The Netflix mini-series, Anxious People, has a full cast of characters getting themselves into all kinds of trouble. But some are better at getting themselves out of scrapes and keeping their wits about them than others.
While some characters have more practical knowledge leading them to succeed at their work, others are good at turning a situation in their favor. Not every character has to be intelligent to be likable, but it certainly helps them to take agency of their own arcs and keep audiences interested.
Jack
It's hard to imagine how Jack managed to get so far in life not understanding pregnancy, but apparently, he did, because viewers watch him awkwardly ask Julia if her placenta has come out when her water bursts in a moment that drops the respect the audience has for him drastically.
In addition to not knowing basic matters of biology, Jack quickly jumps to conclusions without definitive evidence, assuming a box with wires in it must be a bomb and jumping on every inconsistency in the case as being proof of some scheme or another that explains the robbery and hostage situation. Because of this, he is repeatedly proven to be one of the least intelligent characters on the show.
Maria
Maria's lack of intelligence can be seen by how bad she is at her job and the fact that she never does anything that shows critical thinking skills or practical abilities. The police find that her business hasn't successfully sold a property in months, and her finances are terrible. This suggests that she does not have the practical business savviness to succeed in her field.
In addition, she lacks the common sense to stay in town during a police investigation. Her anxiety made it so that she was not around the other suspects and was thus thought of as a suspect, but not answering any phone calls and seeming to disappear certainly didn't help appearances. Maybe it was because she was panicking over not remembering the cover story, but it wasn't a very smart move.
Jim
Viewers have to wonder what would happen if a real crime was committed in the small town the show is set in because the police certainly don't seem to have their act together. While Jim is an incredibly kind and thoughtful character, he is often bumbling around, not entirely sure what to do.
While some of this may have been an act on his part to try to keep Liv out of trouble, Jim is shown to not take the hostage seriously before he ever has the chance to talk to her. He is very concerned for everyone's wellbeing, but other than that, he doesn't know how to do his job well in a dangerous situation.
Liv
It's hard to determine how intelligent a character is when they aren't given much of a chance to prove their intelligence, but it would be fair to say that Liv lacks common sense and struggles to think clearly in serious situations.
While it is obvious that she was only acting out of desperation, robbing a bank is not the smartest get-rich-quick scheme, and she generally seems to be acting without a plan, reacting and being rescued repeatedly throughout the show. This is understandable in her situation but doesn't say much for her intelligence as a character.
Julia And Ro
These two go together because neither had any opportunities to show off their intelligence, but likewise, neither acted in ways that make audiences question it. Julia seems to understand how pregnancy works, Ro understands how getting a loan for a house works, and both go along with the plan as well as anybody else.
With that said, it is hard to make any concrete determination as to their individual or partnered intelligence. They simply didn't have the chance to prove it one way or the other.
Roger
Roger shows himself to be quite intelligent when it comes to the work he does, knowing how to build and change things when making home repairs. While his wife doubts his competence at getting homes for tremendous deals, he is shown to be thoughtful and skilled at his job.
In addition, he displays his emotional intelligence with Ro. Though both are quiet, action-driven people, he is able to find a way to get through to her and help provide her with the reassurance she needs to return to her family.
Lennart
Lennart didn't have many opportunities to show off his specific intelligence in the show, but viewers have to imagine that it takes some intelligence for someone to come up with a variety of different ways to ruin house showings and then market themselves as being gifted in that field.
In addition, Lennart has no trouble tracking Zarah down at the bank or coming up with a plausible explanation for his presence there when Jack was suspicious. Overall, Lennart seems clever, if eccentric, and is capable of thinking on his feet to make situations go his way.
Anna-Lena
Anna-Lena has the ability to put together a successful scheme, though she sometimes lacks the emotional intelligence that would make it so she didn't need to scheme at all. The thoughtfulness required to hire someone to help lower property values on at least three different occasions shows off her intelligence, although it is hard to say whether she came up with the specifics or if that was Lennart's job.
The problem is, she never would have had to do that if her emotional intelligence had been stronger. She is good at understanding Julia's needs concerning the baby and Ro, but she can't seem to communicate to her husband about her needs or her relationship with him. If she had, they would've gotten to a healthier place much earlier than they did.
Zarah
The majority of Zarah's intelligence is displayed offscreen, but audiences can imagine that tracking down a book's worth of information about the man who died by suicide requires intelligence and resourcefulness. Though she struggles a little with thinking on her feet, her guilt made her good at gathering and understanding information.
In addition, Zarah is competent at her job, working her way to a managerial position and knowing how to leverage her position and knowledge to get Julia and Ro the loan they need to be able to succeed in their new home.
Estelle
Estelle was the mastermind behind the hostage situation, quickly jumping in to help Liv and setting up the ways to interact with the police both during and after the event. Her emotional intelligence and need to protect Liv didn't take away from her intelligence, as many characters struggled with. Instead, they helped her put together a cohesive plan and execute it successfully.
While Jack did eventually find out the truth, that was only because his father told him and counted on his good nature to stop him from ruining Liv's life. Overall, she showed herself very capable of handling a chaotic situation and helped transform a situation that was bad for everyone into one that made everyone's lives a little better.