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Characters / BoJack Horseman - The Main Group's Family Members
aka: Bojack Horseman Hollyhock

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This is a listing of all the Main Characters' immediate and extended family members; be it by blood, marriage, adoption, or any other type of relations.


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Horseman Family

    Horseman Family (in general) 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/captura_de_pantalla_2018_01_01_a_las_164942.png
Sugarman Family
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/maxresdefaultf.jpg
Horseman-Sugarman Branch
As you can see, it is anything but a happy family.

BoJack often felt the need to impress me with material items. I wondered where this came from. There were two obvious suspects.
One Trick Pony by Diane Nguyen.

And if it were up to me, [the Sugarman summer cabin] would've been torn down years ago. It's a blight on the neighborhood. And that broken door is the cherry on the top of the shit sandwich.
Eddie the Dragonfly, "The Old Sugarman Place"

  • Abusive Parents: Beatrice and Butterscotch were both absolutely horrible parents towards BoJack. And as it later turns out, Beatrice learned well from her own horrible father Joseph.
  • The Alcoholic: BoJack, his parents, and his maternal grandmother were all addicted to alcohol, abusing it to cope with their miserable lives.
  • Awful Wedded Life: You think? In all fairness, as their respective flashbacks in Season 4 show, they didn't start like that.
    • Bea and Butterscotch were both once young, idealistic and having a certain fondness for each other. Of course, it wasn't a relationship built in solid foundation - they tied the knot only because they fucked up and Beatrice wouldn't have any sort of intrinsic value beyond what she could offer as a fertile, virginal woman; without it, she had no chance of marrying anyone and Butterscotch felt he owed her at least that to save her reputation. Years later, their seeming idyllic life has not reaped any of the promises they thought it would and so they start resenting each other out of their perceived shortcomings (lack of money and mediocre life the main problems).
    • Joseph and Honey, for their part, would often take any opportunity to kiss anywhere. However, when CrackerJack, their only son, died in WWII, Honey was simply devastated while Joseph preferred to ignore his emotions because of his unwillingness to deal with them. Getting worse and worse with time, Honey's depression reached a point where she caused a car crash with Beatrice behind the wheel. Joseph, furious, confronted her over the incident and she admitted to no longer feeling capable of going on without her son. This led to Honey's lobotomy and her being just a brain-dead presence during the rest of both of their lives.
  • Deconstructed Trope: The Horseman-Sugarman family deconstructs the typical romantic story of the wealthy woman marrying the poor suitor and living happily ever after with a child, despite losing most of their savings. Different lifestyles are tough to overcome, especially when marriage forces to give up such life, regardless of decision. Once reality sets in, Butterscotch and Beatrice's contrasting personalities and the grimness of their situation snowball into a grand deal of resentment of both sides, which they then redirect to the living embodiment of their greatest failure - the little foal BoJack.
  • Domestic Abuse: One line in "Thoughts and Prayers" indicates that, on top of the emotional harm Beatrice and Butterscotch do unto each other, Butterscotch has gotten physical towards Beatrice before.
    Beatrice: If you're looking to get knocked around for an afternoon, why don't you just read one of your father's manuscripts and tell him his prose is pedestrian and derivative? Works for me every time.
  • Dysfunctional Family:
    • Sugarman: A seemingly perfect family at first, but after the death of CrackerJack in World War II, things really fall apart, for what's left is an emotionally distant father, a broken mother, and a neglected daughter who eventually becomes one cruel grown-up matriarch.
    • Horseman-Sugarman: Two alcoholic parents, one a Rich Bitch with resentment over the loss of her past potential, the other a failed writer with financial resentment towards his wife; one screwed up son.
  • Family Business: Sugarman Sugar has been sold to a Japanese conglomerate in the present, but in its prime, it was the Sugarman and Horseman families' biggest source of income.
  • Freudian Excuse Is No Excuse: One of the common themes running in the family: nobody in the family can see beyond their own suffering and slam onto others for a twisted sense of retribution/revenge (something shown to be self-destructive and stupid). Their reasons range from genuine to petty, but never valid or justified. Everyone hurts, is held accountable and pays one way or the other. The best a Horseman can hope to do to get better is to work around their issues and let go of the bitterness, forgiveness optional.
  • Gilded Cage: The Horseman home in San Francisco was mostly a regular, low middle class house without any luxuries which made Beatrice miserable since she was pretty much a housewife in a crappy place. Once Butterscotch got a job at the Sugarman West branch instead of low-paying jobs, the house was gradually redecorated with better tapestry and fancier furniture, which only called attention even more to the empty marriage and lives living within this environment.
  • Happy Marriage Charade: The Horseman-Sugarman marriage was hardly a happy one, but having been born out of convenience and necessity (a child conceived out of wedlock), they would usually put a front making it seem they at least tolerated each other.
  • Impoverished Patrician: The Sugarman company and fortune accumulated during early 20th century collapsed after the Dysfunction Junction concentrated spilled over, causing the heirs, Beatrice (and Butterscotch by proxy) to spend most of the remaining money and Sugarman Sugar to be absorbed by larger corporations.
  • Shotgun Wedding: Beatrice and Butterscotch had a rushed wedding due to Beatrice' pregnancy.
  • Shrine to the Fallen: Negative example. As "The Old Sugarman Place" shows, the Sugarman family (family from Beatrice's side) had a summer cabin in Harper's Landing, Michigan that has since fallen into disrepair as a sign to their fall from aristocracy. It was also the site that saw the destruction and rising rotten core of the entire family. By the end of the episode, the cabin is destroyed by bulldozers by their grandson BoJack, as a way of burning down the past.
  • Small Role, Big Impact: They're only seen in Flashbacks or occasional appearances, yet we can all thank them for turning BoJack from a Cheerful Child into a Cynic and then unleashing him out there in the world.
  • Start of Darkness: Crackerjack's death in World War II is what kick started all the events that would poison and destroy everyone in their family. In order: his death caused his mother Honey to go mad with grief and get lobotomized. This causes little Beatrice to learn to never love anyone. Honey's lack of care caused by her Empty Shell post-lobotomy state resulted in Beatrice getting scarlet fever, which prompted her father to callously burn all her possessions, including her baby doll, and casually threaten to give her a lobotomy like her mother if she ever cried or allowed her "womanly emotions" to get the better of her again. This resulted in Beatrice bottling up all her trauma, using only scathing sarcasm and resentment to deal with life's problems. Furthermore, Honey's Empty Shell post-lobotomy state resulted in Beatrice being fully raised by her father's sexist ideals, pushing her to the charming stranger Butterscotch that got her pregnant and the subsequent abusive raising of their son, BoJack.
  • Walking Spoiler: Honey, Joseph and CrackerJack all become this by default considering they're Beatrice's childhood family and you can't talk about them without revealing Beatrice's backstory... especially that last one.

BoJack's Parents

    Beatrice Horseman 
For Beatrice Horseman, see her own page.

    Butterscotch Horseman 

Butterscotch Horseman

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In his middle-old age
As a young adult
Voiced by: Will Arnett
Debut: "BoJack Hates The Troops"

"Well, maybe if my secretary also refused to get an abortion, I would be."

BoJack's father (d. 31 October 2009), seen only in flashback. A working-class horse who, along with BoJack's mother, is much of the reason that BoJack's so screwed up.


  • Abusive Parents: Although it was Beatrice whose had a greater influence on BoJack's screwed-up psyche, Butterscotch was still dismissive, emotionally abusive, and even violent towards young BoJack.
  • Ain't Too Proud to Beg: When his mistress Henrietta gets pregnant, Butterscotch first tries to blame his wife Beatrice because she's been missing her "womanly duties", making her snap at him. Only then does Butterscotch pleads her to help him and breaks down sobbing, acknowledging how justified she is at hating him and talk to Henrietta "woman-to-woman".
  • Borrowed Catchphrase: As it turns out, the lame joke "Get It?" BoJack always says comes from something Butterscotch said while leaving the house.
  • Can't Take Criticism: BoJack states that he was... less than pleased with his novel's reception. He even went so far as to offer to duel anyone who thought poorly of it, which ultimately led to his death.
  • Commonality Connection: Stuck in a lavish, yet vacuous lifestyle, the rough-and-tumble Butterscotch was drawn to the wealthy, effervescent Beatrice because like him, she was a counter-culture rebel who'd read the Beats, had an independent way of thinking, reminded him of his mother (and had lost a mother as well). Though it was mostly only for a one-night stand, it also got them through the honeymoon period happily enough.
  • Dark and Troubled Past: Implied to have had one. His mother died when he was very young, and his homophobic rant at BoJack in "Free Churro" is weirdly specific to the point where you might think he went through something similar as a child.
    Butterscotch: Don't you sing no songs in your nightclub act called "My Daddy Was My Mommy" while gazing longingly at a tangled string of pearls. Pearls are for ladies, BoJack. Pearls are for ladies.
  • Dead Sparks: Butterscotch and Beatrice used to have a whirlwind romance, but after they had BoJack, their marriage became marked by constant arguing and emotional abuse. When he has his affair with Henrietta, Butterscotch blames Beatrice for neglecting her "wifely duties" (i.e. sex). Despite all this, they never get a divorce.
  • Death by Falling Over: He died in a Duel to the Death. Not by getting shot, but by tripping on a root and cracking his head open on a rock.
  • Dirty Old Man: Sired Hollyhock with a woman 40 to 50 years his junior.
  • Disappeared Dad: To Hollyhock, whom he fathered with his maid, Henrietta. He initially tried to persuade Henrietta to get an abortion and then asked Beatrice to persuade Henrietta.
  • Distinguished Gentleman's Pipe: Almost always seen carrying one while in his studio, evoking the idea of a business-like guy.
  • Dope Slap: Often slapped BoJack whenever he would say something he deemed stupid or do something "un-American".
  • Duel to the Death: Offered to duel anyone who didn't like his novel and, as BoJack put it, someone just as insane as him took him up on it just for the novelty. While they were walking out the paces, he turned his head to ask what the person really thought of the book, tripped on a root, bashed his against a rock and died.
  • Executive Excess: A former working class aspiring writer, he eventually accepted an unspecified lofty post at his father-in-law's company, the Sugarman Sugar Cube factory, purely to shut up his wife Beatrice. Butterscotch's only interest was working on his novel on the weekend, and so turned to alcoholism, adultery, and spending all Beatrice's inheritance to distract himself.
  • Exhausted Eyebags: Had eyebags when portrayed as a married man and father to symbolize his exhaustion and frustration with everything in his life and his weariness and bitterness toward those he deems responsible for his misery.
  • Expressive Ears: His ears perk up when surprised and descend when disappointed. Like BoJack's, the way his head is drawn makes them appear to be perpetually pinned back.
  • Fantasy-Forbidding Father: He brutally shot down pretty much all of young BoJack's childhood flights of fancy, dismissing them as unproductive.
  • Foil: In season 4, to BoJack. Butterscotch and his son share several quirks and attitudes, but in season 4, it can be seen that, through the time, Butterscotch only got worse, more bitter about his married life and a kid only made him worse, with his affair resulting in a kid being something he is shameful of. To BoJack, Hollyhock as his unplanned daughter causes a large advancement for him personally, leading him to become better and reject doing things his father would probably do in the same situation.
    • And in a more mundane sense, Butterscotch's writing parallels BoJack's own art and their fear of failure and rejection. Butterscotch was so short-sighted when it came to writing that he thought a book was his only option, even though writing a book is hard even for professional authors like Diane. BoJack had similar artistic inclinations, but his medium was all about "repeating your work," so he was able to debut material often, roll with the punches, and ended up with a diverse and very successful career.
  • Former Teen Rebel: Ironically he used to be a rebellious young stallion who admired the beats and snuck into rich people's parties for free booze. That is, until being rejected by his idols made him the uber-conservative Jerkass we know today.
  • Formerly Fit: Grew to have a gut when he became elderly.
  • Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow: As a young horse, he had a scruffy, unkempt mane, symbolizing his apparent untamed nature, which of course would make Beatrice attracted to him. By his middle-old age, it had receded to his scalp as thin hairs with what was left having turned grey.
  • Handsome Lech: His seducing Beatrice was only intended for a one-night stand. Taking into account his expertise at playing charming and knowing what kind of words would convince her, it's implied he has done this before. Beatrice was quite aware of it being a one time thing and was willing to play along with it since she needed to blow some steam...at least until it resulted in pregnancy.
  • Henpecked Husband: And, man, is he bitter about it out of Inferiority Superiority Complex.
  • Heteronormative Crusader: His monologue in the Cold Opening to "Free Churro" shows that not only does he feel emasculated by having to make his own sandwich and picking his son up from soccer practice, he says that it's not his fault if BoJack "turns queer" from being confused by gender roles.
  • Hunk: An actual strapping stallion in his youth, compared to Beatrice's nerdy other suitor.
  • Ironic Name: Butterscotch is normally a golden-brown, sugary treat. This Butterscotch has grey fur, and he's a perpetually grumpy Jerkass and a terrible father.
  • I Was Quite a Looker: He was quite muscular and trim as a young adult (he was a draft horse) with a thick, scruffy mane, but by the time he was an older man, he lost most of his mane, with what remained turned grey, and he also gained a bit of a gut.
  • Jaded Washout: Once his dream of writing the next Great American Novel went down the drain, all he had left was his pride, his unappeasable wife and his young son, all which made him more miserable. He became a bitter, defensive Sell-Out who could only dream of his non-existent Glory Days.
  • Jerkass:
    • Butterscotch's bitter, dismissive of his family at every turn and openly contemptuous towards them for being the final nail in his miserable life. There's also his treatment of BoJack which ranges from just plain Comedic Sociopathy to outright mental and physical abuse.
    • Season 4 shows that he pretty much won Beatrice over for a one night stand, among other indiscretions like having an affair with the maid, using the same story he used to garner sympathy with his wife when they first met no less. And unlike his wife or son, he has no known Freudian Excuse for his behavior.
  • Jerk with a Heart of Gold: In his younger years. While a scoundrel in every sense, Butterscotch still was a Wide-Eyed Idealist who dreamed of telling his own story about the struggles of the everyman, had enough decency to actually apologize when he thought he had made a tasteless joke about Beatrice's mother and changes his tune about aborting the baby when Beatrice refuses; even proposing to her when she protests she's now a ruined woman with no chance to ever marry.
  • Karmic Death: His obsession with his novel proves to be his undoing. According to BoJack, he turned his head to ask the man he was going to duel if he'd really read his book. Distracted, he then tripped over a root and brained himself on a rock.
  • Like Father, Like Son: Shares several mannerisms with his own son.
    • Both men aren't great at monogamy, and turn to sex to relieve their frustrations very easily.
    • Both are tall and considered attractive, but also have to reckon with losing their looks as they get older.
    • His writing shows that he had a creative side as well.
    • And of course, general snarkiness.
  • Like Parent, Like Spouse: Hinted at, as he fell for Beatrice and Henrietta due to sharing traits with the dead mother he never knew - having a diamond mark and brown hair respectively, which explains how Hollyhock has these traits when it’s revealed Butterscotch is her father instead of BoJack.
  • Mama's Baby, Papa's Maybe: Season 4 reveals that Butterscotch tried to invoke this to weasel out of taking responsibility for Beatrice's pregnancy by asking if he was the father. Beatrice was not amused.
    Butterscotch: Are you certain it's mine?
    Beatrice: Well, whose else could it be?!
  • May–December Romance: Had an affair with Henrietta, who was roughly 40-50 years his junior.
  • Misery Builds Character: His main philosophy and one he practices at every turn in "raising" his son; as long as BoJack doesn't do things the way he considers fit, the more punishment and rejection he'll receive. There's the treehouse incident and there's his harsh critic of BoJack's drawing for him. The way he sees it, happiness is grueling pain.
  • Missing Mom: As he tells Beatrice when they first meet, Butterscotch never knew his mother as she died when he was too young.
  • Never My Fault:
    • When he has to admit to Beatrice that he ended up impregnating Henrietta, he greatly downplays his role in the act, saying that she "got herself pregnant" and then blaming Beatrice for the act, accusing her of being "neglectful in her wifely duties".
    • He refuses to take responsibility for his failed writing career, blaming "Jews, liberals, and Commies" for keeping the publishers from appreciating "the genius of [his] work," instead of trying to improve his work based on critical feedback.
  • Oh, Crap!: His face when Beatrice shows up in his porch is already brimming with dread. When she announces she's pregnant, his face changes to one of utter horror and stuttering, similar to BoJack.
  • O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Beatrice refuses to try to convince their maid, Henrietta, to get an abortion until the normally proud and stubborn Butterscotch finally confesses he doesn't know what to do and breaks down crying. Beatrice is so shocked that she goes to talk to the girl.
  • Parents as People: He's given some characterization beyond "mean" and "abusive" in the style of "broken dreams". Still doesn't excuse him, but it shows him as having some depth.
  • Perpetual Frowner: Always shown frowning unhappily, and couldn't even hide this for a family portrait.
  • Pet the Dog:
    • In the Cold Open of "Free Churro", Butterscotch initially complains to BoJack about how Beatrice didn't bother to make him a sandwich. After calming down, he dismisses it and says she's doing her best. This is the only kind word we've heard him say to or about Beatrice since BoJack was born.
    • Butterscotch hated Beatrice's Supper Club parties, often shutting himself in his office and banging on the walls so they'd keep the noise down, but he would always come out to watch Beatrice dance.
    • In "The View From Halfway Down", he apologizes to his son for being a lousy father, and states that he loved BoJack even though he was terrible about expressing it. Of course, it may not have been real.
  • Politically Incorrect Villain: He angrily blamed "Jews" for shooting down his failed writing career and is dismissive of his wife Beatrice.
  • Posthumous Character: He died in 2009, five years before the series begins, and we get to know him through flashbacks.
  • Pride: His Fatal Flaw. His writing career came to pretty much nothing, due to his stubborn insistence on writing his way and completely refusal to try to improve based on the critical feedback he got. And he insisted for the longest time on keeping his exhausting, low-paying day-job at the local cannery, despite Beatrice pointing out that her father was perfectly willing to offer him a higher paying, more comfortable job at the family company, simply because he so deeply resented the idea of being even more beholden to his wealthy in-laws than he already was, and became even more resentful once Beatrice finally talked him into it.
  • Rags to Riches: He was a poor working-class horse from Indiana in his younger years, but he's offered a prominent position at the Sugarman Sugar Cube Company since he married Beatrice, the heiress to the Sugarman fortune. Predictably, Butterscotch squanders it.
  • Red and Black and Evil All Over: Downplayed. Butterscotch is shown wearing a red and black smoking jacket in one of his flashback appearances in Season 1, and he's an abusive Jerkass to his wife and son.
  • Resentful Guardian: Like Beatrice, he partially blames BoJack for ruining his novelist dream, although it was in part because of his own failed life.
  • Significant Double Casting: Shares the same voice actor with his son to emphasize their similarities.
  • Sour Grapes: His extreme right-wing political views stem from being rejected by the Beat writers he admired so much.
  • Straw Political: Espouses extreme right-wing views, such as imaginary friends being invented by communists to create welfare cheats. He is shown to have had different views when he was younger in a flashback in Season 4, wanting to get in with a group of beatnik artists he admired. It's implied that his conservative streak was mostly a bitter response to being rejected by his heroes.
  • Undignified Death: He died during a duel when he tripped and fell over a root and smashed his brains out on a rock. To add insult to injury, his only son never read the book he sacrificied so much for.
    "Why would I give him that?"
  • Uptown Girl: A wealthy heiress filly like Beatrice and a working class horse like Butterscotch end up married due to a Surprise Pregnancy. Needless to say, that they weren't prepared to be be parents and he wasn't confident enough to healthily marry a well-off financial woman did a number on Butterscotch's life and only made him even more bitter.
  • Ungrateful Bastard: When little BoJack gave his dad a heart-shaped, handmade card to wish him a happy Father's Day, Butterscotch only criticizes the card for its crappy design, and gives BoJack a semi-relevant (rhetorical) question about whether or not to cross the Panama Canal; when BoJack gives the "wrong" answer, Butterscotch slaps him.
    Butterscotch: Are you gonna go around the Horn like a gentleman, or cut through the Panama Canal like some kind of Democrat?
    Young BoJack: ...The Canal?
    Butterscotch: (gives his son a Dope Slap) You go around the Horn, like God intended!
  • Unpleasant Parent Reveal: Played With. He's revealed to be Hollyhock's biological father rather than BoJack, which would mean this trope would be played straight if he were alive. He isn't though, having died in 2009, so Hollyhock is spared the disgust.
  • Where Were You Last Night?: Beatrice's jealousy would be often triggered by the justified possibility Butterscotch is sleeping with someone else. She would often interrogate him about it in a rather aggressive manner.
  • Windmill Political: "Imaginary friends are freeloaders invented by Communists to rip off welfare."
  • Why Couldn't You Be Different?: He's constantly disappointed with BoJack for failing to meet his standards on how an American boy should be. From what we see in flashbacks those "standards" are random incomprehensible nonsense unique to him; for instance when a very young BoJack builds a treehouse himself Butterscotch is enraged that he used screws instead of nails, because he thought of the former as “fancy Jew nails”.

Hollyhock's Family

    Hollyhock 

Hollyhock Manheim-Mannheim-Guerrero-Robinson-Zilberschlag-Hsung-Fonzarelli-McQuack

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/daff8e47_8f70_4353_bcd9_53a12b0fd5ff.png
"Ever since I was a baby, people have told me I look a lot like BoJack Horseman."
Voiced by: Aparna Nancherla
Debut: "That Went Well"
"...That's a terrible thing to say to a baby!"
Todd, in response to Hollyhock's mentioning of her resemblance to BoJack.

A young horse girl who may or may not be BoJack's illegitimate daughter. She lives with her eight adoptive dads in Wichita, Kansas.


  • Acrofatic: On the chubby side yet she was the captain of her JV soccer team, briefly plays rugby in college, and is shown being able to tuck and roll with ease.
  • Age-Appropriate Angst: She reveals in "Commence Fracking" that the simple fact that she's looking for her mother makes her feel guilty, as she grew up in a healthy home with everything she could have asked for. Essentially, she feels like she doesn't know who she is or where she belongs.
  • Bait-and-Switch: Hollyhock has some Weight Woe, as she's hurt by BoJack calling her a "blob". Then she starts to eat noticeably less, and she progressively and visibly loses weight. But she hasn't developed an eating disorder — she's been unwittingly drinking amphetamine-laced coffee courtesy of Beatrice, which inhibits her appetite.
  • Big Eater: She normally has a huge appetite that is similar to BoJack's. Later in Season 4, she loses her appetite thanks to Beatrice drugging her coffee with amphetamine pills.
  • Brainy Brunette: She's shown to be very intelligent when academics come up. She even graduated high school early and is taking a gap year during the time she's with BoJack.
  • Broken Ace: Her wall is filled with achievements, trophies and pictures of loved ones and friends, but she still feels adrift due to her lack of knowledge about her birth parents.
  • The Bus Came Back: She reappears in Season 5, though she makes only a few cameos. It's justified, since she's going off to college and no longer has the time to deal with BoJack.
  • Characterization Marches On: In her debut episode in Season 4, she comes off as much lazier and more selfish than her later energetic and moral portrayal that would follow immediately after.
  • Character Tics: Circles her knee with a finger while she sits and talks. Also reaches over to grab/rub her arm when uncomfortable about something, a tic she shares with BoJack and Butterscotch.
  • Conspicuous Trenchcoat: When looking around Hollywoo for BoJack, after finding where Todd lives she chloroforms him. After coming to Todd initially tries to defend himself, since her trenchcoat makes her look imposing.
  • Daddy's Girl: She was Happily Adopted by eight gay men in a polyamorous relationship, and she loves them all, even keeping a collage of pictures of them on the patio window when she was staying with BoJack.
  • Daddy Had a Good Reason for Abandoning You: She wonders about her biological parents and hopes they had a good reason for giving her up. As it turns out, her mother wanted to raise Hollyhock but doing so meant giving up her medical studies career, and she was unwilling to have an abortion. Beatrice actually invoked this after learning the baby was her husband Butterscotch's; she says Henrietta has no idea what she's getting into and will eventually regret giving up her future for her baby, and offers her a compromise; she'll pay for the hospital bills and Henrietta's studies, but only if Henrietta gives the baby up.
  • "Dear John" Letter: By the second half of season 6, she sends BoJack one. We never hear what's on it, but it's assumed from BoJack's reaction that it's her telling him she doesn't want to have any contact with him again.
  • Demoted to Extra: She appears less post-season 4, since she's attending college.
  • Descent into Addiction: What her parents believe happened to her after reports reach them about Hollyhock suffering an amphetamines overdose. She was actually being drugged without her knowledge by Beatrice.
  • Does Not Like Spam:
    • She hates applesauce, citing it's too slimy.
    • In "What Time is it Right Now?", she admits to hating honeydew, like BoJack. She even calls honeydew "the Jared Leto of fruits,"note  which BoJack agrees with wholeheartedly.
  • Early Installment Character-Design Difference: Hollyhock didn't have her ear piercings in her first appearance back in season 3.
  • Earn Your Happy Ending: For season four. While she suffers an overdose after getting "Chub-Be-Gone" in her coffee courtesy of Beatrice in "lovin' that cali lifestyle", Hollyhock eventually recovers and gets her real mother's name, Henrietta Platchkey, courtesy of an apparently anonymous BoJack. She heads to Minneapolis to visit her, and tells BoJack she's glad to have a brother.
  • Fake Guest Star: Hollyhock is a major recurring character in season 4, yet Aparna Nancherla is still billed as "Guest Starring".
  • Family Relationship Switcheroo: She and BoJack both assume BoJack is her father. He's actually her half-brother, an illegitimate child of Butterscotch with the former family maid, Henrietta.
  • Foil: To both BoJack and Beatrice, whom she stays with in season four. Consider how Beatrice once told BoJack that the rot is genetic. Unlike them, however, Hollyhock was raised outside the family by loving and supportive parents, and is thus well-adjusted and good-natured despite some teen angst.
  • Formerly Fat: As Season 4 goes on, Hollyhock starts noticeably losing weight. It's a sign that she's being drugged with Beatrice's weight loss pills, revealed to be amphetamines once she's rushed to the hospital. When she reappears in Season 5, she's gained the weight back and is much healthier for it.
  • Good Is Not Dumb: One of the nicest and most moral characters on the show. She's shown to have a pretty good head on her shoulders, both academically and emotionally — she has a wall full of achievements and is realistic and understanding about BoJack. She doesn't expect him to assume any kind of responsibility and sees through his lies, often states the obvious solution and doesn't condone any of his vitriol or self-destructive behavior.
  • Happily Adopted: Hollyhock seems to be very happy with her eight adoptive fathers, but is still interested in knowing who her biological father and mother are.
  • Heroic Bastard: The possible illegitimate child of BoJack and unknown woman who nonetheless grew up to becomes a caring and sweet person. Later on, it turns out that she's not BoJack's illegitimate child... she's Butterscotch's, as a result of an affair he had with his maid, Henrietta.
  • Heroic Self-Deprecation: It's heavily implied in "Stupid Piece of Shit" that her Inner Monologue is very similar to BoJack's, filled with contemptuous remarks and digs at herself for everything she does. The fact that BoJack tries like hell to avoid facing her and his mother for most of the episode doesn't help.
  • History Repeats: In season 4 itself, this is played with. She varies greatly from BoJack in upbringing and has a little more self-control, but "Stupid Piece of Sh*t" implies she's developing the same inner monologue of self-hate that eats away at BoJack.
  • Hollywood Pudgy: invoked Discussed as part of her becoming more self-conscious being in LA around extra thin and attractive models, not helped by BoJack accidentally reaffirming her insecurities when trying to warn her about an intern she starts dating. She's on the chubbier side but not in an unhealthy way, her body type is not much different than BoJack who's shown to actually be out of shape. She also has several sports trophies and was captain of her soccer team, implying that her physique is actually Stout Strength rather than just pudgy. Her LOSING weight turns out to be a sign that something is wrong.
  • Iconic Sequel Character: Hollyhock first appears at the end of season 3 and has a big role in season 4. She is the main character's illegitimate daughter except she's actually his half-sister and her presence forces BoJack to man up and grow as a person to earn her trust and love, with Character Development finally kicking in.
  • Insecure Love Interest: Downplayed. During the brief time she dates Miles in "The Judge", Hollyhock does end up having a little image crisis concerning her weight, calling herself a "blob". BoJack's suspicions about Miles don't help either.
  • Interspecies Friendship: One of the pictures in her room is of a dog hugging her, implying this trope. Also, ironic considering BoJack's relationship with Mr. Peanutbutter.
  • Intoxication Ensues: It is eventually revealed that BoJack's mother had been lacing her coffee with fat burner amphetamines that takes it toll on her body and cognitive awareness throughout the season. There are hints that she's being doped with something, though.
  • It Amused Me: Why did she drugged Todd with chloroform a second time in "Hooray! Todd Episode!"? Because it's cool and funny! Also, it's not like you can't not use it when you have it.
  • It Runs in the Family: Laziness, depression and abandonment issues. She's better at handling them than her contemporaries thanks to the healthy way her adoptive parents raised her.
  • I Will Find You: As of season 4, she has traveled to Hollywoo to find her possible father and mother. The finale has her flying out to meet her biological mother, Henrietta Platchkey, for the first time.
  • Last Episode, New Character: She is introduced in the last minutes of season 3.
  • Lazy Bum: She isn't in any rush to clean up BoJack's house, let alone keeping the charade she's his newly hired maid to get some DNA for a test. Better take selfies and sleep! While she's much nicer than BoJack, this trait convinces Todd that she very likely is his daughter even without the DNA test.
  • Leaving You to Find Myself: Played for Drama. Hollyhock, curious about her past, decides to fly to Hollywoo on her own to find her biological parents, leaving behind her adopted parents. Ripened but inexperienced, Hollyhock sustains herself well enough yet becomes a bit too trusting of her surroundings and the fake glamour of Cali people with only BoJack to recur to making a dent in her confidence. The purpose of her trip also leaves her with a sense of unease due to the unpredictability: will her parents want to know about her? Is she taking the right call? Hollyhock's parents, by their own part, are constantly worrying about her and see their apparent fears realized when she suffers an overdose.
  • Lethal Chef: She destroys the microwave oven trying to make a simple Pop Tart “popcorn style”. Even worse, she was using a fork to reach for the bruned pastry and fend off the fire while the machine was on short-circuit.
  • Like Brother and Sister: Due to their similar mindsets, Hollyhock and BoJack act this way rather than the father and daughter dynamic they allegedly have. Unlike the Penny situation, Hollyhock has enough maturity to curb some of BoJack's worst Anti-Advice, and in turn he makes a more restrained effort to come clean and offer genuine tips (even if coated with a bitter almonds flavor). These two might have a unconscious sibling sense or at least a sense of what worked better. It helps that they're half-siblings, thanks to a fling between Butterscotch and the maid who would become Hollyhock's mother.
  • Like Father, Unlike Son:
    • As BoJack's daughter, she resembles him far more in physicality if not personality itself: she's far from selfish, actively tries to curb his worst tendencies by calling him out and has the least harmful aspects of him, namely, laziness and lack of concentration.
    • As Butterscotch's REAL daughter, she has quite a lot of prospects for a future, is cheerful and idealistic not to the point of blissful blindness and knows how to back up her claims beyond simple charm.
  • Long-Lost Relative: To BoJack, appearing to be his illegitimate daughter of 16+ years he has no knowledge about. However, she's not actually his daughter, but rather his sister, on account of both having the same father, Butterscotch.
  • Lovable Jock: Most of her trophies are sport-related, she was the captain of her JV soccer team, and in Season 6 she briefly plays rugby, but she's fidgety, nervous and adorable.
  • Love Hurts: Once her relationship with Miles falls apart due to the latter's ambition, Hollyhock can't help but feel bad, and tells BoJack she wants to be alone.
  • Luke, I Might Be Your Father: Well, she's not quite sure herself if she's BoJack's daughter, and neither is BoJack. The resemblance, the constant lamp-shading by other people, the multiple women BoJack slept with without remembering if they all had the abortion and her being adopted has aroused suspicion. But alas, nothing conclusive. Although a DNA test reveals they share the same genes, they turn out to be half-siblings.
  • Meaningful Name: She's named after the hollyhock, a flower whose roots can be used for medicinal purposes. True to her name, every time she appears, she curbs BoJack's worst traits and brings out the good side in him. The hind knee area of a horse is also referred to as the hock.
  • Mentor's New Hope: For BoJack, Hollyhock represents a new chance to make or break a daughter figure, especially considering what happened with Sarah Lynn and Penny when they looked up to him, which makes him nervous and especially cautious to not give wrong impressions around her. Likewise, her self-adjustment and maturity help him face his demons and become a slightly better horse. This is the reason why her rejection of BoJack after learning of his role in Sarah Lynn's death is the last straw that drives BoJack into suicidal depression and break his sobriety.
  • Morality Pet: To BoJack, as he tries to curb his self-destructive nature to be someone Hollyhock can look up to. They end up being the healthiest relationship BoJack has really had with anyone, as he is desperate to protect her and in turn she holds him accountable in ways no one else can. Her cutting ties with him after his disastrous interview in the final season causes him to fall Off the Wagon hard.
  • Nature Versus Nurture: There's no denying Hollyhock has some of the "Horseman gunk" in her DNA. Same traits, same flaws, same propensity to the ol' blues... however, because she was raised by a loving family instead of being subjected to the dysfunction BoJack was, Hollyhock is much better-adjusted and far more moral than her relatives.
  • Nice Girl: Hollyhock is a sweet and affable horse-girl, but she isn't above tricking Todd into pulling out one of his hairs or using chloroform on him.
    BoJack: And she's funny, but she's not mean, which is kind of remarkable when you think about it because a lot of 17-year-old girls think you have to be mean to be funny, but Hollyhock is very sweet... even if she can be sarcastic sometimes, but... she has this smile...
  • Only Sane Woman: The only one in season 4 who's got her head screwed right (beside occasionally BoJack) and who never loses her shit through the season (other than the amphetamine incident).
  • O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Starts acting rather strangely late in season 4, losing her formerly healthy appetite and doing odd things like trying to see how fast she can channel surf or sort all the change in the house, going against her usual laid-back behavior. Turns out this is because Beatrice was secretly slipping her amphetamines in her coffee in an attempt to make her slim down.
  • Overly Long Name: She was adopted by eight men in a polyamorous relationship, giving her the unwieldy name of Hollyhock Manheim-Mannheim-Guerrero-Robinson-Zilberschlag-Hsung-Fonzarelli-McQuack. This makes remembering it a problem for BoJack after Hollyhock overdoses on weight loss pills.
  • Positive Friend Influence: Being around Hollyhock has been good for BoJack. Her presence forces him to at least attempt to reconcile with his mother as well as the pressure of being around his possible daughter makes him more wary of himself, with her being a huge reason for his Character Development through season 4.
  • Practically Different Generations: Her half-brother BoJack was already a grown adult when she was born. When it was first confirmed that they were related, the age gap was so big that everyone just assumed that BoJack was her father.
  • Raised by Dudes: Downplayed. She's a jock raised by eight men, but is reasonably well-adjusted and feminine.
  • Shouldn't We Be in School Right Now?: Lampshaded and justified. Sir Mix-A-Lot questions why she's not in school in "The Judge", but she graduated early and is taking time off before college.
  • Sibling Yin-Yang: Hollyhock is social, a people person, friendly, well-adjusted, no non-sense, goofy and active. BoJack is brooding, antisocial, rash, childish, goofy, sedentary and messed up.
  • Smitten Teenage Girl: Her relationship with Miles is based on initial impressions of him as a good, fun guy. She's proven right when he proves to have honest intentions with her. And wrong when it turns out he's still willing to sell that for a chance for stardom.
  • Strong Family Resemblance:
    • Outside of the overall pattern of her fur, and the fact everyone has told her since she was little she looked a lot like him, she displays a lot of personality traits similar to BoJack, including general laziness and buying the same disguise kit he has.
    • She is implied to have also gotten her looks from Butterscotch's mother, as she had a diamond marking on her forehead, like Beatrice and BoJack, and chestnut hair like Henrietta, whose hair is styled similarly to Hollyhock's.
  • Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: In Season 6. Despite the fact Hollyhock bonds with BoJack and comes to accept him as her brother, she does not forgive BoJack for his past transgressions when they come to light, particularly the fact he led to Sarah Lynn’s overdose and ditched the scene to cover his tracks before calling 9-1-1. In fact, due to his dangerous toxicity, especially with young women, she deems it necessary to cut him out of her life completely.
  • Sweet Tooth: She eats a whole box of donuts after first arriving to BoJack's house, she likes ice cream, and when she and BoJack go to see Dr. Hu, she's seen eating several lollipops out of the jar.
  • Tell Me About My Father: The reason she's calling VIM in the first place is because she wants to find out if BoJack is her birth dad.
  • Tender Tears: When BoJack tells her that if she truly belongs to the Horseman family, she might desire more than she'll ever get. Hollyhock, worn out of searching her mom in Hollywoo all day, starts crying and apologizes for it when BoJack is at a loss of how to comfort her, and explains her fathers told her it's ok to cry and she shouldn't feel bad about feeling bad.
  • Trauma Button: As shown in "Ancient History", Hollyhock still has bad memories of being drugged by Beatrice, causing her to freeze up in the doorway to BoJack's house, and dump BoJack's painkillers down the sink later that evening.
  • Trademark Favorite Food: She admits loving to eat apples. She's also big on pizza, which turns out to be a red flag when she turns down BoJack's offer of it.
  • The Unreveal: It is never revealed what was written in her letter when she permanently broke off contact with BoJack.
  • Walking Spoiler: Not only does she basically change the course of the story by just existing, but the fact that she seems to be BoJack's illegitimate daughter only makes everything more complicated. The reality is, she's not his daughter, but rather, his half-sister.
  • Weight Woe: She gets self-conscious about feeling like a "blob" compared to the skinny but big-assed girls on Felicity Huffman's Booty Academy, and BoJack repeating the statement to her innocently when trying to warn her about her new boyfriend who works on a show BoJack is guest-starring on doesn't help. Then a dementia-ridden Beatrice took it upon herself to secretly dose the poor girl with weight-loss pills...
  • What Are Records?: One of the things that distances Hollyhock from BoJack is that the latter, being a Disco Dan, is attached to outdated tech, something Hollyhock often fails to recognize; exaggerated when the thing she fails to recognize is a DVD case, when she was born in 2000. Once visits to Beatrice become routine, however, she's the one often bringing the DVD cases of Horsin' Around.
    Hollyhock: Why are you carrying that thin hard book?
    BoJack: It's not a book, it's a DVD case. We did a special episode about elder care. Now we're gonna watch it and learn how to handle this bitch.
  • What Happened to the Mouse?: Because she cut off ties with BoJack, we don't know what became of her after the one year time skip.
  • White Sheep: Out of all the people in BoJack's family, she's by far the kindest, most good-natured, and least emotionally stunted. Although she struggles with her self-image and anxiety and has negative traits like laziness, these are portrayed in moderation and are not crippling like they are to BoJack. A lot of this can be attributed to her being raised in a loving adopted family, as opposed to the terrible and traumatic childhoods that BoJack and Beatrice experienced.
  • Youthful Freckles: Dots of lighter fur on almost her whole body. This shows she's a young adult, along with making her look cute and innocent.

    Hollyhock's Dads 

Hollyhock's adoptive fathersnote 

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/08_bojack_410w710h4732x_1.jpg
Voiced by: Jay Pharoah (Dashawn), ??? (the rest)

Hollyhock grew up being totally unaware of the identities of her biological parents. She was adopted and raised by eight gay men in a polyamorous relationship who live in Wichita, Kansas serving as her joint legal guardians.


  • Expy: Arturo Fonzarelli (note the name) is a dead ringer for Arthur Fonzarelli, and his (graying) pompadour and popped-collar jacket is reminiscent of his style.
  • Good Parents: Hollyhock's description of them and their Papa Wolf attitudes toward her show that she was cared for and loved throughout her life.
  • Insistent Terminology:
    • Gregory doesn't like foreign movies, he likes foreign films.
    • The group as a collective refuse to recognize any meaning of "dad" other than man/men that raise someone. It causes problems when BoJack is trying to explain what he'd learned about the man who impregnated Hollyhock's mother.
  • Interspecies Romance: They are in a same-sex polyamorous relationship that includes five humans, one bear, one lizard, and one duck.
  • Papa Wolf: Every single one of them are pissed off at BoJack for not watching Hollyhock enough to know she became addicted to amphetamines (to be fair, BoJack didn't know either until it was almost too late); and they forbid him from having any more contact with her.
  • Polyamory: They are eight gay men engaged in polyandry with each other.
  • Punny Name: Both of the Man(n)heims are human, showing that it's not only animal characters who have Species Surnames.
  • Repetitive Name: Quackers McQuack's name, naturally.
  • Visual Pun: Jose is, indeed, a gay bear.

    Hollyhock's Mother (Season 4 spoilers) 
The Season 4 story arc has Hollyhock enlisting BoJack's help to discover who her biological parents were. Very contrary to their initial assumptions about Hollyhock being the daughter of BoJack and one of his ex-girlfriends, she's actually his half-sister, having been conceived in an extramarital affair by BoJack's father Butterscotch Horseman (see his folder above) and his maid, Henrietta Platchkey (see her section below).

Henrietta Platchkey

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screen_shot_2020_10_19_at_75516_pm.png
Voiced by: Majandra Delfino
Debut: "Time's Arrow"

A maid who used to work for Beatrice and Butterscotch Horseman at their San Francisco home. She's an elusive figure whose name a demented Beatrice keeps mentioning for some reason, apparently confusing her with BoJack and Hollyhock. As it later turns out, she got impregnated by Butterscotch, thus conceiving and giving birth to Hollyhock.


  • Captain Obvious: In Beatrice's memories, whenever Henrietta says she likes something, she tends to state what it actually is as the reason. For example, she loves paintings because it's "like T.V., only without all the talking and music," and she loves books because "the words tell stories." Beatrice doesn't find this particularly stimulating conversation.
  • The Faceless: Her only appearance is through Beatrice's memories, and her face is scribbled over due to Beatrice's dementia.
  • Foil: To Beatrice. Both are women who were impregnated by Butterscotch and refused to get an abortion. The wealthy born Beatrice decided to marry him and give up her dreams to take care of BoJack and on the hope Butterscotch would become a famous novelist, but he never did, and that plus the harsh realities of being a parent and regret over not marrying Corbin Creamerman, resulted in her bitterness and resentment for both her son and husband. The struggling nursing student Henrietta (at the insistence of Beatrice) gave up Hollyhock for adoption, went onto become a nurse, and is eager to see her long-lost daughter.
  • Good Girls Avoid Abortion: Much to Butterscotch's chagrin, Henrietta refuses to abort her baby. Beatrice managed to compromise with her by convincing her to give the baby up for adoption.
  • Good Is Dumb: Compared to Beatrice, who's sharp as a tack but mean as a snake, Henrietta is shown to be extremely sweet if less bright. She is not dumb though as she is a nurse but she might have been naïve for falling for Butterscotch, this is likely due to her young and tender age, being a woman in her 20's.
  • May–December Romance: Had an affair with Butterscotch, who was roughly 40-50 years her senior.
  • Missing Mom: At the insistence of Beatrice, Henrietta gave up Hollyhock for adoption.
  • The Mistress: Her affair with Butterscotch led to a pregnancy and the birth of Hollyhock.
  • Nice Girl: Cheating aside, Henrietta is tender, cheerful, and never says anything bad about anyone.
  • Struggling Single Mother: Discussed. Henrietta doesn't want to abort her baby at first, but she's under no delusions about what her life could be if she chooses to be mother while studying: she mentions the tuition "going up" and breaks down to Beatrice, admitting she doesn't know what to do. Even Beatrice, as cold hearted as she was at that point, tells her point blank that she can't expect her life to go breezy if she decides to raise a filly, it will eat her away. This is why Beatrice offers her to Take a Third Option.
  • The Unreveal: Her face is never shown; she appears only in Beatrice' recollections, where her face is scribbled out due to Beatrice' dementia and resentment.
  • Walking Spoiler: Due to her identity as Hollyhock's true mother, via an affair with Butterscotch.

Sugarman Family

    Joseph Sugarman 

Joseph Sugarman

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/stupid_piece_of_shit.jpg
As a modern American man I am woefully unprepared to manage a woman's emotions. I was never taught, and I will not learn.
Debut: "The Old Sugarman Place"

"All right. Believe it or not, time's arrow neither stands still nor reverses. It merely marches forward."

Beatrice's father and BoJack's maternal grandfather. Joseph was a wealthy sugar tycoon and businessman. But on the other hand, he was a not-so-excellent husband and father...


  • Abusive Parents: His actions have a profoundly negative effect on his daughter's emotional well-being. He prohibits her from eating ice cream and makes constant asides about her weight, and when she is upset due to her belongings being burned during a bout of scarlet fever, he casually warns her that she'll turn out like her mother, whom he had lobotomized, if she cries too much.
  • All for Nothing: The irony of Joseph's actions is that he ends up destroying both his family and his business in his attempts to save it. His family is damaged beyond repair with his son dead and wife lobotomized. He alienates his daughter and only surviving child, driving her into the arms of a son-in-law whose poor spending habits drive his family to bankruptcy ending with the family business sold to a Japanese conglomerate. Even his property is eventually destroyed after BoJack demolishes the summer home. All Joseph's efforts to maintain a happy family and business completely backfire and amount to nothing.
  • Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: He's a charmingly polite family man on the surface; but is really an emotionally manipulative, psychologically abusive asshole with very little consideration for his family's feelings.
  • The Cobbler's Children Have No Shoes: He is aware of how fattening his products are and does his best to prohibit Beatrice from eating sugary foods, such as ice cream, to keep her thin.
  • Control Freak: The two times he's shown to lose his temper on-screen, it's because of his "hysterical" wife and rebellious daughter acting out, thus acting out of his control.
  • Deliberate Values Dissonance: As a deconstruction of the Standard '50s Father, his outdated beliefs and distant, insensitive parenting style haven't aged well in the slightest, and he's portrayed as totally despicable for it. Special mention goes to lobotomizing his wife, Honey, which would've been seen in the 1940s as an acceptable mental health treatment, but to a modern-day audience is rightly portrayed as a cruel procedure that causes Death of Personality.
  • Devilish Hair Horns: A weird variant. In Beatrice's memories affected by dementia where she reminisces about her childhood doll being incinerated, Joseph Sugarman appears in front of a wall of fire, with his horse ears curved and pointed almost perfectly like the devil's horns.
  • Everyone Has Standards: Sure, he doesn't have an ounce of empathy or genuine kindness in his body, but that doesn't mean Joseph Sugarman wants his wife and daughter to drive drunk. When he finds out about it happening, he flies into an uncharacteristic rage after spending the entire episode as a superficially polite Standard '50s Father.
  • Exhausted Eyebags: Once Beatrice is in her twenties, you can see small bags underneath his eyes, a very slight sign of him aging. By the time he dies, this is far more apparent, with deeply sunken-in eyes and dark, wrinkly bags underneath.
  • Faux Affably Evil: At first, he seems like a very pleasant and affable man, or at least as pleasant as a Straw Misogynist can possibly be to his own family.
  • Formerly Fit: It's subtle, but even though he wears the same white suit when Beatrice is in her twenties, he's visibly fatter, which is one of the only signs he's aged.
  • Greater-Scope Villain: His abysmal parenting played a big part in turning Beatrice into a miserable person, which played a big part in turning his grandson into the man he became.
  • Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow: By the 1960s, the smooth bangs in his mane have receded a bit, and by the time of his death in the late 90s he is bald on top with only white hair on the sides.
  • Happiness Is Mandatory: He believes that sadness is a weak, obstructive, "womanly emotion" and tries to enforce positive feelings in his household to keep everyone moving forward. This is not without long-lasting repercussions.
  • Hate Sink: Joseph Sugarman is probably the most despicable member of the entire Sugarman/Horseman family line, but for different reasons than the others: While Beatrice and Butterscotch can rival him in terms of child abuse, Beatrice has the big excuse of a neglectful childhood and multiple traumas all around and Butterscotch was decent(ish) enough to actually take responsibility for what he had done to Beatrice. Joseph's lack of trauma, dissonant cheerfulness to his deeply harmful actions and enforced casual misogyny toward his daughter's aspirations and his wife's inability to deal with trauma make a standout monster above all. There's no excuse beyond his experience and how he was taught to deal with everything (though fellow businessman Corbin Creamerman was raised with Deliberate Values Dissonance too but was ironically confident enough to reject them), and even those fall flat when so much pain and suffering is caused because of his actions - he is unwilling to reach to anyone and uses extremity, force and emotional blackmail to keep everything in his life in check, no matter how much damage it causes everyone around him. Even his happy façade can drop when something goes wrong and the monster can show itself.
  • Innocently Insensitive: His actions shaped Beatrice into who she would become, but nothing he did was out of malice. He gently explains his motives to his daughter, like lobotomizing his wife because of her grief over their son dying or burning Beatrice's possessions because of her scarlet fever, and despite how horrific his actions are, he honestly is acting with the best of intentions for his family.
    Joseph: As a modern American man, I am woefully unprepared to manage a woman’s emotions. I was never taught, and I will not learn.
  • Innocent Bigot: Joseph doesn't think highly of civil rights movements or feminism, let alone seeing women as people with rights, but his initial appearance masks those traits. Then, it's slowly deconstructed showing how this type of mindset can kickstart heinous actions without fully comprehending their impact.
  • Ironic Name: For a horse whose last name is Sugarman, Joseph is anything but sweet to his wife and daughter.
  • It's All About Me: Joseph's biggest failing is to think of his family's well-being insofar as how it affects him, so much he can hardly admit his own mistakes, another moment of Inferiority Superiority Complex. When he briefly seemed to admit his own mistakes, he lashes out with sudden outbursts of violence.
  • Jerkass Has a Point: His only possible redeeming moment is when he is rightly furious at his wife for putting Beatrice's life in danger by forcing her to drive the car because she was drunk.
  • Jerk with a Heart of Jerk: He is one of the few characters on the show with no humanizing moments. Whenever it looks like Joseph might actually care to some degree for Honey or Beatrice, he proves himself to be devoid of any empathic thinking or basic support to offer.
  • Karma Houdini: He never gets any sort of comeuppance for the ruin he's caused and simply dies from natural causes.
  • Kick the Dog: He says and does many things with no clear purpose other than to show what a self-centered Jerkass he is, like blaming the Jews for "peeving off" Hitler.
  • Lack of Empathy: He at least thinks of himself as being a decent family man, but doesn't seem too concerned about actually trying to help his wife or daughter deal with their depressions resulting from CrackerJack's death. While it seems that he really does love his family, his emotions for them are entirely selfish, and only seems concerned for how they can make himself feel happy.
  • Light Is Not Good: He's almost always seen using the same white vest, even during old age. This color contrasts with his more heinous actions, as detailed all over here.
  • My God, What Have I Done?: Downplayed. After seeing the effects of the lobotomy on his wife Honey, he tells her that "[he'd] hardly have bothered" if he knew what would happen, but he's not shown agonizing over it or anything.
  • Never My Fault: He blames his lobotomized wife for failing to notice that Beatrice had contracted scarlet fever, even though he failed to notice too. Beatrice herself had tried to tell him directly that she was not feeling well minutes before, which he brushed off.
  • Nightmare Fuel Station Attendant: Joseph's personality and actions are a very real brand of scary, mostly because of how little he processes the damage and wrong he's doing, all with a terrifying smile.
  • No Historical Figures Were Harmed: He bears many similarities to Joseph Kennedy, patriarch of the Kennedy family. He was a wealthy and ambitious businessman in mid 20th century America, who had some seriously antisemitic beliefs even by his era’s standards, lost a son in World War II, had a female family member lobotomized for embarrassing the family, and is held to blame for the devastation of his family line.
  • Obliviously Evil: Despite all the cruel things he does to his wife and daughter (burning his daughter's doll in front of her since she had scarlet fever, lobomotozing his wife to stop her grief, forbidding Beatrice from eating ice cream), none of them are really done out of malice but were meant to keep his family stable. Unfortunately, he never considered the emotional and long-term effects.
  • Outliving One's Offspring: His eldest child and only son died in World War II, while Joseph lived on for several more decades.
  • Pet the Dog: As terrible as he is, he seemingly showed Butterscotch Horseman no ill will, as he allowed him a prominent job at his company for a six-figure salary (which was even more generous back then).
  • Politically Incorrect Villain: He's incredibly sexist even by his era's standards, believing that his wife and daughter have no place in life beyond being in the household; he also dismisses their mental illnesses as just being "womanly emotions" that he will not even try to understand as a man. He also blames the Jews for "provoking" Adolf Hitler into starting World War II, and he couldn't care less about the US Civil Rights Movement.
  • Posthumous Character: He is dead in the present timeline, only appearing in flashbacks.
  • Shipper with an Agenda: Joseph states outright that he doesn't care about Beatrice's personal interests, only caring that she make nice with Corbin Creamerman so they could get married and their family businesses would work together to make more profit.
  • Shoot the Dog: As cruel as it may have been to burn Beatrice's possessions, including her beloved baby doll, the medical standards of the 1940s were not as evolved as today's, so such extreme measures were necessary to prevent the spread of scarlet fever.
  • Skewed Priorities: When the doctor informs him that his young daughter's throat has been swollen almost completely shut due to scarlet fever, he tells her that it's an opportunity to lose some weight.
  • Sleeping with the Boss: A stray comment in "The Old Sugarman Place" implies he might have cheated on Honey with his secretary.
    Joseph: Ah, that would be a dream, but who else but I will make sure the numbers add up, and compliment my secretary on her tight sweaters?
  • The Sociopath: He has a deep desire to keep his family safe at all costs... which sounds good and noble on paper, but Joseph's "love" for his family is extremely possessive and self-centered, and he discards all morality to control their future, even if it makes them unhappy or unfulfilled.
  • Soft-Spoken Sadist: In spite of his laundry list of disgusting actions, Joseph's tone of voice is always calm, almost comforting. Emphasis in almost.
  • Standard '50s Father: Deconstructed. Joseph is introduced as an emotionally distant but caring father of The All-American Boy that is CrackerJack, but a covertly abusive parent towards his daughter and wife.
  • Stepford Smiler: He tends to act constantly cheerful, even when his domestic life is falling apart. It's soon made clear that beneath his superficially happy family-man persona, he's a very grouchy and passive-aggressive Control Freak who can't stand to not get his way over his wife and daughter. He's also heavily implied to suppress his emotions to an unhealthy degree, especially grief when it comes to CrackerJack's death and fury at being unable to control life.
  • Straw Misogynist: He cements himself as an irredeemable bastard when he has his wife Honey lobotomized for her "womanly emotions", and he's upset that his daughter Beatrice graduated from Barnard instead of getting her MRS Degree and a husband. There's also the fact that his first reaction to hearing that Beatrice's throat is swollen shut from scarlet fever is to cheerfully remark that it's a prime opportunity for her to lose weight.
  • The Unfought: While Beatrice never quite forgave her father for all the trauma he caused her, she came around to defend him, even justifying his methods whenever someone would call him out on his actions in a twisted form of Stockholm Syndrome. Joseph passed away calmly and without regrets, with his damaged daughter at his side mourning him.
  • Villainous Legacy: He started the cycle of abuse in the Sugarman/Horseman family, making him indirectly responsible for all the harm Beatrice and BoJack have done.
  • Wanted a Gender-Conforming Child: Out of his relationships with both of his offspring, Joseph seemed to prefer CrackerJack's law-abiding, chip-off-the-ol'-block attitude (even if this blind obedience of his was what led to his death) to Beatrice's increasing questioning of his inner logic and eventually rebellious attitude. As far as he knows, the only way Beatrice can hope to get a cushy future as a housewife is to be light as a feather, smile and act as submissive as possible rather than the "sassy" Mouthy Kid she slowly transforms during her teenager years. This leads to their strained relationship after Honey's lobotomy becoming even more so after she returns home with a Barnard college degree rather than a husband. Ironically, not presurring her that way might have prevented her marriage with Butterscotch, whose spending habits ruined the family business.
  • Well-Intentioned Extremist: He considers himself a family man trying his best to provide for his wife and daughter, but his actions cause Honey and Beatrice far more harm than good.

    Honey Sugarman 

Honey Sugarman

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/honey_7.jpg
I have half a mind to kiss you with that smart mouth.
After she is lobotomized

Voiced by: Jane Krakowski
Debut: "The Old Sugarman Place"

"Love does things to a person. Terrible things."

Beatrice' mother and BoJack's maternal grandmother. She is a wealthy housewife who dearly loved her family. But after the death of her son CrackerJack she becomes extremely emotionally unstable…


  • The Alcoholic: She turns to alcohol after her son dies in World War II. This leads to a drunk-driving incident that endangers her (and Beatrice') lives.
  • Artistic License – Medicine: In the year that Honey was lobotomized (about 1945), lobotomies were done through a cut above the hairline so regrown hair can cover the incision. Honey's lobotomy leaves her with a big, garish scar right across her forehead, which is admittedly much more dramatic.
  • Be Careful What You Wish For: She begs to be free of her grief and pleads with Joseph to "fix" her. However, psychology isn't a perfected field during her time. A lobotomy is believed to be the best option for her at the time.
  • Death of Personality: Honey starts out as a lively woman with a sassy attitude who loves her family, but after the death of her son causes her to develop a severe case of PTSD and depression, she is lobotomized, which turns her into an Empty Shell who isn't capable of taking care of her daughter.
  • Drowning My Sorrows: After CrackerJack's death, her downward spiral leads her to drink excessively in order to cope with her loss.
  • Empty Shell: Post lobotomy, she hardly shows any emotion or appears to be alive at all, with the implication she became catatonic. When asked as an adult by Butterscotch if she passed away when she says her mother doesn’t think about anything anymore, Beatrice says “No, not exactly.”
  • Female Misogynist: Downplayed; her husband tends to be more openly misogynistic, but Honey still clearly has some internalized misogyny herself. She makes pancakes for her husband but doesn't let her young daughter have any, tells Beatrice ice cream is for boys so she can sprinkle some sugar on a lemon and suck on that instead, and when Beatrice tries to lift a suitcase Honey tells her it'll rupture her uterus.
  • Hysterical Woman: Deconstructed. She's clearly unstable after CrackerJack's death, but Joseph dismisses it as "womanly emotions". To the audience, it is clear that this is perfectly valid grief that Joseph isn't really equipped to handle.
  • Like Mother, Like Daughter: It's pretty clear Beatrice inherited her keen intelligence, sass, and smart mouth from her mother. However, while Honey is a cheerful woman who playfully quipped to make people laugh, Beatrice largely due to the trauma of her mother's lobotomy is a miserable woman who uses her sharp tongue to shiv people.
  • Love Makes You Crazy: She loves her son dearly, but his death during the war causes her to descend into such grief that she drinks excessively, tries to make out with her dead son's friend, and makes her very young daughter drive their car which results in minor injuries for both of them. After she's lobotomized, she makes Beatrice promise to never love someone as much as she loved CrackerJack.
  • Mad Libs Catch Phrase: "Why, I have half a mind to [x]!" This takes a very dark turn after she's been lobotomized, when she says "Why, I have half a mind..." but trails off.
  • Meaningful Echo:
    • She and CrackerJack play the piano at their summer house. After CrackerJack dies, she tries to play the song they always played and can't bring herself to finish it, and after she's lobotomized she can barely play a note.
    • Post-lobotomy, she says "I have half a mind..." and trails off, reflecting the earlier, happy scene where she says "I've half a mind to kiss you with that smart mouth", prompting her husband to quip "THAT half you can keep!"
  • Motif: Honey became a shadow of her former self after her lobotomy, so during flashbacks featuring her in "Time's Arrow", which take place in Beatrice's dementia affected mind, her mother appears only as a shadow, sometimes with the scar in her forehead highlighted.
  • Nothing Is Scarier: Post-lobotomy, Honey is only seen as a shadow or silhouette in Beatrice's dementia addled memories. Considered how much she's implied to deteriorate over the years post-lobotomy, and how unkempt and zombie-like she holds herself, this just serves to highlight the horror of her condition.
  • O.O.C. Is Serious Business: While young Beatrice is delighted when her mother finally lets her buy a freezy pop, to the audience it's a clear sign of Honey's grief and depression over her son's death. Honey finally snaps not long after.
  • Outliving One's Offspring: Her eldest child and only son dies in World War II. She lives for decades, crippled by grief and eventually lobotomized.
  • Parental Favoritism: Downplayed. She isn't mean or overly neglectful, but Honey openly dotes on her son CrackerJack while treating young Beatrice as almost an afterthought. It's implied to play part in why her daughter was a poor consolation to losing her son, and could be part of the reason her grief made her willing to endanger her daughter in her drunk driving stunt to "feel alive again."
  • Posthumous Character: She is dead in the present timeline, only appearing in flashbacks.
  • Sinister Silhouettes: When she's shown post-lobotomy in flashbacks, Beatrice sees her only as a silhouette with the highlighted scar.
  • Stepford Smiler: After spending months depressed she tries to be cheerful and keep a brave face for Beatrice at an end of war party at a barn, but inevitably breaks down as she can't handle life without CrackerJack.
  • Unwitting Instigator of Doom: She asks Beatrice to never love someone as much as she loved CrackerJack after she was lobotomized, setting the stage for Beatrice' entire outlook on life.
  • What Is This Feeling?: Due to her own charmed life and her husband's blatant misogynistic tendencies deeming all turbulent emotions "womanly", when the normally cheerful and vivacious Honey experiences grief and heartbreak from her son's death, she's unable to process or cope with the pain, and ultimately begs to be "fixed."

    CrackerJack Sugarman 

CrackerJack Sugarman

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/crackerjack_7.jpg
I will always think of you...

Beatrice' older brother and BoJack's maternal uncle. He dies tragically young while fighting for the American military in World War II.


  • Boom, Headshot!: During the dinner scene in the series' penultimate episode, CrackerJack's represention in BoJack's near-Dying Dream reveals that he died from a bullet hitting him in the head, with the fatal mark still present and hidden under his mane. Then again, being BoJack's dream, this may not be accurate.
  • Cool Big Bro: Shown to be a nice older brother to Beatrice when he gives her his old blanket.
  • Meaningful Name: “Crackerjack” is slang for “excellent”, and he’s remembered as the perfect son, brother, and patriot.
  • Momma's Boy: He has a close relationship with his mom; they affectionately sing a song together, and his death is more devastating for her than her husband.
  • Nice Guy: He seemed to have been a very kindhearted young man who dearly loved his family.
  • Plot-Triggering Death: His death causes a good chunk of the plot, specifically involving the dysfunction of his family.
  • Posthumous Character: He was killed in combat during World War II, and is only seen alive in a single flashback.
  • Practically Different Generations: In 1944, his little sister Beatrice was only six years old, while CrackerJack himself was old enough to join the army and drink beer.
  • Security Blanket: Honey insists on him having his embarrassing yellow-and-blue blanket on hand for their portrait which he insists he's outgrown, but gives to Beatrice to hang onto. It becomes a Tragic Keepsake after he dies, as Honey demands to return to the summer house in the middle of winter in a desperate search for it.
  • Small Role, Big Impact: He doesn't have a huge role in the story as he only appears in flashbacks, however, the aftermath of his death sets up everything else. His death instigates a chain of abuse that starts with his mother and father, passes on to his sister, then to his nephew, and then to his step-niece. Even BoJack who never met CrackerJack has a sense of the impact he had.
    BoJack: The uncle I never met and yet could never live up to.
  • Too Good for This Sinful Earth: He is friendly and good-humored, loves his mother and little sister, and goes off to war under the impression that it he'll kill Nazis by day and kick back in the beer gardens by night. We last see him in summer and he's dead by winter.
  • Uncanny Family Resemblance: BoJack bears a striking resemblance to him, and Beatrice even mistakes an old photo of BoJack for her brother. Notably, while diamond-shaped stars are shown to run in the family (and serve as a major plot point), BoJack and CrackerJack are the only two seen with snips.
  • Unwitting Instigator of Doom: It is CrackerJack's death during the war that unintentionally sets off the cycle of abuse in the Sugarman/Horseman family.
  • Wide-Eyed Idealist: Given that he is a happy-go-lucky, rich young man who grew up living quite comfortably at home, he holds some very naïve expectations about what war will be like.

Other Relatives

    Butterscotch's Parents 

Butterscotch's unnamed parents

Mentioned: "Time's Arrow"

Butterscotch: "I'm sorry, did—did [Beatrice's mother] pass?"
Beatrice: "No, not exactly."
Butterscotch: "Mine did."
Beatrice: "I'm very sorry to hear that."
Butterscotch: "I was little. I don't remember, really. But she had a diamond just like yours. I saw it in a picture once."

Butterscotch's never-seen parents, and BoJack's paternal grandparents, who are implied to be the main culprits for the trainwreck their son would eventually become.


  • Deceased Parents Are the Best: Butterscotch idealizes his dead mother, and is attracted to women with her features.
  • The Ghost: Mentioned, but never seen at all.
  • No Name Given: Neither of their names were ever revealed.
  • Posthumous Character: Butterscotch's mother has already been long dead since his early childhood, while his father has most likely already passed away well before the series' present-day.
  • Precious Photo: The only way Butterscotch is able to remember his mom is by a photo he saw once.
  • Strong Family Resemblance: Butterscotch's mother had a diamond marking and brown hair (likely fur also) just like his illegitimate daughter Hollyhock.

Carolyn Family

    Carolyn Family (in general) 
  • Ambiguously Jewish: For one, "Chickens" sees PC headed to a family wedding between her niece and a dog, with the groom wearing a yarmulke. Then, in "Ruthie", the eponymous character tells her ancestors' story, which mirrors that of Jewish immigrants, especially the downgraded lifestyle compared to their much better positions in their home country. There's even Klezmer-style music playing in the background when she tells it.
  • Massive Numbered Siblings: PC emphasizes her large family as one of the reasons why she's so interested in standing out, being the runt and all. So far there are "several nephews and nieces", eleven siblings, and a deceased father and mother.

    Cutie Cutie Cupcake 

Cutie Cutie Cupcake

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/princess_carolyn_mom_cutie_cutie_cupcake.png
"Can you do this one thing for me?"
Voiced by: David Sedaris

Princess Carolyn's mother. She was a maid who often let her love for drink to overcome her duties, forcing PC to be the responsible one and cover for her.


  • Abusive Parents: She would often let her daughter cover up for her shifts because she was often too wasted to actually do anything. She also put down Princess Carolyn's hopes of going to a prestigious college in California, with the excuse that their family was essentially doomed to have a poor life, and in order to keep her last child at home. However, she does show Princess Carolyn moments of sympathy and kindness, such as giving her her necklace after Princess Carolyn learns she's pregnant and creating a nice story behind it to give her hope. While she does put the blame on Princess Carolyn for having a miscarriage, she still sympathizes a lot with her and even lets her go to UCLA after all.
  • Addled Addict: Her alcoholism affected her work schedule and threatened to leave them homeless multiple times.
  • Explosive Breeder: According to her daughter (and exemplified by various nephews and nieces), she had multiple children and was quite fertile herself. This is implied to be the cause why she and her husband often worked thankless jobs to support the family; the drinking, not so much. This is contrast with her daughter Princess Carolyn, the runt of the litter, who's unable to get pregnant no matter what. The bitter irony of the situation isn't lost on her and is a particularly sore spot for her.
  • The Fatalist: Cutie doesn't believe in free will, thinking everyone's fate is already decided by having "lucky" or "unlucky" numbers with her and her family getting the short end of the stick. Of course, this has become self-fulfilling since she has pretty much given up in trying to do anything, letting booze take the edge away, and it's implied she's now refusing to take responsibility on how her passive attitude might have made her situation worse. At the same time, it's unclear if she always believed it or she's become jaded enough to use it as an excuse.
  • Law of Inverse Fertility: An irresponsible alcoholic without anything more than a meager income to support her family which she barely makes, had a numerous litter. Her hard-working, diligent daughter Princess Carolyn, who might have the necessary resources to give a child all it may need, is infertile.
  • Lies to Children: Cutie fabricated a whole story involving a replica necklace she gave Princess Carolyn about it being a family jewel passed down generations. While she initially made up the story to soothe a pregnant young Princess Carolyn's fears, this revelation is the cherry on top of the shit smoothie that breaks PC after a bad day.
  • Like Parent, Unlike Child: Cutie didn't have any of the work ethic, high-functional alcoholism, determination or charm her younger daughter Princess Carolyn has. Fertility is also one of the key differences between them and it drives Princess Carolyn mad that for all her accomplishments, she can't get pregnant like her mother.
  • Parental Neglect: Not caring about her daughter having to do her job due to her alcoholism is not a sign of a good family dynamic.
  • Pet the Dog: Cutie gives Princess Carolyn a replica necklace, fabricated a whole story about it being a family jewel passed down generations, to make a young Princess Carolyn feel better when she got pregnant.
  • Please, Don't Leave Me: She doesn't want Princess Carolyn to go to college, let alone in California, because she's the only child who hasn't left her, and is the only one willing to put up with her drunken laziness. Even when P.C. is off to college, she begs her at the last minute to take a gap year to stay home with her, though P.C. solemnly declines, devastating her.
  • Posthumous Character: Princess Carolyn says the last time she visited her hometown since 2018 was for her funeral (which was before 2014), and she only appears via flashback.
  • Small Role, Big Impact: She has been mentioned by PC and only appears once in season 5, yet she is the main reason why PC is so messed up.

    Mr. Carolyn 

Mr. Carolyn

Princess Carolyn's father. He lived in Raleigh, NC, and was separated from PC's mom. Died somewhere between the mid-2000s, with his daughter attending his funeral alongside BoJack. Due to lack of actual information, most of these tropes are, let's say, ambiguous.


  • The Ghost: Unlike his wife, he's only mentioned in passing. Although the appearance of PC's siblings implies that he's a calico breed (or, at least, has the genetics, anyways).
  • Disappeared Dad: If we go by the Princess' flashbacks, he was mostly mentioned but he wasn't actually there. On top of the this, said flashbacks imply that Cutie and Mr. Carolyn were divorced by a point.
  • Posthumous Character: He died some time during 2007-2014, long before the series started as PC was still with BoJack at the time.

    Ruthie Carolyn 

Ruthie Carolyn (formerly "Untitled Princess Carolyn Project")

Voiced by: ???
Debuted: The Stopped Show
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ruthie_s6b.png

A porcupine baby girl whom Princess Carolyn adopted at the end of Season 5. Her biological mother is a human teenaged girl named Sadie, her biological father a porcupine named Strib.


  • Cute, but Cacophonic: As adorable as Ruthie is, she's still a newborn, and is initially very needy and prone to bawling no matter what PC does. She eventually settles down, becoming if anything a rather obliging baby.
  • Furry Reminder: Her quills flare up when she's unhappy.
  • Interspecies Adoption: She is a porcupine who gets adopted by Princess Carolyn, a cat, at the end of Season 5.
  • Meaningful Name: Princess Carolyn ends up naming her Ruthie, after her fantasy of her future descendant, because the porcupine is proof that Princess Carolyn will have descendants even if she's not related to them by blood. It's also a nod to the pep talk a stressed out Princess Carolyn receives from Vanessa Gecko shortly after getting her home...that motherhood is her newest job, and it's a ruthless one.
  • Working Title:In-Universe. When Princess Carolyn first adopted her, her name was literally "Untitled Princess Carolyn project", since Princess Carolyn wasn't able to think of an actual name for her just yet. She eventually decides to name her Ruthie.

    Sadie 

Sadie

Voiced by: Jaime Pressly
Debut: "The Amelia Earhart Story"

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img_4544.png

A human girl from Eden, North Carolina (Princess Carolyn's hometown). She is the biological mother of Ruthie, whom Princess Carolyn adopts immediately after her birth.


  • Commonality Connection: She admits that she's pleased Princess Carolyn is also from Eden.
  • Dumb Blonde: Subverted. Sadie is a blonde, poorly educated, pregnant teen from a backwoods Southern town, but it turns out she's very bright and observant and is easily able to pick up on how PC regularly manipulates people.
  • Interspecies Romance: Sadie (a human) got knocked up by her boyfriend Strip, who's a porcupine.
  • Teen Pregnancy: Her main role is to be a potential birth mother for Princess Carolyn, because she got knocked up at eighteen.
  • Youthful Freckles: Has some on her face and arms, and she’s eighteen.

    Strib 

Strib

Voiced by:
Debut: "The Amelia Earhart Story"
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/strib2.jpg
"He's not exactly the romantic type, but he's got those eyes you just can't say no to, you know what I mean?"
Ruthie's bio-dad.
  • Flat Character: There's not much to him besides that he's "not really romantic" and that his real name is "Dennis."
  • No Accounting for Taste: His whole relationship with Sadie is this, as there was something about him that attracted her but it wasn't enough to keep that relationship going. At one point, Sadie tells Princess he's not really a romantic type and we get that when he tried to get her back with "Give me another chance to tell you that I love you or whatever".
  • Satellite Character: His only prominences in the story are that he's Sadie's ex and Ruthie's bio-dad.

Nguyen Family

    Nguyen Family (in general) 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/enhanced_6150_1410994451_11.png

This bunch of stereotypical Bostonian assholes are Diane Nguyen's family, who are introduced in "Live Fast, Diane Nguyen" when she visits them to bury their father. As it turns out, they're not really nice people.


  • Abusive Parents: Diane's mother and (deceased) father could go toe-to-toe with Beatrice and Butterscotch Horseman. The father delighted on humiliating and making Diane feel less, while the mother constantly guilt-trips her into doing things for the family while coddling and preferring the most useless links in the family.
  • The Alcoholic: Their local hangout is a bar and they constantly drink beer in the house.
  • Asian Rudeness: Played with. They're Vietnamese-American and very impolite, but their rudeness is of a distinctly American flavor.
  • Big Brother Bully: Much like their parents, Diane's brothers often got a kick out of humiliating their little sister; the worst case being the Prank Date with her fake pen-pal Leo, which they videotaped.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Very bitter examples. Every word they say related to Diane comes of the most passive-aggressive flavored kind.
  • Establishing Character Moment: The instant Diane walks through that door, all of them start chastising her for abandoning them, despite being pretty awful excuses of human beings and a bad influence on her.
  • Immigrant Patriotism: They're Vietnamese-American immigrants who are so patriotic that they don't even remember that they're immigrants. This is Truth in Television: immigrants often overcompensate by trying to fit in that they're ironically the most representative of such country's lifestyle.
  • Jaded Washout: Each one of them seem to be stuck in a memory bubble of their own making, despite no longer being young, oblivious to how much their lives suck or why should they stop acting like frat boy jerks. One of them, Marty, still believes he'll get into B.C. despite not having entered.
  • Jerk with a Heart of Jerk: The only reason why they reached out for Diane was to ensure their dad's funeral, a funeral which they didn't even attend, since they opted for chumming Dad instead, making Diane lose time, money and dignity.
  • Stereotype Flip: A family of Vietnamese-Americans who act like Southies.

    Pa Nguyen 

Mr. Nguyen

Voiced by: Paul F. Tompkins
Debuted: Live Fast, Diane Nguyen

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img_4546.png
Aw shove it up ya rear ya jag off, you’re just the same as everyone else and don’t let nobody tell ya different.
2007
As a corpse

Diane's father, whose death is the main plot of "Live Fast, Diane Nguyen". He is only seen alive in a Flashback in "The BoJack Horseman Show" and "Dog Days Are Over".


  • Abusive Parents: Just like his wife and sons, Diane's father delighted on seeing his daughter fail and suffer. She describes him as " a mean, sadistic alcoholic who never supported anything [she] did and actively delighted on seeing [her] fail".
  • Alcoholic Parent: Going by what he looks like in a flashback, we're going to guess that he was a heavier drinker than Ma.
  • Big Sleep: As far as the Nguyen brothers are concerned, their dad just fell asleep in the couch as always and never woke up. The rest of the family failed to notice his death for some time, with some of the brothers dick-facing him as a prank.
  • The Cobbler's Children Have No Shoes: He was a Vietnamese immigrant and a tenured professor of Vietnamese history at a prestigious university. His children are completely out of touch with their Vietnamese heritage, and he had no interest in telling Diane about their heritage when she asked about it.
    Christ Dee-Dee that’s my job! I don’t ask you to have a period on YOUR day off!
  • Hidden Depths: Whoever knew such a mean, sports-obsessed drunk who raised a bunch of equally mean, moronic, deadbeat sons would be a professor of Vietnamese history at Tufts University? Perhaps Diane's intelligence didn't come completely out of nowhere from her family after all.
  • Immigrant Patriotism: He was a proud American patriot with an accurate regional Boston accent who happened to teach Vietnamese history, and wouldn't let anyone tell him otherwise. When young Diane asks to learn more about her Vietnamese heritage he flatly refuses for this reason.
    We're as American as pho!!!
  • Mutilation Conga: Drawn on, putrid state, torn apart and turned into chum and then lost through Boston.
  • No Name Given: His real name is never revealed. He's known only as "Pa" and that's it.
  • Plot-Triggering Death: His death kicks the main plot of "Live Fast, Diane Nguyen" and Diane's trip to Boston to reconnect with her Family.
  • Smarter Than You Look: Turns out he was a professor of Vietnamese history at Tufts University (which is borderline-Ivy League) despite what his stereotypical Southies demeanor would suggest.

    Ma Nguyen 

Mrs. Nguyen

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ma_nguyen.jpg
Voiced by: Melissa Leo
Debuted: Live Fast, Diane Nguyen

Diane's constantly nagging mother.


  • Abusive Parents: Of the emotional kind. The moment Diane walks up that door, she starts deriding her for not showing often, if at all (despite the fact that her manipulations are one of the reasons), as well as "trying to shove" her better life up everyone's throats (she doesn't, they all hate her because she ''is'' better). She also allows her sons to mock her only daughter.
  • Alcoholic Parent: Constantly accompanies her children to the local bar and seems to support their decision to drink in the house, since she also does it. Like any good example of this trope, she's also a bad mother.
  • Cosmetic Horror: The exceeding makeup she uses only makes her appearance even more unflattering when mixed with the wrinkles and the overstuffed hairstyle.
  • Unnamed Parent: She's only referred to as "Ma" or "Mom" during her one and only appearance in the series (give or take a cameo in season 3), leaving her nameless.
  • Useless Bystander Parent: While Diane can attest to the fact that her brothers were basically sheep mindlessly joining in the abuse and her father one of the main ringleaders, she doesn't mention her mother at all in any specific manner of abuse; e.g. using "my parents" as a form of speech to refer to them, heavily implying Ma's greater crime was standing still while the rest of the family abused Diane and recriminating her when she attempted to fight back or do something about her life. Indeed during her visit, Ma Nguyen never really verbally assaults her or humiliates her in any way, just sitting in the background and sarcastically putting her down or reacting with indifference to most things her children say or do, at no point raising her finger to help her and siding with the rest when Diane tries to complain.

    Gary Nguyen 

Gary Nguyen (the Black Sheep)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/maxresdefault3_8.jpg
Voiced by: Patton Oswalt
Debuted: Live Fast, Diane Nguyen

Diane's brother is a literal black sheep who just like her other brothers regularly mistreats her despite being the obvious candidate for that kind of suffering.


  • Happily Adopted: He was adopted by the Nguyen family, and contrary to any kind of normal expectations, there's no sign that he was discriminated or ostracized by the family in any way. Matter of fact, he gets along with his brothers and parents far better than Diane does.
  • Interspecies Adoption: Gary, a black sheep was adopted by a human family.
  • Visual Pun: He is a literal black sheep, contrasting with Diane being a figurative Black Sheep.

    Artie Nguyen 

Artie Nguyen

Voiced by: Mike O'Malley
Debuted: Live Fast, Diane Nguyen
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img_4549.png

One of Diane's older brothers and the main ringer of abuse for the rest.


  • Hero-Worshipper: He's an enormous fan of movie and television stars. As such, when Diane shows up with BoJack, he's elated to finally meet someone with a Hollywood vehicle under his belt and spend most of his time trying to interact with him on some capacity.
  • Immigrant Patriotism: He insists that the family is as American as they can come despite being Vietnamese-American. Sure, they have adopted and assimilated to the culture of the country: football, typical (and dysfunctional) family disputes and complaining about everything. But it's quite telling that they have to be reminded that they're not exactly born in U.S.A.
    "Step off! We're American as Pho!"
  • I Shall Taunt You: Without any concern for Diane, he shows BoJack and the rest of the family the infamous "Cry-ane" video for no reason whatsoever. Okay, maybe couple of reasons. All while she's still standing there.

    Marty Nguyen 

Marty Nguyen

Voiced by: Larry Clarke
Debuted: Live Fast, Diane Nguyen
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img_4548_2.png
Can't talk, watching the game

Diane's brother who spends the days sitting in the couch watching a VHS taping of the 1986 World Series.


    Tommy Nguyen 

Tommy Nguyen

Voiced by: Adam Conover
Debuted: Live Fast, Diane Nguyen
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img_4550.png

One of Diane's brothers. By default the nicest of her family members but not by a whole lot.


  • Pet the Dog: Tommy is still an asshole to Diane but appears to be the only family member who acts somewhat nice to her when she visits, he's the only one happy to see her when she's home, says they need her help with their dad’s funeral since she’s the smartest and actually went to college, and tries to calm her down when she reaches her Rage Breaking Point. Although, it could be argued he was only acting “nice” in these scenes so Diane would actually do the work for them, as none of them even bother to go to the funeral Diane sets up and pays for, and he still laughs at the "Cry-Anne" video along with the other brothers.

Peanutbutter Family

    Captain Peanutbutter 

Captain Peanutbutter

Debuted: "Old Acquaintance"

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/2839b1ae_0731_457e_a4cd_4363c01f3999.png

Mr. Peanutbutter's brother, who still lives in their hometown somewhere in the Labrador Peninsula of Canada.


  • Formally-Named Pet: Following the same pattern as his brother, "Captain" is his actual first name. Furthermore, logically (and adorably) enough, his kids call Mister Peanutbutter "Uncle Mister".
  • Nice Guy: He's quite sweet and friendly like his brother, although a bit more grounded and mature.
  • Secretly Dying: Turns out he has a twisted spleen, a very serious condition in dogs in Real Life. He is reluctant to tell Mr. Peanutbutter, and acts awkward and cryptic towards Diane because of this. But fortunately, he soon gets better.
  • Stepford Smiler: He seems cheery and optimistic like his brother and everyone else in their hometown, but he's very anxious about (possibly) dying from an illness.

    Mr. Peanutbutter's ex-wives 
Mr. Peanutbutter has had quite a few failed marriages over his lifetime. His first two wives were Katrina, and then Jessica Biel. He eventually divorces Diane Nguyen by the beginning of Season 5. Read their respective pages for more information.

Chavez Family

    Helen Chavez 

Helen Chavez

Voiced by: Chloe Dykstra
Debuted: "Zoës and Zeldas" (only shown neck up, non speaking cameo), "Angela" (official debut)
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img_4907.png

Todd's mother. She and her husband (Todd's stepfather Jorge) kicked him out of their house for being a lazy high school dropout slacker addicted to video games.


  • Alternative Character Interpretation: This happens in-universe when characters discuss her kicking Todd out of her house. BoJack admits he thought she did it because Todd was gay and was proven wrong; Todd was asexual but she didn't know that at the time. Todd at first thinks it's because she hates him. Later, however, he comes to admit that it was probably that he needed the Tough Love and motivation to not be a Lazy Bum. He does steal his kidney back to donate to her, although the series final reveals they’re still working on reconciling.
  • Bit Character: She only appears briefly in a flashback in "Zoes and Zeldas" to demonstrate disappointment over Todd's downward spiral, to try to get Todd to snap out of playing Decapathon and to eventually leave him to his own luck.
  • Small Role, Big Impact: As Todd relates, how she got fed up with his laziness after becoming a slacker and kicking him out is the reason why he ended up living with BoJack in the first place.

    Jorge Chavez 

Jorge Chavez

Voiced by: Jaime Camil
Debuted: "The Kidney Stays In The Picture"
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img_4905.jpeg

Todd's Mexican stepfather, and whom he gets his surname from. Todd resents him for being hard on him growing up and for him (and his mom) kicking him out, whereas Jorge dislikes Todd's freeloading and carefree attitude towards life.


  • Freudian Excuse: His Tough Love towards Todd stemmed from the fact that he had to face racism for being a Hispanic immigrant throughout his life.
  • Henpecked Husband: Spent a decade not contacting Todd at the insistence of his wife, who loves Todd enough to accept a phone call but is too proud to have either herself or Jorge be the first to reach out.
  • Hidden Depths: As much as he complains about Todd's Zany Scheme approach to solving problems, he proves rather adept at using it himself, specifically taking advantage of others' racism to get results.
  • Jerkass Has a Point: Jorge isn't wrong about Todd being a lazy, irresponsible, unmotivated freeloader who just coasts through life without any effort or forethought.
    Todd: Why can't you see I'm living a good life? I have friends, I have a job—
    Jorge: You sleep on the couch and you play with puppets all day.
  • Why Couldn't You Be Different?: He and Todd don't get along well, primarily because Jorge disdains how carefree and lackadaisical Todd tends to act in life.
  • Workaholic: He's a very well-educated and hard-working white-collar professional, and takes pride in this fact.

Alternative Title(s): Bojack Horseman Beatrice Sugarman Horseman, Bojack Horseman Butterscotch Horseman, Bojack Horseman Hollyhock, Bojack Horseman The Horseman Family

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