TV

Better Things star Pamela Adlon scores 100 on EW's Pop Culture Personality Test

As the end of Better Things begins, we asked Adlon to riff on the pop culture of her career.

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Published on February 28, 2022 05:46PM EST

Life is Better when Pamela Adlon pops up on your screen. The Better Things co-creator/star/director/writer/etc. returns to action and introspection with the fifth and final season of her offbeat, on-point family sadcom centered on Sam Fox, single mom of three (but also mother to so many more).

Season 5 of the critically acclaimed, unblinkingly honest series (debuts Feb. 28 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on FX) is not set in the pandemic, but it does traffic in themes resonant to those who have strengthened, lost, or redefined connections in these messy, trying times. "My editors and I, we talk about the show like it's a portal," Adlon tells EW. "I was trying to figure out how I was going to make this season and I thought, 'Oh, am I going to put COVID in here?' Ultimately, I decided not to. But I addressed it in the ways that our lives were shifted and changed over the course of the past two years. I was able to put that into the show in simple ways, like getting back to basics and family, and going on walks and being content and comfortable with yourself. Hold onto what you have for dear life and be righteous and kind to other people and do the right thing. And when you don't do the right thing and you misbehave, you're not alone, and you can always get back on track."

What words flood into Adlon's mind when she ruminates on this last batch of episodes? "Fluid, forward motion, family, love and hope... Hopeful." Before you jump into the Fox-hole with Adlon for the last time, see how interesting Things get when we ask the forthright multi-hyphenate — who's also the Woman of 1,000 Voice Roles — to riff on the pop culture of her four-decade career.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: On Better Things, Sam filmed Monsters in the Moonlight. What would your horror movie be about — and who would star with you?

PAMELA ADLON: It would be anything that takes place at a cabin. It would be something that would involve kids and grownups…. I like when people take their faces off and you see something underneath — it could be a shapeshifter that's metaphorical, as opposed to a real face coming off. I'm in it with Ilana Glazer. She's on my radar. I love her.

Better Things often features you cooking for family and friends. Which celebrity chef would you love to cook a meal with?

I love Jamie Oliver. I love Michael Twitty. But I would have to go with Nigella [Lawson]. I'm obsessed with her, [from] when I heard her pronounce Vermouth as "vermeth" for the first time. I want Nigella to be my mommy/wife. I want her to make me get rid of my anxiety about [cooking], like, a dessert or a bisque.

On This Is Us, you played Randall's therapist. Which of these TV shrinks would you want to have a session with: Jennifer Melfi, Frasier Crane, Jonathan Katz, or Tobias Fünke?

Jonathan Katz in a heartbeat. I've met him and he's hilarious. He would make therapy feel less scary. I'd want him to feel like [we were] having a conversation, rather than holding him hostage to my brain. And my demons.

Pick a celebrity voice for your GPS.

Idris Elba. Everything about his voice is delicious. It's soothing. It's bassy. Voices are what draw me to people, to characters, to actors. I'm going to try to get Idris on my phone and in my car now.

You starred as Evan Handler's wife-turned-ex-wife-turned-wife on Californication. What would your guest role on And Just Like That be?

Anthony's [Mario Cantone] sister would be the opposite of his character, just a very down-to-earth person. He would be very grounded when he was with his sister. I dunno, she runs a summer camp on the south shore of Massachusetts. Maybe she's got a farm stand in the Hamptons... I think that she does both. Half year, summer camp; half year, farm stand.

You played one of Lloyd's friends in Say Anything. If you could Say Anything to John Cusack right now, what would it be?

"Hi! What's up? It's been a minute!"

You had a guest-starring role on The Facts of Life. Choose your fighter: Blair, Natalie, Jo, Tootie, or Mrs. G?

Mrs. Garrett. She was the nicest. She's the best. She had good values, and she was always giving little Ted talks to the girls about being a good person. And she was a mom. I relate, because I've always been a mom — even before I became a mom.

You voiced Spinelli on Recess. What did you do during recess back in the day?

I remember always trying to square up with everybody, because I was really small and I was trying to prove that I was a little toughie. And I liked sticking up for the underdog on the playground.

Your Hollywood career began with 1982's Grease 2. Which musical movie deserves an unnecessary sequel that you'd love to star in?

Moulin Rouge. I love it so much. If I could do it with Baz Luhrmann and not have my back broken —poi poi poi — I'd love to do a part in that. Double Rouge.

Pamela Adlon in 'Grease 2' — We're gonna score tonight... Paramount

Sam Fox, choose a Sam: Yosemite Sam, Sam Cooke, Sam Smith, Sam in Sixteen Candles, Sam Elliott, or Samantha Jones?

Sam Elliott. I've loved him, ever since I was a kid. I'm from the '70s, baby. The first time I ever saw him or heard him was in a movie called Lifeguard, which was a very, very dirty movie. He had that mustache and that voice, and that voice just has never failed. I've always been a huge admirer of him. He's grounded. He's unflappable. He makes you feel safe.