Summary: A flashback shows Secretariat replying to a letter from a young BoJack on TV. Later, he is banned from running and commits suicide. In the present, BoJack has won a Golden Globe for his book but is still unhappy. BoJack gets Princess Carolyn to get him in consideration for a Secretariat movie. He auditions but the role goes to Andrew Garfield instead. Todd and Mr. Peanutbutter start coming up with random ideas to invest in to BoJack's annoyance. But one of their investments (a Halloween in January store) injured Andrew Garfield and BoJack gets the role. Later at a party, BoJack runs into Diane and they reconcile. Diane wants to go to a third world country and make a difference but Mr. Peanutbutter convinces her to stay.
The Good: This was a rock solid finale. It started on the right note with a flashback showing us Secretariat's downfall, which is essential in highlighting the tragedy of BoJack's childhood. Secretariat was his hero, and in the end he was banned for life and committed suicide, which would be hard on any child. There is a really sad irony on juxtaposing Secretariat telling BoJack to keep running to what's ahead no matter what, only for him to kill himself merely a month later. Very evocative stuff. BoJack's personal story in this episode sums up his role in this series. Surprisingly, BoJack gets everything he ever could have wanted in this episode. His book is a raucous success, even winning a Golden Globe... for best comedy/musical? This show is quite good with its absurdist humour. Anyways, BoJack has an award, he's loved by the public now, and he even manages to land the lead role in Secretariat (after Andrew Garfield breaks every bone in his body walking into a floorless Halloween in January store... seriously what the hell?). Despite all of his success, BoJack still feels miserable in this episode. He can't help but dwell on the negative and can't take his mind off of his last interaction with Diane in "Downer Ending". This is a perfect way to summarize the main ideas of this show. This is about a man who is so extremely privileged with luxuries that 90% of people can only dream of, and yet he is eternally unhappy. This episode explores that idea magnificently and it is a good finale because of its dedication to this idea. And of course the comedy is high quality. As indicated by my comments in the above paragraph, t's really impressive how this show manages to weave these hilarious moments of absurdity into an episode which otherwise takes itself seriously. It's amusing and it makes the show feel richer and more entertaining since it doesn't let the bleak tone dominate the show. This makes it more accessible and easier to stomach compared to a show that is relentlessly miserable for its entire run. There are plenty of nice jokes throughout the episode. I already mentioned the hilarious Halloween in January store, with the hilarity of the idea only being surpassed by BoJack's witty remarks responding to it. All of Todd and Mr. Peanutbutter's ideas and interactions are quite funny, and the show is better off for getting these two characters to interact more. And again, there's lots of good animal jokes with my favourite in this episode being Sebastian reacting to the mosquito in his tent. Also, that joke with the armless orphan was delightfully dark. Diane's story feels mostly like set-up for her story in the next season, but it is effective. She clearly wants to do big things with her life, but hasn't found that level of inner satisfaction through writing BoJack's book. It's interesting to see Diane dealing with similar problems of unhappiness to BoJack, making her seem almost like a younger version of BoJack who is in the process of having her dreams ruined by the Hollywoo tar pit and its promises of "later". Her moment with BoJack in this episode is quite good, combining their stories in a melancholy way as they both look into their future with various problems of their own. The Bad: This episode is too focused on set-up and resolving things cleanly. That's not necessarily a problem, but it does make this finale feel surprisingly anticlimactic, and almost weirdly placed. One big reason for this feeling is because the set-up and resolution are happening concurrently, creating a bit of a confusing tone. Is the story ramping up, or is it settling down? I'm not sure, and the episode doesn't feel sure about that either. It's a shame because there isn't anything outright bad in this episode, it just carries a weird tone for a season finale. The montage at the end is pretty cheesy. It doesn't feel earned to see all of these characters happy with each other, and I was confused by the purpose of it. This show hasn't pandered to our emotions like that before, and I'm not sure how this sequence accomplishes anything. It's very forgettable. Princess Carolyn and Vincent's relationship still makes me roll my eyes. The idea of Vincent is funny, but the way that everyone seems to stupidly not realize that he's an adult turns a good joke into a frustrating story. It destroys any sense of reality in this world when the characters behave so stupidly. Especially considering that this show wants us to connect with the plight of these characters. The Unknown: What's going to happen with BoJack's new movie? You can bet that he will find a way to make things messy. Will Diane be satisfied by staying in LA? I think she will want to leave to go with Sebastian in third world countries. How will this affect her relationship with Mr. Peanutbutter, who clearly does not want her to go? Best Moment: I really laughed at the Halloween in January store. Character of the Episode: BoJack. Conclusion: A good episode to close out season 1. There's nothing especially worthwhile in this episode, but it's a solid conclusion to a season that eventually found its footing. Season 1 surprised me in the end. The first half suggested a bland, uninspired animated comedy with limited humour, annoying characters, and an unengaging storyline. But the second half of the season took some surprising risks in maintaining a more serious and emotionally powerful tone, and the result is a fun animated show that somehow captures serious emotion themes perfectly. This is a unique show, the type of which I haven't seen before. This first season was a mixed bag, but there have been signs of greatness, especially in the terrific penultimate episode "Downer Ending". I'm curious to see where the show goes in season 2, and I'm hopeful that the show spends more time on its themes of battling with inner unhappiness, rather than its below average comedy. Score: 65
0 Comments
Summary: BoJack decides he will write a better book within a week. He struggles to focus and ends up doing drugs with Todd and Sarah Lynn, getting them to help him. He ends up on a drug trip where he faces his own insecurity and regrets with where his life has gone. He has a vision where he lives with Charlotte in an alternate life, but is forced back to reality. Upon waking up, he learns he submitted the book to Princess Carolyn who says it was gibberish. BoJack visits Diane at a ghostwriter convention, apologizes to her and asks if she thinks he is a good person. She doesn't respond.
The Good: This was a strong immersive experience that got to the heart of who BoJack is. The episode is interested in telling this story from the very first scene. We open with immediate follow-up of the events in the last episode. BoJack is still furious about Diane's book, and the scene does a great job of exploring why BoJack is so angry. This opening scene tells us that BoJack's big issue is that he wants his book to reflect the person he wants to be, rather than the person he actually is. Diane is too good of a writer to spin such lies, so she paints an honest picture of who BoJack is, and BoJack detests her for being astute enough to see who he really is. It's a bit tragic since BoJack's mean-spirited words towards Diane in this first scene come as a result of him wanting her to like him, but he's hurt by the realization that she perceives him in the same way that he perceives himself. And this is problematic because BoJack hates who he is, so he feels that Diane must hate him too. There's a lot of depth here, and I really appreciate that. The rest of the episode commits to exploring BoJack's inner dilemma and it does that in a compelling way. It doesn't take long before the episode turns BoJack's attempts to write a book into an excessive drug sequence. At first, this sequence is just amusing fun, and it does that well. The editing is clever, there are some signature witty jokes, and Todd and Sarah Lynn are typically fun characters which give this sequence a lighter tone. But then BoJack's inability to accept who he is starts to rear its head when he asks Todd if they are cool, and Todd says that he no longer expects anything from BoJack other than the worst. It's a damning moment for BoJack because Todd is essentially admitting that BoJack is a bad person and it isn't realistic to expect him to be anything but a bad person. Following this, BoJack's drug trip gets worse and worse and he gets stuck reliving some of his worst memories, biggest insecurities, and biggest regrets. This is such a powerful experience that makes you understand the depth of BoJack's pain, and how much regret and sadness he carries in his daily life. His life is built on mistake after mistake, and it's so sad to see him dreaming of a life where he could have avoided the Hollywoo tar pits and instead lived a quiet family life with Charlotte. But it's far too late for that, and Charlotte telling BoJack "I wish you had chosen this life" was a brutal way to end that sequence. Horrified and unsettled by his experience, BoJack goes to make things right with Diane and hope for the validation that he can change things around because he's still a good person. What follows is the season's crowning moment, a real downer ending where BoJack essentially begs to Diane and bares his soul, but still does not get the answer that he was hoping for (see: Best Moment). This scene is absolutely brutal. It's such an accurate portrayal of depression with BoJack's desperation for external validation that he's good and that he isn't doomed to be the awful person that he thinks he is. BoJack's words to Diane here go from an introspective apology, to begging real quick, and it's brutal to see Diane unable to confirm that BoJack is a good person after all that he has done. Her silence speaks volumes, and it is especially impactful in a series with so much dialogue that it rarely pauses for long enough for there to be silence. It's a dagger into BoJack's heart, made even worse with the random guy shouting "hey aren't you the horse from Horsin' Around", a gutwrenching reminder that this is likely all that he will ever amount to being. Absolutely brutal storytelling. Emotionally, the episode was terrific. But let's not take anything away from the terrific production that went into the drug sequence. The art and animation in this sequence was outstanding, and it captured the feeling of a trippy fever dream to perfection. I loved the way that BoJack's past memories were integrated into this sequence, as well as his relationships with other characters. The show does a good job of making everything come full circle. The season started with BoJack struggling to write his book, and now it comes back to him in the same position. The writers have fun with some procrastination jokes, and they throw in some other good laughs in the episode. The reveal of "Doctor Who" actually being "Dr. Hu" was really funny, and I love what was done with the character. I also quite liked the brief moment where BoJack tries to burn Diane's book, fails, and simply kicks it over instead. The Bad: Nothing I would call bad. This was easily the most consistent episode of the show. The Unknown: Is it too late for BoJack? Is it possible for him to change his ways after so many years of being the same? Best Moment: The ending of the episode was really something. Who would have ever expected this show to have a moment that was so emotionally resonant? BoJack's begging to be validated as a good person is the type of ugly emotion that TV shows very rarely portray. I was surprised to see an animated TV show paint such a realistic and meaningful portrayal of mental health struggles and inner conflict within a character. Just a stunning scene overall. Character of the Episode: BoJack. Conclusion: This was unexpectedly fantastic. "BoJack Horseman" has struggled for consistency up until now, and with average comedy and some good ideas, I expected that the show would not be able to hit that next level. Shockingly, this episode took an evocative turn to give us a very real and impactful look at how BoJack views himself and his life, and that made for a vivid and harrowing experience that was far better than anything else the show has attempted thus far. Who would have thought that this animated comedy would find something special in an exploration of mental health? Well done. Score: 76 Summary: BoJack works on his new movie which is being shot at Mr. Peanutbutter's house. He realizes Todd has found out about his rock opera and thinks that Todd is trying to sabotage him. In reality, Quentin Tarantulino has taken a liking to Todd and together they make increasingly ridiculous changes to the movie until it devolves into becoming a bi-monthly box of snacks. Diane finishes BoJack's book and sends it to Pinky. BoJack reads it, hates it, and demands that Diane start over. Upset, Diane leaks some chapters to Buzzfeed so that BoJack can see that the book is good for him. BoJack isn't happy and instead fires her.
The Good: This episode has decent comedy with the movie storyline. The opening scene is amusing, and it's fun watching this movie go from a serious project to increasingly ridiculous as Todd introduces wackier ideas to Quentin, who inexplicably seems to love Todd. This is all incredibly absurd, but it is funny and makes the episode fun. There are plenty of nice jokes, like Diane not being able to eat in her own house, Naomi Watts wanting to get away from the boring "complex" characters, Mr. Peanutbutter's fixation with V-necks, and Wallace Shawn's fun cameo playing BoJack. BoJack's personal story is again engaging. This episode mostly focuses on BoJack's realization that Todd discovered his role in sabotaging the rock opera. He's clearly regretful and knows what he did was wrong, but he struggles to properly face Todd about it, convinced that Todd is going to sabotage him (since that's what BoJack would do!). But Todd is a bigger person, and there's a nice scene at the end where Todd tells him they are cool, but ultimately chooses to spend more time with Mr. Peanutbutter who, unlike BoJack, treats Todd with respect and affection. The other aspect of BoJack's story comes with the release of Diane's book about him. Of course BoJack doesn't like the book because he is always going to have a difficult time dealing with the negative aspects of his own life. Diane knows this and tries to encourage BoJack to give her a chance, but of course BoJack is too short-sighted to see this and the whole thing escalates into a major conflict. It's really sad to see because Diane clearly did not mean for this to be an attack on BoJack, and is simply painting him as a flawed and relatable figure in the way that BoJack could never do himself. But BoJack isn't ready yet to face the honest truth about himself and that causes him to lash out against Diane, possibly hurting their relationship in the process. It's another case of BoJack's negative attitude getting in the way of his personal happiness. The Bad: The movie falling apart in such a ridiculous way is completely unfeasible. I know that this is an animated cartoon, but since it tackles some serious subject matter, the show opens itself up to being susceptible to criticism when it goes too far away from reality. This is one of those times. There's no way that this movie project will conclude as a snack box which nets nowhere near enough money to make a profit. This episode is mostly set up with the BoJack/Diane and BoJack/Todd conflicts heating up. This is fine, but it means that the episode doesn't feel significant. The movie plot is fun, but with is resolving inside the episode, it ends up feeling like forgettable filler. The side characters Quentin, Naomi, and Lenny aren't particularly funny either so I don't get much out of them. The Unknown: How will BoJack and Diane's relationship change going forwards? This ending feels like BoJack attempting to burn it all down. Will Diane's book ultimately get released or will BoJack prevent it? So is the movie project over? No follow up or anything? Will we see more details on this storyline or not? Best Moment: The movie becoming a snack box as its final form is really funny. It was amusing watching this thing decline so much. Character of the Episode: BoJack. Conclusion: Another solid episode with some good comedy in the movie storyline. Score: 62 Summary: BoJack plans to sabotage Diane's wedding with Todd. Princess Carolyn refuses to go along with it and starts dating "Vincent Adultman". BoJack sends Todd to break into Mr. Peanutbutter's house but he gets caught. Mr. Peanutbutter hires Todd as his driver. Diane and Mr. Peanutbutter move up their wedding to within a month. BoJack hires Margo Martindale to do a fake bank robbery on Diane and Mr. Peanutbutter, but it backfires and they move up their wedding to the end of the week. BoJack has jury duty and misses his chance to sabotage further. Todd realizes that BoJack sabotaged his rock opera and refuses to help him anymore. BoJack accepts the reality as Mr. Peanutbutter and Diane get married.
The Good: BoJack attempting to sabotage the wedding is a fun story, and it works as a parody of sitcom plots where characters try to crash weddings. There are so many fun details throughout the episode. BoJack and Todd's dramatic heist plan falling apart immediately really made me laugh, and Mr. Peanutbutter being jovial enough to not even notice and instead hire Todd as a driver was amusing. I quite liked the running joke of Mr. Peanutbutter hating the post office. This show has done well to make quality dog jokes with him. I like how this episode wrote BoJack. He seems to know that what he's doing is wrong, but he tries to sabotage the wedding anyways, making it all about himself. Having him finally accept reality at the end of the episode was a good moment, finally allowing the character to face himself. Todd got a decent conflict in this episode as he slowly loses the motivation to betray Mr. Peanutbutter's trust, appreciating how friendly he has been. This was a great way to make Todd understand how cruel BoJack has been to him, and having him learn the truth about the rock opera feels like the cherry on top. Todd is optimistic and friendly despite being inconsistently stupid, and it's nice to see him find his own sense of morality and pick his friendship with Mr. Peanutbutter over his rocky relationship with BoJack. Diane and Mr. Peanutbutter have a pretty good episode too. I like that the show doesn't shy away from showing us why they are getting married. Even though they are two very different people, you can really tell what they both see in each other and why they love each other. I think their relationship is surprisingly sweet, and I appreciate the show for showing this to us. Some more amusing little moments include the sheep eating cut grass out of the lawn mower, Mr. Peanutbutter's wedding banners having instructions written on them, the sloth lawyer being painfully slow at speaking, and Mr. Peanutbutter's comical excitement over small talk. The Bad: This episode goes too far into absurdity. Almost every joke in this episode relies on characters doing things that are incredibly stupid. Mr. Peanutbutter hiring Todd with his own resume, everything about the existence of Vincent Adultman, BoJack's over-the-top bank robbery stunt, Todd learning the truth about the rock opera in the most backwards way, and many many more are examples of this. This episode is funny, but all of the humour is pure absurdist humour which makes it tough to take the story seriously. This is entertaining enough, but it doesn't immerse me very well due to the excessive absurdity. The Unknown: How will BoJack and Todd's relationship change now? Will Todd turn on BoJack after what he did? Will Todd stay close with Mr. Peanutbutter? He has a new position at his new company. Vincent is just three kids in a trench coat right? It's so bizarre that nobody acknowledges this except for BoJack. It would be quite the twist if he was just a normal guy somehow. What's next for the show? It's hard to see where the story can go in these final three episodes. Best Moment: Todd's failed infiltration of Mr. Peanutbutter's house was quite funny. Character of the Episode: BoJack. Conclusion: A solid and fun episode, though one that delves a bit too deeply into the absurd for my liking. Score: 60 Summary: Flashbacks show that BoJack was once very close with Herb and his girlfriend Charlotte. Charlotte moves away and Herb gets a TV show where he makes BoJack the lead. After, they drift apart until Herb is caught and exposed as gay and is on the verge of being kicked off the show. He goes to BoJack to threaten to leave to save his career, but BoJack isn't able to do it after speaking with Angela, the agent in charge of Horsin' Around. He hasn't talked to Herb since. In the present, BoJack picks up Diane and goes to Malibu to see Herb with her and Todd. BoJack and Herb end up hitting it off and when it's time to leave, BoJack tries to apologize to Herb. Herb doesn't forgive him and they end up fighting. Meanwhile, Todd tries to turn the car around but encounters some girls stealing from celebrities. They end up knocking him out. BoJack heads back with Diane feeling upset. Todd is left behind. They take a stop and BoJack kisses Diane.
The Good: The flashbacks told a good story that took a surprisingly intense turn with the end of BoJack and Herb's friendship. The story here was effective, showing the honest brutality of how Hollywood can ruin lives. It's surprising to see BoJack looking so cheerful and kind in the past, contrasting how terrible he is to everyone (especially himself) in the present. Charlotte explicitly points out how Hollywood is a tar pit that destroys people, and it certainly did that to BoJack. It's sad to see how BoJack and Herb seemed to be inseparable, with BoJack being so concerned that Herb would rise and leave him behind. Instead, both of them rose together and they grew apart anyways, a result of the toxicity that comes with becoming a "star". The flashbacks don't get lost in this story either. There are plenty of nice jokes to keep things feeling relatively light even with such serious subject matter. The references to the 80s and 90s as well as mockery of film that references the past was refreshing, and it got some laughs out of me. I also got a laugh out of the general public's horrified reaction to Herb being gay, a nice nod to how much times have changed, while also making me laugh with some of the absurd protest signs. In the present, we got some good content out of BoJack and Herb's meeting. Herb is obviously (and justifiably) resentful of BoJack, holding a grudge against him. The awkward initial meeting is quite funny with Herb being passive-aggressive, attacking BoJack at every turn in between random jokes about his cancer. The scenes are tense since we know from the last episode that something bad is going to happen. But surprisingly, things take a turn for the good as Diane finds some common ground for the two rich has-beens in Vitamix blenders, and from there on the night takes a more positive turn. It goes so well that BoJack is almost able to leave on good terms, the two of them having had a nice night together. But that nagging guilt stops BoJack from leaving without apologizing, and it's here that the episode gets surprisingly profound. Herb rejects BoJack's apology, highlighting a surprising theme for this show: the idea that sometimes it can be too late to make amends, no matter how badly you want to make them. The final scenes of the episode are quite powerful because we can see how much BoJack's regrets are weighing on him. He genuinely does want to be better and that makes us root for him, but in some cases, there is no fixing the mistakes that he has made. It's a sad idea that the episode explores, but very effective. The Bad: Todd's story was again pretty superfluous. It's mildly amusing, but it feels like another filler misadventure that delves a bit too far into absurdity. Todd turning the robbery into something philosophical is ridiculous in a way that it somehow fits perfectly with the Todd character, but the story feels like filler when it's aligned with BoJack meeting Herb. This idea could have made for a good story, but this never felt like anything more than an aimless B-story. BoJack and Herb's fight was a little bit too over-dramatic for my liking. The restrained verbal arguments between them were impactful because they felt real, but their brawl lacked that gritty sense of reality. It tried to parody itself with the Horsin' Around lines, which took me out of the moment, and it felt like it happened for no real reason. Herb's sudden urge to attack BoJack came out of nowhere and I did not buy into Herb deciding to do this. The dialogue between them alone would have been enough, and the physical fighting was a step too far. The Unknown: What happened with Charlotte since she left? Herb brings her up again in the present, so I imagine that BoJack will contact her soon. What will be the fallout of the kiss at the episode's end? Will Diane go through with marrying Mr. Peanutbutter, or will she end up staying with BoJack? Todd got left behind at Malibu. What's going to happen with him? Will he interact with Herb, or is this just another random Todd misadventure. Best Moment: Herb refusing to forgive BoJack was surprisingly intense. Herb made some very understandable points, and it is completely sensible that he does not want to help BoJack ease his guilt. Herb really pokes at the inherent selfishness of BoJack's apology which paints a sad new dimension to BoJack's desire to make peace with the mistakes he has made. The use of the f word in this scene was another unexpected surprise that made Herb's words hit a little harder. Character of the Episode: BoJack. Conclusion: Another impressively profound episode. This episode has some laughs, but it is carried by its emotionally heavy subject matter that offers a realistic and sad take on what it means to make amends and if it is even possible. After failing at the comedy, "BoJack Horseman" is finding some quality through some honest-to-god storytelling, which I was not expecting to get from this show. Score: 67 Summary: Princess Carolyn stops BoJack from continuing a bender by giving him a bourbon commercial. However, Todd gets the commercial instead and BoJack spends the day trying to win back Princess Carolyn's love, and sabotages her projects, which end up going to her rival Vanessa Gekko. Princess Carolyn decides to give BoJack the night and gets into it, but BoJack pulls out after a call from Herb. Princess Carolyn gets serious and manages to get a new project for Cate Blanchett, gets Vanessa Gekko fired, and even lands a feature for BoJack, but still feels empty about life.
The Good: Princess Carolyn has been a poorly defined character for the first six episodes of the show, and I've been apathetic towards her. But this episode completely changed that, giving us a complete emotional experience with this character, giving me a chance to understand who she is, what motivates her, and what he struggles are in her life. By the end of the episode, I can confidently say that I like Princess Carolyn and I understand so much more about who she is. This series has needed an episode which endeared me to its characters, and this was exactly that. Princess Carolyn's constant hustle went by entirely unnoticed by me in the early episodes because it was always played as a joke. But this episode makes it clear just how hard she has to work to be on top of everything, and how much keeping in touch with BoJack is a negative thing for her, but she remains loyal to him anyways. I was caught off guard by how many bad things happened to Princess Carolyn throughout the first half of the episode - almost all of them caused directly or indirectly by her association with BoJack. It made me increasingly angry with BoJack as the episode went on, and I became especially frustrated as Princess Carolyn finally lets her guard down and tries to have a nice night with him only for him to bail out on her. It was a mellow rock bottom for Princess Carolyn that was treated with a seriousness that I wasn't expecting from the show. But Princess Carolyn bounces back impressively. I really liked this episode's repetitive use of the "you need to get your sh*t together" speech, with Princess Carolyn ultimately using it on herself so that she can bounce back. The episode's end was immensely satisfying as Princess Carolyn used her knowledge of Cate Blanchett to overcome Vanessa Gekko's attempts to supplant her, and also managed to land a big role for BoJack to help him rehabilitate. She managed to repair her own personal career, while also helping out a friend. This kind of grit, determination, and altruism immediately connected me with Princess Carolyn and turned her into a character that I cared about. I was happy for her when she succeeded by the episode's end. But then the episode took a shocking turn by ending on a somber note. Sure Princess Carolyn fixed up her career, but that doesn't change that she has nowhere else to go. At the end of the day, she has no family to turn to - something that Vanessa Gekko taunts her with relentlessly - and we see that weighing on her in the end. As she sits alone in her building reflecting that she just spent her entire 40th birthday revitalizing her career, she carries an emptiness with her, a longing for a personal life that she looks so far from ever having as time leaves her hopes and dreams behind. These last few seconds were a moving ending that captures a very realistic real-life emotion that we don't often see portrayed on television. Outside of this great storytelling, this episode is quite funny. BoJack's bender at the start of the episode getting worse and worse is pretty funny (RIP John Stamos), and I like how the bourbon commercial stint went completely out of control as the episode continued. I got a laugh out of the blackmailing birds plot ending in such a stupid moment, and I also found poor incapable Charlie to be a funny jab at nepotism in the workplace. And of course, I loved the brief jokes of animals behaving like animals. The bird jumping into the glass window, Lenny walking painfully slow, "Quentin Tarantulino", and the scared armadillo lady were really funny jokes. I also got a chuckle out of BoJack being such a prick that he honks at the armadillo lady who he nearly killed. The Bad: BoJack is a little bit too crude in this episode. He's the main character but he is thoroughly unlikeable in this episode, which is especially clear since Princess Carolyn is the main character for this specific episode. It's also easier to laugh at BoJack when the show isn't taking itself seriously at all. So, when the show features more serious themes like it did in this episode, it makes it harder to laugh at BoJack being such a prick, making us dislike him more. This episode did wonders for Princess Carolyn, but didn't do much for BoJack. I'm getting used to Todd being such a random and spontaneous character, so his storylines aren't bothering me quite as much as they did before. That being said, I'm still not too fond of what he brings to the table. For example, his assertion that cameras are robots was ridiculous, and I found it hard to buy into Todd letting the "power" get to his head. I have a couple other quibbles. The disastrous merger was so disorganized to the point that I didn't buy into it as a real problem anymore. This is troublesome since the episode tries so hard to sell us on Princess Carolyn's realistic struggles, and the chaotic merger destroys any semblance of reality in the story. The resolution of the blackmailing plot was funny, but the whole storyline feels like an enormous waste of time now. The Unknown: What happened at the BoJack and Herb meeting? It sounds like it did not go well at all. Will Princess Carolyn ever have a family? It seems like she is not happy with her current hectic job. Best Moment: The somber final moment. Even after going through all that she did in this episode, poor Princess Carolyn is no closer to finding happiness. Character of the Episode: Princess Carolyn. Conclusion: This was unexpectedly great. Putting the focus on Princess Carolyn allowed this to be a much more personal episode, and endeared me to a character who I was previously ambivalent about. This was funny, entertaining, and surprisingly profound at parts. The best episode of the show so far. Score: 68 Summary: BoJack and Diane return from their trip and BoJack is invited to have dinner with Diane and Mr. Peanutbutter. Mr. Peanutbutter and BoJack compete over Diane and keep trying to one-up each other until Diane and Mr. Peanutbutter goes home. BoJack gets drunk and steals the Hollywood 'D'. He tries to cover it up with Mr. Peanutbutter's help but Mr. Peanutbutter steals BoJack's idea and presents it as a gift to Diane. BoJack leaves a heartfelt voicemail for Diane but she doesn't hear it because she gets engaged with Mr. Peanutbutter. Todd gets invited to two gangs and starts playing both sides. When they find out, there is a prison riot. In the chaos, a helicopter crashes into the prison and everyone escapes.
The Good: This was the funniest episode of the show since the second. There is something special about how this show mocks news channels and society as a whole, so whenever it does that, it gets to a new level of comedy. The jokes about Beyonce were easily the highlights of the episode (see: Best Moment). The other jokes were of a decent quality too. I continue to enjoy the animal jokes, and BoJack's antics getting him in trouble is still quite amusing. His lame excuses to Diane were funny, as were his refusals about liking Diane. I'm thankful that the comedy is back because the past three episodes were not anywhere near fun enough for me. This episode almost told a really good story. There were significant problems in the set-up (see: The Bad), but there was a sense of melancholy towards the end of the episode which was captured brilliantly. This comes from Diane's relationship with Mr. Peanutbutter. The show clearly wants us to feel that they are not a good match, but we also still need to see what drew them together to begin with. That's what makes Mr. Peanutbutter's proposal such an effective scene. There is a wonderful dichotomy here as BoJack calls Diane and finally expresses his feelings for her, suggesting that he's a better match for her. But at the same time, we see that Mr. Peanutbutter is more than he lets on. Despite alienating her with the D, he gives her a sweet album of their memories, apologizes to her, and has a wonderfully intimate moment with her. We can see clear as day that Diane loves this, and this means a lot because it proves that we were all wrong about Mr. Peanutbutter not being right for her. But of course, it suddenly explodes into a huge party with cameras and celebrations. And just like that, the moment is ruined and Diane is left sitting outside at her own party, more uncertain than ever about her future. It's a really sad moment that beautifully captures the uncertainty of knowing if someone is right for you. Todd's story is okay and seeing him trying to choose between two gangs is a funny idea. I quite liked the transition from his wholesome speech about togetherness to MSNBSea covering a huge prison riot that just broke out. The Bad: It's really disappointing that so much of BoJack and Diane's bonding happened offscreen. The end of the last episode suggested that they would get closer, but it seems like they actually got closer in between episodes. This made it difficult to buy into their closeness, and it made it especially jarring when we hear that BoJack likes Diane. This caught me completely off guard, because just one episode ago he was requesting that Diane be fired! How did he suddenly become somehow who knows her so well and loves spending time with her when it seems like they have hardly even done anything. This is the biggest problem in this episode. We are told that we should care about this relationship, but we don't have nearly enough context to buy into BoJack romantically pursuing Diane. Add on the fact that we still haven't learned much about Diane and Mr. Peanutbutter's relationship, and it becomes tough to invest in this love triangle since we hardly know what each pairing has to offer. I also did not get much out of Mr. Peanutbutter and BoJack trying to outdo each other at the bar. The joke went too far, was never particularly funny, and felt unnecessary in how uncomfortable it felt. Subtlety goes a long way, and this sequence had none of it. Todd's story fell flat. I still struggle to comprehend what this character is. On one hand, he is an idiot that misses the point of a lot of things. But on the other hand, he says witty lines like "take me out to dinner first", and profound statements about how everyone should overcome their differences. He's also put into perilous situations like watching a man get shanked to death right in front of him, and we get no insight into how this affects him or makes him feel. I feel very disconnected with the character, as he has zero consistency and I get the sense that the writers change who he is based on whatever story they want to write him in. The Unknown: Will Diane get married to Mr. Peanutbutter? Or will she be tempted away by BoJack or someone else? Will BoJack continue to pursue her? Best Moment: The Beyonce joke was tremendous. The idea that her trivial fall was enough of a top news story to distract everyone was a hilarious critique of how people get so distressed over tiny things happening to celebrities in society. This was my hardest laugh on the show yet, and the episode somehow kept the fun going by throwing in some great Beyonce puns. Character of the Episode: Diane. Conclusion: Another episode that has its heart in the right place but can't quite put everything in place to make things work. Score: 59 Summary: BoJack goes with Diane to New York to meet with Pinky. BoJack gets a deadline on his book and Diane learns her father has died. BoJack goes with Diane to see her family and Diane gets aggravated by them after organizing a funeral which they don't go to. Diane rages and leaves, so BoJack goes to find her and they bond a little bit. BoJack decides to leave a voicemail for Herb. After BoJack leaves, Todd turns his house into "Boreanaz House", a new business venture. Princess Carolyn helps him out, but when they attract unwanted attention, Todd is arrested.
The Good: I appreciate that this episode focused on Diane and expanded on the character. She was bland and lacking in personality in the first four episodes, but now I have a far better idea of who she is and how she operates. I could sympathize with her family troubles, and it was surprising to see a more unhinged and angry side of her after being presented with her calm and composed side for so long. It was a surprise for me as it was for BoJack, and I grew more attached to her as a person. The final scene between her and BoJack was especially strong. BoJack had been his usual silly self throughout the episode, but it's evident that he saw a bit of himself in Diane's struggles, so he chose to put in some effort to help her break away from her clearly emotionally abusive family. It's a sweet thing for him to do, and it helps form a bond between these two characters. It's always important to have likeable characters and deep character relationships, so getting a scene that develops a connection between these two is an encouraging sign. I really like that the show was willing to tackle a thematically difficult idea like addressing when it may be better to leave behind your family. It's a much darker and more realistic idea to consider that family might not always be a good thing. There are some good moments of comedy throughout. BoJack being entitled at the airport is amusing, and I got a good laugh out of how fascinated he was by Diane's kaleidoscope. I also laughed at the sorry state of Pinky's publishing company, with little things like Diane sitting on a pile of books adding to the amusement (he can't even afford a third chair). I like how this show is handling the birds attempting to blackmail BoJack. This feels like it's an important detail, but they are struggling because they can't get in touch with him to do the blackmail. That's a creative idea. The Boreanaz House is decently funny when it starts up. The Bad: Otherwise, Todd's storyline is a total bust for me. Again, this is because I feel like I have such little clarity about who Todd is supposed to be. His morals, beliefs, and desires seem to shift with every passing scene to service the plot. I struggled to understand how he even got Boreanaz House to happen and why it became such an illegal operation. I'm not sure what to make of him going to jail. With the level of unrealistic stupidity in this storyline, I find it hard to buy into Todd going to jail as a serious event. I imagine it will just lead to more nonsensical comedy. A storyline like this also hurts the show's world and tone. This show likes to parody society and offer up some more serious themes. But this story is just cartoonish, nonsensical slapstick, and that clashes with everything that the show is trying to be. Diane's family is okay, but they aren't funny and are uninteresting to watch. I didn't find them to be realistic enough for me to fully understand Diane's pain, nor did I find them funny enough to enjoy their presence. Diane's big moment of snapping was awkwardly voice acted, which made it difficult to take seriously. For such a major moment in the episode, it fell flat. Despite a few decent jokes, this story still was not funny enough for me to enjoy it. Even the ending joke with the chum barrel did not get a laugh out of me. It was underwhelming and unfunny. The Unknown: BoJack definitely identified with Diane through their shared childhood traumas. This does bring up the question, where is BoJack's family? Are his parents still alive? Has he cut himself off from them like Diane has from her family? What happens to Todd now? It looks like he's going to end up in jail. Best Moment: BoJack and Diane's moment in the dump was surprisingly effective. Though this show is struggling for comedy, it offers up some genuinely meaningful messages, especially for an animated comedy. Character of the Episode: Diane. Conclusion: This was another episode that had its heart in the right place, but couldn't overcome this show's biggest problems. Score: 56 Summary: A flashback shows BoJack being helped to start his career by Herb. In the present, Diane questions BoJack always putting Todd down. BoJack tries to prove to her that he wants to help Todd and helps him make a great rock opera. But when Todd says he could move out with his success, BoJack sabotages his opportunity. Diane's ex-boyfriend Wayne writes a Buzzfeed article about Mr. Peanutbutter, but in reality he wants to get back with Diane since she doesn't belong with Mr. Peanutbutter.
The Good: The opening scene is pretty good. The episode starts up with a fun Seinfeld parody which got a chuckle out of me. Story-wise, this scene answers last episode's mystery of who Herb was as we learn that he helped BoJack start up his career. There's a nice line where Herb says "it's the job of big shots like me to help the little guys like you", which BoJack then reverses hilariously in the present. The main story of this episode had its heart in the right place. This episode served to deepen the BoJack/Todd relationship, making it clear what Todd means to BoJack. BoJack always puts him down and is mean to him, but it isn't because he doesn't like him. Rather, it's because BoJack wants Todd to remain a bum so that he won't leave him alone. But Diane is smart enough to see through this, so BoJack attempts to prove her wrong by helping Todd with his rock opera. It seems to actually further their friendship significantly too, and they look to be reaching a healthier place. But when faced with the realistic possibility of Todd leaving, BoJack finds that he can't be the bigger man, and sabotages Todd's shot at success to keep him close. It's a sad betrayal of trust that further encapsulates how BoJack is not a good person. He is easy to understand and deals with relatable problems, but he always makes poor decisions. Some jokes here were decent. I especially liked the subversion of Decapathon being a Tetris-based game. The animal jokes are still my favourites in the show. This episode had some good highlights, like the beaver being used as a saw, the jogging rooster shouting "wake up!", and the cow waitress being displeased bringing someone a steak. The Bad: The episode is again light on humour. This episode takes itself a bit too seriously and it doesn't include many good jokes. All of the rock opera-related jokes weren't funny at all. I didn't get much out of seeing BoJack and Todd working together on the rock opera. Their connection as characters also doesn't quite feel fleshed out yet. The only reason I liked their story was because the ideas behind it were good. Diane and Wayne's story was unremarkable, and honestly pretty bad. We hardly know Diane or her relationship with Mr. Peanutbutter, so to have this new character Wayne come in and make some profound speech about Diane's life falls woefully flat. Instead of being impactful, it feels pretentious and I had zero emotional connection with this story. Add on the fact that this side story was devoid of humour and I found it to be a massive disappointment. This episode is titled on the concept that everyone is separated into Zoes and Zeldas. The idea isn't very interesting (it's just introvert or extrovert, go figure) and it isn't funny either. Another uninspired joke in a show that hasn't figured out how to be funny just yet. The Unknown: Will Todd find out about what BoJack did? How will he react to this? Is Diane's relationship with Mr. Peanutbutter doomed? Best Moment: The reveal that BoJack sabotaged Todd was sad. Character of the Episode: Todd. Conclusion: This episode had some good ideas, but infancy problems continue to plague the show. Score: 55 Summary: BoJack runs into Sarah Lynn while going furniture shopping where Andrew Garfield breaks up with her. BoJack enables Sarah Lynn's bad habits by allowing her to stay with him and live her toxic lifestyle. Diane tells BoJack that he needs to be better for her sake. BoJack tries but Sarah Lynn continues her actions. They argue and end up having sex. Ultimately, BoJack gives her some final advice and she leaves.
The Good: The last episode had some fun satire of news channels, and this episode chooses to have satire of teen pop stars. The opening scene is pretty fun with how it pokes fun of modern pop stars through the introduction of Sarah Lynn and her sad fall from relevancy as she got older. BoJack's personal arc here is decent enough. It fits with what we know of him that he would use Sarah Lynn's presence to relive his glory days from Horsin' Around, playing the character that he was never able to move on from. There are some amusing moments here, like when BoJack "lets the credits roll" after a sweet moment with Sarah Lynn. It's also funny how BoJack totally misinterprets Diane's message about the flaws in Hollywood society as her saying that he is off the hook because it is all society's fault. The Bad: This episode was not good. Last episode showed how "BoJack Horseman" can be a really funny show, but this episode showed absolutely none of that same charm. Sarah Lynn's comedy style is abrasive, unfunny, and more annoying than anything else. It was frustrating to have so much of the episode focus on her crazy lifestyle, which created very few laughs. A comedy's job is to make me laugh. If I hardly even chuckle throughout an episode, then that episode is a definite failure. The characters remain a big issue because they feel so poorly defined. BoJack is usually a sarcastic voice of reason, but this episode changes that by making him completely ignorant of how he is treating Sarah Lynn. That's a poorly written character change, but worse than that is how this forces Todd to be the voice of reason. Last episode saw Todd being a complete moron, but now we are supposed to buy into him being the voice of reason? There's no sense of consistency with these characters and that makes it really tough for me to understand them and connect with them. Furthermore, it's hard to remain connected with BoJack when he does horrible things like having sex with Sarah Lynn for seemingly no reason. I was pretty disgusted by this, and it felt like that same edgy style of humour that I was hoping the show would grow out of. Diane and Princess Carolyn are still pretty boring. Diane doesn't do a whole lot in this episode other than not-so-subtly speaking the main ideas of the episode. There isn't much interesting about Diane so far. Princess Carolyn is still uninteresting here. There's a subplot of her trying to manipulate Sarah Lynn into picking her as an agent, which is revealed to be a trap for Princess Carolyn to get Andrew Garfield instead. This storyline was totally cold for me. No laughs, no smiles, and no reason for me to care at all. It felt tacked on and completely irrelevant. The Unknown: Who is Herb? It seems that BoJack had some sort of drama with him. Those birds have some pretty nasty pictures of BoJack and Sarah Lynn now. Where will this plot thread go? Best Moment: The hilariously named Sextina Aquafina saying Sarah Lynn should go to where celebrities go when they are done being relevant, and the following transition to BoJack's house. It's not a great joke, but it was the funniest of the episode. Character of the Episode: BoJack. Conclusion: This was a bore. Uninteresting storytelling with minimal laughs. A huge step back after the last episode promised better things. Score: 45 Summary: BoJack has a rough morning and goes to the supermarket where he enrages Neal McBeal by taking muffins that he wanted. Neal goes on television and trashes BoJack. Meanwhile BoJack struggles to open up to Diane and is distracted by the commotion. He calls in and makes the situation worse until he becomes known for hating the troops. BoJack resolves everything by apologizing to Neal on Mr. Peanutbutter's new reality show. After, he meets with Diane on the roof and opens up about his childhood.
The Good: I did not expect the joke quality problem from the first episode to be improved so substantially after just one episode. Gone are the excessive cut-away gags, and in their place is a focus on animal-based jokes and puns, as well as a plethora of hidden background jokes which are clever and worth going back to the episode to laugh at. I was laughing a lot more at this episode compared to the first, and I had a much better time overall. The main plot of the episode was a blast and it accomplished so many things. BoJack and Neal's conflict is so ridiculous, but it fits with what we know about both characters. Neal was undoubtedly an asshole when he confronted BoJack about the muffins, but BoJack is stubborn, petty, and always in a bad mood, and he somehow manages to escalate things at every turn. It's a hysterical mess watching this small-scale conflict turn into news headlines (and also a brilliant satire of news channels and their inaccuracies). The episode does a terrific job of pointing out how meaningless this conflict really is, especially with the ending where BoJack is arguing points that Neal actually entirely agrees with. This underlines the real message of the episode, about how some of the biggest arguments only come about because of pettiness and stubbornness instead of any concrete disagreements. Hell, this whole conflict came about because of the concept of "dibs", a funny and fitting foundation for this mess. I really laughed at how this episode portrayed news channels. The episode highlights how news channels are more than willing to twist stories and frame them in ways to ensure more viewers, rather than an attempt to educate the public about the complete truth. This episode addresses this idea in a comical way, seamlessly blending the exploration of themes with good comedy, which deserves high praise. In fact, this episode managed to squeeze in a whole lot of serious ideas through its satire (the political idea of all troops being heroes, the toxicity of reality TV, media's tendency to obscure important stories with meaningless ones, etc.), and that is very impressive. Not all of them are successful, but a majority of these ideas are explored in funny, thought-provoking ways. BoJack's trouble opening up to Diane is a good story. In a way it seems like BoJack's exaggerated conflict with Neal was just another way for him to hide from having to open up about his childhood. It's fitting that once the conflict is over, BoJack realizes that he has to face the truth if he expects the rest of the world to do the same. I also really like the way that this story introduces BoJack's horrifying and potentially abusive parents. They are introduced being comically mean, which makes us laugh. This was a perfect way to plant the seeds of a more serious development, allowing us to fill in the blanks about BoJack's difficult childhood without compromising the tone of this comedy-heavy episode. I love detail-oriented stories, and so I am also a huge fan of detail-oriented comedy. I'm also partial to puns and similar jokes, so I really get a laugh out of the animal jokes in this show. Things like the chicken girl laying an egg when scared, and Mr. Peanutbutter, the dog, having tennis balls all over his house amused me a lot. I also have to draw attention to the hilarious news headlines during BoJack and Neal's debate. They are absolutely worth going back to read, with gems like "cute child does things on internet", "scientists discover water on ocean floor", "AIDS still a thing", and "I wanted to write novels, you know" among many others. These little jokes did not need to be here, but I really appreciate that they are. The Bad: The attempts to address Hollywood life are not all successful. There are some more serious ideas that get pushed to the side by the attempts to inject humour into them. The opening scene showcasing BoJack's depression and how his fame plays into that is a prime example of this. The scene may have had some impact if the episode had dwelled on this idea for a bit, but instead it just devolves into another BoJack bad decision as he has sex. There is also a sense that this episode is trying to explore too many serious ideas, and that prevents it from being as meaningful as it tries to be. There are numerous jokes on how Princess Carolyn is urgently calling BoJack, but he gets placed on hold anyways. Clearly this is trying to poke fun at the hypocrisy of agents, but the idea falls flat because it feels tacked on and is overshadowed by the amusing jellicles song. Todd is a perplexing character and I have no idea what to make of him. The first episode suggested that he was a freeloader that lived a more sinister life on the side. But now in this episode he's apparently a total idiot that gets joy from the finer things in life. The character feels so inconsistent and his role in the series is very awkward. The side plot of him being scammed and not knowing it feels at odds with the character we were introduced to, and it doesn't provide laughs either. At the moment, Todd is a negative addition to this show. It's a shame to see Aaron Paul be wasted like this. I feel similarly about Princess Carolyn who also maintains an awkward role in the show. Her relationship with BoJack is in dire need of being more fleshed out because I am struggling to understand who she is and why she is staying in touch with this total loser. The Unknown: No pressing questions. Best Moment: BoJack calling the news channel had me laughing the hardest, but I have to give a special nod to the very existence of the line "stealing a meal from Neal McBeal the Navy Seal". Character of the Episode: BoJack. Conclusion: Infancy problems are still hurting this show, but this episode was far funnier than the first and much more focused. I don't know what changed after the first episode, but this was a big step in the right direction. Score: 66 Summary: BoJack is a washed up celebrity struggling to find purpose in his life. He tries to write a book but procrastinates heavily. He is recommended to get a ghostwriter, Diane, but is nervous. Following a break-up with his girlfriend/agent Princess Carolyn, BoJack decides to throw a party where he will speak with Diane. They connect at the party and BoJack learns that she is dating Mr. Peanutbutter, a rival who he hates.
The Good: The concept of this show is fun. The world that this show is set in is the same as ours, with the twist that there are animals living as humans. It's such an odd concept, but it's creative and there are some fun uses of that idea in this episode with a few animal puns. The main character BoJack is decent enough. He's a funny and sarcastic guy, but also one who is in the midst of a midlife crisis and makes some poor decisions. The opening and ending scenes of the episode do an effective job of telling us who he is and endearing us to him a little bit. This show is primarily a comedy and thankfully it has a few funny bits. Pinky's struggles with money are amusing, and I liked a few of the cut-away gags with the baby and cereal ones being the highlights of the episode. I also got a laugh out of the show's portrayal of anxiety attacks. The final scene between Diane and BoJack is pretty good. Diane is likeable and endearing in her social awkwardness, which makes her a nice parallel to BoJack who is another person who has a habit of making a fool of himself in front of others. BoJack comes off as surprisingly honest in this first scene with Diane after being distant for the entire rest of the episode, so they will clearly have some sort of a connection. The twist that Diane is dating Mr. Peanutbutter came as a surprise, and BoJack's reaction to this was funny (that penis has been inside that vagina... but in a sexual way). I imagine that this is setting up a sort of love triangle story. The Bad: While some little things were done well, the broad strokes of this show were poor. The biggest problem I had was that this first episode was nowhere near funny enough to hook me. It had a few good jokes, but for a 25 minute comedy, I need to be laughing a lot more than just 3-4 times each episode. Most of the jokes just weren't funny, and if this show isn't funny, then it does not have much going for it. I was disappointed by how edgy a lot of the humour was. I've seen many animated adult comedies that dive into edgy humour, so this show doing the same is nothing special and it fails to distinguish itself from its competition. I did not like how reliant this show was on cut-away gags. They can be funny if used sparingly, but this episode has way too many of them, and some of them last for far too long. It's problematic when there's a cut-away gag and by the time the scene is done, I've forgotten that it was even a cut-away. This completely befuddled the pacing of the episode, and this first episode's flow felt really awkward as a result. It was jarring with all of the random cut-aways, and I hope that the show can abandon this trend. This is not "Family Guy", and considering the main idea of the show that has been presented, I do not think that this show needs cut-away gags. Lastly, I'm not feeling the characters just yet. BoJack is amusing and Diane is endearing, but I don't particularly like them yet. Todd and Princess Carolyn have also been uninspiring so far, and simplistic in their character. Though the episode's choppy structure and unfunny jokes could be partially to blame for my dislike of these too characters so far. The Unknown: Does Todd have a secret second life? What's this shady business that he has? Will BoJack and Diane's relationship turn into a romantic one? Best Moment: The best laugh of the episode comes from Princess Carolyn getting upset at BoJack for not respecting her enough to have a baby with her. BoJack denies it and the episode cuts to one of the most absurdly over-the-top moments as Princess Carolyn commenting on a baby is enough to send BoJack spiraling. His subsequent confession to a cop that he doesn't respect Princess Carolyn enough to have a baby with her is the cherry on top. Character of the Episode: BoJack. Conclusion: This show has a cool premise, and there were a few genuinely funny moments. But the poor joke quality, over-reliance on cut-away gags, and poorly introduced characters make this a very forgettable first episode. Hopefully this is not a sign of things to come. Score: 52 |
Aaron DhillonJust a university student who loves to watch TV. And analyze it way too much. Archives
March 2024
Categories
All
|