I started Bojack Horseman_ about 4 years ago and stopped. At the time I wasn’t in an emotionally stable place in my life and didn’t have the strength to carry a show that reminded me of my mental issues.
Years later, the show came to an end and I finally brought myself to watch it, I have never been so happy about watching a show. Usually when you finish a show you will have mixed feelings and things need to settle in your mind. People have been calling me crazy, saying I’m exaggerating, but I am extremely serious when I say this: Bojack Horseman is my favorite TV show of all time.
Never have I experienced a show where I never felt disappointed or dissatisfied, not once. Bojack is a show that understands how to treat and feed their audience. It’s a show that doesn’t pander to us or treat us like idiots, it expects us to be emotionally prepared and to be smart, to understand its world and characters.
The seasons one up themselves, getting better and better. It understands how to defy expectations and keep the story telling fresh. You truly will never know what is about to come, the show will you keep you guessing and questioning how the story can ever continue.
A show is only as good and impactful as its characters are. The Bojack gang is one of my favorites ever. From Bojack to Princess Carolyn, these characters are incredibly lovable, flawed, yet it’s somehow impossible not to root for them, not to be invested in their stories.
All of their arcs come together beautifully at the end, I was so satisfied. Bojack is so flawed and broken, but his journey is one I was so invested in. I love him as a character. Todd is beautifully written. One could think he serves no purpose to the show, but he is the definition of comedic relief. He is the feel good character of the show, he is the character who will make you smile the most.
Princess Carolyn is such an interesting strong character that carries her own weight. I loved her and I loved all of her stories. Mr. Peanutbutter is so sweet and funny, showcasing those truly nice people around you. Finally, Dianne is such a flawed, heartbreaking character who wants to be happy. She wants to do good by everyone but her own insecurities get in the way, I love her.
The writing is beautiful, the music choices are great. This whole show made me feel like someone finally understood what depression, addiction and self destructive behavior actually looks like. It’s crazy that it had to come in the form of an animated horse, but it is what it is and I couldn’t love it more. Thank you so much to Netflix and the creator, this show was an incredible, beautiful journey. I am in love, might rewatch it for sure.
"Is it...terrifying?"
"No. I don't think so. It's the way it is, you know? Everything must come to an end, the drip finally stops."
"...See you on the other side."
"Oh Bojack, no. There is no other side. This is it."
I don't really know what to say about this show. I'm gonna try, anyway.
This is one of the most hilarious and most depressing things ever. You want to call it a comedy, because of the witty and funny dialogue, but you can't, because each episode has one idea, one subtle but major lesson for the viewers. Maybe it's a brilliantly constructed campaign for feminism, maybe it is a brilliant look at dementia, or suicide, or drinking. There is always a constant though - it is brilliant.
One of the biggest standouts for this show is its characters. Just the five main characters are some of the best I've ever seen - Todd, Princess Carolyn, Mr Peanutbutter, Diane and of course, Bojack Horseman. All five are broken in some way (some much more in others), and it's so engaging to watch how these people deal with highs, lows, and how they change/don't change. Bojack Horseman himself is hands down the most interesting character I've ever seen in television - you can't agree with his actions, and you want to hate him for his worst moments, but you can't help but root for him and his ability to change. And he does - and doesn't.
While the first six episodes aren't that great, the rest of the series (and I mean the rest) is absolutely the best stuff out there. In my opinion, the seventh episode is where things really start, and if you watch the eighth episode, The Telescope, and you still don't like this series, then this probably isn't your thing.
If you are willing to watch through some of the most depressing, yet astounding, episodes ever, this is the show for you. I think that really everyone needs to see this, if they are willing.
(Also just a quick seasonal ranking - 4>6>5=3>2>>1)
BoJack Horseman is an intelligent and multilayered tragicomedy that follows a “selfish, narcissistic and self-destructive” middle-aged horse in his struggles with addiction and depression after losing his fame as an actor in the 90's. It's mostly a light-hearted black comedy that aims to be a sharp satire of the show business and at the same makes you reflect upon delicate social issues, your own mental health as well as the meaning of life or lack of it, without lapsing into easy moralism or getting too heavy-handed. Each season always has at least a handful of brilliant episodes that are entirely focused on exploring the characters' personalities and many times even experiment with visual storytelling and animation techniques as you would expect an arthouse film to do. Sometimes they hit really hard, bring you close to tears, or at least make you raise a few questions about yourself. Still, it's sad that this is just about 25% of the whole show. The rest is just mild jokes and silly gags that might have looked funny on paper, but unfortunately miss the mark too many times on screen. There are also too many episodes that are built around a single idea or simple gag that wouldn't get developed properly nor bring to any outcome whatsoever. I don't think there was a single bad episode in the whole series, but a bit too many mediocre ones.
Review by Rasmus HartwichBlockedParent2022-11-19T21:30:47Z
A show that it so good you have to see it to believe it. Ostensibly a comedy, this show deals with some of the heaviest aspects of our society and how people adapt to it. A show has never been so honest without being sappy, so true without being facetious. Watching "BoJack" is a therapeutic experience with enough quotes to last you a lifetime: "When you look at someone with rose-coloured glasses, all the red flags just look like flags"; "Every day it gets a little easier, but you have to do it every day. That's the hard part"; "I thought for sure I was going to drown, but then I noticed my air bubbles floated up and I knew which way to swim. When you find yourself lost and you don't know which way is up, it's important to breathe".
But let's not forget the comedic aspect because "BoJack" is also one of the funniest shows ever made. This show embodies the idiom that comedy and tragedy are two sides of the same coin - the highs are so high because the lows are so low, and vice versa. There are funny show, and then there are funny shows. Shows where you don't just laugh because something funny happened, but because someone just pulled off the perfect joke. And then they do it again. And again. The passion behind every aspect of this show oozes off the screen. "BoJack" was a cultural milestone that will be looked back upon as one of the greatest comedies of all time.