Character: Ram Singh
From: Class (BBC)
Representation: Disability (Prosthetic leg), Racial (South Asian), Religious (Sikh), Mental Illness (PTSD and depression)
Their Importance: In my opinion Ram is the most well-written character in dramas focused on teens. When introduced he seems to falling into the “jerk popular jock” trope, but is later shown to not be that at all.
The Shadowkin kills his girlfriend and severs his leg and the Doctor replaces it with a bionic one. He struggles with the aftermath of the attack, becoming distant and antisocial, facing pressure from his father and the Coach, having difficulty adjusting to the bionic leg while playing football. He becomes depressed and self destructive, egging on the Dragon and telling it to kill him. Realizing that he doesn’t have to be alone, he becomes closer to the rest of the gang and confides in his father about what happened to his leg. He’s shown being openly emotional and cries in front of his father.
He cares about his ethnicity and religion. When April comments on the fact that he’s a Sikh with short hair, he says that he doesn’t practice Kesh (uncut hair) because of discrimination that Sikhs face during airport security, but he likes that his father does practice it. He still keeps the Kangha (wooden comb) that his father gave him in case he changes his mind. He wears the Kara (metal bracelet), explains the meaning behind it to April. He tells April that there are 30 million Sikhs and she should learn something.
As a South Asian, it was refreshing to see such a wonderful character in science fiction teen drama.
Thanks to @bisexualhermionepond for the write up!