BoJack Horseman is an extremely popular Netflix original that tackles serious issues with the backdrop of goofy cartoon characters. Spoiler alert!
It is both one of the goofiest and most tragic stories I’ve watched in a long time.The creator of the show, Raphael Bob-Waksberg, has said it’s very important that the show be set in a world where animal characters live and interact with humans in a human way. “I think by making BoJack a horse, it allows an audience to project themselves on him in a way that if you were looking at a picture of Will Arnett, you might not be as inclined to,” Bob-Waksberg explained to Slashfilm. “There does exist an odd universality to these animals. By making them more foreign, they become more relatable.”
The basic storyline isn’t all that original. A washed up male actor deals with (or rather doesn’t deal with) how toxic he is. Tackling substance abuse, depression, and his past, which helps the audience understand (to a degree) why he treats people the way he does. What makes the show interesting is how goofy it is, with whimsical characters that are able to do and say things a show might not always be able to get away with, because it’s a cartoon, and because many of them are animals.
It’s a very bleak story that gets darker and darker with each season. The show also doesn’t really have a happy ending, which I think is rare these days. But it makes it much more real. Not every story ends happily and it’s unrealistic for everything on tv to be wrapped up at the end of an episode or even a season.
Most shows and movies focus on a character being “fixed” and growing. While BoJack arguably does grow, he also relapses time and time again. He acts and reacts as an addict does, and as someone deeply damaged. Again, he’s a real character despite his ridiculous antics which is what makes him relatable.
Some of the other most popular characters include Todd, Mr. Peanut Butter, Princess Carolyn, Diane, and many more.
Who is your favourite BoJack character?
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