When critics first viewed Netflix’s new comedy series BoJack Horseman, their first instinct was to call it silly, uninspiring, and mediocre. They viewed it as a cartoon comedy, something one could see on Robot Chicken. It was immediately compared to shows like Family Guy or South Park, to which it was said to have paled in comparison. So why has this seemingly failed show been given another season?
If I were a critic, the word I would use to describe BoJack Horseman would be deceiving. At first glance, it is easy to see why the show was immediately categorized into a comedy. The show tells the story of BoJack Horseman, voiced by Will Arnett, who is a forgotten ‘90s sitcom star that spends his days drinking booze and sleeping with women. Did I mention he is half horse half human?
Yes, BoJack lives in a world where humans and anthropomorphic animals live together in harmony. His friends include a bum named Todd, his feline agent/ex-girlfriend Princess Carolyn, and his ghost writer/potential love interest Diane. A seemingly perfect set-up for a hilarious cartoon.
But this is where BoJack Horseman becomes tricky. This is where the series deceived everybody. If judged purely as a comedy, the show would not do well only because it is not just a comedy. It is so much more. It is about the disastrous effects of being dissatisfied with ones life and the endless search to find happiness.
When first beginning BoJack Horseman, it received negative reviews, but as the story went on, people began to realize that the main idea was about more than a washed-up actor who was around for comic effect. BoJack is a seriously flawed and depressed character, who becomes more human and relatable in every episode.
Creator Raphael Bob Waksberg knew that people would react the way they did when the show first came out. In an interview with Grantland, he said that his goal was to make people laugh, but also to make them think. He wanted to challenge viewers by making a seemingly stupid situation became something much deeper in a moment’s notice.
“I think a lot of people at the beginning of the series kind of assumed, ‘OK, I get what this kind of show is. This is a wacky, silly cartoon about an asshole character,” said Waksberg. But then he would take this ostensibly ridiculous idea and “hack away at it until we find the heart beating underneath.”
So when Season 2 came around, the reviews looked completely different. Critics called it smart, frighteningly accurate, realistic, and the praise goes on. Even Metacritic drastically changed its score from a 59 to a 90. Because people understand the show now. They are no longer deceived.
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