BoJack Horseman: Bigger and Blackerer

Phoebe Buffet as an owl... somehow fitting.

Many of the complaints I had in the first season were righted in the second. A good starting point for this is the character of Todd. BoJack's Aaron Paul voiced roommate never seemed to have a real purpose in the overall story other than just comic relief. However, in the second edition of the show, the point of Todd, something hinted at through the first season was better revealed. We know BoJack has issues with being all alone, but in the second season, when BoJack gets a long-term girlfriend (voiced by the great Lisa Kudrow,) we see how Todd can survive outside of BoJack, trying out different schemes and purposes. We also observe how after BoJack's breakup, Todd is one of the only people there to pick up the pieces. Additionally, whether it's the increased character development or just better writing, it seems that Todd has gotten funnier even when he has his own miscellaneous plot lines. 

Another complaint that I had originally was the creativity of the world without enough world exploration. Once again, all of this seemed to be corrected. In the second season, we see Bojack outside of LA, we see more of Princess Carolyn's agency, we see the production side of things in the entertainment world, and in an overall sense, we just understand the way things work in the strange world of BoJack Horseman. 

The focus has shifted from making viewers want to watch the show for comedic purposes to making viewers want to watch for character purposes, with an added bonus of comedy. BoJack, Diane, Carolyn, and even Mr. Peanutbutter are explored more as people, and cliffhangers are more character based than what-will-be-funny-in-the-next-episode. Additionally, the show has become less episodic, and more devoted to an overall arc of the season, and really, of the show. BoJack's relationship with Lisa Kudrow's Wanda, Diane's decision whether or not to go to a third world country to help an egomaniac do-gooder, or the success of J.D. Salinger and Mr. Peanutbutter's new reality show, "What do Hollywoo Celebrities know? Do they know things? Let's find out!" are real arcs to be followed throughout the show, and important pieces of the puzzle that will eventually make up the finished product of Netflix's best show to date. 

My only real complaint is the lack of Vincent Adultman.

BoJack Horseman has also found an interesting skill in their ability to have social commentary. Though the first season was loaded with statements about the entertainment industry, our treatment of celebrities, and basic drug/alcohol abuse, the second talks current events as well as more psychological issues. For instance, in an early on episode, BoJack and Todd go on a quest to save chickens who are being mass produced by other, more intelligent chickens as food, because "nobody knows chickens like chickens." They save one in particular, but though Todd may be blinded, they realize that it's not at all adept at living in the modern world due to how it's been raised. Already there are rather outside the norm comments being made, as well as feeding in directly with the world of the show. Later on, we see an old comedy hero (in this case a Hippo,) get attacked for sexual harassment back in the day. Some characters rush to forgive him while others immediately turn it into a women's rights issue. In the Bill Cosby-esq situation, viewpoints from journalism, the layman, and celebrities in the same social circles are widely explored and shown.

Additionally, BoJack's psyche is better explored, giving us more background on his childhood, his split with former friend and mentor Herb Kazzaz, and his drive to alcoholism. As we come to understand his character better, we sympathize, but also root for BoJack as a protagonist more. We also see BoJack outside the realm of pursuing Diane, like in the first season, opening up both characters to exploration outside of each other. Where Diane could get annoying and antagonistic in season one, she and her relationship with Mr. Peanutbutter is better fleshed out and understood, instead of the Rachel-Ross relationship of earlier. 

In an overall sense, I really cannot recommend the second season of Netflix's BoJack Horseman any more than I just have. The show is riveting, hilarious, and easy to turbo watch due to the Netflix format. Especially in a relatively underwhelming Summer schedule of television, BoJack stands out as a bright point among dark.

BoJack Horseman was lost, and now it's found! And we're...
Horsin' Around!