From the get-go, Ross says, The Pitt's writers "were very serious about not portraying a stereotypical situation" regarding autism. "That was in the original request that was posed to me," she says. Her advice eventually helped shape fan-favorite character Dr. Mel King (played by Taylor Dearden), a bright-eyed resident new to the ER in the show's first season.
"It was like the most positive response I've ever had to anything I posted," he says. On Reddit and TikTok, fans expressed gratitude and excitement for the inclusion. "Everybody was like, 'This is the perfect representation for autism. I feel seen,' etc., etc.," McMillen says. "That felt like somebody opened the door and said, 'Go on. Go ahead, do your thing.'"
