Netflix premiered an adult animated television series based on an anthropomorphic horse named Bojack Horseman. The show is set in Hollywood, and it follows Bojack, a washed up 90s TV star who wants to make a comeback. The show also displays other characters. These characters are related to Bojack in a certain way. Bojack’s agent Princess Carolyn, his roomate Todd Chavez, his ghost writer Diane Nguyen, and his co-star/rival Mr.Peanutbutter. The show mainly focuses on Bojack’s depression and addiction, and how it affects his day-to-day decisions, and his life. The show also portrays what every character is going through and the battles they have to fight.
What Differentiates Bojack Horseman from Other Shows?
Bojack Horseman is a show that I will full-heartedly recommend to people when asking for a show to watch. However, I will always warn them that Bojack Horseman talks about many real life problems and the show will get deep (deeper than you want it to be).
Bojack Horseman talks about many real life issues that are rarely talked about in tv shows/movies. For example:
- Mental Illness
- Addiction
- Discrimination
- Abuse
- Trauma
- Depression
- Sexual Assault (in Hollywood)
- Abortion
- Gun Control
- Sexuality
The beauty of Bojack Horseman is that a TV show accurately represented all these issues, especially the issues surrounding mental health. It shines a light on what people are going through on a day-to-day basis. Bojack Horseman provides a sense of comfort to people who don’t think that they are represented.
Bojack Horseman: Character
One of the main reasons why many relate to Bojack Horseman is because of the characters. The most important character is Bojack Horseman. Bojack is a character that if you know in real life, you would definitely hate, so why do many love him?
Bojack Horseman starts out as this goofy character trying to rise back in fame, by hiring a ghostwriter, Diane Nguyen. As the show progresses, we start to see Bojack’s real character and the several issues that he faces. Depression, anxiety, self-loath, addiction are some of the problem he faces. Many people relate to these problems and watching a character having them offers them comfort because they are not facing these issues alone. The issues are portrayed realistically, many say it accurately portrays mental illness.
I’ve Had A Lot Of What I Thought Were Rock Bottoms, Only To Discover Another, Rockier Bottom Underneath.
Bojack Horseman
To answer the question, many continue to like Bojack Horseman despite the many terrible things that he has done is because of his relatability. One of the things that makes Bojack relatable is his self-awareness. He is a bad person, and he knows it. There are moments in the show where Bojack is trying to be a better person, but is usually reverted back to who he really is. Bojack Horseman is a perfect example of someone who is self-aware, yet is always in conflict between who he is and who he should be.
Sources:
https://tecake.com/bojack-horseman-season-7-renewed-cast-and-much-more/
https://screenrant.com/bojack-horseman-real-life-issues-addressed/
https://medium.com/@clairchen/and-the-balloon-floated-away-bojack-horseman-season-5-6932027a089
I have always heard about this series but I was not aware that it discusses such topics which makes seem interesting. Might give it a try!
For some reason, I assumed that this series was mostly comedic or silly just based on the animation style and how similar it is to other American series, but it seems like I completely missed the plot! I really enjoy finding media that accurately reflects people’s issues whether it be anxiety or addiction or etc, I’ll be sure to check it out as well!
I have actually started watching this show a few months ago, however I stopped mid-season because I did not expect it to be this as intense as it is, I even started feeling as though I was Bojack Horseman himself! With most animated shows, they are usually light-hearted and fun, however, in the case of Bojack Horseman it is honest and real which gives it its fame. I would definitely recommend this show to everyone, however, a little warning about how intense it is may be necessary.
I’ve seen clips of this show which completely changed my entire perspective on cartoon shows and their intended audiences. I do think that this show’s way of not censoring certain themes and events (such as your mentioned quote) is so realistic. I’m definitely going to watch this very soon~