I'm always on the lookout for disability-focused shows on television, and in the last month I've found not one, but two really good ones. And they're Canadian!
The programs in question are Push and You're My Hero on CBC and CBC Gem, the network's online streaming site (which is free, FYI).
Push is a reality show about a group of friends, who call themselves the Wheelie Peeps, from Edmonton, Alberta who all have spinal cord injuries. Just a few episodes in, Push has touched on topics like ableism, independence, dating/marriage, employment (and loss of employment), motherhood, and even sex from the cast members' individual perspectives.
You're My Hero is a sit-com by and starring actor Sean Towgood as Ian, a young disabled man. It started streaming last week, and it's absolutely hilarious, making fun of typical disability-related clichés like inspiration porn and politically correct language.
What makes these shows so good, to me, is 1) they're both Canadian, 2) they star physically disabled individuals, and 3) both programs are kind of vulgar in terms of language and content, something I think has always been missing from any type of programming with/about people with disabilities which can get kind of saccharine. Makes it seems more honest and real, in my opinion. And adds much-needed humour.
Like, this week's episode of Push partially revolved around one of the women attempting to make a YouTube video with her husband about favoured positions, and the show, while still sensible, didn't really hold back, either. And within the first five minutes of it's premiere, the main character of You're My Hero was calling a disabled motivational speaker's use of the term differently-abled bull@#$% in front of a class of young children.
I'm very impressed with the CBC for including programs like these in their scheduling, and I hope both shows have successful runs.
Cheers!
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