On Bones, the character of Jack Hodgins, the resident "bug and slime guy", becomes paralyzed as a result of a homemade bomb in a dead body. (I know. Yikes!) At first, he becomes angry and rude to everyone in an effort to push them away, even going so far as to mention divorce from his supportive wife. Normally, as someone who has been paralyzed from day one, these character arcs in books and movies irk me. It's as if the producers decide they need to have a disabled character to be more "diverse". So why not incapacitate a beloved character? And if they're angsty and all "woe is me" for episode upon episode, so much the better.
Bones does it well, though. Hodgins has his temper tantrum, but moves on in a couple of episodes. And why shouldn't he? He has a good job, a great family and friends that love and support him. Not so for many of us. Yes, he has to use the lift to get onto the platform where they do their work, but at least his job has one! And being such a prestigious institute, I'm sure they have handicapped bathrooms available. Not to mention the fact that he even still has a job. I've come out of many an interview where the employer is worried about the liability involved in hiring someone with a disability. I've even been asked how often I go to the doctor.
You're sitting pretty, Jack. Keep smiling!
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