Bojack Horseman: A Show About Animals With The Most Realistic Portrayal Of Mental Health And Human Issues
BoJack Horseman is an American adult animated tragicomedy sitcom created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg. It stars the voices of Will Arnett, Amy Sedaris, Alison Brie, Paul F. Tompkins, and Aaron Paul.
Set primarily in Hollywood, the series tells the story of an anthropomorphic horse named BoJack Horseman (Will Arnett), the washed-up star of a 1990s sitcom who plans his return to celebrity relevance with an autobiography to be written by ghostwriter Diane Nguyen (Brie).
His post-fame trajectory is influenced by his personal agent Princess Carolyn (Sedaris), roommate Todd Chavez (Paul), and former rival Mr. Peanutbutter (Tompkins), as well as his struggles with depression and addiction. The show is at times very deep and emotional while being incredibly witty, clever, and filled with dark humor at other times. The show does a remarkable job of showing what life is like as a washed up b-list celebrity grasping onto any roots of attention possible.
When Netflix’s BoJack Horseman first came out, it attracted a lot of instant fans because of the animal puns and obscure pop-culture references. But those fans quickly realized neither of those traits alone were the source of its strength. For a cartoon about anthropomorphic animals that lampoons the culture of celebrity worship and the entertainment industry itself, BoJack Horseman offers some of the most realistic portrayals of mental illness ever to grace the screen.
Bojack Horseman explores very real and authentic relationships throughout the show. For example, the show explains Bojack’s relationship with his mother, which was extremely toxic, traumatic to his childhood, and partly responsible for his poor behavior as an adult.
It is a show that is able to contrast humor and sadness almost synonymously as some scenes can take you from laughing to crying within seconds.
The series also does a good job of showing how difficult it can be to prioritize your own physical and mental health in a fast paced, ever changing environment in which your reputation and career are on the line 24/7.
Despite mixed reviews upon its debut, critics were significantly more positive towards the second half of the first season, and the subsequent seasons received widespread critical acclaim. GQ magazine hailed the show as one of the best of the decade, and IndieWire ranked BoJack Horseman as the greatest animated television series of all time. The show has been lauded for its realistic take on depression, trauma, addiction, self-destructive behavior, racism, sexism, sexuality, and the human condition.
