If you remember my review of the first season, you should know I really love BoJack Horseman, the show is smart, hilarious and dark, this season there's a huge emphasis on dark. BoJack Horseman could've gone the easy way for a second season, it could've just repeated whatever worked in the first season and called it a day, but it instead built upon what was set up, it improves on the foundation for a stronger season. This season we got to know more about the characters we've already met, the depth that gets added to the cast made this show stronger in ways that might not have been able to happen in network or cable television.
While BoJack Horseman (voiced by Will Arnett) remains to be a strong character, we do see the rest of the cast become as human as BoJack in this season, for the most part. Diane Nguyen (voiced by Alison Brie), perhaps the closest character to BoJack, is given more depth providing a better look at how much of an imperfect woman she is, in fact it's starting to seem like she's mirroring BoJack's life, to an extent. Quite possibly the strongest character in the show (that isn't BoJack) is Princess Carolyn (Amy Sedaris), who seems to have her life in order most of the time despite being dragged in BoJack's shenanigans, of course her strongest moments are when she comes on top of situations all too common for a woman in her age. Perhaps the character who gets the most depth this season is Mr.Peanutbutter (voiced by Paul F. Tompkins), he's definitely improved this season, showing a more emotional side that feels a bit manipulative at times, he definitely feels better this time around, his antagonistic turn in Let's Find Out being one of the season's highlights. Oddly enough the weakest character now is Todd Chavez (voiced by Aaron Paul), he's still funny and has a lot of great exchanges between the various characters he interacts with, but there just isn't much depth beyond that, which makes it weirder that he becomes the emotional center in the season finale, not bad but strange. This season, BoJack gets a new love with Wanda Pierce (voiced by Lisa Kudrow), she's a nice addition to the cast, funny as well, but I'm not sure if she'll continue being a good addition as the show continues, her story just seems complete at this point. While the show carries more guests this season (some returning from the last season), the best is without a doubt Phillip Baker Hall as Hank Hippopopalous, a kind celebrity who becomes very reminiscent of a certain kind celebrity under fire in the news these days, his appearance in the seasons strongest episode, Hank After Dark, is easily some of the shows strongest moments, hopefully he's back in the next season.
Season 2 really builds upon the emotion of the bleak life of a celebrity, BoJack's dark childhood is further expanded, his mother definitely ends up being one of the darkest mothers in television history. As funny as the series is some of the best moments come from it's bleakest moments, Escape From L.A., becomes one the shows stand out episodes, especially in its final moments, a scene that would probably never have made it in regular TV as is, without giving much away, it's amazing that BoJack remains likable after that scene. The leads of the show may not always win (Hank After Dark being the best example of this), the darkest pits the show reaches makes that clear, but we'll always support them so long as they remain just as interesting and funny.
BoJack Horseman is a great show, one that might not have had existed, let alone had a second season on regular television. While the show is hilarious, the real strength comes from how emotional and bleak the show can get, definitely some of the best that modern TV has to offer. If you haven't seen this show yet I recommend you start, it's fantastic and intelligent.
Written By Octaviano Macias
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