cillianflood
Since: May, 2012
10/02/2015 00:00:00
I liked exactly two jokes from the first episode his publisher being a penguin, subtle and a hilarious character overall that continues to be fresh even when repeating the same joke, and Todd being pursued by the mob which sadly only got a brief call back, kind of implied he had a lot of hidden depths at first glance.
Then I read this review and based on it and nothing else I decided to go back and give the show another chance. And I am so glad I did. It gets so much better, not only as a work of comedy but also as a work of drama. Do not judge this show based on the first few episodes alone. It is well worth the watch.
Pannic
Since: Jul, 2009
10/03/2015 00:00:00
Heh, glad to hear it.
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Surprisingly, it may be the best cartoon out right now
You probably didn't think much of this show when you saw ads for it on Netflix and Youtube. Maybe you watched a couple of episodes and wrote it off as just another adult animated sitcom. You could be forgiven for this. You would also be wrong.
What first seems like a stale bunch of cutaway gags and too on-the-nose topical satire gradually morphs into what turns out to be not just a hilarious comedy (which draws off of both LA celebrity culture and animal-related gags), but a powerful character-driven drama exploring its surprisingly complex protagonist. It's difficult to say what it is that makes him so compelling in the short time space without giving spoilers; his desperation to be loved, combined with his inability to let others in; his self-pitying wallowing as he watches old episodes of his tv show; his attempts to try to make things work out like they would in a tv show; and his inability to admit the truth to himself.
After two seasons I can safely say that it's not just an excellent cartoon, but one of the best cartoons (or even shows in general) that I've ever seen. The writing is excellent, balancing humor and drama without being to the detriment of either while exploring well-rounded and compelling characters, and the voice work deserves special mention. Will Arnett's performance as Bojack should have gotten him at least an Emmy nomination. The rest of the voice cast is also excellent, with a special mention to be made for Aaron Paul, who voices Todd, Bojack's slacker.. well, "roommate" isn't quite the word, and Amy Sedaris, who voices Bojack's agent, Princess Carolyn.
In a medium that's saturated with shows that seem to be knock-offs of either South Park, Family Guy, or Ren & Stimpy, Bojack Horseman stands out as something fairly unique in its category: a character-driven piece that is one hell of a depressing comedy.
So give the show a shot. It might not seem like much at first, but around halfway through the first season it really starts to hit its stride. Episode 11 of season 1, "Downer Ending," isn't just a great episode in the series; it's one of the best episodes I've seen of anything in a long time.