Netflix
"BoJack Horseman," which is ramping up for its second season on Netflix, has gained a loyal following, but it still remains television's best kept secret.
"BoJack Horseman" was the best show of 2014. I stand by that claim, and believe that "BoJack" could even take that spot again in a very crowded field of contenders.
Netflix
Season one saw BoJack hit some incredible lows.
Netflix
Animation and serialization often don't go hand-in-hand. Some of the greatest animated shows of all time, from "The Simpsons" to "South Park," typically start over every episode. Therefore, Homer can accidently destroy Springfield and Kenny can die in every episode and come back just fine. However, if BoJack says something heartless and terrible to Diane (which happened a lot during season one), she will still be mad at him in the next episode.
"BoJack" will take you by surprise. For anybody who has ever gotten a kick out of the idea of animals acting like humans, then "BoJack" is paradise. There is no science involved, but this show is very detailed about what it would be like if animals acted like humans.
Netflix
The show's goofiness hides its dark, emotional heart. BoJack is one of the most honest portrayals of depression and loneliness that I can think of. In a season one episode, BoJack sincerely asks a crowd of people whether or not he is a bad person and it is chilling. Like any confident comedy, "BoJack Horseman" knows that you don't need constant jokes in order to be great.
Netflix
Netflix
One standalone episode, which is a series of vignettes centered around the show's three main romances, is unlike anything I've seen in an animated show. In another great example of how the show uses silly to bring out serious, Todd spends an entire episode trying to save a chicken from the slaughterhouse. What seems like another divergent Todd caper turns into a character study of Todd trying to find his purpose in life.
Like many sitcoms, "BoJack Horseman" isn't immune to having one character who doesn't quite fit in to the rest of the story. However, "BoJack" is also smart enough to comment on this.
Netflix
Netflix
It is the kind of show that is meant to be paused, rewound, and rewatched over and over again. It is fun enough trying to figure out which celebrity voiced who when the names pop up in the opening credits (there is a brief one this season that has to be seen to be believed). Let's just say that "BoJack Horseman" is the only show I've ever watched with a talking horse that I have built a serious emotional bond with.
All 12 episodes of season two of "BoJack Horseman" will be on Netflix on July 17.