Q

Peter Bowker wants to reveal aspects of autism in his show The A Word

Peter Bowker's new TV series The A Book follows a family who finds out their son has autism.
Screenwriter Peter Bowker is best known for working TV shows such as Blackpool, Capital and The A Word. (Getty Images)

It's tough to depict autism in television and movies because there is such a wide spectrum. No two people who live with it are the same. 

Screenwriter Peter Bowker knows this, having worked as a teacher of children and young adults with learning disabilities. So when time came to write his latest TV series, The A Word, Bowker knew to not cast a wide portrayal of autism. Instead, he zeroed in on specific details. 

"I didn't want people to go away thinking, 'Ah yes, I get autism now,'" he says. "I want people to understand aspects of what it's like to have autism." 

The A Word airs on Sunday nights at 8 p.m. ET on CBC TV.

— Produced by Dawna Dingwall