With the release of the third season about a month ago I’ve recently fallen in love with the show "BoJack Horseman" all over again, although if I were to tell you why I love this show so much I’d end up contradicting myself. If you asked me why I stopped watching "Orange is the New Black" halfway through or why I didn’t like the movie "Perks of Being a Wallflower" despite it being an objectively good movie I’d tell you that I didn’t like both of those pieces of media because they made me feel sad throughout the whole thing. I don’t want to watch something for entertainment if all it does is make me feel a way that I don’t want to feel. The problem is that Netflix's "BoJack Horseman"’s constant emotional punches are part of the reason why I love it so much, so why is this. What makes "BoJack"’s gut punches something that I like where most other gut punches don’t add enjoyment?
"BoJack" is a combination of two different common genres in television: the downward spiral of a narcissistic protagonist and the animated irreverent adult comedy. A viewing of the first episode would give off the impression that "BoJack" is a show that tries to be a Simpson’s type show by throwing decency into the wind and making low brow jokes where a viewing of the eighth episode might give off the impression that this show is about a man losing all the good in his life through bad behavior and decision making skills. Both of these interpretations are correct when trying to figure out what kind of show "BoJack" is. "BoJack" balances elements of both genres to create something unique and benefits from this immensely. Heartbreaks can be more heartbreaking because they get juxtaposed with the wacky zany humor of the rest of the show and because "BoJack" is a dark comedy the tone wouldn’t have to change that far. Likewise, moments of comedy can be made even more funny due an appreciation of the characters because of their struggles in the show’s more dramatic moments. Then there are the times where a single line can act as an emotional hit and a punchline. The line “Hey, aren’t you the Horse from Horsin’ Around?” can be simultaneously hilarious and soul crushing, and there lies the reason why "BoJack Horseman" is as great as it is.
The second aspect of "BoJack"'s brilliance is its subversion of 90’s sitcom tropes. The show sets itself up as the anti 90’s sitcom as early as its introduction of its main character BoJack. BoJack was the star of a 90’s sitcom where his character lived a fulfilling life as an adoptive father to three orphans while teaching said orphans morals through conflicts that get resolved in 24 minutes whereas BoJack’s real life is shrouded in a depressive tone, his problems sometimes get solved, but not in the way he wants, or doesn’t get solved at all. He never gets closure, and doesn’t do much learning. He is the antithesis of his TV character. The show also does this by holding its continuity in high regard, events in the show carry over from episode to episode, get referenced later on, and have an effects on the world. For example, in mid-season one the D in the Hollywood sign gets removed and throughout the rest of the series everyone refers to the location as Hollywood. This juxtaposed to how the show is paced and delivered like a sitcom makes it one of a kind.
Through "BoJack Horseman"’s twist on classic TV genres and subversion of old sitcoms while still feeling like a sitcom works to make the show something truly fantastic.
