Animal Kingdom is the perfect mix of crime, drama, and family dynamics - and no fan ever knows what to expect from any member of the Cody family. Through their heists, side-hustles, and relationships amongst each other, they all need to be smart as a whip.
Of course, some are smarter than others, and a lot of these characters think they’re a lot more intelligent than they are. They try to outdo each other all the time, so it’s time to stack them up and see who is actually the smartest, in all senses of the word.
Nicky
Nicky is definitely smarter than most of the Cody family gives her credit for. However, that doesn’t mean she’s as intelligent as the rest, and she’s definitely lacking the wit to be a part of the crime dynasty.
This character is long gone, but fans will never forget her drama and her ambition. While they weren’t rooting for J and Nicky, it certainly wasn’t because she was stupid - and J should have given her more credit.
Adrian
This character might have the highest emotional intelligence, but he’s not exactly the most equipped with common sense or quick wit. He’s certainly not unintelligent, but he doesn’t compare to the rest.
Adrian has a heart of gold, but he’s a bit naive and doesn’t always think everything through. He leads with his heart instead of his mind, and fans don’t hate him for it.
Angela
Angela is a fairly new addition to the show, and fans definitely have a hard time reading her. She definitely underplays her intelligence in order to manipulate the Cody boys, so that shows she’s actually pretty smart.
However, she thinks she’s too good at her own game, and the smartest of the bunch usually see through her attempts. After she gets her footing, she’ll likely be a lot more unstoppable.
Baz
Baz is definitely one character that thought he was way smarter than he truly was. It was his fatal flaw, literally, as underestimating Smurf was the reason he ended up losing his life.
He had a good head on his shoulders, but he didn’t see all angles of things, and his ego often got in the way of his intelligence. He doesn’t compare to the other members of the Cody family.
Craig
This lovable character is more known for being brawn than brains, but he’s also one character that is definitely underestimated with regard to his intelligence. Craig has a lot of great ideas and plans, and no one really takes him seriously.
He deserves a lot more credit, and it was satisfying to see him team up with Frankie for heists and make his own calls. Still, though, Craig isn’t as smart as some of them.
Frankie
Frankie is the queen of ghosting and being flaky, but she’s also super intelligent. She knows exactly what to say and when to say it, and she might have the best mix of emotional and mental intelligence of them all.
She also slightly underestimates the people around her, but Frankie might also just not really care. She may seem simple-minded, but she’s certainly far from it.
Deran
If there’s one character that is almost too smart for his own good, it’s Deran. He doesn’t really want anything to do with manipulation and violence, and he also leads equally with his heart and his mind.
However, Deran is actually super intelligent, and he would be unstoppable in the crime world if his heart didn’t get in the way. Still, Deran always knows what’s going on.
Pope
Pope might be one of the most dangerous characters, but he’s also undoubtedly one of the smartest. He’s quiet and reserved, but that doesn’t mean the wheels in his head aren’t always spinning.
He’s impulsive, and might not act in the most intelligent of ways, but there’s no question in any fan’s mind that he isn’t always aware of what’s going on. He could be a great leader if he cared enough to be.
Smurf
As much as fans love to hate and hate to love Smurf, she is undoubtedly the brains of the operation. She doesn’t even go out on the heists, but she organizes them all before, during, and after.
Smurf also thinks she’s smarter than she probably is, but there’s no denying she’s smart as a whip. Of course, Smurf usually uses it to manipulate people and gain power, and that’s also why she didn’t last - and got what she deserved.
Joshua
Joshua definitely also thinks he’s smarter than he really is, but that definitely doesn’t mean he’s not still wicked smart. He was a straight-A student, but he also knows everything from financials to common sense to how to talk to people (of course, usually to manipulate them).
Smurf gave him a run for the title as the most intelligent, but J proved that he was smart enough to outdo the queen herself. J has a lot of power behind him, and it’s all because of his wit.