PBS KIDS’ “Carl the Collector” spotlights neurodiverse and neurotypical friends

Much of today’s children’s television programming is criticized for being too fast-paced and overwhelming for young audiences. But a new show launched last fall features a set of calm and empathetic animal friends who are both neurodiverse and neurotypical. The adventures of Carl, a warm-hearted autistic raccoon and his endearing playmates in Fuzzytown celebrate inclusion, self-expression and confidence.

Five new half-hour episodes of “Carl the Collector,” which premiered nationwide in November, have launched in April – Autistic Acceptance Month — on PBS KIDS.

“We’re just trying to portray an authentic experience and expose kids to the whole breath of humanity of kids being themselves whether they are neurotypical or neurodiverse,” says Zachariah OHora, the show’s creator and a New York Times bestselling illustrator and author.

Carl and his furry friends appreciate one another’s differences as they help each other explore and problem solve their way through age-appropriate situations and conflicts, explains Lisa Whittick, director of the animated series.

One scene portrays them calmly discussing anxieties that all kids can relate to — like asking for new shoes to replace a pair that are too tight or overcoming the embarrassment of requesting the library bathroom key.

In one episode, the group helps Carl realize that he has hurt the feelings of his friend, Forrest, a hyperactive squirrel with a tree nut allergy, when he tells him that his idea for a school project is not as good as his own.

“It’s about Carl coming to finally understanding that he should value other people’s ideas and not insult them,” Whittick says.

Another episode celebrates Lotta, a quiet, sound-sensitive fox with synesthesia — a condition that causes two senses to blend. Lotta sees shapes and colors when she hears music, and she can’t quite get the hang of the dance practiced by her twin bunny friends, Nico and Arugula, who have extremely different personalities.

Lotta’s talents shine, however, when she can instantly play the music on her musical instrument.

“It’s one of the examples of how kids just doing their thing, help each other out,” OHora says.

Much of the show’s authenticity comes from the voice talent, some of whom are autistic children.

“We always knew that if it was an autistic character, then the actor should be as well,” OHora says, “These kids, just being their natural selves, really formed the characters even more than what we had envisioned.”

And the tempo of the actors’ voices is not edited to condense the dialog or make it quicker, as is common with other shows, explains Whittick.

“That’s really what gives the show its comforting pace, which is important when we’re trying to portray the autistic lessons,” she says. “It’s important to take it slow.”

The show also clears up the impression that autistic people, because of their focus on what they love, are not good friends. In reality, they love to share, and that’s how they communicate – as does Carl who is centered on his collections of everything from bottlecaps to words.

“I have a son who is autistic, and growing up he had to deal with a lot of those types of preconceived ideas of what it meant to be autistic,” Whittick says. “It isn’t until you get to know him as a person that you realize just the huge range of personality that he has.”

Since the show’s debut, OHora says that feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, especially from parents who have used it as a springboard to opening up a conversation with their autistic children. It’s also created a deeper understanding for neurotypical family members and friends of those who are neurodiverse.

“We hope it takes away some of the stigma and some of the mystery and makes everybody understand how we’re different, and just as important — how much we’re all the same as well,” OHora says.

Families can stream PBS KIDS free anytime on the PBS KIDS Video app, connected TV devices and at pbskids.org. There are also educational games, including some that feature Carl the Collector, on the PBS KIDS Games app and pbskids.org. In Pittsburgh, the show airs on PBS KIDS at 8:30 a.m.