The representation of people with disability in advertising and TV shows and movies has come a long way in the last 5 years. With a huge shout out to Dylan Alcott’s Shift 20 Initiative which challenged some of Australia’s biggest brands to re-make their most iconic TV ads featuring actors with disability in main roles.

The initiative opened doors for talented actors with disability to gain the roles and recognition that they deserve in TV and film.

We’ve selected our top inclusive TV shows, from Australia and around the world. If you’re looking for a new show to binge – we’ve got you covered! A word of warning though – some of these are strictly for the grown-ups!

Austin (ABC iView)

 A best-selling, but recently cancelled, children's author has a meltdown when approached by Austin, a neurodivergent 20-something claiming to be his son. He slowly realises that embracing Austin may be his path to redemption. Love on the Spectrum star Michael Theo plays Austin in his first professional acting gig.

Love on the Spectrum (Netflix)

Australian reality TV show Love on the Spectrum, follows the lives of young adults on the autism spectrum as they explore the unpredictable world of love and relationships. This uplifting show was described by The Guardian journalist Rebecca Nicholson as “a compassionate, human celebration of difference, and of love."

Ginny and Georgia (Netflix)

Ginny and Georgia is an American comedy-drama television series first released on Netflix in February 2021. Free-spirited Georgia and her two kids, Ginny and Austin, move north in search of a fresh start but find that the road to new beginnings can be bumpy. Not only does Ginny and Georgia tackle important social issues such as race and discrimination, but it also highlights the sign language community. On-screen family Ellen and Clint and their children, communicate using ASL throughout the show.

Rising Pheonix (Netflix)

OK, technically not a TV show, Rising Pheonix is a documentary film about the history and legacy of the Paralympic Games. The film brings together a history of the Paralympics with interviews from some of the most prominent Paralympians of 2020 (when the movie was released). The film provides interesting insight into society’s changing perceptions of people with disability over the last century, and of the community’s ongoing resilience and creativity in the face of ableism. The soundtrack isn’t half bad either.

Atypical (Netflix)

This heartfelt comedy follows Sam, a teenager on the autism spectrum, who has decided he is ready for romance. In order to start dating - and hopefully find love - Sam will need to become more independent, which also sends his mother (Jennifer Jason Leigh) on her own life-changing path. She and the rest of Sam's family, must adjust to change and explore what it means to be "normal."

Then Barbara Met Alan (BBC)

BBC drama Then Barbara Met Alan is based on the real-life story of Barbara Lisicki and Alan Holdsworth, two cabaret artists each with disability. Barbara and Alan met at a gig in 1989, fell in love and went on to found D.A.N, the Direct Action Network for people with disability in Britain. Barbara (played by Ruth Madeley), a comedian, and Alan (Arthur Hughes), a singer-songwriter known by the stage name of Johnny Crescendo, quickly became some of the most prominent campaigners in Britain’s battle for disability rights.