In this New Year episode, Princess Carolyn and Gekko-Rabitowitz vie to get their respective clients the lead role in a big-budget fantasy dystopian YA trilogy. Diane and Mister Peanutbutter visit the latter's family in the Labrador Peninsula.
Tropes:
- All or Nothing: With VIM and Gekko-Rabitowitz both facing financial issues, their success banks on who can secure the starring role for the Pegasus movie.
- Back from the Dead: Discussed. When BoJack hears about Ethan Around, he feels that he should be involved in some way, and suggests several ways to write around the fact that The Horse died at the end of Horsin' Around. He suggests that it was a dream, that he had a secret twin brother, a robot version of the Horse...
- Bait-and-Switch: The episode begins with Dr. Janet, Mr. Peanutbutter and Diane's relationship therapist, praising a couple for the progress they've made on their marriage. The shot then widens to show not Mr. PB and Diane, but Rutabaga Rabitowitz and his wife Katie.
- The Bad Guy Wins: All the deals for Princess Carolyn and BoJack go sideways, and her rivals Gekko and Rabitowitz come out on top. Ironically, the episode is partially book-ended with Rabitowitz as a Family Man, and he proclaims early on that they'll win because they're the "good guys". Given that they play everything completely straight while Carolyn tries every lie and dirty trick she can, he has something of a point.
- Borrowed Catchphrase:
- After Captain Peanutbutter tells his brother about his upcoming surgery, the two cry and he says "What is this? A Very Special Episode?"
- Earlier In the episode when the brothers first meet, Captain Peanut says "what is this? A flashback episode?"
- Brutal Honesty: BoJack consistently puts off telling Bradley that he doesn't want to do the latter's spinoff. Eventually, Ana has to do it for him, telling Bradley off in very strongly-worded language.
- The Bus Came Back: Laura, Princess Carolyn's assistant from season one, returns and serves as a plot point.
- Did Not Think This Through: Bradley is just about to finalize his move to Hollywoo until Ana scathingly tells him that BoJack isn't interested in making a Horsin Around spin-off with him. He then rushes to cancel his move in the middle of the night. It was likely he never thought about a backup plan.
- Downer Ending: Princess Carolyn ends up losing all of the parts, costing BoJack his chance to reconnect with Kelsey in the process.
- Double-Meaning Title: "Old Acquaintance" — a bunch of recurring and oneshot characters show up in this one, most notably Laura and Kelsey. The phrase "auld acquaintance" is also tied to the new year, as this is a New Year's episode.
- Dyeing for Your Art: In-Universe, Gekko-Rabitowitz mention that they can paint over their zebra client's stripes so he can play the part of a horse (or pegasus, in any case).
- Furry Reminder: Captain Peanutbutter's nose is pinkish instead of brown, a subtle foreshadowing that he's sick.
- Ironic Echo: When trying to get her old assistant Laura to get BoJack into the new movie, Princess Carolyn said "I did everything I could", reminding her when she tried to help her get a promotion. At the end of the episode, Laura repeats those words after BoJack gets rejected, when she discovers that not only Princess Carolyn didn't do everything, but actually asked her boss to NOT promote Laura.
- Laser-Guided Karma: Princess Carolyn called upon her former assistant Laura to help her secure a movie role for BoJack. After Gekko-Rabitowitz reveal to her an old email, of the cat recommending their old boss into not giving Laura a promotion in their old job, despite promising to do so, the betrayed Laura helps them instead.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Mister Peanutbutter is understandably upset about his brother's situation. Beforehand, he snaps at Diane for being worried about Captain Peanutbutter's nihilistic attitude, which he initially thought was nothing.
- Political Overcorrectness: When Diane first meets her nephews, she tells their father how cute they are... then hastily backtracks and says she doesn't make any assumptions about their personalities based on their appearances.
- Poor Communication Kills: Kelsey offers BoJack a role for an independent movie, and he seems very interested. Unfortunately, Venessa and Princess Carolyn begin arguing about BoJack's possible salary during its production, all while keeping him Locked Out of the Loop. When the time window closes, Kelsey furiously tells BoJack that the deal is off the table before severing ties with him for good, leaving him in confusion.
- Running Gag: Mr. Peanutbutter’s family continues the tradition of being unable to properly dictate signs, with the banner in his room reading “WELCOME HOME LITTLE BRO! OH ALSO I HAVE A GROUPON”
- Spin-Offspring: Bradley is interested in creating one of these for Horsin' Around called Ethan Around, focusing on Ethan adopting 3 horse children.
- Stepford Smiler: Captain Peanutbutter puts up a front as cheerful and carefree, but Diane keeps seeing signs that he's actually deeply unhappy about something.
- Take That!: BoJack calls out Bradley for wanting to expand on the Horsin' Around series. It takes a jab at studios that attempt to expand classic or popular TV shows with spinoffs that focus on co-stars. It doesn't always go beyond the first few episodes, let alone a first season, however. BoJack calling it the Horsin' Around Cinematic Universe is a take on the popular Marvel Cinematic Universe, which has many movies taking place in the same continuity.
- Third-Party Deal Breaker: BoJack's plan to star in a small independent movie is sabotaged by his manager, Princess Carolyn, who wants to sign him to a big-budget film trilogy, and thus demands more money from the indie in order to scare them off. When he finds out about it, he's pissed and decides to fire her.
- Truth in Television: Captain Peanutbutter reveals to his brother that he has to get surgery for a twisted spleen, a very common condition for golden retrievers.
- Visual Pun: The Labrador Peninsula is actually Labrador, Canada, with its shape altered to look more like a Labrador's head.
