[7.2/10] BoJack is back, and starting its fourth season off with an interesting tack. It’s a bit of serendipity that I’m also watching The Legend of Korra at the moment, which, by some odd coincidence, also opens with an episode sans its title character with everyone wondering what happened to the main character while they worry about an inexperienced guy taking office. It’s an interesting approach, one that adds to the intrigue of what the title character is up to while giving the secondary characters time to shine and set up their storylines for the new season.
So let’s run through those storylines, shall we? The biggest of them is obviously Mr. Peanutbutter running for governor. It’s a nice way to comment on the Trump stuff without doing directly. Having Mr. PB run a nontraditional race, having people get sucked up into it, and the dedicated public servant have to run against a showboat (albeit a much more likable one) works both in-universe as a testament to Mr. Peanutbutter letting his likability and openness let him coast through life to some degree (see also, the amusing David Chase/Vincent Danofrio opener) and out of universe as a riff on the showmanship of politics overtaking the substance.
In the same vein, you have Dianne being supportive when she thinks Mr. PB has no shot, but carrying a sense of “what have I gotten myself into” when he keeps going anyway. They’re pretty heavy handed with her feelings about her current situation and missing BoJack, but this show’s always been kind of blunt on that front.
There’s also Princess Carolyn having a miscarriage which is dealt with surprisingly quickly and in a down-to-earth fashion. She and her boyfriend are sweet, and the idea of the two of them moving in together and trying to have a baby is heartening, but also makes me cringe since, given the tenor of this show, that can only end in disaster and disappointment and given how Princess Carolyn talks about wanting a family, it feels like we’re headed for another blow to her hopes and dreams.
The last and best bit is, as always, Todd. I just love Aaron Paul’s hijinks in this one. The “drone throne,” the kettle corn, the accidentally becoming governor are all such fun comic relief. And there’s even some nice thematic material with him being unsure what he is (not liking the asexual label) and seeing the same ambiguity and uncertainty in the likes of kettle corn and the rest of the world. Of all the stories, this one worked the best as a balance of comedy and theme.
And back in full force is the show’s stellar animal-based humor and clever wordplay (epitomized by the “this is one cow that like to be tipped” line). It’s not a homerun or anything, but it’s a nice start to the new season.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParent2017-09-18T01:53:17Z
[7.2/10] BoJack is back, and starting its fourth season off with an interesting tack. It’s a bit of serendipity that I’m also watching The Legend of Korra at the moment, which, by some odd coincidence, also opens with an episode sans its title character with everyone wondering what happened to the main character while they worry about an inexperienced guy taking office. It’s an interesting approach, one that adds to the intrigue of what the title character is up to while giving the secondary characters time to shine and set up their storylines for the new season.
So let’s run through those storylines, shall we? The biggest of them is obviously Mr. Peanutbutter running for governor. It’s a nice way to comment on the Trump stuff without doing directly. Having Mr. PB run a nontraditional race, having people get sucked up into it, and the dedicated public servant have to run against a showboat (albeit a much more likable one) works both in-universe as a testament to Mr. Peanutbutter letting his likability and openness let him coast through life to some degree (see also, the amusing David Chase/Vincent Danofrio opener) and out of universe as a riff on the showmanship of politics overtaking the substance.
In the same vein, you have Dianne being supportive when she thinks Mr. PB has no shot, but carrying a sense of “what have I gotten myself into” when he keeps going anyway. They’re pretty heavy handed with her feelings about her current situation and missing BoJack, but this show’s always been kind of blunt on that front.
There’s also Princess Carolyn having a miscarriage which is dealt with surprisingly quickly and in a down-to-earth fashion. She and her boyfriend are sweet, and the idea of the two of them moving in together and trying to have a baby is heartening, but also makes me cringe since, given the tenor of this show, that can only end in disaster and disappointment and given how Princess Carolyn talks about wanting a family, it feels like we’re headed for another blow to her hopes and dreams.
The last and best bit is, as always, Todd. I just love Aaron Paul’s hijinks in this one. The “drone throne,” the kettle corn, the accidentally becoming governor are all such fun comic relief. And there’s even some nice thematic material with him being unsure what he is (not liking the asexual label) and seeing the same ambiguity and uncertainty in the likes of kettle corn and the rest of the world. Of all the stories, this one worked the best as a balance of comedy and theme.
And back in full force is the show’s stellar animal-based humor and clever wordplay (epitomized by the “this is one cow that like to be tipped” line). It’s not a homerun or anything, but it’s a nice start to the new season.