one of a tiny number that passes what I think of as the Autdel Test, meaning it has multiple, named autistic characters, who talk to each other about something other than autism. This is the autism equivalent of the Bechdel Test for the representation of women in fiction: it sets a pretty low bar, which is frequently missed.
Important Social Messaging about Access Needs
The setup also makes us think about conflicting access needs: Noa and especially Tang sometimes find it impossible to stay as quiet as Mouse needs them to be. Draff’s impatience for things which are not right clashes with other characters’ need to be a bit silly and play with concepts (‘in point of fact, it’s not actually the sea you’re hearing — it’s actually the hollow inside the shell…’).
We really don’t talk about conflicting access needs enough. I was introduced to the idea at Autscape, an autistic space where hundreds of autistic people gather in one place — meaning that everyone needs to learn pretty quickly about things like how one person’s noisy stims can clash with another person’s sensory sensitivities.
There are no perfect solutions to these conflicts, but we can learn to navigate them with care and understanding — something that Pablo helps us get to grips with. With a bit of work, we might even find ways for one person’s strengths to make up for another person’s challenges.
Relationship with Objects
Besides the regular cast, crayon-world is often populated with sentient versions of the objects Pablo encounters in the physical world, jostling for attention – a nod to the tendency many autistic people have to personify objects.
Pablo’s way of imagining objects is not shown as a problem, but as a way for Pablo to use metaphor to solve abstract problems. With the help of his friends allowing him to see things from different perspectives, Pablo usually has an adventure working out what is going on in the real world and what he wants.
Audience
It is a gentle formula for a show, and the primary audience is really pre-school children, but I have to say that as a 42-year-old autistic person with no kids, I find it compelling, entertaining, and validating. The scenarios are made relatable even when they don’t reflect anything I’ve experienced myself.
The animation style, with crayon-textured articulated sprites, is delightful – especially the little details like the flicking of Llama’s ears and the expressions on visiting objects. The writing is simple but witty and thoughtful, and the actors are convincing and often very funny.
The whole thing is just so wholesome, and so needed. Autistic kids still have so few opportunities to see people like themselves on screen. Parents and teachers can learn a lot from the insightful ways that autistic experiences and confusions are depicted and resolved.
Other kids are exposed to the idea that different people think really differently, and that’s okay – a key message if we want the next generation of neurodivergent kids to have a better time than most of us had growing up.
Hope
There seems to be a trend of better autistic representation, with Everything’s Gonna Be Okay showing autistic teenagers coming of age, and She-Ra and the Princesses of Power featuring a very well-written autistic character developed with real autistic input, while shows like Steven Universe are really built around the power of appreciating different ways of being. Perhaps autistic kids growing up today will find it a little easier to fit in, and not to feel alone, thanks to all this.
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23 Responses
This sounds like such a sweet show.
Your review inspired me to find Pablo on YouTube. How delightful! The episode about new crayons captured so much of my experience as a young child, and I can’t even express how healing and inclusive it feels to have my experiences depicted as shared experiences! It’s like everything I was ridiculed and excluded for feeling and thinking are welcome here! I wasn’t a weird kid, I was an autistic kid. And other autistic kids also feel bothered by the paper wrappings and strong smell of new crayons and believe they disappear when they sleep (experiences I still have) and other autistic kids have imaginary friends who include them and help them process and cope ( which I still have). It’s a beautiful show, and one I’ll return to!
Thank you for introducing me to Pablo! I watched an episode on youtube and have subscribed to the channel, it’s a delightful show indeed. I’m a 31 year old woman on the spectrum and I really appreciate the calming animation and variety of autistic representation in the characters. What a great find!
Such an amazing and fantastic post so keep doing your work is best thanks!
Pablo is a unique TV show that truly represents the autism community by featuring a cast of autistic actors and an autistic writing team. While the lead writer Andrew Brenner is not autistic, almost all episodes include contributions from autistic co-writers or ideas inspired by autistic creators like the late Donna Williams. This authentic approach makes Pablo stand out as a heartfelt and realistic portrayal. To enjoy Pablo and many other great shows, download the app from the official MovieBox WEB. It offers a wide range of movies and TV shows easily accessible for all viewers.
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Excellent review of Pablo and its thoughtful approach to autistic representation. I appreciate how the show includes autistic actors, autistic writers, and authentic storytelling that highlights different communication styles, sensory experiences, and access needs. Content like this helps promote understanding, inclusion, and acceptance for neurodivergent children and families. For entertainment and streaming content, you can also visit OnStreamsAPK.co.za. Thanks for sharing this insightful review.
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Omg this review just convinced me to go watch Pablo immediately 😭🧡 The fact that it’s got a full cast of autistic actors and autistic writers? That’s so rare it honestly shouldn’t be, but here we are. The Autdel Test thing is such a smart parallel to the Bechdel Test — like, the bar is literally on the floor and most shows still can’t clear it 💀
Also the character lineup?? Tang the hyper orangutan, Mouse who just wants quiet, Llama with her echolalia and Yorkshire accent?? That’s so specific and I love it 😂 The way they show conflicting access needs too — like one person’s stimming clashing with another person’s sensory stuff — that’s such a real thing that never gets talked about in kids’ shows. Or anywhere really.
I’m a grown adult with no kids and honestly I might just watch this for myself. The crayon animation sounds adorable and the fact that Pablo is minimally-speaking in real life but super chatty in his imagination? That hit close to home ngl 🥲
If you’re into creative rabbit holes and random deep-dives into storytelling, representation, or just weirdly specific stuff that makes you feel seen, I’ve been messing around with some ideas at just the false sun. Nothing too serious, just a little corner for imagination and the kind of details that make projects — and shows like this — feel personal.
Anyway thank you for putting this on my radar, definitely subscribing to this channel asap 🙌🖍️✨
This is such a thoughtful review of Pablo. What stands out most to me is how the show doesn’t just tick a box for representation — it genuinely builds its world around the autistic experience, from the crayon-textured animation to the way conflicting access needs are handled with care rather than simplified for drama. The fact that it passes the Autdel Test and features autistic actors and writers throughout makes it feel like a real step forward, not just a gesture. I also appreciate the point about how the show’s gentle formula works for both preschoolers and adults — validation doesn’t have an age limit.
For anyone interested in exploring more about creativity, neurodivergent perspectives, and the stories that help us see the world differently, I’ve been gathering some thoughts at
jestyn kingdom of marionettes
It’s a small space dedicated to imagination and the kinds of conversations that happen when we take different ways of being seriously.
Thanks for this — I’ll be tracking down Pablo on YouTube. 🖍️
This is a very engaging and well-written TV review that offers a clear and thoughtful perspective on Pablo. I really appreciate how you break down the show in a way that’s easy to follow while still giving readers meaningful insight into its themes and overall impact. The review feels balanced, informative, and enjoyable to read, making it helpful for both new viewers, RAEV discount code and fans of the series. A strong and well-structured piece that captures the essence of the show effectively!