Curious about how accurate the portrayal of Sammy, the autistic child from Criminal Minds 'Coda'.

I recalled one thing from an article I read about autism (which was eons ago) about the autistic person's need for schedules and conformity in life. It also included a story detailing one such autistic boy who survived a cold night lost in the woods because he refused to fall asleep anywhere other than in his own bed.

From my own (limited!) experience, I find Sammy to be quite an honest portrayal. My first thought when I saw the promo was actually "Oh great, another musical autistic genius. Hasn't it been done to death already?" While Sammy is shown playing the piano, he only plays one song - repetitively. As Reid points out, Sammy goes to the store everyday at the same time, his parents switch on the same music, and he plays the same song over again and again. Sammy may not be a musical savant, but he is good at the piano because familiarity, ritual and repetition allows him to grasp the skill. Again, maybe it is more realistic to think that the showrunners do not wish to showcase Sammy's mad piano-playing skills in a 40-minute time-slot.

The aspect of Sammy having never hugged back his mother or initiating touch (which made the scene with Reid so awesome, by the way) was very nicely touched upon. There's a new scientific clue in terms of why autistic people possess this behavioral aspect: Science Daily: New Clue Why Autistic People Don't Want Hugs.

Favourite Dialogue from '6:16 :Coda'

Seaver: Is that the one where they fly around in the phone booth?
Reid: First of all, it's a police box. Not a phone booth. Second of all, Doctor Who started a quarter of a century before Bill and Ted even went on their bodacious adventures so really they should have just called it Bill and Ted's Excellent Rip-off. At least then they would've -
Seaver: I'm really sorry.

Reid: For what? 

Seaver: Asking.


Morgan: The kid definitely likes to draw, but I can't quite figure out what it is he's drawing.

Hotch: It's a dog.

Morgan: How can you possibly know that that looks like a dog?

Hotch: I don't know. Maybe a dad knows.


Lizzie: I'm a stranger in my own brother's house. My nephew doesn't recognise me. And then I find this. Charlie told Sammy about me. I always assume he never knew who I was.

Rossi: Do you mind me asking what the fight was about?
Lizzie: I was the one who suspected Sammy had autism. Charlie couldn't see it. He was so upset, he kicked me out.

Rossi: How did you know?

Lizzie: (shrugs) He was...different. So I did some research. Charlie was blind to it. He refused to accept what I found.

Rossi: He was afraid. A father would be. Learning his child isn't gonna have it...as easy as he did.

Lizzie: You sound like you talk from experience.

Reid: Anchors. Like my socks!


Thomas: I had it, Ellie. A dream. Not a big one. It was my dream. Put food on the table, have a family who love me.

Ellie: It was my dream.

Doyle: What's the expression? Keep your friends close, your enemies on surveillance?


Prentiss: I've got a Glock leveled at your crotch. What's to stop me from taking you and the little ones out, right now?


Doyle: Tell me. Does the lovely Penelope know the truth about you? Or she's too busy watching movies with Derek to care? Here you are, all alone, while Aaron sits at home with his son. And why didn't Dave and Ashley invite you to their game night? Maybe they thought you'll be on the metro with Dr. Reid. (smirks) Well, that one does have some quirks.

This is how Jack Hotchner weasels out of trouble from Daddy G-man.

Some Favorite Scenes from Coda

Favorite scene from Coda. How wonderful is it that there's
no need for words to express this scene?

"Anchors..."

"Like my SOCKS!"
Loved the way his voice went absolutely high-pitched.
Sounded more like MGG than Reid though.

Finally. A nod to continuity.

Actually loved how focused Sammy was on Rossi's shoeprints.

Quite nice art, actually.

Spoken from experience, Joe Mantegna.
So...if this Rossi's secret or what?

Felt marginally sorry for the unsub of the week.
What he did was wrong, but he was a desperate man seeking to
regain what he lost.
When he said, "Your dream's over" to Sammy's mother, couldn't
help but feel he was referring to both of them.

This moment.
Considering Sammy, being autistic, rarely initiated touch.
In his own limited, awkward way Sammy tried to console his
mother.

Almost every scene that sheriff's in, his eyebrow's raised.
Must be a preclusion to his job as cop of the week.

The BAU after work. Morgan and Garcia - what sort of genre is the movie? (Let's hope it's not naughty.) Hotch - aww. Rossi and Seaver - eh...why am I getting some sort of daddy-daughter vibe here? (Rossi, no Grand Theft Auto?) Reid - aww, he looks like a kid who got something nice for Christmas (I would be too!)

Now, Emily. Was it a good idea to wait all alone for a known cold-blooded murderer without any backup? I found it reckless of her to just sit there and expect Doyle to come to her unprepared. Well yes, she sounded very badass for the "gotta Glock aimed at your crotch" line, but it is only a bravado if the bad guy has it better planned than you, Emily.

Okay. How did Doyle know what each of the team were doing? Inside spies? Cameras? Undercover henchman?

Suspicious!

Doubly suspicious!

Okay, I'm being paranoid.