At the heart of SPEECHLESS is the DiMeo family and matriarch Maya, who will do anything for her family, particularly for her special needs son JJ.
The show begins as the family tours a run-down shack that will be their new home. They learn that this move is another in a long list of attempts to create the “perfect” situation for JJ. JJ will be assigned a full time aide, giving him independence and a spot in a mainstream class for the first time. While everyone seems happy about the possibilities of their new town, young Ray thinks that the newest move will be a disappointment, just like all the others.
And it turns out Ray is quickly proven right. Maya is horrified to learn that the “perfect” school has no wheelchair access. JJ doesn’t like his aide or the classroom full of students who want to “celebrate” him. While everyone is soon ready to bail, Ray is drawn to the school’s astronomy club and the girl-of-his-dreams, Jillian.
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The cast includes Minnie Driver as Maya DiMeo, John Ross Bowie (“The Big Bang Theory”) as Jimmy DiMeo, Mason Cook as Ray DiMeo, Micah Fowler as JJ DiMeo, Kyla Kennedy as Dylan DiMeo and Cedric Yarbrough as Kenneth. Scott Silveri (FRIENDS) Jake Kasdan and Melvin Mar serve as executive producers.
SPEECHLESS will air this fall on Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT on ABC (see ABC’s full fall schedule).
