PBS Kids Show Features First Autistic Main Character

PBS Kids made history with Carl the Collector, a new show featuring their first autistic main character. The fuzzy raccoon is voiced by Kai Barham, a 10-year-old autistic actor who brings real experience to the role.

"It makes me happy that I am finally being represented in a show," Barham told reporters. "I hope that people who are not on the spectrum will learn that autism is not like the stereotypes." The show targets children ages 4 to 8 and was created with both autistic and non-autistic viewers in mind.

The production team includes voice actors, writers, and directors who are autistic or have autistic family members. This first-hand experience shapes stories that show autism as part of normal human experience. "So much of the strategies and techniques that are used to support and help autistic individuals are really just extensions of good practice," explained Stephen Shore, an autistic professor who advises the show.

In March 2026, the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences awarded Carl the Collector an Emmy for Outstanding Public Service Initiative. The show won recognition for raising awareness about neurodiversity and celebrating differences in our community.

Our families can watch Carl the Collector on PBS Kids to learn alongside children that we are more similar than different. The show creates opportunities for conversations about autism and acceptance in age-appropriate ways.