When you put five reluctant adolescents in the same house in New York City, you get FX’sAdults. Executive produced by comedianNick KrollofBig Mouthfame, the hit ensemble series isa heightened portrayal of the highs and lows of growing up. Featuring aFriends-like ensemble — Issa (Amita Rao), Billie Schaeffer (Lucy Freyer), Paul Baker (Jack Innanen), Anton Evans (Owen Thiele), and Samir (Malik Elassal) — the series addresses everything that’s worrying today’s twenty-somethings.From not knowing how to use your social security, or failing your one chance to get a job promotion, the show is a masterclass in what not to do as a grown-up.
But underneath its sheer crazinessis a genuine friendship that transcends the screen. These five, alarmingly co-dependent folks couldn’t be any more different than one another. Still, they bring out the best (and sometimes the worst) in each other. Most important of all, in their own weird, unhinged ways, these housemates have each other’s backs no matter what.Without further ado, here’s every housemate inAdults, ranked.
Portrayed by Amita Rao
While others say, “Oh no,” she screams, “YOLO!” That’s Issa in a nutshell. Whether it’s shaving Samir’s pits in the bathroom (in front of a peeing Billy) or exploring religion in a non-denominational church (in, like, a cool, “Hey what’s up God?” way), Issa packs more experience than all four of her housemates combined.Although she brings a zesty personality to the table, her tendency to make things about her is insufferable from time to time.Billie literally wiped up blood, but apparently, not being chosen as the proxy is far more important than her friend’s endoscopy.
That said, there’s a reason why the friend group keeps Issa around.She’s willing to put herself in uncomfortable situations for the greater good — even if it means turning to some unorthodox methods. Issa might not be as invested in her professional life compared to her friends, but when it comes to all things romance, she’s all in. From getting Anton out of his dry spell (and almost getting killed by a stabber) topreventing Paul Baker from leaving the country against his will, she’s got the heart in the right place. All she needs to do now is get her sex toys out of the dishwasher.
4Billie Schaeffer
Portrayed by Lucy Freyer
Every star loses its spark.As a former straight-A high school graduate, Billie Schaeffer was supposed to have it all figured out.Unlike the rest of the group, she’s had her life together: employed in a proper office (as a contractor, not a full-time employee), moved out of her parent’s house (to live for free under her childhood friend’s roof), and is gearing up for a promotion. But when her hustling ventures fail her, she’s back to square one again. She isn’t left with nothing — she’s got a $15,000 hospital bill to pay (thanks to Samir’s lack of insurance knowledge).
When Billie hooks up with someone almost twice her age, she tries even harder to become a more mature version of herself.Although it’s admirable to watch Billie attempt to become a proper adult among her neurotic friends, it strips away the fun of screwing up.Billie’s still stuck revisiting her glory days. What she needs to do now is live in-the-moment without figuring out what the next five steps for her are like, like trying to thaw out the frozen chicken first the next time before putting it in the oven.
3Paul Baker
Portrayed by Jack Innanen
Maybe he’s nice, maybe he’s just Canadian. Not everyone was initially happy about Paul Baker moving in (it’s against Samir’s four-roommates' house limit.) But no one could deny Issa’s request. Before moving in, Paul Baker never really settled down in a certain social circle. Little does he realize, his hook-up with Issa opens him up to a friend group that’ll help him go through one of the most tense periods of his life. As an adult, Paul Baker doesn’t really have an actual life plan (or a job).When he’s not playing Nintendo on the couch, he’s usually pulled into some side quest by his new pals.
Paul Baker is the ideal, dream roommate — mainly becausehe’s up for whatever his friends have in store for him. One day, he’s helping Samir sell his parents’ shotgun (unsuccessfully), the next day, he’s babysitting a teenager who’s in New York City for an abortion (Issa is supposed to take care of that, but she’s “busy”).Amidst his friends’ raucous sex jokes, Paul Baker is the group’s soft boy — in a good way.He dreams of having a beautiful, traditional wedding one day, and not one held out of urgent necessity. Plus, he’s close pals withJulia Fox, making him the only housemate who has a celebrity in his phone contacts.
2Anton Evans
Portrayed by Owen Thiele
Anton Evans has a little bit of everything: Issa’s impulsiveness, Samir’s cluelessness, Paul Baker’s adventurousness, and Billie’s responsible mess.He knows when to be unhinged and how to let loose (e.g. wheelchair racing at the hospital). At the same time, he’s one of the few in the group to hold down a proper job, complete with remote Zoom meetings. He’s the well-rounded housemate that glues everyone together.
While the rest of his housemates are picky with their social circles, Anton can instantly connect with anyone within a split second.Bond with a police officer over her gorgeous earrings? Check! Hook up with a guy who’s supposedly a serial killer? Double check! Anton is the ultimate social butterfly — only because he doesn’t have the heart to say “no” to new people. In retrospect, it’s not like he’s making friends out of sheer popularity. He’s just intoxicatingly charming, and a closet hopeless romantic.
Portrayed by Malik Elassal
Oh, sweet Samir.Considering his parents own the house Samir and his friends are crashing in, this technically makes him the man of the house.But boy does he have a lot to learn about the logistics side of being an adult. He can start off by memorizing his social security number, and actually fix the boiler in his basement. Maybe when he’s not too caught up with his anxiety and self-doubt, he can actually learn how hospital insurance works and properly unclog a toilet. Once he’s got all those bits sorted, he should then think about getting proper employment (and not embarrass himself in front of his potential new employers).
He’s not a complete lost cause, though.WhileSamir does have a lot to learn about running a house, he’s mature enough to make sure his roommates don’t overstep him. Whenever someone doesn’t abide by the rules (e.g. throwing their used condoms everywhere but in a trash can), he conducts a mini-council-like meeting to make sure the house doesn’t end up in flames. Samir struggles to fix his own problems, but when it comes to his friends (e.g. Billy’s ketamine-consuming, former partner),he doesn’t hesitate to step up and be the leader his friends need.
