10 Thoughts on Bojack HorsemanStill Broken

10 Thoughts, Reviews, Shows, TV Shows

The world of Bojack Horseman never ceases to surprise. On tonight’s episode, the death of the Horsin’ Around creator, Herb Cazzaz, brings back the cast of the cancelled show for a strange treasure hunt. While Bojack and his cast-mates are in mourning, Princess Carolyn and Mr. Peanut Butter enjoy a little bit of shameless schmoozing and Todd is, well, Todding it up.

This episode went to some pretty dark places. We had Bojack trying to grapple with the loss of his former friend and trying to come to terms with the fact that they never made up before he died. This is some pretty heavy stuff for a cartoon. I keep finding myself wondering what it would be like translated into a live action prestige drama type of deal. I feel like since this is a cartoon, it’s not getting the attention it deserves. Which is a lot.

Anyway, here are ten thoughts on tonights episode of Bojack Horseman: Still Broken. 

1. Henry Winkler!

Let’s start it off light. At Herb’s (Stanley Tucci) funeral, Henry Winkler makes an appearance and gives a short eulogy. Apparently, he was a dear friend of Herb’s. And he has some very nice words to say after he mentions his famous role. You know the one. That’s right. That 2002 episode of Law and Order where he played a criminal. This is one of the better running jokes throughout the episode. No one mentions Happy Days. Not even once.

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2. There are vultures flying in circles outside Herb’s funeral

I know I touched on a similar thought yesterday, but this was just too good not to point out. Not only are they circling over the wake, but they are wearing suits. So they must be attending the funeral, right? Unless they’re out to dinner. Which makes sense. They’re circling, which means they intend to eat. Oh, god. Are they planning on eating Herb’s body?! See, these are the kind of glorious rabbit hole questions that a show like Bojack Horseman can ask. The circling is just a throwaway gag, but the implications of it for this world are startling and rather disturbing. And these jokes are everywhere. In almost every frame, you can find a joke and follow it its logical conclusion and get. your. mind. blown.

3. Why is Herb’s wife a bear?

No judgement. But it’s a little bizarre that this man fell in love with a bear. And that this bear appears to have breasts. And doesn’t appear to speak English. I mean, she can communicate with Henry Winkler, but no one else seems to ever know what the fuck she’s saying. Does Winkler just speak bear? Another rabbit hole question! THERE ARE SO MANY!

4. The Puns! The Puns!

One of my favorite things about this show are the unrelenting and ever-present puns. With a show filled to the brim with animal characters, there is so much potential for various jokes about different animals. In this episode, a bat walks into the room and asks if there’s anyone in here. Sarah Lynn (Kristen Shaal) asks “What are you blind?” to which he sadly replies “yeeees.” They ask him what he’s doing here and he explains that he is the “blind” executor of Herb’s will. Get it? Huh? GET IT? Well, maybe not a great example, but I thought it was funny. The show is rife with lovely little puns like these.

5. Henry Winkler confirms my suspicions and is actually just a really good person

Or at least his character in this show is. He knew Herb from working with him at Habitat for Humanity. Seems like a pretty cool guy to me. And based on his interview with Marc Maron on the WTF Podcast, it seems like he’s a cool guy in real life, too. Did you know he wrote a children’s book? How cool is that? He just seems like a really genuine and cool guy. And his legacy will be so much more than just his star turn on that 2002 episode of Law and Order.

6. Todd looks awesome on a flaming motorcycle

That’s all. I just wanted to draw your attention to that.

7. “If tap dancing was gonna be a thing, it would have caught on by now!”

Herb’s office was beneath the offices of some very famous tap dancer who I’m 90% sure was made up for this show. When the cast goes back to see if he left anything behind, they hear the tap dancing above and Bojack shouts this quote to the ceiling. I’ve always loved the idea of tap dancing, but he kind of has a point. It also speaks to how quick-witted Bojack can be. Yeah, he’s washed up and doesn’t have a whole lot to offer. But man, he’s still sharp. In all my years of thinking about tap dancing, that thought had never crossed my mind.

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8. Intrigue!

A car mechanic left a message on Herb’s machine saying his brakes were fine. But Herb died because his brakes failed! And Sarah Lynn reveals that Herb wrote a novel before he died and wanted her to publish it posthumously. Was Herb murdered for his manuscript? Who else knew about the novel? Just one person… Henry Winkler. Could he have taken out Herb to have all the glory? Is Henry Winkler a murderer?!

9. No. The answer is no.

Well, it turns out Henry Winkler is a good guy after all. He read Herb’s manuscript and found that it was so terrible, he had to burn it. Even Herb’s bear wife agreed with him. How they communicated that to each other, I will never know. But this confirms my suspicion. Winkler is just a really good dude who wants to help everyone. I bet his children’s book is just tops.

10. “There’s no shame in dying for nothing. That’s how most people die.” 

Wow. That is some next level downer profundity. When Bojack apologizes for accusing Winkler, he says he just couldn’t believe Herb died for nothing, so he latched onto the idea that Winkler killed him. But Henry understands. And that’s how he gives one of the most deeply profound lines of the episode and maybe the season. He’s absolutely right, of course. But that’s a truth that a lot of people maybe never arrive at. Until they die. Jesus, this show about a talking horse has a lot going for it.

Check out older thoughts on Bojack Horseman below!

10 Thoughts on Bojack Horseman – Brand New Couch & Yesterdayland

Colin is a writer and actor based in Brooklyn, NY.