Exclusive Interview

‘Adults’ Bosses Dish on Anton, Paul Baker & Issa Love Triangle in Season 2

Adults Season 2 is almost here, and while fans may have to wait until August 27 to find out what happens next for the friend group at the center of FX‘s comedy, series creators Ben Kronengold and Rebecca Shaw offered some insight into the shifting dynamics when Swooon caught up with the duo at the ATX TV Festival. Following Paul Baker (Jack Innanen) and Anton’s (Owen Thiele) surprise marriage and kiss, where is the crew headed in the second season?

It’s hard to forget how the comedy concluded its debut season after newest roommate Paul Baker was threatened with deportation after his visa expired, but girlfriend Issa (Amita Rao) and pals Anton, Samir (Malik Elassal), and Billie (Lucy Freyer) were all too eager to help remedy the Canadian’s problem by stepping up to the marriage plate. In the end, Paul Baker chose Anton, leading to a loaded kiss in Season 1’s final moments that points towards a major vibe shift in Season 2.

“It was the biggest question we had coming into writing this season, right? First and foremost, the show is about five friends and the way they love each other and stand up for each other,” Shaw shared at ATX. “So, we knew that this doesn’t end with all of them moving out and never speaking to each other again. But a really key part of your twenties is figuring out, what does it look like when my feelings get complicated, when the family I take for granted suddenly has these tense things to work through?”

Rafy / FX

“It was really fun getting to visit each of their POV’s throughout the season and make sure we really understood what does this do to the three of them in this love triangle?” Shaw added, noting Issa’s involvement in all of this.

The marriage itself is certainly a starting point for drama and debate. Kronengold noted, “It’s been really fun to see audiences also feel split and torn. They love Paul Baker and Anton together, but they’re like, ‘Oh, god, what about Issa?'” In terms of finding non-shaky ground, Kronengold teased, “It’s going to get thorny on its way there.”

The kiss itself seemed to spark a deeper connection between the now-husbands. The game-changing moment wasn’t meant to slight Issa, who is still in a relationship with Paul Baker at the end of Season 1. “This isn’t a show where people have nefarious intents. This isn’t a show where anyone’s trying to hurt each other or sabotage each other. One of the reasons we loved the Season 1 slow burn so much was feeling both Paul Baker and Anton really fighting between what maybe their instincts are telling them and their love for their friends and for each other,” Shaw explained.

In other words, Paul Baker and Anton’s romantic spark isn’t something they can really control. “That was the thing that we really wanted to play with, and we’re going to keep playing with in Season 2. They love their friends, they love this community they built, and that’s a hard thing to have to grapple with sacrificing,” Shaw continued.

Rafy / FX

Attempting to keep those feelings at bay is a bigger challenge as Anton and Paul Baker attempt to keep peace at home. “Those two are going to do that in very different ways,” Kronengold revealed. “Anton doesn’t miss a trick; he’s aware of what everyone in the room is feeling, what everyone’s thinking. What happens when his feelings are now front and center and the biggest in the room?”

Meanwhile, for Paul Baker, Kronengold added, “He maybe compartmentalizes more and is a bit more self-denying. He cares a lot about being a good guy. We see that play out a lot in Season 1, but a lot more in Season 2.”

Feeding into the love triangle fodder, the impact this will have on Issa isn’t to be ignored. “[In Season 1, we found her] in a very confident time of her life.  She’s got this boyfriend, she has it all figured out, and I think one thing we’re really excited about is seeing her knocked off her center a little bit. That’s a really vulnerable thing: the first time you start to have your heart broken… You thought you knew what you were doing, and you don’t,” Shaw told Swooon.

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When it came to Paul Baker’s shock over enjoying the kiss with Anton in Season 1’s final moments, Kronengold commended Inannen, Thiele, and Rao, as he said, “They’re three friends and the confirmation [to Paul Baker] that these things that [he’s] been feeling… the scariest thing is they’re mutual. It would have been less scary if it was just one of them.”

How will they fare with all of these feelings floating around? Fans will have to tune into Adults when Season 2 kicks off. Until then, stay tuned for more teases as the premiere date approaches.

— Additional Reporting by Avery Thompson

Adults, Season 2 Premiere, Thursday, August 27, 9/8c, FX and Hulu