3.01.2022

12 reasons bojack horseman is my favourite show of all time (thoughts after re-watch)

Allan and I first watched "BoJack Horseman" in real time, from 2014 to January 2020. We liked it from the start, but as the show deepened in meaning and intensity, we became increasingly invested, amazed, moved, and sometimes awed. 

At times BH became so emotionally intense, we would be left stunned and weeping at the end of an episode, especially (as we started to notice) the penultimate episode of each season. Yet the show is a comedy -- and remains funny throughout.

A few months ago, we re-watched the show straight through, all six seasons. The re-watch confirmed my conclusion that this is simply the best series ever made. In the title of this post, I've edited that statement into "my favourite show". But in my mind, it's simply the best, ever.*

Here's why.

1. It's hilarious. BH uses every kind of humour -- incisive satire, zany sight gags, dark head-shakers, silly shtick, and of course, an endless array of animal puns. 

One of the show's running sight-gags

On the rewatch, we paused to capture all the incidental background humour, the kind pioneered by Matt Groening in The Simpsons -- names of stores, titles of books, road signs. One read: "Stop pausing and just watch the show!"

2. It's a brilliant send-up of the entertainment industry -- skewering it, but also peeling back the obvious to explore the hunger that drives it.

3. It voices so much truth. Characters voice intimate, raw, emotional truths -- truths that grab your heart, truths that you recognize with a gasp, a pang. Every episode seems to contain at least one of these moments -- yet it never feels forced or overdone, because. . .

Emotional truths: talks on the roof

4. BH is character-driven. The characters are complex -- even the seemingly simple ones. They journey, they struggle, they grow, or they don't. All hilariously. And painfully. You know them. You care.

5. It's original. BH employs an incredibly inventive, original, and effective use of animation, far beyond what's used in most adult-animation shows. There are some eye-popping, show-stopping episodes, such as the incredible "Fish Out of Water," that have gotten a lot of attention. But there are many bold techniques: an animation-within-animation style used in certain flashback scenes, a night-sky background attached to a specific emotional memory, a character's face covered by crude scribbles. This show could only have been created with animation. 

6. It's complex. BH is the best treatment of the nexus of childhood trauma, mental health, self-loathing, and addiction that I've ever seen -- a kaleidoscopic view that forces us to think, re-think, and think again. 

A visual effect signalling... something
7. It explores the big existential questions. How do we live with the knowledge of our own mortality? Why am I here, does my life have meaning? How do we embrace love and hope, knowing that our time is so short? How can I live with my mistakes? And yep, this is a comedy.

8. BH demands compassion. BoJack is a self-absorbed asshole. He does some terrible things. But the more we understand him, the more we root for him, the more we want others to forgive him, but. . .

9. BH demands accountability. Trauma might turn some people into abusive assholes, but that doesn't excuse their behaviour, because, guess what, everyone has suffered. All the assholes, and all the nice people, too, so. . .

This might be the best 20 minutes of TV you ever see.
10. The ground keeps shifting. Because it's all true, at the same time. Which tells us that we must find a way to bring compassion, treat each other with care, forgive each other when we can, forgive ourselves, but also accept the consequences when we inevitably fall short. 

Each of these 10 preceding reasons are part of why I love this show. But the most astonishing thing about BoJack Horseman is that. . .

11. It does all these things at the same time. I have never laughed so much and wept so much from the same show. And. . .

12. It does everything right. Six seasons, 77 episodes, and barely a misstep or a sour note or a false moment. An absolute triumph. 

Thank you Raphael Bob-Waksberg and Lisa Hanawalt! And thank you, Will Arnett. The role of a lifetime.


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* This position was previously held by "The Larry Sanders Show". . . and the two have much in common. 

Bonus track: two references to abortion as a positive force in a woman's life, the right decision without regret. I will be forever grateful.

14 comments:

Amy said...

You are tempting me to watch it. I generally don't enjoy animated shows. Maybe it's an after effect of thinking cartoons were for babies. I have watched animated shows with my kids and grandchildren, but they are intended for children and I watched them through the eyes of the children I was with. I've never watched The Simpsons or any other adult animated show. But maybe this time I will try. (I also know you and I have pretty different taste in movies and television.)

laura k said...

That wasn't my intention, but it wouldn't hurt to check it out. I've enjoyed many adult animated shows, so that is not a stumbling block for me. BH can be very dark. I have no idea if you would enjoy it.

Amy said...

OK, dark is usually not my thing. I'll let you know what I think.

laura k said...

Well not dark like serial murder shows. And it is a comedy. I'll be very curious what you think, especially since you don't watch animation and don't like magical realism.

Amy said...

I laughed when I read the last comment. Three strikes against it---animated, dark, and magical realism. I am pretty sure Harvey won't like as he is even less able to handle content that is disturbing. But I will try and episode or two when he is otherwise occupied and see what I think.

laura k said...

Disturbing is a better word than dark. I don't know if you see any of that if you only watch a few episodes. You're likely to see a guy who's a jerk, but not what's going on underneath.

Anyway, have fun with your new medium! :)

allan said...

While Season 1 had more of the dark undercurrents that we both remembered, it is not necessarily the best example of the overall feel of the show. But it makes no sense to watch the episodes out of order.

I said this during our first watching of the series, and only had it reinforced on rewatching, but every single (non-sight-gag) character is broken in some deep and sad way. Even if the character is on screen for only 15 seconds in only one episode, you will learn he or she is in some kind of pain.

laura k said...

every single (non-sight-gag) character is broken in some deep and sad way. Even if the character is on screen for only 15 seconds in only one episode, you will learn he or she is in some kind of pain.

This is something I really value and love about this show. This is what I mean by "it demands compassion". Everyone has had pain. We should assume this about all people, and act gently and compassionately, to the extent we can.

laura k said...

Amy, this morning I remembered something: your love of comic books when you were a child. Do you read graphic novels now? Adult graphic novels are the print equivalent of adult animation.

Amy said...

I did love comic books. Especially Superman. I haven't read any adult graphic novels though I have read some with my grandson Nate who reads them all the time. I guess I love the magic of words too much now---losing myself in my own visual images created by words instead of those created for me by an artist.

allan said...

This is something I really value and love about this show. This is what I mean by "it demands compassion". Everyone has had pain. We should assume this about all people, and act gently and compassionately, to the extent we can.

Yes. It's a necessary reminder. But in the show, it also feels relentless.

laura k said...

But in the show, it also feels relentless.

It didn't to me. For me it emphasized the universality, our shared experience.

Dharma Seeker said...

Well I'm just going to have to watch it now!

laura k said...

Dharma, I'd love to hear your thoughts.