On Thursday, PBS debuts its new children’s program, “ Carl the Collector .” Like many TV shows aimed at the under 10 demographic, “Carl” features adorable animated animals who work together to solve problems and learn valuable life lessons. Carl, a kind raccoon who loves to collect things, lives in a fictional world called Fuzzytown with his friends, including twin rabbits, a helpful beaver, a reserved fox and an energetic squirrel.
As we’ve come to expect from PBS children’s programming, the series is funny, sweet, educational and poignant. But “Carl the Collector” is also groundbreaking because Carl is autistic. It’s the first time PBS has centered a series on a neurodiverse character.
It was created by children’s book author Zachariah OHora , who says the inspiration came from watching his own children and their interactions with their peers. “All kids, regardless of what their needs are, get the same access to teachers, social time in the classroom and get support for whatever they need,” he says, noting that his children attend an inclusion school. “I noticed that my kids just didn’t differentiate.
It was just such a light bulb moment for me. This is how it should be. More exposure to the full spectrum of humanity.
” Sara DeWitt, senior vice president and general manager of PBS Kids, says that the public broadcaster endeavors for its shows to be both mirrors and windows. For autistic children, Carl can be a mirror, a character they may see .
