Anyone who knows me well knows that I am obsessed with Netflix’s adult animated TV series Bojack Horseman. Today’s post centers on why this show has become a surprising all-time-favourite of mine, and why I think everyone should give it a chance.
Oftentimes, people assume that animated shows won’t be “adult” enough, as there is a subconscious association of cartoons with kids or “child-like” material. Of course, classic shows like The Simpsons, Family Guy, South Park, and Futurama are a few examples of just how adult cartoons can be. Recent examples are Archer, Bob’s Burgers, and Big Mouth, and that’s not even counting the endless amount of Japanese animes that deal with mature content. Despite the popularity of these shows, sometimes even I am a culprit of assuming animated shows might be unable to deal with serious issues the same way live-action shows do. Thankfully, there has been a rise in adult animated shows that tackle incredibly profound topics in order to shatter these assumptions, and Bojack Horseman is one of them.
In a world where anthropomorphic beings coexist with humans, washed up nineties sitcom star Bojack Horseman struggles with day-to-day existence, his career, alcoholism, and self-destructive behaviour. Audiences are introduced to a show that combines dry, dark, witty humour with silly pun and wordplay mastery (whatever humour you’re into, you’ll likely find a piece of it in Bojack), all while examining serious topics. Whether it’s a parody, a commentary, or a satire, Bojack is not afraid to show the flaws in humanity, utilizing the North American entertainment industry as its focus. Cleverly written and increasingly self-reflexive, the show does its best to use refreshing tactics while still maintaining a tonal consistency. It takes viewers on twists and turns, and never fails to surprise you.
Bojack himself is an interesting protagonist, as he often displays unlikable traits. Voiced by the hilarious and multitalented Will Arnett, Bojack is bitter, jaded, and selfish. To put it bluntly, he’s a classic a-hole. However, he’s also hilarious, charismatic, and perhaps most importantly, deeply afflicted. Viewers are taken on an existential journey as Bojack stumbles through life just trying to figure out what the rest of us are trying to figure out, albeit from an incredibly privileged standpoint. The show delves deep into his traumatic childhood, the effects of stardom, materialism, and the fleeting nature of fame. He becomes a character that many of us sympathize with and can surprisingly even relate to. Through Bojack as well as the show’s other main characters such as Diane Nguyen, Princess Carolyn, Todd Chavez, and Mr. Peanutbutter, the show explores the human condition rather effortlessly.
Ultimately, it’s not just a show full of amazing one-liners, meme-worthy sarcasm, and let’s not forget, a killer cast (Alison Brie, Aaron Paul, Paul F. Tompkins, and Amy Sedaris are just a few names on the list). Perhaps the show could have simply rested on its laurels in that regard, but what takes it above and beyond is the way heavy content is handled. Depression, anxiety, substance abuse, sexism, sexuality, political issues, and representation in media are only a few topics that are approached in the show, and needless to say, are all contentious topics. However, the creators of Bojack Horseman handle these topics both realistically and respectfully, and the reason behind this is because the show never really offers any one opinion as being the ‘right’ opinion. Unlike the 90s sitcom that Bojack starred in, his real world is not one that offers a hard lined “moral-of-the-story”. Rather, the audience is shown various perspectives from various characters, in which we are enabled to make our own decisions about each person’s viewpoint. What makes the show work so well as a larger commentary is that it presents its material as objectively as possible, garnering a discussion rather than offering a solitary outlook. The result of this presents a shockingly real, raw show.
Perhaps the most acclaimed episode is entitled “Fish Out of Water”, episode 4 of Season 3, where Bojack attends an underwater event, in which the entire episode is presented without any dialogue. Episodes like this one only go to show that Bojack Horseman can succeed brilliantly in any avenue it takes, so much that it doesn’t even need dialogue to rely on. The creators of the show have made (and are still making) a truly unforgettable, clever, boundary-breaking show that cannot be described as one genre of television, as that would be too limiting to the show’s content. Bojack Horseman is a comedy, a tragedy, a drama, a romance, and a satire, all rolled into one. Shows like Bojack Horseman are ones that truly epitomize the phrase ‘not everything is how it seems’. Give it a go, and let me know what you think.
~ Z ~
