CHAMPION BROAD REPRESENTATION

“He would try and get consent before, but often people were in psychosis. He would talk to their family members if they had them, and then he would speak with them after they were out of psychosis. But they didn't get to see the footage. So they had to trust Keon to put themselves out there when they're like really, really unwell to the point where they had been hospitalized.”

“I'm 39, I'm single, I'm dating in New York, and I'm watching the show in preparation for talking to you, and I'm just so floored at how directly people are communicating. I'm watching people and I'm thinking to myself, oh my God, oh my God, all so many people want in the world who are dating and single is for somebody to know what they want and mean what they say. That's what I'm watching.”

“It's incredibly popular. It's one of the biggest shows on Netflix, and it's so unique to have a show that is actually socially responsible, but is also scratching the itch that people have to watch reality dating series. The show captures a dating world that has more heartwarming moments than histrionics, and is sensitive and nuanced in its portrayal of neurodivergent people.”

“With other dating series, I think that even if viewers say, oh, I'm watching for the romance, I want people to get together, the moments that are really sticky are often the most dramatic and, as you said, exploitative. And what people say is, oh, the people who go on the show signed up for it. So whatever happens to them, they deserve it. This, I think people genuinely want the best for the people on the show, and I think that the people who are making the show want the best for the people who are on the show.”

“Baz used to say to me, it's like you're invisible, which I thought was actually a really nice thing. And he would meant it as a compliment that, you know, I was able to get really close in on, you know, him working with the actors on these sets with a camera filming and kind of people wouldn't really even notice me. And so I was able to capture this really great, intimate footage.”

“A cast member named Madison went out on her first date with someone named Brandon. And Brandon is sensitive to noise, so they had cleared out half the restaurant, so nothing would trigger him. But then there was a baby crying on the other side of the restaurant, so far away, and he just folded forward onto the table. He was so uncomfortable. He just couldn't continue the conversation with Madison. King kept checking in with him and asking, do you want to break?”

“Kailin noted that people who are non-speaking or who use devices to communicate have not been featured on the show. And Love on the Spectrum does say that they're trying to increase casting to tell the breadth of stories that there are about autism because there are countless ones. But Keyen acknowledges there are people who require 24-hour care who have autism. Not everybody is able to date and not everybody wants to date.”