Sarah Kurchak

Toronto

Freelance writer & full time autistic. Author of two books with titles too long for this bio. Tends to get autistic about wrestling, music, and film. she/her

Articles

Dr. Mel King Is a Small but Meaningful Step Forward for Neurodivergence Onscreen

2 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Sarah Kurchak

Taylor Dearden as Dr. Melissa King, a.k.a. Mel, on The Pitt Credit - Courtesy of MaxWhen resident Dr. Melissa “Mel" King (Taylor Dearden) first appeared in The Pitt with her atypical body language and her enthusiastic if not entirely appropriate “I’m so happy to be here,” I thought I knew exactly where her character was going. She’d be brusque but brilliant, filled with just enough savant-like insight to make up for her lack of bedside manner.
Tokiko Kirihara: The Most Interesting Woman In The World

Nov 8, 2024 | sarahkurchak.substack.com | Sarah Kurchak

The 2019 Gatoh Move rookie class that played a fundamental role in establishing ChocoPro as we now know it—and kept the lights on for Emi Sakura’s promotion and my soul during the early years of the pandemic—was packed with big personalities and instantly catchy gimmicks. Chie Koishikawa’s irrepressible “too much” energy. Rin Rin’s youthful enthusiasm, far-ranging interests, and technical prowess. Sayaka’s modelesque cool.
In a New Netflix Docuseries, Vince McMahon Tries—And Fails—To Hide Behind His Outsize Persona | Flipboard

Sep 25, 2024 | flipboard.com | Sarah Kurchak

Bron Breakker1 day agoWWE Rumors on Vince McMahon Backstage, Liv Morgan, Ripley, Mysterio & Bron BreakkerBleacher Report - Mike Chiari • 1dBleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe. WWE Superstars Reportedly Not Talking Much About McMahon Doc Ahead of the debut of the Mr. McMahon series Wednesday on Netflix, the documentary reportedly was not a hot topic of discussion within WWE.
Vince McMahon Tries—And Fails—To Hide Behind His Outsize Persona

Sep 25, 2024 | time.com | Sarah Kurchak

By Sarah KurchakSeptember 25, 2024 9:20 PM EDTProfessional wrestling has always had a unique relationship with the truth. The most obvious example of this mercurial bond is kayfabe, performers’ efforts to present everything that happens in the ring as 100% true and spectators’ agreement to accept this, but in reality the phenomenon goes far beyond the squared circle.
Who Cares if Tetsuya Naito is "Washed" or Not?

Jul 4, 2024 | sarahkurchak.substack.com | Sarah Kurchak

I had no plans for an immediate followup when I mentioned that Tetsuya Naito might be the master of the Allegedly Washed Wrestlers Who Are Telling Compelling Stories About Their Evolving Physical Abilities genre in last week’s newsletter. I actually woke up this morning ready to write about another Tetsuya. (We’ll get to him again soon enough.) Enhancement Talent is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Good Riddance to The Good Doctor

May 23, 2024 | flipboard.com | Sarah Kurchak

5 ABC shows not coming back in 2024 that we'll miss in the fallABC has made some major changes to the fall 2024 lineup. Some of these changes are due to canceled and ending shows, but other changes are due to …
Good Riddance to The Good Doctor

May 23, 2024 | time.com | Sarah Kurchak

May 23, 2024 2:59 PM EDTA few years ago, a friend of a friend declared that he wanted to pick my brain about The Good Doctor. He’d recently learned that I was an autistic culture writer and was eager to hear my feelings on the hit ABC medical drama’s fictional portrayal of a promising young surgeon on the spectrum.
ASD Band: A (Mostly) Refreshing Autism Rock Documentary — THINKING PERSON'S GUIDE TO AUTISM

Apr 4, 2024 | thinkingautismguide.com | Sarah Kurchak |Shannon Rosa

For the majority of its 53 minute runtime, ASD Band: The Movie offers a straightforward, fly on the wall account of a band writing and recording songs while preparing for the first live gig. This might sound like a criticism, or at least faint praise. If the documentary were about another bog standard rock group who has seen this kind of cinematic treatment countless times before, that would probably be my intention.
The Best Sci-Fi TV Shows of All Time

Mar 21, 2024 | time.com | Sarah Kurchak

March 21, 2024 4:31 PM EDTThe science fiction genre is every bit as expansive as the worlds, galaxies, alternate realities, timelines, pasts, and futures that it explores on screen. TV shows in the genre have been made on almost every budget tier, often appeal to everyone from mainstream viewers to the most niche subcultures, and evoke tones from playful to thoughtful to downright disturbing. Selecting a definitive best from such a wide range of worthy contenders is an almost impossible mission.
On watching old men fight while you’re getting older, too

Feb 12, 2024 | medium.com | Sarah Kurchak

On February 7, 1982, I came into this world in the early hours of the morning. I didn’t sleep much that night. Or the next one. Or any night for three and half years after that. I’ve successfully slept through the night maybe a dozen times since. On February 7, 1989, my precocious little monster of a brain decided to get a head start of my existential crisis years.