Remember when ABC had TGIF on Fridays in the 90s? The network had every goofy family combination sitcom that the network creative vice presidents can imagine. A bunch of single fathers raising kids under the same roof. Two witches and a talking cat raising a girl. A large family attempts to come to terms with an Urkel. A bunch of dinosaurs dealing with a bratty reptile in diapers. This is why I can believe that at some point there had to be a show about a humanoid horse raising orphans called “Horsin’ Around” existed on TGIF. And it’s easy to imagine the star of that show having a bit of an issue getting regular work in the 21st Century since he’s typecasted as horse-humanoid dad on a lightweight sitcom. All this is what makes BoJack Horseman feel a bit real in a fantasy animated Hollywood.
BoJack Horseman (Arrested Development‘s Will Arnett) is still living well on his money from the ’90s. He’s still recognized in Hollywood, but mainly through his reruns since like The Brady Bunch, Horsin’ Around is always around the cable dial. He’s got a fantastic house on the side of the Hollywood Hills. He’s not slumming it and feels like he can make a major comeback if he ever gets serious about it. He still has an agent in Princess Carolyn (Strangers With Candy‘s Amy Sedaris). She’s part cat and also his sometimes girlfriend which makes her involved too deeply with him. She is angling for a comeback with the basis being a tell all autobiography. BoJack swears he can write it all by himself except he can’t get off on the first page. Princess hooks him up with the hottest ghostwriter in town, Diane Nguyen (GLOW‘s Alison Brie). She’s all human and comes off as the most stable character in the show. Except very quickly the vortex of insanity claims her too. BoJack becomes attached to her, but she’s dating Mr. Peanutbutter (Paul F. Tompkins). He’s part dog and all a rip-off BoJack. His hit series Mr. Peanutbutter’s House is a rip off of Horsin’ Around except with a dog raising the kids. There’s a big rivalry between the two except Mr. Peanutbutter is oblivious and thinks he’s Bojack’s pal. BoJack’s only real friend is Todd Chavez (Breaking Bad‘s Aaron Paul). The twentysomething kid passed out at a party on Bojack’s sofa and has yet to go home after a few years. He’s constantly hustling ideas, but most of them implode.
Unlike a TGIF show, BoJack Horseman episodes build upon each other. You’ll need to watch this show in order the first time and not merely skip around like you can do with Family Matters. “Prickly-Muffin” is when the show truly comes alive as BoJack reconnects with the troubled actress that played his adopted daughter on the show. Sarah Lynn (Bob’s Burgers‘ Kristen Schaal) is completely out of control and things go where Fuller House never dared to touch. “Live Fast, Diane Nguyen” is the greatest TV show about a funeral for a Boston Redsox fan. Diane goes home with BoJack after her father dies and the star learns his stable friend is from a madhouse. The sons pick the perfect final resting spot for their beloved dad and diehard BoSox fanatic. Including with the two seasons is the Christmas special where BoJack revisits a holiday episode of “Horsin’ Around.”
BoJack Horseman one of those addictive shows so don’t press play until you’re ready to blow off the next 12 hours of your day. The show does a great deep dive in celebrity culture and clueless lifestyles. The A-List voice cast makes the most twisted of plots seem normal like suggesting that Henry Winkler would kill a producer. BoJack Horseman: Seasons One & Two – Collector’s Edition digs deep into an unstable life.
The video is 1.78:1. The 1080p transfer makes the show dazzle with that Hollywood Flair. Although if you watch shows out of order, you’ll wonder why it’s Hollywoo. Audio is 5.1 Surround and 2.0 Stereo DTS HD MA so you can choice how deep you want to get into Bojack’s world. The episodes are subtitled.
Commentary Tracks are provided for each episode so you get so many horse tales.
Main Title Animatic (0:56) shows the rough process of how we get BoJack in his pool.
Animatics are provided for the first episode of each season. This is a great way for kids to learn what goes into making a horse talk and look good.
Side By Side Animation Walk-Through (3:08) shows how the rough animation looks before the final print. There’s also commentary from the supervising director to explain the storyboards to the final picture.
Character Art Gallery (3:25) includes the various ways the characters are to be drawn as they turn around.
Background Art Gallery (3:00) has how BoJack’s mansion should be drawn for the character to walk across.
Grouplove Live In Amsterdam (0:48) has the singers perform the end theme song on a boat.
Shout! Factory presents BoJack Horseman: Seasons One & Two – Collector’s Edition. Starring: Will Arnett, Amy Sederis, Alison Brie, Paul F. Tompkins and Aaron Paul. Boxset Contents: 25 episodes on 4 Blu-rays. Released: July 30, 2019
