Atypical season 2, episode 10 finale recap: ‘Ernest Shackleton’s Rules for Survival’

The Atypical season 2 finale is filled with joy and pride as Sam graduates high school and prepares for the future.

Atypical had an amazing second season and gave even more depth to the character of Sam than its first season. It didn’t confine Sam to any limits or use his autism as a means to hold him back. In fact, season 2 allowed Sam to grow in ways he didn’t know were possible and gave him the confidence boost he needed to tackle the next phase in life–college.

The last episode left us with an impending sense of doom as Doug pulled up next to the dive bar while contemplating his next move. But as expected, he approached the bartender and punched him. Well, at least that’s out of the way, right?

As Sam mentions at the start of the episode, success is about preparation and planning. Just like any 16-year-old, Casey prepped for her driving exam and passed and Sam spent the season trying to grow and has finally reached graduation day. To celebrate the big day, Sam drops off an invitation for Julia and ends up talking to her for a bit.

In the spirit of independence, Sam decides from now on he is going to do everything by himself. He doesn’t want anyone’s help with anything, and he feels it is the only way he can go off to college on his own.

Credit: Netflix

Casey is dealing with conflicted feelings towards Izzie after the night of her birthday party and it seems Elsa is onto her because she walked into the room moments before the kiss was about to happen. To try and alleviate the situation, Elsa shares her own experience of hooking up with a girl.

The end of the school year brings the best tradition of all–yearbook signings! Unfortunately for Sam, someone took his yearbook and wrote freak, loser, and spaz all over his picture. This is a reminder of how brutal high school can be, and it sends Sam into a state of anxiety like never before.

Due to this incident, Sam runs away from school and doesn’t show up to work. With the family in distress over his whereabouts, things are starting to get really tense. Luckily, Doug knows exactly where Sam is–at the aquarium watching his penguin.

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The entire Gardner family heads there to comfort Sam and it’s quite the adorable family moment if you ask us. All members of the family have been through the wringer this season and it’s nice to see a moment of love and peace between them.

On the way to Sam’s graduation, Elsa discovers a flier in Doug’s jacket from the night of the bar and realizes why his hand was hurt. The two have a lot to figure out and Elsa even point-blank asks Doug if he will ever get over what she did. It’s a mature moment for the couple who has been up and down since last season’s big reveal. The two plan to talk it out while Sam is at the senior lock-in.

The graduation ceremony doesn’t go exactly as planned when Paige shows up with a hoarse voice, unable to give the speech. We learn she lost her voice after discovering the horrible things that were written in Sam’s yearbook. She yelled at anyone and everyone over how foul and horrible of a thing that was to do and now she has little to no voice left to give the speech.

Surprisingly, Sam stepped up and offered to give the speech on her behalf which made for some hilarious moments as he read Paige’s words. Later that day as Sam prepared to head to the senior lock-in, Paige showed up to ask him how he was able to give the speech or do any of the things he has been able to for her sake. His response? He may be in love with her. Awwww.

It appears Doug is not ready to talk to Elsa just yet and instead of coming to talk to her, he goes to his friend’s place (remember the lady from the peer group?). Doug isn’t the only conflicted character at the season’s end as the episode closes out with Izzie and Casey in the car holding hands while Casey rejects Evan’s phone call.

Atypical has not been renewed for season 3 by Netflix just yet but fans are dying to know what will come of Sam as he goes to college, if Izzie and Casey will pursue a relationship, and if Doug and Elsa will ever work things out.

Thanks for joining us this season of Atypical!