Atypical: Season 3, Episode 4: Y.H.G.G.

"Sorry, would you mind turning down your backpack?"

Right. You know how I started off blogging this season by suggesting that something was missing, that it was still very good but, perhaps because of the sheer amount of necessary early-season exposition, it wasn't quite catching fire in the way the two previous seasons had.

Well, forget that. At this point the season has fully reached peak Atypical. This is an episode that mixes perfect plotting and pacing with heart and humour in exactly the way this show does at its best. I think the jitters are over.

The use of Paige is as clever as it is sad- we begin with her on Skype to Sam describing her uni social life to Sam, encouraging to make friends or suffer the terrible social death that a friend of hers did. The fact that Sam does indeed have a good time at some kind of drawing jam party is nice but, more importantly, the final reveal is devastating- the "Burrito lab rat" is Paige herself, and she's miserable, bullied, and at the end of her tether.

Things are more bittersweet for Izzie, hanging around Elsa in a blatant attempt to escape her clearly dysfunctional family- and the two of them bond over their shit childhoods. Both of them are suddenly much deeper characters.

But there's happiness for Zahid who, after an excruciating party experience, randomly meets a girl by a rubbish skip and falls in love. And there's more bonding after the recent rough patch for Casey and Evan as they visit his shit estranged dad with his sister and they, er, kidnap a dog. And Casey's magnificent bollocking of a shamefaced Evan's dad is a wnder to behold- no wonder Evan kisses her.

THAT is how to do character drama.

Atypical: Season 3, Episode 3- Cocaine Pills and Pony Meat

"I forgot to check the anal fins."

This episode is, thankfully, much better and more in line with the first two seasons. Perhaps it's because it gets more of a chance to breathe but a lot of it, I suspect, is that it's heavily based on Sam navigating his first few days at uni, as narrated by him with the requisite (and genuinely interesting) references to Ernest Shackleton.

We're introduced to a suspiciously abrasive ethics professor who is, I suspect, going to gradually soften and become more likeable as the episodes can't go by. Personally I find it impossible to dislike anyone who is a fellow Nirvana fan and teachers her seminars whilst wearing an In Utero t-shirt just like we all had back in '93-'94. But it's all a shock to the system for Sam, who nonetheless copes with a lot of organisation and a huge reserve of resilience. So far this season he hasn't had any meltdowns at all. That's real progress.

Things aren't going well for Evan, who is helplessly seeing himself pushed out of Casey's life by Izzy, who shares dreams, horizons and yes, education levels with Casey that he can't hope to match. There's some real social class angst here and, while the episode finishes with a touching reconciliation, I think there's trouble ahead.

Also not good is Doug, not usually a dick, pulling the dick move of bringing Megan into the house in front of Elsa- and poor Elsa tries and fails to confront Megan. She's also anxious about backing off and giving people space as requested by Julia- who has a cute new baby.

We end with Sam finally getting help at uni for his disabilities, meeting Sidney who, in spite of having a man's name, is an obvious love interest. I notice Nice Bloke Sam is still turning up too. This season has twists and turns to go, and I'm enjoying it.

Atypical: Season 3, Episode 2- Standing Sam

“You punched a milkshake?”

We get to see Sam navigate his first day at uni this episode and, really, he does awesomely. There’s a scene early on where he seems due for a meltdown... and it doesn’t happen. He’s prepared for everything. He makes friends. Yes, they turn out to be douches but that’s ok; he makes a friend who seems nice. And is called Sam too.

Otherwise things are ominous. Casey’s feud with Nate is ongoing. Elsa and Doug are not going well- and Megan sends him a flirty text. And then there are the ongoing worries with Zahid and his self-destructive streak and Casey not feeling like she fits in at private school. And are she and Evan really ok?

This episode is better. It’s wittier, the characters are well written and acted... but something is lacking, an extra little spark. Season Three so far is good, very good. But it’s not reaching its previous heights.  but let’s see what happens: Mrs Llamastrangler and I will be zooming through this.

Atypical: Season 2, Episode 8- Living at an Angle

"I wouldn't want them to mistake me for a wizard."

This is another splendidly crafted episode, as I keep having to say, but a much lighter one than usual, and certainly than last episode, no doubt as a last bit of lightness before we head towards the finale. Yes, I know; Sam's anxiety about going to uni is a serious thing. So is Casey's unhappiness at Clayton and her apparent subconscious desire to fail. But the serious themes are allowed to unfold in a light and humorous way, at least for now. That's a sure sign that the last two episodes, while unlikely to be humourless, are set to be pretty damn intense.

Sam's stress about art school leads to, as well as the palaver about losing his art portfolio, the epiphany that what seems to be the perfect uni is close to home- and the fact that he has a wonderful sister who would do anything for him even when she has a big scary biology test coming up is the icing on the cake. And Casey, while under said intense pressure, at least has a really supportive boyfriend.

Meanwhile there's Elsa and Doug slowly moving together, their meeting with Julia about autism training for emergency services being sidetracked somewhat while they have a moment of bonding over bad puns. Doug's date with the rather lovely Megan is awkward precisely because there's the question of Elsa, but the episode ends on a hopeful note as he holds out the olive branch of couples counselling and the end up in the shower together. Mmm. Surely something is going to go very wrong very soon to drive them apart again?

All in all that was a very calm episode. There's definitely a storm coming.

Atypical: Season 2, Episode 5- The Egg Is Pipping

"The egg is pipping!"

A pivotal episode this time, I think, in the wake of Doug's panic attack as it becomes clear he's struggling to cope. Elsa is finally back, and here to stay, it seems- the family needs her. But Doug is getting close to Megan and the two of them are getting on rather well. Does Elsa, still wanting her husband back, have a rival? I think that's the main question here although of course we also have the big row between Casey and Evan, which is interesting for all sorts of reasons. She and Izzy are genuinely friends now, and she's connected with the gang, but there's still a lot of snobbery directed towards her, which Evan spots immediately. Is he being over sensitive, defensive about his class background? Is Casey going too far to fit in? There's a lot going on here.

Sam is bullied by Arlo, too, although at least he makes a new friend. But he makes a big step towards financial independence with his own bank account- and immediately shows himself vulnerable to exploitation. Is this foreshadowing bad stuff due to happen now the season is halfway through? Are Casey and Evan about to split angrily and later reconcile? Is Elsa going to spend the rest of the season wooing Doug again, with Megan as a threat? Let's see. I suspect things are about to get serious.

Atypical: Season 2, Episode 3- Little Dude and the Lion

“Was that a brag or an apology?”

More superb character development this week as Sam recognises his “pack” is falling apart, leaving him vulnerable to predators. His mother has left the family home after an affair; his girlfriend has left him but with the door confusingly ajar; his sister is at another school; his former therapist has other clients. And yet he’s coping well- even after running out of class after too much stimulation he copes rather well- and he finishes the episode determined to go away to college and determined to get there.

Coping much less well are his parents, who struggle to communicate the parenting stuff, leading Doug to finally admit that, while it may have been Elsa having the affair, he needs to cooperate more with her on Sam’s appointments. Julia is in denial about the baby and unsure whether to marry her boyfriend; it was, I think, unfair of him to spring it on her like that but the whole thing is a mess of gender expectations. The door to being with Paige is opened a little, though,  as she agrees to walk with Sam at busy periods. And Casey, in detention, gets to bond a little over vodka(!) with her tormentor Izzy, who turns out to be ether less upper class than thought. But she’s still confused and, perhaps, guilty about how she lost her virginity, wanting to dial things down a bit until the “second first time”.

But she’s in trouble with her mum about the vodka. Oops. I suspect Elsa will be rather less understanding than mine was at that age.

Oh, and it seems this is all set in Connecticut, not Texas?