#autistic characters

What's Mel short for, Melanoma? Melatonin? Melissa. Yeah, I'm just... I'm just messing with you.

Autism central over here

That she spent formative years getting the brunt of the foster system, lived on the streets, got taken in by a well-meaning but flawed master thief and taught how to make her own way in the world.

That she learned very few social skills along the way, but is completely capable of and willing to learn them if given the correct situations and motivation. And is more than able to form strong, positive bonds with people how are willing to meet her where she is (and like, Parker/Hardison FOREVER, but also the episode where Elliot's posing as a chef and his and Parker's friendship is given a moment to shine).

That she's got lingering issues from her rough past that talking about with a therapist can help with, and which can help her understand, empathize with, and aid other people or kids who are in bad situations like the ones she went through.

She's not weird and quirky and goofy because she's autistic, she's weird and quirky and goofy because she has been through so much, with so little outside help, and this is how she became at least in part to deal with it all.

And no one tries to 'fix her' over the course of the series, she's just given a chance to learn some new skill sets while the rest of the cast simultaneously is given the chance to get to know her as a person.

I love how, in the first episode, Nate's reaction to the first mention of Parker being on the team is, "Parker's insane," and in the last episode she is the one he believes to be most capable of succeeding him as the head of Leverage.