Special Needs Issues Go Prime Time

I've noticed in recent weeks a few prime time episodes that have touched on special needs, and for the most part, these scenes have touched me. Let me share some snippets....

First, there was the "Wheels" episode on gLee. Let me tell you what, even if you detest all things Glee, I still insist that you watch the episode in its entirety here, if you haven't watched it already. Trust me, it will get to your emotions. Although it will take some time, I think it's worth it.

Here is the main star of that episode, Artie, singing a song about how he feels left out of the crowd because of being in a wheelchair....





Next up, also on gLee, the students think they have a competition in the bag because their opponents are from the deaf school. However, when the deaf students sing 'Imagine' using ASL, the students realize there is more to music than singing abilities. I was a puddle of tears when I watched this....





And last, but not least, Desperate Housewives.

A doctor told Lynette that her baby might be born with some mental or physical problem. Lynette then starts to think of her life and how it would change when she would have to deal with a disabled child.




First, we see Lynette in a desperate (no pun intended) state as she tries to do some movement exercises to the baby. Tom encourages and then demands from Lynette to try her best and that she is only frustrated because she chooses to not try harder. The next scene really blew me away. There is no music and not much dialogue to explain the scene. It starts with the disabled child being around 10 years old and asking for a sandwich. After being constantly asked, Lynette tells her son to go make one himself. The son gets really irritated but Lynette keeps pushing him because she feels that he needs to do stuff for himself. The kid finally makes a sandwich and smiles to Lynette. The episode then cuts to the son (around a decade older) graduating [from law school] and thanking his mother for pushing him and making him achieve in many aspects of life (quoted from Inside Pulse.)

My personal favorite part was this line from the son's graduation speech:

"[When she first found out about my condition], my mother was scared.... scared of my disability, my limitations.... then she realized what she was really scared of was my potential and that she'd miss something that would help me reach it. Ghandi said, "Strength does not come from a physical capacity; it comes from an indominable will." ...Every day of my life, [my mother] showed me how true [that saying] is."

This episode is also worth a few minutes of your time. Go here and fast forward to about 30 minutes in if you haven't watched it already. You'll be glad you did.

Have you seen any other special needs issues come up on television? What are your thoughts/feelings when TV attempts to portray life with special needs?