Bojack Horseman is really good

This animated Netflix original series might have flown under your radar completely. I assumed it was just another animated show for adults, with weird anthropomorphic animals and off-color jokes. Oh, man, I was wrong.

So I started watching because Aaron Paul (of Breaking Bad) voices Todd, one of the main characters. The first few episodes are widely considered a little slow, and unspectacular. But they’re not bad, by any means, and the episodes are short. Once you get 4 or 5 episodes into season 1, the show really blossoms. It took me a few episodes to get into the show. 

The jokes are funny — or, more accurately, clever. Many jokes rely on the audience’s knowledge of pop culture. The gags are often subtle and more ironic than laugh-out-loud. But I have laughed out loud at this show. (Although irony is definitely my sense of humor). 

The strongest part of Bojack, however, is the characters and the story. I think that this show portrays relationships with a nuance that is rarely seen even in traditional dramas. Some characters may seem annoying or flat in season 1 (Mr. Peanutbutter, Princess Carolyn…) but by the third season you will love them. 

The impeccable continuity in the show becomes a running gag in the third season: “The pay-off is going to be huge!” — The continuity is worth mentioning because it demonstrates the amount of care and precision that goes into Bojack. 

Be prepared: This show might appear like a comedy at first, but it’s actually incredibly sad at times. I cried at the end of season 3 (you’ll see when you get there). It goes to some very dark places, and handles these emotions so well you’ll forgot you’re looking at talking animals. The show is often heralded as one of the most realistic portrayals of depression and substance abuse, and I think this is true. 

Personally, I love the existential nihilism in the show. What better way to distract you from your own existential nihilism than to watch an animated horse grapple with the meaningless of existence? 

If you're a fan of dry, ironic humor, you like good storytelling and characters, or you just like being sad -- give Bojack Horseman a try.