Dash & Lily Characters Ranked By Intelligence

Netflix’s recent rom-com series Dash & Lily is based on a novel by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan and translated perfectly to the screen. It may be holiday-themed, but that won’t stop fans from bingeing the wholesome series all year round.

Two lonely, artistically-inclined teens in New York City are brought together by a red notebook and a set of dares. Of course, they end up falling in love, but maybe not with each other, but the images of one another they’ve created in their minds. The series itself is quite intelligent. It brings up many questions about romance and relationships, which has the characters questioning their own identities and desires. The characters themselves, on the other hand, don’t always make the smartest choices.

10 Edgar

To be fair, Edgar probably presents himself to be less intelligent and mature than he actually is. However, this choice in itself shows his lack of intelligence.

He also seems to lack common sense and the ability to empathize with other people. He’s completely insensitive to Lily’s pain for much of the series, and he often ruins the moment by saying something superficial or hurtful.

9 Langston

Lily’s brother, Langston, seems shallow and frivolous. He gives up a happy relationship with Benny for a silly reason, without even pausing to think about the situation first. He also doesn’t consider Benny’s feelings.

Langston lacks any kind of foresight, prudence, responsibility, or self-care. He seems to spend his days lounging about in bed and going on dates until his grandfather pushes him to do something with his life.

8 Priya

Priya doesn’t show up a whole lot throughout the series, but she stills feels like a consistent, if nagging, presence. She’s usually wondering why Dash doesn’t want to accept his highly coveted spot at her Christmas Eve party, though why she’d want him there is unclear, given how much she obviously doesn’t like him.

The same could be said of her decision to help him win Lily back at the end, but perhaps she feels she can connect with Dash on some level. After all, they were both browsing the Strand, and she’s friends with Sofia, who is clever and artistic.

7 Benny

Benny isn’t explored as a main character, but he’s often around in the household. He offers Lily better advice than Langston does, and he seems much more level-headed and wittier.

Benny is a steady presence, someone who can be relied upon, and someone who thinks things through before acting. Other than this, not much is known about his character, but the show wouldn’t be the same without him.

6 Dash

Dash is intensely devoted to the arts. He loves to read, he has an appreciation for music, film, history, and culture. The way he speaks and writes clearly demonstrates his wordiness and knowledge.

He also has extensive knowledge of New York City, which Lily learns as she completes his dares. However, Dash isn’t the smartest when it comes to personal matters. He isolates himself from others, doesn’t let his walls down, and stays in toxic relationships and environments.

5 Boomer

Boomer has similar creative and artistic proclivities to Dash. They like many of the same things, but Boomer has a very different personality than Dash.

In fact, it’s Boomer who points out to Dash that his relationship with Sofia doesn’t work. From his outside perspective, he explains that Dash isn’t himself when he’s with her and that they’re not right for each other. He plays it smart with both Dash and Lily, and in the end, finds a little holiday romance of his own.

4 Sofia

Everything about Sofia suggests elegance and intelligence. She’s worldly and mature beyond her years, and it’s easy to see why Dash would be attracted to her – and easy to see why Lily doesn’t like her.

Sofia knows a lot about the world and expresses timely ideas about romance, relationships, and feminism, but she makes a few mistakes throughout the season – the biggest being her attempt to get back together with Dash.

3 Arthur Mori

Lily’s grandfather is a strict, severe, traditional man, but he always has his granddaughter’s best interests at heart. He tries to protect her from the evils of the world, including heartbreak.

Of course, viewers see him as overprotective, but Arthur actually knows what he’s doing. More importantly, he grows to change his mind and soften towards both Lily and Dash, acknowledging his mistakes and forgiving Lily and Mrs. Basil E.

2 Lily

Like Dash, Lily loves to read, listen to music, write in a highly literary style, and watch films. However, unlike Dash, she likes the festive season and is a very optimistic person.

She is her own best friend, which serves her well. She’s also smart enough to know that romance doesn’t have to be the most important thing in her life; she needs to accept herself first and know that those who truly love her will love her as she is. Lily is very self-aware, assertive, and sure of herself, which is why she’s one of the most intelligent characters in the show.

1 Mrs. Basil E.

Mrs. Basil E. is the wisest of all the characters and a mentor to both of the leading characters. She seems to know everything, if not through experience, then intuition.

She also knows the best way to handle the stern Arthur, and the best way to console Lily while allowing her the chance to live. In truth, it’s Mrs. Basil E. who is the head of the family. She’s level-headed, tactical, wise, emotionally intelligent, well-read and traveled, and empathetic.

About The Author

Svetlana Sterlin
(256 Articles Published)

See also  Black Mirror: Why "Arkangel" Has The Show's Scariest Technology Yet

After years of relocation, Svetlana Sterlin (she/her) was raised by her Russian parents in Brisbane, Australia, where she completed a BFA and contributes to ScreenRant and Our Culture Magazine. An avid cinephile and bookworm, Svetlana also writes creatively across multiple forms and genres. Her fiction and poetry appear in several printed and digital publications. Find more from Svetlana here: https://linktr.ee/svetlanasterlin.

More From Svetlana Sterlin