Famously, it’s always been described that Joel was like a father to Tom and Crow while Mike was more like a brother. But what’s the best way to describe Jonah’s relationship? It doesn’t feel as obvious, though maybe because he hasn’t had as much screentime. The closest answer I’ve come to is he too is like a brother, but more of a younger one. The bots definitely feel like they’re more in control of what happens on the SOL than they ever did before and treat Jonah like either a younger sibling or a new hire at a job. Jonah has an infectious enthusiasm, like a little brother excited to tag along with the older siblings he loves (no doubt part of that being the real Jonah Ray’s enthusiasm for the show bleeding into the character too).
What do you all think? How do you see Jonah and the bots relationship?
This is a pretty good assessment. I’ve also heard Jonah likened to the new guy at work who’s the first non-founder hired by the company. So he treads cautiously while everyone gets used to his outsider energy.
I feel like they treated him like “filler” material and, honestly, it helped distinguish his character and humor. To me, it was a great way to get in some easy laughs while also hitting the elephant in the room head on.
I can’t seem to find the interview or soundbite (assuming that it exists and that what I’m about to write isn’t some feverish misremembering trick of the brain), but I think Jonah himself said that if Joel was a father figure and Mike was the cool uncle, then Jonah was - and I’m paraphrasing loosely - like the tag-along neighbor buddy to the Bots.
If Jonah didn’t say that, then someone else did, and it just felt like it made perfect sense.
He’s definitely low man on the totem pole. It works really well, IMO.
I haven’t seen much of her, but I kind of get a cool next-door neighbor girl vibe offa Emily. I feel like she’s got a “cool aunt” vibe in one of those situations where your aunt is only a few years older you.
He’s more like Mike in that he’s an equal to the bots, not like Joel’s father figure. I can’t wait to see what Emily’s relationship with them will be like. I’ve seen very little with her and I’m exited to see her on a regular basis.
It’s very reassuring to know that I didn’t have an extremely specific hallucination about Jonah talking about that point. I mean, that I didn’t have an extremely specific hallucination about that that I am aware of.
Jonah is totally the guy you get when you and your two best buds from high school/college all go in on a flat together… and then one of them gets a girlfriend and decides to move out.
So you end up giving his room to a guy you know from work, who’s totally awesome in every way; he always pays his share of the rent, is a good cook, knows how to fix stuff, doesn’t make a mess, is funny, easy to get along with, and shares your same taste in movies… but even though he’s pretty much the best roommate you could hope for and far better than you deserve, he’ll always be the noob because you didn’t grow up together.
I’m looking forward to seeing how Emily’s relationship to the Bots develops. Big sister who runs roughshod over them? Little sister who triggers their protective instincts? The ‘cool aunt’? Mom? So many ways to go.
I think Jonah’s like a teacher and the Bots are his students. He prompts them and helps guide them, but lets them tease him and dominate the conversation like students would in a good classroom environment. He’s not a family member like dad (Joel) or older brother (Mike), so it’s a little more removed, but he’s still there to support them.
“Jonah, I’m confused.” “Yeah, what’s your deal? Why don’t you shave?”
Emily will be hard to define until we see her in video. Live, she seemed like the friendly custodian, the human side of GPC’s role on the SoL, but she was also part of a crew that involved Joel, and we also know that the live shows aren’t entirely canon (look at the difference in Sinthia’s prominence, for example). She may also have a "babysitter"esque role, but I get the feeling that Jonah is the babysitter that the kids conspire against, and Emily is the one they like having around because they get to have pj parties and watch movies.