In search of a funny serial, I started watching Bojack Horseman. I’ve been watching 7 or 8 episodes so far and despite the funny situations and dialogues, I increasingly nurture the feeling that this is a sad show.
The last episode I watched left me such a bitter taste that I decided not to watch it anymore. This has never happened before: watching a show in the hope that it will cheer me up and ending up rather depressed.
Nurture no more. I think most fans will confirm that it is a sad show. Those who don’t will quibble over definitions of “sad”, but will agree it is not an escapist, feel good tv show. It is frequently very funny in absurdist or sometimes bleak ways (or even more frequently bleakly absurdist). But at the end of the day it is a show about depression and family/personal dysfunction, the damages these things cause and how difficult it is to fight your way through them.
I think it is brilliant and funny. And there are small personal victories here and there. But it is not happy.
It gets a lot sadder as it goes on. It is still funny though, and definitely worth watching. Not a cure for depression.
It is in some ways the darkest thing I’ve ever seen. But it’s so good.
If you didn’t like the first season, you probably won’t like most of the other seasons because they repeat the same arc over and over again (Bojack gets a big break and ruins it all by being himself). Personally I got diminishing returns from the repetition, but lots of people seem to love it.
I can’t say I didn’t like it. When I don’t like something I stop watching it right away.
The show is okay, but it boils down to the idea/feeling that life sucks. I don’t need this.
That’s not quite the message, though whether that really matters is arguable because I agree that is often how it seems. It doesn’t sound like the show is really for you at this point and there is nothing wrong with that. Personally I have been for several years at that stage of my life where I just am not interested in doing unrelentingly bleak with no payoff. Whether it be books or other media. I’m never reading or watching any version of Jude the Obscure ever again 
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Bojack doesn’t fall into that category for me because it isn’t unrelentingly bleak - the humor and cleverness cushions the blows to a manageable level. And like I said there are a few small triumphs and I found the payoff effective and well worth the journey. But I can easily see why someone might not be in the mood for what it is putting down. It absolutely is pretty dark.
Hey! I absolutely agree with the author. A very sad story. it seems to me that this is such a tool in art. to make a very sad content in a humorous work.
Maybe I’ll say something offtopic… Recently I watched “Kidding” with Jim Carrey … I’m in shock. It is very sad and painful. Great series, but we are used to seeing Jim Carrey completely different. (not talking about the movie “The Truman Show”). And here … comedian Jim and the title that hints at humor as much as possible - kidding. It turned out that this is not a comedy at all. This is a very sad story.
Do you understand what analogy?
thanks
It’s definitely depressing, but I thought that was widely known. Were there previews that made it look like a comedy?
It’s very well done depression, but if it’s not what you’re in the mood for, then definitely don’t continue, because it doesn’t get any more cheerful.
I watched it on Netflix. The preview indicates it is a comedy show.
That’s annoying, when a network/broadcaster misrepresents a show.
I tend to agree. After 5 seasons I was on the verge of bailing, but since 6 is the last, I’ll stick it out.
Heh, if you think the first 8 are too depressing then definitely don’t continue. The Telescope (s1e8) is probably the first episode that really hits the tone that carries through the rest of the show and none of the first 8 are probably in the 10 saddest episodes.
Hard disagree that the message of the show is that life sucks. The show doesn’t pretend that everything is easy or that things are never hard, but there is always hope. It’s not unrelentingly bleak like Grave of the Fireflies or whatever. I also think it’s very funny, but if you’re only in it for laughs and don’t like the heavier stuff I wouldn’t think it worthwhile.
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I think that Bojack is about redemption, but redemption is hard and requires lots of work. Even if it is achieved, all that means is that you get to wake up the next day and try not to be an asshole. Behavior has consequences and when damage is done, it can’t be undone, there will always be scars. It is also a deconstruction of the anti-hero of the golden age of TV: flawed men like Tony Soprano and Don Draper get a pass because they are charismatic; Bojack calls BS on that.