Let’s dive into the performative male side of Paul Baker, Billie’s pick-me personality, and Issa’s newly addressed “weird little guy” nature through a character analysis of our five favorite returning Adults.
Arguably the funniest sitcom currently on air has released its sophomore season–FX’s Adults season two. Created by Ben Kronengold and Rebecca Shaw, Adults depicts the lives of five friends living in New York City in their mid-twenties. Starring Malek Alassal as Samir, Jack Innanen as Paul Baker, Owen Thiele as Anton, Lucy Freyer as Billie, and Amita Rao as Issa, these actors bring to life the realities of Gen Z early adulthood.
The beauty of Adults is its realistic nature. The show takes viewers through the lives and embarrassing moments of each character in a way that feels true to the nature of our still growing, but getting older, Gen Z’s. Finding relatability and the occasional disgust in each character is what allows this show to hold viewers’ attention so tightly. This character depiction is very reminiscent of Lena Dunham’s Girls, a show that also takes place in New York following multiple characters in their early twenties. Where Adults shines for Gen Z, Girls shined for millennials.
But, who are these characters and what makes them so relatable? That’s where archetypes, or persona’s, come into play. Very near and dear to Gen Z are interesting, and sometimes crass, depictions of personalities such as: Gay son or thot daughter, the pick me girl, the performative male, and a million more where those came from. Throughout watching season two of Adults it became incredibly clear to me that each character fits one of these archetypes to a tee–all of which creates further appeal and relatability for the show’s target audience.
Let’s dive into a Gen Z character analysis of our five favorite Adults.
Paul baker the performative male
Season 2 Episode 1 – The Scrub
Our favorite fluid, mustache-wearing man is back on our screens for season two and he hit it off with a bang. In episode one a side of Paul Baker is revealed that had yet to be seen by viewers and his housemates.
Our previously sweater-wearing, Clairo-listening, performative male is seen sneaking off to a pseudo frat house in the heart of New York City. In this man cave Paul Baker unleashes a lower set voice along with a ridiculous vernacular and body mannerisms that set the feminist movement back by decades.
To the friendgroups surprise this frat flicking version of Paul Baker, known to his other friends as “Baker,” is horribly disturbing and the complete opposite of the man they know him to be.
So, who is Paul Baker?
Paul Baker is the poster child for the performative male–a slightly more feminine, tote bag-wearing, matcha drinking man who claims to be the male version of a girl’s girl. It’s why many viewers of Adults fell in love with Paul Baker in the first place. His charm and overall vibe caught not only Issa and Anton’s attention but viewers’ as well when he was introduced to the show, running a marathon just to meet people after moving to New York.
But, don’t worry, Paul Baker shed his frat bro ways and re-embraced his performative male side after learning that he didn’t need to keep his past now that he’s settled with his housemates.
Billie the pick me
Season 2 Episode 2 – Fake ID
Let’s give it up for growing older, but maybe not wiser.
Our token blonde, Billie, rediscovers her former fake ID after Paul Baker cards a young girl using it in a bar. This leads Billie on a spiral to find this girl and guide her through her early twenties. She fails miserably when the twenty year old and her friend, played by Jake Shane (tents up!), see Billie as old and uncool.
Falling down the pick me girl rabbit hole, Billie finds herself at various bars and clubs across New York, as she attempts to prove herself to the young girl. Ridiculous dance moves, messy makeup, horrible pants, and too much to drink only further second hand embarrassment for the young girl and the viewers.
In classic pick me fashion Billie is trying to prove she is not like the other girls, while simultaneously trying to prove she’s still young and cool. As she often does, Billie falls into this archetype as she navigates adulthood alongside her housemates.
Samir the dad of the group
Season 2 Episode 4 – Raccoon
We all know that one person who brings the vibe down whether they mean to or not. In the Adults universe that is Samir–the quintessential dad of the group. The watch-dog, the one to call out bad behavior, and to make sure the house is kept in tip top shape.
In episode four of season two Samir finds himself shaking his head in a vigorous “no” as the rest of the group partakes in “acid night.” They plan to sync a Green Day album with Avatar: The Last Airbender as they fall down their individual trips.
The episode takes a twist when the group finds a raccoon has entered the home and Samir is charged with getting it out. Throughout this process he is simultaneously dealing with Issa and Paul Baker’s relationship problems that they both want to keep under wraps.
As the responsibility floods Samir and he realizes just how much everyone expects him to handle the situation, Samir rebels and decides to take acid himself even though he had vowed not to.
Viewers have gotten to know Samir as the dad of the group and in the moment of rebellion it’s clear he is tired of being perceived that way. One could compare it to a classic fatherly mid-life crisis, choosing to let your guards down and embrace something new even though it doesn’t match who you are.
Issa the “weird little guy”
Season 2, Episode 5 – Room Swap
Following the come down of “acid night” and the eventual talk between Paul Baker and Issa, the housemates find themselves in need of a room swap–moving Issa and Paul Baker apart after their breakup. Drawing rocks, Issa and Billie end up in a shared room together, sparking Billie’s idea to get Issa back in the dating scene. That’s where things go south.
Viewers are introduced to a side of Issa that her friends previously referred to as “weird little guy.” When chatting with various men at the bars in New York Issa pulls out an interesting British accent combined with a wild new vocabulary. Billie is shocked and horrified at Issa’s behavior trying to understand why she could be doing this because it’s deterring all the men.
“Weird little guy” is not a Gen Z archetype that previously existed. It is instead a newly introduced way of describing that one person who gets horribly awkward in certain social situations and ends up making things worse than if they had just acted as usual.
Thanks to Issa’s “weird little guy” nature in episode five I have now been placing it in my day to day vernacular and hope we can make it a new thing outside of the show.
Anton your GBF (Gay best friend)
Season 2, Episode 6 – Pop Girlie
Everyone has their token GBF, in Adults that is Anton. Throughout episode six, Anton discovers that his ability to befriend anyone is ultimately a character flaw on his part as he realizes the consequences of his approachable personality.
It’s one thing to be the type of person who can get along with anyone, it’s another to have so many daily connections that you become detached from your words and their influence. That is where viewers find Anton in episode six of season two.
Similar to “weird little guy” viewers got another great line from this episode. Anton repeatedly finds himself in situations where people recall advice he had given them and how they took it into action. When addressed with the news that friends had gotten tattoos, started music careers, and attempted bad business concepts Anton would finish the conversation with “and I’ve always said that.” His comedic relief masks his bubbling fears that people take his words more seriously than he does.
Anton causes tension for Samir and his girlfriend Carly as she faces her dream of becoming a popstar due to Anton’s encouragement, but she ultimately fails.
A token GBF is essential for your twenties, however make sure to keep the GBFing to close friends only and always watch what you say.
And I’ve always said that!
Gen Z will never be perfect, but that’s the fun of it. As we define and redefine personalities and interesting behavior, be sure to watch out for your performative males, pick me girls, dad’s of the group, “weird little guy’s,” and GBF’s. But, most importantly watch FX’s Adults season two.