The characters of the television series Love.
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Gus Cruikshank
Played by: Paul Rust
A neurotic and socially awkward teacher for child stars who don't have time to go to schools, Gus is a seemingly nice guy who dreams of becoming a writer for TV and movies.- Butt-Monkey: Gus is often seen as a pathetic and spineless nerd that's and is even hated by people at his job (except for Kevin). His student also constantly disrespects and takes advantage of him.
- The Comically Serious: While Gus is the more serious one of the couple, he's often put in awkward situations due to how neurotic and insecure person he is.
- Extreme Doormat: Gus is a very spineless and weak-willed people-pleaser due to his insecurities and need for approval... until he isn't and that's when he responds with passive aggression or a Freak Out.
- Give Geeks a Chance: Gus is a socially awkward and insecure nerd with a big nose who somehow manages to date the charming Mickey (who's played by Gillian Jacobs.
- Hair-Trigger Temper: Gus is prone to dramatic outbursts when he's frustrated and later admits to his family that he has serious anger issues.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Gus ultimately has good intentions half the time, but he just doesn't get how insufferable and passive-aggressive his sycophantic tendencies are. He addresses this in his final episode.
- Kavorka Man: For all his neurosis and looking like an overgrown 14 year old nerd, he has had at least 2 girlfriends before meeting Mickey, nearly ended up a threesome, had a fling with Heidi on set and of course he ended up with Mickey in the end. Deconstructed in that it's heavily implied most of the women were using him and had him on toast throughout the relationships.
- Lovable Nerd: While Gus does have a bit of "nice guy" complex, he's a genuinely good person who cares deeply about Mickey and his friends and feels bad whenever he makes a mistake.
- Masculine Girl, Feminine Boy: Mickey is the aggressive and strong-willed self centered Masculine Girl and Gus is the meek and weak-willed people pleaser Feminine Boy.
- My Greatest Failure: At one point, when he got to Hollywood, he was actually pretty much an up-and-coming writer, having quickly gotten a position as an assistant to Ridley Scott. He grew anxious, however, and after spending an entire night talking through email with his mother, he sent an email to Ridley Scott asking for more responsibilities and respect as his assistant, but the email was forwarded together with the entire conversation with his mom, giving him away as an insecure Momma's Boy and Scott humiliated him for that trait, even informing about it to other high-caliber writers in Hollywood, blacklisting Gus.
- Nervous Wreck: Gus is extremely neurotic, high-strung and always overthinks things.
- Nice Guy: Subverted. Gus is genuinely well-intentioned, chivalrous and truly cares for Mickey, but he has the tendency of playing up his niceness as a way to hide his bitter feelings and get his way in a non-confrontational manner.
- No Social Skills: Gus is often the most socially awkward person in the show. Even when he's trying to be nice, he ends up coming across as condescending and manipulative.
- The Perfectionist: While Gus has some moments where he royally screws up, he’s definitely ambitious and aspires to be the perfect guy to the people around him with the perfect life with a stable career and stable relationships to the point he constantly acts out of extreme anger when nothing goes well for him.
- Pitbull Dates Puppy: Gus is a timid nerd and Mickey is an abrasive rebel and because of that, they don't always see eye-to-eye and argue a lot but they do grow to love each other. Especially in "You're My Gran Torino", where they are very supportive and protective of each other.
- Secretly Selfish: While Gus does see himself as a nice guy, he's no stranger to acting selfishly to get what wants like doing Arya's test for her and later confessing to helping her cheat in order for the producer to see his spec script.
- Ugly Guy Hot Girlfriend: Gus is not a very attractive nerd and Mickey is pretty attractive despite her rough exterior and while Gus and Mickey are aware of this, they embrace each other's beauty despite their appearances.
- Uptight Loves Wild: While Gus is a very level-headed and rational person who doesn't approve of Mickey's impulsiveness, he loves her and he thinks that she is a very cool person.
Mickey Dobbs
Played by: Gillian Jacobs
A reckless and rebellious radio station manager, she is a woman with a problematic past and addictive personality who is trying to get her act together.- The Alcoholic: At the end of season 1, she confessed this to Gus, along with being a sex and love addict.
- Clingy Jealous Girl: Has serious trust issues, especially in Season 3 where she's fuming that he didn't tell her about one of his fiances.
- Cloud Cuckoolander: She's really not all there, especially when trying to justify her cheating in the first Season. She becomes more all there in later seasons however as she progresses in her job.
- Cute But Psycho: While Mickey has her genuinely sweet moments, she's a very erratic and emotionally unstable person who lashes out at others when she's not happy.
- Give Geeks a Chance: Gus is a socially awkward and insecure nerd with a big nose who somehow manages to date Mickey (who's played by Gillian Jacobs.
- Hair-Trigger Temper: Mickey is very prone to anger when she feels wronged by someone else, screams at people and she at one point broke the crystal bowl when she argues with Gus.
- Hypocrite: She gets angry at Gus for keeping secrets from her while she still keeps a secret that she slept with one of her exes behind Gus's back.
- It's All About Me: Mickey doesn't often think beyond her own gratifications.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Mickey’s undeniably selfish, surly and manipulative but underneath her rude and temperamental exterior, she has a sweet-natured and caring center which is best shown through her friendship with Bertie and her relationship with Gus.
- The Lad-ette: Mickey is a super crude and foul-mouthed party girl who binges on drugs and drinking. She's also a self-proclaimed sex addict and is better at sports than Gus.
- Lady Swearsalot: While the entire is full of foul-mouthed characters, Mickey might be the biggest fan of cursing.
- Manic Pixie Dream Girl: Deconstructed. Mickey is set up as the impulsive thrill-seeker who might teach Gus to lighten up and have fun, but her behavior is portrayed as extremely self-destructive and stemming from deep insecurities.
- Manipulative Bitch: She manipulates Bertie in Season 1 in order to get her to do things with Mickey just so she can get close to Gus which finally bothers Bertie who feels left out.
- Masculine Girl, Feminine Boy: Mickey is the aggressive and strong-willed Masculine Girl and Gus is the meek and weak-willed Feminine Boy.
- Pitbull Dates Puppy: Gus is a timid nerd and Mickey is an abrasive rebel and because of that, they don't always see eye-to-eye and argue a lot but they do grow to love each other. Especially in "You're My Gran Torino", where they are very supportive and protective of each other.
- Really Gets Around: She's apparently addicted to sex though she's working to hard to get therapy for that problem.
- Sour Outside, Sad Inside: Which Mickey can be abrasive and hostile, she’s deeply vulnerable and troubled due to past dysfunctional relationships with guys and her abusive father who demeans her constantly even she’s trying to be better.
- Stalker with a Crush: During season 1, she becomes obsessed with Gus to point that she constantly shows up unannounced whether Gus is at home with friends or work.
- Ugly Guy Hot Girlfriend: Gus is not a very attractive nerd and Mickey is pretty attractive despite her rough exterior and while Gus and Mickey are aware of this, they embrace each other's beauty despite their appearances.
- Uptight Loves Wild: While Gus is a very level-headed and rational person who doesn't approve of Mickey's impulsiveness, he loves her and he thinks that she is a very cool person.
- Womanchild: Lets see, in Season 1, despite being over the age of 25, she often behaves like an emotionally unbalanced teenage who acts out and engages in boisterous and reckless activities.
