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The A Word

TV·2016–2020·3 seasons, 18 episodes·BBC One·Drama·1h·Created by Keren Margalit

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The various generations of the Hughes family, who all love, work and fight like any other clan, find they must learn to communicate all over again when the youngest member is diagnosed with autism.

Highest-rated episodes all ranked

  1. 01The A Word S01E04SleepoverS01E04 · 9.5An impromptu attempt to win Joe some friends leads to a breakthrough moment for Alison, but how long can it last? Maurice and Louise come to blows over Joe, while Rebecca turns to Eddie for relationship advice.
  2. 02The A Word S01E05GoodbyeS01E05 · 9.5Alison is hit hard when Joe's helper Maya looks set to be deported. As Paul and Eddie discover their wives both want different things, Maurice is left kicking himself for letting Louise go.
  3. 03The A Word S01E06LostS01E06 · 9.5Alison brokers a peace with Paul in time for the gastropub opening, but Joe goes missing.

Cast

Max VentoMax VentoJoe HughesMolly WrightMolly WrightRebecca HughesMorven ChristieMorven ChristieAlison HughesLee InglebyLee InglebyPaul HughesDavid GyasiDavid GyasiBen Chambers

Episodes by season

Season01Best seasonEpisode ratings across the season — the gold bar is its best episode6Episodes2016Aired 9.1Season avg
  1. S01E01The A Word S01E01DiagnosisMarch 22, 2016 8.5At Joe's birthday party, tensions rise when it's suggested he has communication problems.
  2. S01E02The A Word S01E02Home SchoolMarch 29, 2016 9.0Following Joe’s diagnosis, Alison wants to protect her son and takes him out of school without telling Paul. He and Rebecca believe that Joe
  3. S01E03The A Word S01E03TherapyApril 5, 2016 8.5Alison has to deal with a blast from her past after Maggie, a speech and language therapist, shows up to assess Joe.
  4. S01E04The A Word S01E04Season's bestSleepoverApril 12, 2016 9.5An impromptu attempt to win Joe some friends leads to a breakthrough moment for Alison, but how long can it last? Maurice and Louise come to
  5. S01E05The A Word S01E05GoodbyeApril 19, 2016 9.5Alison is hit hard when Joe's helper Maya looks set to be deported. As Paul and Eddie discover their wives both want different things, Mauri
  6. S01E06The A Word S01E06LostApril 26, 2016 9.5Alison brokers a peace with Paul in time for the gastropub opening, but Joe goes missing.

Season 1 ranked & reviewed

Season02Episode ratings across the season — the gold bar is its best episode6Episodes2017Aired 8.1Season avg
  1. S02E01The A Word S02E01Naming DayNovember 7, 2017 8.0When Joe says the A word for the first time, Paul and Alison know they must talk to him about his autism. Maurice is catapulted back into th
  2. S02E02The A Word S02E02Get AwayNovember 14, 2017 8.0Life for the Hughes family turns upside down as Joe starts at a specialist school in Manchester. Rebecca halts her plans with James, and Lou
  3. S02E03The A Word S02E03Are We Still Here?November 21, 2017 8.0Maurice and Louise clash. Paul makes an unexpected connection with Sophie. Eddie gears up for date night with his Manchester girlfriend, Hol
  4. S02E04The A Word S02E04FallingNovember 28, 2017 8.0Paul and Alison reconnect. Maurice has an existential crisis. Eddie teaches Joe to ride bikes.
  5. S02E05The A Word S02E05Season's bestFamily AlbumDecember 5, 2017 9.0Nicola makes a 'film' of Joe's behaviors. Maurice makes a shocking proposal.
  6. S02E06The A Word S02E06Same Deep WaterDecember 12, 2017 7.5An "End of Year Show" at Joe's old school brings his family members together. Paul’s deepest feelings about his son’s autism emerge when Nic

Season 2 ranked & reviewed

Season036Episodes2020Aired—Season avg
  1. S03E01The A Word S03E01Episode 1May 5, 2020—Unsettled by a change in his life, Joe rejects his headphones. Maurice tries to solve all his family’s problems, Alison clashes with a stran
  2. S03E02The A Word S03E02Episode 2May 12, 2020—Joe causes concern at school as he becomes fixated on his teacher, Heather. Paul helps Mark in his bid to join the army, and Rebecca sets th
  3. S03E03The A Word S03E03Episode 3May 19, 2020—Maurice and Eddie lock horns on a kids camping trip. Paul tries to forge a connection with Joe. Rebecca interrupts Alison’s date with Ben to
  4. S03E04The A Word S03E04Episode 4May 26, 2020—Alison brings the family together when she organises a sponsored walk for Joe. Paul gets a surprise from Sarah, and Maurice feels rejected b
  5. S03E05The A Word S03E05Episode 5June 2, 2020—Louise and Maurice are shaken when an unwelcome visitor arrives on the eve of Ralph’s wedding. Mark and Joe test Paul and Sarah’s liberalism
  6. S03E06The A Word S03E06Episode 6June 9, 2020—When Rebecca goes into labour, it falls to Joe to help his sister. Alison makes a decision about Ben, Paul makes Mark an offer, and Maurice

Season 3 ranked & reviewed

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