History Recap / BojackHorsemanS1E01TheBojackHorsemanStoryChapterOne

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: In general, the first episode is a lot more lighthearted than the [[BlackComedy pitch-black comedy]] the show would eventually become. This is partially why the initially critical response initially wrote it off as just another ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' wannabe.

* SecurityBlanket: [=BoJack's=] copy of the [=DVDs=] of ''Horsin' Around''. He even brings them with him to the hospital. He even references the TropeNamer, saying "Linus carried a blanket around with him and no one gave him shit for it." Although, while this may be [=BoJack=] being ignorant, contrary to his statement, practically ''every''one gave Linus shit for carrying a blanket, especially Lucy.

* CatchPhrase: Mr. Peanutbutter's "What is this, a crossover episode?" [=BoJack=] is very, very sick of it.

** Todd doesn't do much besides [[TheSlacker hanging around [=BoJack=]'s house]] and mooching off, yet has a high opinion of [=BoJack=] and clearly loves him, despite [=BoJack=]'s dismissal of him. He seems perfectly content with who he is, while being the butt of the joke at every turn.

* GilliganCut: One of the darkest ever done. Just as Todd is trying to reassure [=BoJack=] that he's not going to die, the scene cuts to [=BoJack=] apparently spazzing and dying in a hospital bed, as the doctors proceed to go outside to tell the familiars. Then, see BaitAndSwitch above.

* OverlyLongGag: [=BoJack=] after discovering that Diane and Mr. Peanutbutter are dating.

* RelationshipRevolvingDoor: [=BoJack=] and Princess Carolyn.

* TheStoner: Todd is introduced as this.

* VomitIndiscretionShot: See OverlyLongGag above.

* ShowDontTell: When BoJack and Princess Carolyn are breaking up, one of the reason she gives him for it is that he doesn't respect her enough to start a family. When he denies it, there's a FlashbackCut in which after Princess Carolyn mentions a passerby with a baby, [=BoJack=] does everything to crush that expectative short of saying he doesn't want to have any, at least until he outright says to a police officer ''[[KickTheDog within earshot of Carolyn, the mother and the baby]]''.

[=BoJack=] Horseman, a former TV show star is being interviewed for [[LenoDevice The Charlie Rose Show]]. A brief introduction made by the interviewer and host, Charlie Rose, details BoJack's career, especially his work on the Series/FullHouse-esque {{Sitcom}} ''JustForFun/HorsinAround'', dismissed by critics as a ClicheStorm but beloved by audiences in TheNineties. [[EstablishingCharacterMoment BoJack finally arrives at the studio late]], [[EstablishingCharacterMoment drunk and having parked in a handicap space]], which greatly upsets Charlie. As the meeting proceeds, Charlie tries to keep the questions grounded while [=BoJack=] can barely make a coherent answer:

'''BoJack''': 'Cause I I think the show's actually pretty solid for what it is. It's not Ibsen, sure, but look, for a lot of people, [[RealitySubtext life is just one long, hard kick in the urethra]], and sometimes when you get home from a long day of getting kicked in the urethra, [[{{Foreshadowing}} you just want to watch a show about good, likable people who love each other, where, you know, no matter what happens, at the end of 30 minutes]], [[StatusQuoIsGod everything's gonna turn out okay]]. You know, because in real life---[[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment Did I already say the thing about the urethra?]]\\

'''BoJack''': That's a great question, Charlie. [[JadedWashout I, uh, uh, I, Um....]]

Bojack Horseman, a former TV show star is being interviewed for [[LenoDevice The Charlie Rose Show]]. A brief introduction made by the interviewer and host, Charlie Rose, details Bojack's career, especially his work on the Series/FullHouse-esque {{Sitcom}} ''JustForFun/HorsinAround'', dismissed by critics as a ClicheStorm but beloved by audiences in TheNineties. Bojack finally arrives at the studio late, drunk and having parked in a handicap space, which greatly upsets Charlie. As the meeting proceeds, Charlie tries to keep the questions grounded while Bojack can barely make a coherent answer:

'''Bojack''': Charlie, listen, you know, I know that it's very hip these days to shit all over Horsin' Around, but at the time, I can tell you---Is it okay to say "shit"?\\

'''Bojack''': 'Cause I I think the show's actually pretty solid for what it is. It's not Ibsen, sure, but look, for a lot of people, [[RealitySubtext life is just one long, hard kick in the urethra]], and sometimes when you get home from a long day of getting kicked in the urethra, [[{{Foreshadowing}} you just want to watch a show about good, likable people who love each other, where, you know, no matter what happens, at the end of 30 minutes]], [[StatusQuoIsGod everything's gonna turn out okay]]. You know, because in real life---[[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment Did I already say the thing about the urethra?]]\\

'''Bojack''': That's a great question, Charlie. [[JadedWashout I, uh, uh, I, Um....]]

Bojack has been given a year and a half to write a tell-all memoir, but so far all he's done is spend his advance. He spends his days sitting around the house, watching old episode of ''Horsin' Around'' with his stoner roommate Todd and avoiding his agent/on-off girlfriend Princess Carolyn's phone calls. His publisher, Pinky Penguin, gets so fed up by Bojack's procrastination that he decides to hire a ghostwriter (Diane Nguyen) for him.

Intimidated by the prospect of meeting Diane and having her see him for what he really is, he puts ''that'' off, too, until Todd throws a party at his place and invites Diane. The kicker? She's dating Bojack's rival, Mr. Peanutbutter. This...does not go over well.

** In one scene, Bojack thinks that he's dying, only for Todd to reassure him that he isn't. Cut to him flatlining, and the doctors saying that they did everything that they could. Only we see his TV children waiting outside heartbroken, and it's revealed that this is just the ''JustForFun/HorsinAround'' GrandFinale, which Bojack is watching in the hospital.
** Earlier, Todd is giving Bojack a pep talk as the latter is making himself a smoothie. He cuts Todd off by turning his blender on, presumably to drown him out, but a cut to Todd reveals that he was just patiently waiting for Bojack to finish blending to keep talking.

* CatchPhrase: Mr. Peanutbutter's "What is this, a crossover episode?" Bojack is very, very sick of it.
* CaughtWithYourPantsDown: Princess Carolyn alludes to the time that she caught Bojack masturbating to old pictures of himself. He insists that he was masturbating to what they ''represented.''

* DoubleThink: During her [[EstablishingCharacterMoment Establishing Character Moments]] in the episode, Princess Carolyn spouts two different opinions about Bojack:
** As his agent, she believes he's still a profitable star who's just misunderstood and is willing to play along bits of the YesMan when talking to Bojack herself.

** Bojack and Princess Carolyn are still dating. They break up halfway through the season and it's only occasionally alluded to in future episodes to emphasize their growing isolation from one another.
** Mr. Peanutbutter and Diane are not part of the main group yet, with the former making a brief appearance during Bojack and Princess Carolyn's first of many break-ups and at the end when he attends the party at Bojack's and reveals himself to be Diane's boyfriend; Diane herself only appears near the end of the episode.
** Todd being a drug dealer on the wrong side of the cartels willing and able to manipulate Bojack when he needs to is a huge departure from his later characterization.

** Bojack's first actions on screen after being announced on ''The Charlie Rose Show'', as established above, [[JadedWashout pretty much tell you]] [[DrowningMySorrows all you need to know about him]]. To elaborate, he enters the studio drunk and not giving a shit, reflecting his failure stance; then, begins talking about the show [[ItsAllAboutMe only to come around back to him]], showing his [[{{Narcissist}} narcissism]] and finally procedes to try to pretend he's doing a good job at the interview, showing his insecurities and need for acceptance. Finally, when Charlie asks him what has he been doing since the show ended, Bojack fails to come up with an answer, proving that he's stuck in his past and hasn't moved forward, and as the series progresses, how much is he at a loss of how to do it.
** Princess Carolyn's first onscreen appearance is on a {{Flashback}}, wanting to break with Bojack while he's completely not paying attention, portraying them as incompatible, with Princess Carolyn putting in most of the work, showing her as a pretty devoted, but uncorresponded romantic partner. Later, when they do break up, Princess Carolyn calls him in a friendly tone as his agent, despite the rude treatment Bojack shoves her way, showing her as [[ConsummateProfessional professional]] and pragmatic. Then, it turns out Bojack's one of her less remunerative clients, again confusing love with work.
** [[TheSmartGirl Diane]]'s first onscreen appearance is almost unstated, with her coming up behind Bojack during the party, showing her as [[FishOutOfWater ''different'' from the rest of Hollywood]]. The distance and brief talk between her and Bojack show them [[PlatonicLifePartners becoming pretty]] [[ShipTease intimate with each other]], with Bojack being able to open up a little. Then we discover that she's [[TheRival Mr. Peanutbutter]]'s girlfriend, highlighting [[NoAccountingForTaste her odd choice in men]] and becoming [[ForbiddenFruit the unobtainable]] for Bojack. Yet, despite hearing Bojack insult Mr. Peanutbutter, she never once calls him out, proving her to be [[NiceGirl very patient]]. Plus, she WroteTheBook about Secretariat, Bojack's childhood hero.
** Mr. Peanutbutter doesn't have many appearances in this episode, but enough to to get shades of his character: He [[InnocentlyInsensitive interrupts Bojack and Princess Carolyn's breakup]] by saluting them and then, [[RejectionAffection trying to bond with Bojack and failing because of the latter's despise of the former]], while remaining [[BigFriendlyDog a friendly figure]]. Then, we find out that he starred in a [[CaptainErsatz similar]] {{Sitcom}} [[TheRival at the same time and with the same premise]] as Bojack, despite [[OlderThanHeLooks looking younger]]. And he's [[TheSmartGirl Diane]]'s boyfriend. Talk about OppositesAttract.
** Todd doesn't do much besides [[TheSlacker hanging around Bojack's house]] and mooching off, yet has a high opinion of Bojack and clearly loves him, despite Bojack's dismissal of him. He seems perfectly content with who he is, while being the butt of the joke at every turn.
** Lenny Turtletaub first appears in the restaurant where Princess Carolyn and Bojack are dining with two women, as his status as a top producer becomes evident and his attitude of showing off his wealth. Princess Carolyn mentions him, as [[VillainousFriendship they know each other]].
* EstablishingSeriesMoment: Bojack walking into an interview drunk, while giving barely coherent excuses and embarrasing himself by proving to be a sad sack and mean washout, much to Charlie Rose's discomfort? Funny, disturbing, pathetic, cringe-worthy and quite sad, once you get past the humor and absurdity of the scene. Quite fitting for the first scene of this [[{{Dramedy}} series]].
* FauxHorrific: Bojack has this reaction when he discovers his ghostwriter, Diane and his rival, Mr. Peanutbutter, are dating.

* HollywoodHeartAttack: Well, panic attack, which would explain the effusiveness and the use of this trope. Bojack ends up suffering one when talking about the ghostwriter who'll write his memoirs, because of anxiety. He later suffers another when reminded of it while at the hospital.
* InstantlyProvenWrong: Bojack claims that he never explicitly said that he "doesn't respect [Princess Carolyn] enough to have a baby with her". The flashback proves that he ''did'' say it in those exact words.
* LetMeGetThisStraight: Once Bojack finds out Diane and Mr. Peanutbutter are dating, he starts asking them personal questions to wrap that idea around his head. To get a full glimpse of the questions asked, look below on OverlyLongGag.
* MomentKiller: Mr. Peanutbutter walks into Elefante the minute Bojack and Princess Carolyn are breaking up. To make matters worse, he doesn't even realize it and ends up chatting with the cat while Bojack (briefly) sulks uncomfortably.

-->'''Bojack:''' You two are dating?

-->'''Bojack:''' ''(to Diane)'' You're dating him?

-->'''Bojack:''' This is your boyfriend.

-->'''Bojack:''' You (Diane) are going out with you (Mr. Peanutbutter).

-->''' Bojack:''' But in a sexual way, not just as friends.

-->'''Bojack:''' You have seen her naked.

-->'''Bojack:''' You are attracted to this (Mr. Peanutbutter).

-->'''Bojack:''' This penis has been inside this vagina.

-->'''Bojack:''' But in a sexual way?

-->'''Bojack:''' Huh.

* ShowDontTell: When Bojack and Princess Carolyn are breaking up, one of the reason she gives him for it is that he doesn't respect her enough to start a family. When he denies it, there's a FlashbackCut in which after Princess Carolyn mentions a passerby with a baby, Bojack does everything to crush that expectative short of saying he doesn't want to have any, at least until he outright says to a police officer ''[[KickTheDog within earshot of Carolyn, the mother and the baby]]''.

* TheUnpronounceable: Downplayed--"Nguyen" isn't that difficult to pronounce, as Mr. Peanutbutter demonstrates, but Bojack finds it challenging all the same. This is mostly because the spelling is counterintuitive to English speakers; once he's heard it out loud he's fine.

* BlackComedy: The [[DownerEnding finale]] of ''JustForFun/HorsinAround'', with the Horse dying and the kids (now grown adults) being taken away by Social Services, is purely this. [=BoJack=] [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] it:

* CaughtWithYourPantsDown: Princess Carolyn alludes to the time that she caught Bojack masturbating to old pictures of himself. He insists that he was masturbating to what it ''represented.''

** As his ex-girlfriend, she's a first-hand witness to how screwed, decayed and insufferable the former sitcom star is and doesn't have a high opinion of him.

** Mr. Peanutbutter and Diane are not part of the main group yet, with the former making a brief appearance during Bojack and Princess Carolyn's first of many break-ups and at the end when he attends the party at Bojack's and reveals himself to be Diane's boyfriend; and the latter appearing near the end of the episode.

** Princess Carolyn's first onscreen appearance is on a {{Flashback}}, wanting to break with Bojack while he's completely not paying attention, portraying them as incompatible, with Princess Carolyn putting in most of the work, showing her as a pretty devoted, but uncorresponded romantic partner. Later, when they do break up, Princess Carolyn call him in a friendly tone as his agent, despite the rude treatment Bojack shove her way, showing her as [[ConsummateProfessional professional]] and pragmatic. Then, it turns out Bojack's one of her less remunerative clients, again confusing love with work.
** [[TheSmartGirl Diane]]'s first onscreen apparance is almost unstated, with her coming out behind Bojack during the party, showing her as [[FishOutOfWater ''different'' to the rest of Hollywood]]. The distance and brief talk between her and Bojack show them [[PlatonicLifePartners becoming pretty]] [[ShipTease intimate with each other]], with Bojack being able to open up a little. Then we discover that she's [[TheRival Mr. Peanutbutter]]'s girlfriend, highlighting [[NoAccountingForTaste her odd choice of men]] and becoming [[ForbiddenFruit the unobtainable]] for Bojack. Yet, despite hearing Bojack insult Mr. Peanutbutter, she never once calls him out, proving her to be [[NiceGirl very patient]]. Plus, she WroteTheBook about Secretariat, Bojack's childhood hero.

** There's also a minor one, where Princess Caroline berates [=BoJack=] for not respecting her enough to have a baby with her. Cut to a scene where [=BoJack=] attempts to flee for thirty solid seconds after Caroline mentions a cute baby.

* SecurityBlanket: [=BoJack's=] copy of the [=DVDs=] of ''Horsin' Around''. He even brings them with him to the hospital. He even references the TropeNamer, "Linus carried a blanket around with him and no one gave him shit for it." Although, while this may be [=BoJack=] being ignorant, contrary to his statement, practically ''every''one gave Linus shit for carrying a blanket, especially Lucy.

* TheUnpronounceable: Downplayed--"Nguyen" isn't that difficult to pronounce, as Mr. Peanutbutter demonstrates, but Bojack finds it challenging all the same. This is mostly because the spelling is counterintuitive; once he's heard it out loud he's fine.

* TheUnpronounceable: Downplayed--"Nguyen" isn't that difficult to pronounce, as Mr. Peanutbutter demonstrates, but Bojack finds it challenging all the same.

* SecurityBlanket: [=BoJack's=] copy of the [=DVDs=] of ''Horsin' Around''. He even brings them with him to the hospital. He even references the TropeNamer, "Linus carried a blanket around with him and no one gave him shit for it."

* SecurityBlanket: [=Bojack's=] copy of the [=DVDs=] of ''Horsin' Around''. He even brings them with him to the hospital. He even references the TropeNamer, "Linus carried a blanket around with him and no one gave him shit for it."

* SecurityBlanket: [=Bojack's=] copy of the DVDs of ''Horsin' Around''. He even brings them with him to the hospital. He even references the TropeNamer, "Linus carried a blanket around with him and no one gave him shit for it."

-->'''[=BoJack=]''': [[{{Understatement}} We might have gone too dark on that series finale]].

* CaughtWithYourPantsDown: Princess Carolyn alludes to the time that she caught Bojack masturbating to old pictures of himself.

* BaitAndSwitch: In one scene, Bojack thinks that he's dying, only for Todd to reassure him that he isn't. Cut to him flatlining, and the doctors saying that they did everything that they could. Only we see his TV children waiting outside heartbroken, and it's revealed that this is just the ''JustForFun/HorsinAround'' GrandFinale, which Bojack is watching in the hospital.

* CutawayGag: Plenty, which is unusual for the show as a whole. The episode even features not one, but ''two'' cutaway gags ''within'' a first cutaway.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: This episode features way ''too'' many [[CutawayGag Cutaway Gags]] than the series would normally do.
** For people who would start watching later in the series, Bojack and Princess Carolyn are dating, something that would be dropped later in the season.

** The episode features little of the series' trademark mixture of humor and sadness, although the edges have some here and there.

* NoExceptYes: Bojack claims that he never explicitly said that he "doesn't respect [Princess Carolyn] enough to have a baby with her". The flashback proves that he ''did'' say it in those exact words.

-->'''[=BoJack=]''': ''(visibly angry)'' Damn it, can't you respect a dying man's wish?

-->'''Mr. Peanutbutter:''' [Yeah!

** Mr. Peanutbutter and Diane are not part of the main group yet, with the former making a brief appearance during [[spoiler: Bojack and Princess Carolyn's first of many break-ups]] and at the end when [[spoiler: he attends the party at Bojack's and reveals himself to be Diane's boyfriend]]; and the latter appearing near the end of the episode.

** Bojack's first actions on screen after being announced on ''The Charlie Rose Show'', as established above, [[JadedWashout pretty much tell you]] [[DrowningMySorrows all you need to know about him]]. To elaborate, he enters the studio drunk and not giving a shit, reflecting his failure stance; then, begins talking about the show [[ItsAllAboutMe only to come around back to him]], showing his [[{{Narcissist}} narcissism]] and finally procedes to try to pretend he's doing a good job at the interview, showing his insecurities and need for acceptance. Finally, when Charlie asks him what has he been doing since the show ended, Bojack fails to come up with an answer, proving that he's stuck in his past and hasn't moved forward, and as the series progresses, [[spoiler: how much is he at a loss of how to do it.]]

* FauxHorrific: Bojack has this reaction when he discovers [[spoiler: his ghostwriter, Diane and his rival, Mr. Peanutbutter, are dating.]]

* LetMeGetThisStraight: [[spoiler: Once Bojack finds out Diane and Mr. Peanutbutter are dating, he starts asking them personal questions to wrap that idea around his head. To get a full glimpse of the questions asked, look below on OverlyLongGag]].

* OverlyLongGag: [=BoJack=] after discovering [[spoiler: that Diane and Mr. Peanutbutter are dating]].
-->'''[[spoiler: Bojack]]:''' [[spoiler: You two are dating?]]
-->'''[[spoiler: Mr. Peanutbutter]]:''' [[spoiler: Yeah!]]
-->'''[[spoiler: Bojack]]:''' ''[[spoiler: (to Diane)]]'' [[spoiler: You're dating him?]]
-->'''[[spoiler: Diane]]:''' [[spoiler: Yes.]]
-->'''[[spoiler: Bojack]]:''' [[spoiler: This is your boyfriend.]]
-->'''[[spoiler: Mr. Peanutbutter]]:''' [[spoiler: That is correct.]]
-->'''[[spoiler: Diane]]:''' [[spoiler: Uh huh.]]
-->'''[[spoiler: Bojack]]:'''[[spoiler: You (Diane) are going out with you (Mr. Peanutbutter).]]
-->'''[[spoiler: Diane]]:''' [[spoiler: Uh huh.]]
-->'''[[spoiler: Bojack]]:''' [[spoiler: But in a sexual way, not just as friends.]]
-->'''[[spoiler: Mr. Peanutbutter]]:''' [[spoiler: That's right.]]
-->'''[[spoiler: Bojack]]:''' [[spoiler: You have seen her naked.]]
-->'''[[spoiler: Mr. Peanutbutter]]:''' [[spoiler: Many times, yes.]]
-->'''[[spoiler: Bojack]]:''' [[spoiler: You are attracted to this (Mr. Peanutbutter).]]
-->'''[[spoiler: Diane]]:''' [[spoiler: Yes.]]
-->'''[[spoiler: Bojack]]:''' [[spoiler: This penis has been inside this vagina.]]
-->'''[[spoiler: Mr. Peanutbutter]]:''' [[spoiler: Yep!]]
-->'''[[spoiler: Bojack]]:''' [[spoiler: But in a sexual way?]]
-->'''[[spoiler: Mr. Peanutbutter]]:''' [[spoiler: Oh yes!]]

-->'''[[spoiler: Bojack]]:''' [[spoiler: Huh]].