"You know, sometimes I feel like I was born with a leak, and any goodness I started with just slowly spilled out of me, and now it’s all gone.” These miserably decadent words from the anthropomorphic horse known as Bojack Horseman accurately reflect the mind of a depressed man. Revolving around Bojack’s depression and the gradual snowball effect it has on the people around him, Netflix original series Bojack Horseman strikes a chord with audience members worldwide, reminding them that they are not alone when it comes to personal insecurities. “

Welcome to Hollywoo, a satirical version of the glamorous Hollywood we have grown to love and be in awe of. In Hollywoo, humanized animals and actual humans coexist and interact with each other, a funky premise that engages the audience. Creator and writer Raphael Bob-Waksberg teamed up with his high school friend and illustrator Lisa Hanawalt to develop this unique world of their own. Told through a sarcastic, witty tone of voice, the show’s creative yet accurate depiction of depression and the aftermath of mental illness is what has attracted its many fans.

Heart Wrenching Yet Heartwarming

At the heart of the show are the main characters, each with realistic characteristics that the audience can connect to. Bojack Horseman, a grumpy ‘90s sitcom has-been, is first seen attempting to write a memoir in the hope of gaining back the fame he had during the ‘90s. Ghostwriting his book is aspiring writer Diane Nguyen, who is intelligent and passionate but who can be cynical at times. As Diane interviews Bojack for the memoir, she, along with the audience, finds out more about him.

Bojack is fighting depression, addiction, and the looming shadow of his traumatic childhood and past mistakes. The show unfolds around his self-destructive behavior as it engulfs not only him but also the relationships around him, one by one. The show’s writing truly shines during the selective use of the f-word. Used only once per season, the f-word can be heard in scenes when Bojack has a permanently negative impact on another character and their lives. The weight of the word reflects the severity of Bojack’s immorality.

Despite its title, the show does not deal with Bojack exclusively. Rather, it deals with each one of the main characters’ personal issues in depth. Although they look like average cartoon characters with their colorful designs and exaggerated personalities, they are each struggling with their own real-life issues. Diane is hopelessly unhappy, wanting to change the world with her writing but continuously failing to do so. Bojack’s roommate Todd struggles with his asexuality and tries to overcome his toxic friendship with Bojack. Agent Princess Carolyn cares about others too much, but not enough about herself, and Bojack’s “rival” Mr. Peanutbutter is a happy-golucky guy but, out of habit, plasters on a smile to avoid his problems.

Unlike most comedic shows, the characters in Bojack Horseman do not find their perfectly happy endings. In fact, they often experience, recover from, then relapse into pain and disappointment. However, it is the characters’ flaws and difficulties that make the show relatable. Bojack is the antihero of the show, far from the expectations of a heroic title character. Yet, his mistakes and insecurities hit close to home, making the audience wish him the best despite his many shortcomings. Watching him, viewers realize life is hard for everyone, but that does not mean you have to be hard on yourself too.

Depicting Society On the Screen

The show’s coverage of various personal issues is well-crafted, but it also goes beyond individuals and deals with society as well. The main setting of Hollywoo, while undeniably a silly idea for a setting, functions as a means for the show’s writers to creatively poke fun at the actual Hollywood, with less risk of actual offense. A recurring issue on the show is Hollywood’s fake glamor and ingenuity. This often acts as an important plot device, giving characters motive for action or being the cause of conflict.

Extending from that, the show also deals with a wide range of issues like racism, sexism, and capitalism. For instance, episode “Brrap Brrap Pew Pew” features pop star Sextina Aquafina faking an abortion for publicity, up to the point where she even releases a ridiculous song about her pride in being a “baby killer” – hence the title of the episode. This obviously makes fun of how celebrities will do anything to gain popularity, but the episode also embraces satire with regard to the social debate over abortion, criticizing the fact that men have more control over women’s choices than women do themselves.

Depression Meets Creativity

The show becomes darker and more serious over time, but the overall atmosphere is goofy and creative. Contributing to this tone is the fact that the characters live in a world where anthropomorphic animals and humans co-exist. Writers of the show took this as an opportunity to squeeze in animal jokes here and there, and fans also love to spot running gags, such as misprinted banners appearing at almost every social event.

Most shows often glaze over the small things, but not this show. The detailed title sequence is a fan favorite, switching each season to feature important settings in Bojack’s life at that moment. It also reflects his relationships, accordingly erasing characters from the title sequence, when they are no longer a part of his life. By adding elaborate jokes and details throughout, the show makes a strong statement about its wit, creativity, and uniqueness.

Believe it or not, Bojack Horseman is a colorful comedy show, despite mainly following one man’s depression and how it can result in serious immorality, scarring the people around him in the worst possible ways. Creative plotlines and ironic humor are employed to tell the story and are also used when criticizing social issues. The show is an experience in and of itself, breaking hearts and mending them again; in the end, it teaches viewers the valuable lesson that it is never too late to change for the better.

Television Series Information

Genre: Adult animation; Black comedy

Creator: Raphael Bob-Waksberg

Starring: Will Arnett, Aaron Paul, Amy Sedaris, Alison Brie, Paul F. Tompkins

Running Time: 25-27 minutes

Streaming Platform: Netflix