90210 Tackles Spinal Cord Injury

This show was on in the background while I was doing one of my numerous projects from school. Interesting enough one of the characters recently got in a motor vehicle accident (MVA) and now is recovering from an incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI). They don't specify which level though I'm assuming cervical from the C-collar he is wearing throughout the episode. 

There are two interesting scenes. The first is around minute 6 when Dixon (the character with the SCI) comes home for the first time. As the scene plays out it shows his gf coming in and their interaction. Basically she comes in and doesn't know how to greet him so she gently pats him on the head and he says "wow I've been waiting to for that pat on the head all day, a kiss would have been better" to which she replies that she doesn't want to hurt him. 

The second interesting scene occurs when Dixon is attending some sort of outpatient PT setting. He is squeezing a stress relieving ball and there is a joke between him and his sister Annie about how he's going to become a pro at ball squeezes. Which reminds us as physical therapists of the necessity of patients seeing the meaning behind what they are doing. After this comment is made, another character (Rylee) is introduced as he throws the ball at Dixon and laughs when he can't catch it. 

Rylee: If you ever want to catch a ball again, let alone walk then you need to stop babying him. You're (referring to Dixon) not a charity case just cause your in a chair. 

Annie: tells her brother not to listen to him he is just an ass

(at this point a Physical Therapist brings out Rylee's wheelchair a nice little Quickie I might add)

Annie: I didn't realize... I am so sorry

Rylee: Why? You thought I was a jerk, in fact you might have even wondered how I am in bed, but now that you saw me in this chair you feel sorry for me and sex is out of the question. 

Annie: Well no, I mean yes (meaning about the sex part)

Rylee: See Dixon, I prove my point. People see us different. If you (meaning Annie) keep treating him like he is helpless that is all he is ever going to be. 

I thought this exchange was interesting because well Rylee is probably an actor as seen from picking up a ball off the floor while sitting on a bench without using his other arm to support him and transferring into his chair using almost exclusively his legs; this brings up a point I think a lot of people have when they interact with individuals with disabilities. 

So good for 90210 for not having a happy go lucky encounter where poor old Dixon is doing great things in therapy, but on the other hand I wonder if this scene was enough to educate people on how they should interact with individuals with SCI. 

Overall I give the show a B. While they tacked a tough topic I feel like the exchange could have done more to educate their viewers. With that being said Rylee's character is slated to come back for more episodes so I guess we will stay tuned to see if they take on other controversial topics from the disability world.

here is the link you can watch it if you so desire... http://www.cwtv.com/cw-video/90210/