The A Word

Did You Know?

• A spin-off series Ralph & Katie, following the married life of the protagonists, was commissioned in August 2020 and broadcast in October and November 2022.
• The spin-off writing team was made up predominantly of people with disabilities.
• All episodes of Ralph & Katie were available as a boxset on BBC iPlayer.

Synopsis

Five-year-old Joe Hughes shows communication difficulties and isolates himself by listening to pop music through headphones, which he knows encyclopedically. His parents Alison and Paul appear unaware of the disorder, though Joe's grandfather Maurice discovers they have been taking him to hospital. After hearing problems are ruled out, a specialist diagnoses autism. The story follows the dysfunctional family—including half-sister Rebecca, Eddie and Nicola, and tactless grandad Maurice—as they cope with Joe's condition and their own social disorders.

Production

The A Word drew on creator Peter Bowker's experiences as a teacher and within his own family. Filming for the series started in October 2015, taking place in the Lake District at Keswick, Broughton-in-Furness, Coniston, and Thirlmere Reservoir, plus Manchester's The Space Project studios. Autism advocate Deborah Brownson was an advisor on the production. A third series was confirmed on 24 May 2019. Returning cast included Christopher Eccleston, Morven Christie, Lee Ingleby, Max Vento, Molly Wright, Greg McHugh, Pooky Quesnel, Matt Greenwood, and Leon Harrop, with newcomers Julie Hesmondhalgh, Sarah Gordy, and David Gyasi.

Release

The first six-part series aired on BBC One in a Tuesday 9pm slot from 22 March 2016, replacing Happy Valley. SundanceTV acquired US rights, premiering on 13 July 2016. The second series began on 7 November 2017 in the same slot. The third series was filmed in May 2019 and released on BBC iPlayer on 5 May 2020, also beginning its weekly BBC One broadcast that day. BBC First airs the series in Australia, and Disney+ picked up all three series across Europe except the UK.

Reception

The first episode drew 4.7 million overnight viewers (23% share), with a consolidated figure of 5.91 million. Social media reaction was mostly positive, praising the acting and handling of autism. On Rotten Tomatoes, the first series holds a 75% score (20 critics, average 5.9/10), with the consensus calling it a thoughtful, warm-hearted look at messy lives and rarely discussed challenges. Metacritic gives the first season 76/100 (12 critics), indicating generally favorable reviews. The second series scores 93% on Rotten Tomatoes (14 critics, average 7.5/10), described as expanding its scope and candidly addressing raising a child with autism. The third series received 100% positive reviews from nine critics, with an average rating of 8.2/10.