Hey! Have you read part one of this series, yet? If so, welcome back!

If not, I highly recommend that you read part one before reading this one, as there are some moments from the show which I highlighted that I think are important in context of what I’m talking about.

Like I said in part one, Bojack Horseman is my favourite show of all time and it’s going to be incredibly difficult for another to top it. Seriously. I’m going to have to be blown away to an extent of being transported to a different dimension for another show to exceed my love for this one.

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Netflix has had some very successful series’ over the last decade or so, but I’m not sure that one has garnered the level of a cult following that Bojack Horseman has. It seems as if everyone that has watched the show just has this specific love and respect for it. You feel connected to it, not necessarily with Bojack himself, but with how real it all feels.

With that said, I can see how this show might be a turn-off for most. For starters, the show starts off rather slow. The first three episodes are, in my opinion, the three worst episodes in the entire series. It make sense to me in the sense that the writers were clearly in the “feeling out” process.

But once you are done with episodes 1-3, the rest of the show is nothing short of spectacular (we’ll get to that shortly.)

On top of that, from an outsider’s perspective, a show about animated anthropomorphic animals might seem a little off-putting. Now, the actual story is incredibly complex and well written, but I can totally justify people who may see this show as weird or off-putting if they don’t know anything about the actual plot.

Alright, enough about the people who haven’t seen the show, let’s jump in to the second part of my analysis of what makes Bojack Horseman so special.

Also, again, MASSIVE spoiler alert for those who haven’t seen the show.

Reason 4 – The Writing

To anyone who’s watched the show, this (along with another point I’ll get to later) might be the most obvious one.

I mean, come on. This show is a factory of quality quotes.

Everyone has seen a depressing Bojack “corecore” edit on TikTok or Instagram at some point (that can also be a turn off for new viewers,) but those don’t do justice to just how good the show’s potent usage of hard hitting one-liners is.

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The show can obviously get to places that are dark and even tough to watch at times, but so many shows have gone to those places. It’s the way that this show pulls it off that is so incredibly special.

Bojack Horseman doesn’t just make you feel sad, it can full on crush you. It can obliterate any sort of prior emotion you may have been feeling, even if it’s just for one, singular moment.

My favourite quote comes from Wanda Pierce, Bojack’s girlfriend in the show’s second season. Their relationship is officially coming to a close, as Wanda’s failed attempt to go on a vacation with Bojack spirals into an argument. After Bojack tells her that this is how it usually ends, Wanda hits the audience with one of the most real and gut-wrenching quotes in the entire show.

“You know, It’s funny. When you look at someone through rose-coloured glasses, all the red flags just look like flags.” 

That was Wanda’s last line in the entire show.

I just realized that I’m making this show sound like it’s all doom and gloom, when that’s not the case at all.

This show can make one cry, but it can also make one laugh harder at just the shameless absurdity that it presents.

Bojack Horseman’s absurdist humour contrasts just how brutal the show can be in terms of facing reality. Characters like Todd and Mr. Peanutbutter are usually the ones that carry the load of comedic relief, while also having their own problems and stories throughout.

While Mr. Peanutbutter borders on living in ignorant bliss, Todd always finds himself in the most wild scenarios that always leaves you thinking, “how did the writer’s even think of this?”

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The writing in this show is world class, and is definitely the strongest aspect of the show, in my opinion.

Reason 5 – Experimentation

In theory, I maybe could have plonked this in with the last point, but I think it’s something that I want to devote a full section to.

There are some very interesting paths that the show chooses to take throughout its duration. Whether it be an episode with close to no dialogue, an episode that is pretty much one person talking through its entirety, or an episode built on a character not being able to decipher what’s real and what’s not, Bojack Horseman oozes creativity and experimental elements.

There are twelve episodes in each season (besides season six which had sixteen) and the penultimate episodes are the ones that seem to go into more experimental directions, as they are usually the most impactful episodes in each season. The best one, in my mind, came in season four, and is my favourite episode in the entire series.

Time’s Arrow (Season 4)

This season’s plot and sub-plots are probably the strongest the show has to offer. It includes the introduction of Hollyhock, a 17 year-old horse who moves in with Bojack while on the search to find her biological mother, while Bojack’s mother, Beatrice Horseman, moves in with them after an altercation at the care home she was staying in.

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Time’s Arrow takes place in Beatrice’s mind, as she looks back at all of the key events in her life. The episode is structured chronologically, with the experimental twist being that it’s all showcased through the lens of her dementia.

Beatrice had an unfortunate life. She was miserable throughout the duration of it, and was especially awful to Bojack. The episode goes over everything from her childhood, to her debutant ball where she met her eventual husband, Butterscotch, and it keeps progressing throughout.

There are some very minor details that make this episode incredible, including objects popping in and out, characters’ faces being either blurred or scribbled, and sometimes she can’t decipher if something is from her memory or real life.

The episode’s climax reveals the most effective plot twist in the series when Hollyhock’s mother is revealed. Butterscotch had an affair with Beatrice and their maid, Henrietta, and Beatrice told Henrietta to give her baby up for adoption. The scene alternates from Beatrice giving birth to Bojack and Henrietta giving birth to Hollyhock, who couldn’t even hold her baby because Beatrice didn’t want her to feel attached.

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As someone who saw loved ones lose their lives to dementia, I think the writer’s absolutely crushed this episode. It’s a realistic depiction of what dementia looks like from the perspective of the person suffering from it.

Reason 6 – Depictions of Real Life Issues

I feel like I can’t do this one proper justice, so I will keep this short and sweet.

Bojack Horseman’s depictions of various human issues is more accurate than any other piece of media I have ever seen. Whether it be addiction, depression, or trauma, this show does a masterful job at making animated, anthropomorphic animals feel more real than live action characters.

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There’s not one specific example that I would like to highlight, as they are littered throughout the show.

If you’ve seen the show, you know just how effective it is with its depictions of mental health, and I’m not sure that it could’ve been pulled off with its level of potency if it were literally anything else.

Who would’ve known that a show about a narcissistic horse/human hybrid would be one of the most beloved, emotional, and well-written TV shows ever created.

With all of this in mind, I can confidently say that Bojack Horseman is the greatest television series of all time.