BoJack Horseman (2014-2020)

Rating: 9.7/10

BoJack Horseman is a washed up celebrity from the hit 80’s TV show, “Horsin Around”. Now he spends his days wallowing in self pity and depression in his Hollywood Hills mansion, accompanied by his own permanent couch surfer, Todd.

This is basically going to be me spilling my guts about exactly why BoJack Horseman might be one of the best TV shows ever made. Scrap that, one of the best pieces of media. Covering topics of addiction, depression, trauma, and codependency across its 77 episodes, we face some challenging topics throughout each season. With these complex themes, we take a lens to one of the most enigmatic and destructive industries on the planet, Hollywood. We are given a peek into all its glitz and glamor. In many ways, this show is a mockery and love letter, all in one. The show has a strong voice, and many strong messages come across. I love Hollywood, as I'm sure you do. There is such an elusive quality about it, and the films I grew up watching have shaped the person I am today. However, some unsavory characters have undoubtedly been drawn to the industry over the years, the Harvey Weinstein types, those who take advantage of hard-working people trying to make a career doing the thing they love. Then you have the wide-eyed idealists with dreams of money and fame, only to realise they have been fooled into chasing a lie. Bojack Horseman doesn't take itself too seriously, the creators know their business, and they make digs while also reminding us what we love so dearly about great TV and Cinema. The ability to connect millions of people worldwide through an idea or a message, the glue holding it all together, is an absolute masterclass in comedy writing.

Will Arnett (Arrested Development) is incredible as BoJack. He never fails to move me with his captivating voice, and he did a magnificent job capturing the essence of this character. A character that is so nuanced, I can only imagine how difficult this must have been. Will (look at me talking as if I know him) you are a wonder!

BoJack is chronically depressed. If you suffer from this type of condition or know anyone who does, you’ll be able to relate to a lot of the manic behavior and constant uphill battles he challenges. We, as the audience, remain conflicted throughout the show because, through all his struggles, BoJack isn’t very nice. In fact, he’s a cruel, selfish, egotistical narcissist, but with all these flaws, the incredible writing leaves you routing for him. It leaves you fighting his corner again and again. We are almost lured into an abusive relationship with this man, wholeheartedly believing he can change even though all his actions lead us to believe otherwise. I’ve never been someone who’s enjoyed watching films or tv shows about the “good guy”. Life is often about the in-between, and I love characters that shine a light on problematic areas and force us to think about the morality within all of us.

We're constantly shouting at the TV, saying, just do this, or that, it's not that hard, but BoJack continues on his self-destructive path. Continually making the wrong choices, he leaves us feeling frustrated but simultaneously allows us to understand just how difficult life can be for some people. For some people, things aren't as simple as just do this, or that. In fact, things are never okay for some people, and they just have to learn to live with the weight of that. You may like BoJack by the end of this show, you may hate him, or you may be somewhere in the middle, but what the creators have done so beautifully is leave a lingering feeling of hope that if you are going through something like this, then one day it might not be so bad.

One of my favorite parts of the whole show is taking a look into BoJack’s childhood. Seeing firsthand the type of abuse he’s suffered at the hands of his neglectful mother and cruel father creates such a sense of empathy. BoJack is a young horse who wants to feel safe and loved, but he never will. We take a glimpse into something complicated, the minefield of childhood trauma. Here we gain an ounce of perspective on how certain traits have manifested themselves into BoJack’s adult life, the constant need for others’ approval, and ultimately, the fame and success never being enough to fill that void. There’s a certain sensitivity to BoJack, as we often see within people who are so severely depressed. He understands more than anyone that the world is unforgiving and relentless, so there are moments when his kindness shines through only to be offset by a manic spiral Into drugs and alcohol, undoing all his hard work. We watch someone struggle through their life. He’s trying to change, but he just doesn’t know how, and that’s the tragedy of BoJack Horseman.

So you must be thinking, this sounds like a great show but seems quite heavy. Make no mistake, this is not Euphoria. BoJack Horseman is a hilarious Comedy Drama. Like I mentioned at the start of this review, it deals with complex topics, but each episode is laugh-out-loud funny. What often gives a much lighter tone to the show is Todd's whimsical adventures. Voiced by Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad) Todd is the opposite of BoJack. He is sweet and innocent and see's all the good in people, even to the extent that is unrealistic and goofy, making the character all the more great. The beauty of blissful obliviousness makes him a well-needed character for BoJack to bounce off of and adds some balance to the whole show.

I simply wouldn’t be able to finish this review without talking about Lisa Hanawalt’s incredible and unique character design. It’s so refreshing not to have the same old animating format regurgitated again and again. A big head with googly eyes is fine, but after so many years of seeing this repeatedly, you almost forget that the medium of animation is so limitless. There’s nothing not to love about the character design in this TV show. The whole world-building is fantastic and ridiculous, and it offers so much comedy.

Having said all that, I’m really sad that they didn’t get a Vietnamese actress to voice Diane Nguyen (a Vietnamese character), but that is probably the only knock I can make against the whole show.

Conclusion

BoJack Horse is a masterpiece in animation, writing, and storytelling. The characters connect with me so profoundly in a way that almost no other films or tv shows do. Hilarious and painful to watch all at the same time, Raphael Bob-Waksberg (creator) and the rest of the team made something very close to perfection. Without sounding dramatic, this show has enriched my life.