'Bojack Horseman' New Series on Netflix

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by profholt82, Aug 26, 2014.

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  1. profholt82

    profholt82 Resident Blowhard Thread Starter

    Location:
    West Michigan
    Has anyone watched 'Bojack Horseman' on Netflix? It's a new animated series that Netflix has produced. Will Arnett provides the voice of the lead character. Bojack was the star of a hit television series in the 90s which was in the vein of 'Full House' and 'Charles in Charge.' Now, it's 20 years later, and he is a depressed alcoholic. He is an anthropomorphic horse, and the show features many anthropomorphic animals who co-exist with humans. It takes place in a Hollywood which is only slightly more exaggerated than our own, and frequently acts as a critique of our celebrity-obsessed culture. The animation is well done, and while much of the humor isn't exactly laugh-out-loud, it is often poignant. I'm about halfway through the series now, and I'm enjoying it. The plots and story-lines continue throughout the series which makes for a deeper experience than most animated series offer.
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  2. daglesj

    daglesj Forum Resident

    Location:
    Norfolk, UK
    Yeah watched the first three episodes.

    Dunno if I'll make it through the whole season. I kept falling asleep to be honest.
     
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  3. Vidiot

    Vidiot Now in 4K HDR!

    Location:
    Hollywood, USA
    I think it's a terrifically funny idea, and Arnett is a funny guy. I'll give it a try.
     
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  4. heatherly

    heatherly Well-Known Member

    Location:
    USA
  5. beatlematt

    beatlematt Forum Resident

    Location:
    Gadsden, Alabama
    It starts out strong, gets better in episode 2, peaks in episode 3, then stumbles badly in episode four in an episode revolving around the least funny character on the show, his "house guest" Todd. The rest of the episodes never quite rise up to the first three. Episode three is the greatest. Also, Will sounds very similar to Howard Stern to me on this series for some reason.
     
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  6. daglesj

    daglesj Forum Resident

    Location:
    Norfolk, UK
    Todd...I don't get the need for that character.

    "Ohhh Aaron Paul said he'd like to do something for the show! We'd better create a character for him!"
     
  7. 93curr

    93curr Senior Member

    I'm about five episodes in and it's honestly kind of a tough slog getting through them. As much as I love Alison Brie, this is just unimaginative and dull. Reheated Duckman jokes, for the most part. I'm waiting for something/anything to happen that I haven't seen on countless other cartoons.

    I was looking forward to this and really wanted to like it, but I'm just not feeling it.
     
  8. sparkydog

    sparkydog Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kentucky
    I made it through the first episode. I wasn't tempted to watch another. Also, what a horrible drawing style.
     
  9. Spaghettiows

    Spaghettiows Forum Resident

    Location:
    Silver Creek, NY
    I gave it a shot. I think Netflix misfired in greenlighting this unoriginal, forgettable series. It isn't terrible, but I was hoping for something better. The animation style was reminiscent of a Mike Judge show. Speaking of Mike Judge, I would rather have seen Netflix or some cable channel bring back King of the Hill.
     
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  10. kwadguy

    kwadguy Senior Member

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA
    Watched the first two episodes. I'm out. This isn't working for me...
     
  11. MonkeyMan

    MonkeyMan A man who dreams he is a butterfly?

    I like BoJack Horseman. I'm through five episodes and will keep watching.
     
  12. michaelscrutchin

    michaelscrutchin Forum Resident

    Location:
    Houston, TX (USA)
    If you bailed after the first episode or two I can't really blame you, but you missed the show hitting its stride in the second half of the season. It gets a bit funnier as the characters develop, but much more interestingly it goes to some dark, messy, poignant places (man, that episode 8 is kinda brutal), and it doesn't let BoJack off the hook for being a bad person. Well, not completely anyway. It cleverly avoids the *******-redemption arc that we've seen play out a million times before. Because it realizes that BoJack doesn't really want to be a good person -- he's just so vain and in need of approval that he desperately wants people to see him that way. He'll never truly change, even if it means pushing away everyone who cares about him and dying alone. It's bleak ****, man.
     
    Last edited: Aug 28, 2014
  13. michaelscrutchin

    michaelscrutchin Forum Resident

    Location:
    Houston, TX (USA)
    Todd is important for a few reasons, but mainly for establishing BoJack's fear of being alone and showing what a backstabbing scumbag BoJack can be -- sabotaging a friend's success in the name of avoiding his own fears and insecurities. Or something like that. Personally, I love Todd.
     
  14. Rocker

    Rocker Senior Member

    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    A friend just introduced me to this show last weekend.... I had never even heard of it before. It took me 2 or 3 episodes to really "get into it" and to really understand what the characters were all about, but after that, I was enjoying it quite a bit. Some good actors doing the voices and guest spots. It even made me laugh in a few places, which is a feat in itself. We must have watched about 6 or 7 episodes in a row. I'll be keeping this show on my radar.
     
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  15. jkauff

    jkauff Senior Member

    Location:
    Akron, OH
    The soundtrack is a collaboration between Patrick Carney of the Black Keys and his uncle, multi-instrumentalist and composer Ralph Carney (Tin Huey, B-52s, Tom Waits)--first time they've officially worked together.
     
  16. kwadguy

    kwadguy Senior Member

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA
    Both of whom rip off The White Stripes, according to Jack White.
     
  17. 93curr

    93curr Senior Member

    I guess (and, yes, it definitely starts to hit its stride in the later episodes), but I still felt pretty conflicted. Primarily about the love-interest stuff. Most of the way through the series I was getting pretty annoyed at how Brie's character was just some one-dimensional prize for the two guys to fight over, with nothing to explain why she would have any interest in either one of them. We got one episode showing her family, but they were just cliched Boston cartoons.

    Then, when Bojack is making the movie with Naomi Watts, they actually seem to address the point, directly complaining about the very thing that was most offputting to me about the show itself. But then do nothing about it. It's like they want credit for being self-aware, without actually writing changing direction. Heck, his agent got more backstory and characterization in the series than she did!

    It was a telling moment when Princess Carolyn accused him of only being in love with Diane because, when they were together, he was always talking about himself. Of course; transference! But then, no one else suggested it (was Diane not insightful enough to pick up on that?) and the series progressed as if we in the audience were actually supposed to root for Bojack to "get the girl" over Mr. Peanutbutter.

    In short: I would have had an easier time enjoying how awful Bojack really was if they'd either avoided or actually dealt with the love story portion. If he'd treated Diane the same way he treated Todd or Carolyn or Peanutbutter (or even Sarah Lynn) it would have been far more entertaining and far less conventional.
     
  18. jkauff

    jkauff Senior Member

    Location:
    Akron, OH
    Someone needs to remind Jack White that he didn't invent stripped-down blues rock. In fact, he ripped off the young Buddy Guy.
     
  19. daglesj

    daglesj Forum Resident

    Location:
    Norfolk, UK
    Now up to episode 9...still don't know if it really works. I think I'm just watching it cos I like Will Arnett.

    It's not that funny really, no deep analysis required. The expanding plot is okay but a tad slow and seems to go round in small circles. But how deep can you go with purposefully shallow characters? Doesn't have the instant appeal that say Archer or Bob's Burgers had. maybe I just love me some HJB.
     
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  20. Rocker

    Rocker Senior Member

    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    I watched a couple more episodes with a friend last night... both of us laughed out loud at the following dialogue:

    Bojack: "As my agent, do you think I'm getting fat?"
    Caroline: "You look like a pile of crap that ate a second pile of crap and then crapped out a third pile of crap."
    Bojack: "Wait, so which pile of crap do I look like?"
    Caroline: "The third one."
    Bojack: "What?? That's the worst one!"

    :laugh::laugh::laugh:
     
  21. tmtomh

    tmtomh Forum Resident

    Didn't love it at first, but at only 25 mins per episode I stuck with it., and it grew on me.
     
  22. daglesj

    daglesj Forum Resident

    Location:
    Norfolk, UK
    Needs more catchphrases. Well any actually.
     
  23. deadcoldfish

    deadcoldfish Senior Member

    Location:
    Santa Rosa, CA
    I don't think anyone is accusing Ralph Carney of ripping off the White Stripes ... or at least with his body of work, would be a really stupid statement.
     
  24. ampmods

    ampmods Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston, MA, USA
    On the other hand, Art Carney wore the same hat as Jack White. Coincidence or retroactive rip-off?
     
    profholt82 likes this.
  25. Strummergas

    Strummergas Senior Member

    Location:
    Queens, NY
    Watched Eps 1 and 2 last night. It was ok. Some great jokes, some eye rolls. I'll stick with it as some posters have said that it hits its stride mid-way through the season.
     
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