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I've recently become obsessed with the Adult Swim show "Joe Pera Talks With You." I'm not quite sure what it is about it that appeals to me, but I think I've got a decent idea.
One thing that I think is relevant is that I'm definitely not neurotypical. I'm diagnosed with ADHD and I strongly suspect I'm also somewhere on the autism spectrum (hoping to get tested soon). It's always been kinda difficult for me to fit in in social scenarios - I can usually get by decently enough, but when I'm around neurotypical people it feels like I'm deliberately trying to fit in, having to be conscious of my actions. I remember when I was young, long before I suspected I may be autistic, I saw an episode of the PBS cartoon Arthur about aspberger's syndrome (not a term that's used anymore, but it was normal at the time). In that episode, one character explained having aspberger's as being like you crash landed on an alien planet, which has unusual customs. You can learn to follow their cultural norms, but you'll never quite be one of them.
I think this is sort of how Joe Pera Talks With You feels. The show feels like it's about an average guy who crash lands on an alien planet and has to deal with their strange customs in terms of how it's presented. But instead, it's about normal suburban American life, and the main character is the odd one out. I don't know if Joe Pera is neurodivergent in real life, and I don't know if it's deliberate, but his character definitely feels like he's somewhere on the autism spectrum - he fixates on unusual things, he has a strange manner of speaking, and he has trouble picking up on social norms, much to the chagrin of those around him. This isn't a show about an autistic man adjusting to our society, though, as Joe Pera is an adult. He often seems painfully aware when he's annoying people with his presence.
Needless to say, I feel like I can relate to the fictionalized Joe Pera of the TV show a lot. This makes me really enjoy the show, but it also makes me feel...weird, sometimes, when I watch the show. It's not quite a bad thing, but I guess I just feel weird wondering why I like it, and I feel weird when it reminds me of myself in real life.
I think the biggest difference between me and the Joe Pera of the show is that although we're both autistic (probably - neither of us have any formal confirmation, and I guess that might be another thing I like) I'm 17, and I've yet to figure out how exactly I fit into the world, how I can live my life in a good way. Joe Pera, on the other hand, is a well-adjusted adult. He's found a job he likes (working as the choir teacher at the local elementary school), he's made friends with many of the people in town (albeit a particular form of friendship where he isn't particularly close to anyone due to his quirks), and he's even in a successful romantic relationship with someone like him, who also feels neurodivergent-coded in a different way.
That's probably why I like this show. Joe Pera is like me in a lot of ways, but he's found out how to live his life on his terms in a way that he's happy with, finding joy in things like reading old sheet music and deciding what to order for breakfast, not feeling the need to try to be "normal". It's sort of inspiring.