What makes Speechless even better than expected is that J.J. isn’t a coddled sponge for empathy, as he exhibits much of the same behavior as all snark-driven teenagers, and the pointed writing is able to take aim at a segment of society that entertainment is often too nervous to touch.
Meet the neighborhood-hopping DiMeo family, which revolves largely around teenager J.J., who has cerebral palsy and “speaks” using a device on his wheelchair that requires a translator aide.
While the biggest name in the cast isn’t relative newcomer Micah Fowler – who has a less serious diagnosis than J.J. – he is the most noteworthy presence, given how often TV shows choose to go with nondisabled actors for those roles.