Very interesting read.

I have not seen any of the series that you mentioned but you've definitely given me a few titles to check out.

All of these sound like they are in the grand old tradition of Miss Marple by Agatha Christie, or murder she wrote, or the slightly lesser known Mrs Halifax by Dorothy Gilman. Two book series in one television show there but those were all also women who worked in some unofficial or semiofficial capacity with authorities to solve mysteries/crimes/international intrigues.

That particular branch of this genre focused more on the aged, beloved, somewhat resented, but also respectable side of the crone. All three of the characters I have referenced are considered eminently respectable and of high social standing even though they are not aristocratic, wealthy, and do not start out as particularly well-known.

It sounds like the branch you are describing is an evolution away from respectable grandmotherdom/spinsterhood and towards the trendlines of neurodiversity. In the group of series that I mentioned the obstacle/unexpected element in the characters is their age and vulnerable status. And it sounds like the characters you are finding in television shows are representing that obstacle as neurodiversity, difficulty understanding social norms, and extremely chaotic social lives.

Interesting observation.