Season five of BoJack Horseman just premiered on September 14th and I am hype AF. This Netflix original dramedy revolves around a washed-up sitcom star, BoJack, as he navigates life and struggles to remain relevant. Every episode pulls you in and keeps you there; from the instrumental opening theme (which makes great study music btw) to the catchy outro performed by the band Grouplove. Here are five reasons everyone should be watching this show!
1) It’s not afraid of delving into deep topics and serious issues.
This show has really earned the “dra” in dramedy. While it’s not uncommon in this day-and-age to have serious down-to-Earth cartoons, BoJack really works to seamlessly and delicately weave serious discussions into comedic plotlines. It never shies away from tackling important issues and topics. Some of the topics it’s covered so far are addiction, reproductive rights, gun control, and even terminal illness. None of these topics ever seem forced or out of place and all handled with tact. The skillful way these elements are included in the plot helps round out the show and keep viewers invested.
2) Its portrayal of mental health issues.
Yes, this deserves its own bullet point. Over its four seasons, the show has delved into various mental health issues like addiction, depression, and eating disorders. At this point, they’ve delved into the psyches of every main character, but none more than BoJack. Throughout the series, viewers are given glimpses into BoJack’s troubling childhood and the effects that it has had on him. One particular episode that has been praised for this is Stupid Piece of Sh*t, from season four. A main story-telling technique of this episode is a running commentary of BoJack’s inner monologue complete with sketchy 2-d animations of his (mostly negative) thoughts. Fans and critics have commended this episode as a tragically honest portrayal of living with depression. In light of this, the show also ensures that BoJack is more than just his psychological struggles. The other characters hold BoJack accountable for everything he does and he is treated no differently than the rest of the cast.
3) It’s a really fun show.
Seriously, I promise. This show knows how to balance out the heavy content with light-hearted, Hooray dialogue and subplots. Some highlights include Princess Carolyn’s boyfriend, Vincent Adultman, who was clearly three kids in a trench coat, Meow-Meow Fuzzyface, the loose-cannon cat cap, and BoJack’s constant vicious tirades against honeydew. The show also utilizes tons of puns and sight gags that pack as many jokes as possible in each episode. There are new things to be discovered on every watch!
4) It has complex characters.
Every character on this show is three dimensional with complicated feelings and motivations; watching them grow and develop is a really wonderful experience. Princess Carolyn, BoJack’s agent and one of my favorite characters, is particularly entertaining and inspiring. She has grown over the course of this show from simply following BoJack along and hoping he’ll settle down with her, to being a strong woman, running her own company and really being the glue that holds the characters together. Another fan-favorite, Todd Chavez has also gone on a journey of self-discovery over the course of the show and bounces between an innocent goofball and the existential voice of reason of the group. All of these characters have deep flaws but also tremendous heart. That’s what makes them so relatable and keeps you invested in their triumphs as well as their downfalls.
5) The dialogue is incredible.
The writers of this show are fantastic. They have really mastered how to break your heart in one scene and have you crying with laughter the next. They’ve somehow figured out a way for lines like “the key to being happy isn’t to search for meaning; it’s to just keep yourself busy with unimportant nonsense, and eventually you’ll be dead” to be delivered by a talking dog named Mr. Peanut Butter and still manage to make your heart break. Another iconic line, “in this terrifying world, all we have are the connections we make,” is delivered in an underwater episode that revolves around BoJack chasing a baby seahorse around a taffy factory. No matter how wacky the adventures become, they’re always grounded in deep, genuine dialogue.
BoJack Horseman is a careful and successful balance of humor and drama. It’s earned a permanent place in my Netflix queue as a show that I can choose any episode and never be disappointed. With the release of Season five, now is the perfect time to hop on board!