9.5/10. What a way to start the season! I liked the general themes that this episode dabbled in. BoJack's struggle between doing something "challenging" but be unappreciated and quickly forgotten or something that would help him be remembered, but which feels like a lie since it's not really him, provides the episode with a strong thematic backbone. That gives color to BoJack strains to get through all these mindless interviews, to talk the talk that will get him an award that will validate him, but at the same time, he wants to defend his crappy TGIF sitcom that feels like more of a reflection of his soul (if for no other reason than because his soul is kind of crass, and because it was something he did with his best friend who saw the best in him), and it's also why he can't enjoy the ride because he's still questioning himself after what happened in New Mexico. That is, frankly, what I felt was missing from this show at times in prior seasons, something that powerfully explored BoJack's psyche while giving into the complexity of it and not just going for one-to-one, "bad experience A caused poor life result B" storytelling
And despite all that heavy, complicated thematic and psychological stuff, it was a damn hilarious episode! The conference call in particular was a great way of bouncing everyone off of one another and showing off the show's comic sensibilities. Todd getting lost, Midnight Cowboy-style in a hotel was slight but so so funny. And the other comic elements of the episode from Mr. Peanutbutter hijacking his accountant away from his son to come up with terrible, Todd-like ideas for shows, to Princess Carolyn managing the agency while multitasking, to the sendups of award season banter, were all superb. Overall, this episode hit the right mix of introducing the conflicts and emotional stakes of the new season, checking in with all of the characters, and making some hilarious jokes in the process. This episode definitely bodes well for season 3.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParent2016-08-28T19:39:35Z
9.5/10. What a way to start the season! I liked the general themes that this episode dabbled in. BoJack's struggle between doing something "challenging" but be unappreciated and quickly forgotten or something that would help him be remembered, but which feels like a lie since it's not really him, provides the episode with a strong thematic backbone. That gives color to BoJack strains to get through all these mindless interviews, to talk the talk that will get him an award that will validate him, but at the same time, he wants to defend his crappy TGIF sitcom that feels like more of a reflection of his soul (if for no other reason than because his soul is kind of crass, and because it was something he did with his best friend who saw the best in him), and it's also why he can't enjoy the ride because he's still questioning himself after what happened in New Mexico. That is, frankly, what I felt was missing from this show at times in prior seasons, something that powerfully explored BoJack's psyche while giving into the complexity of it and not just going for one-to-one, "bad experience A caused poor life result B" storytelling
And despite all that heavy, complicated thematic and psychological stuff, it was a damn hilarious episode! The conference call in particular was a great way of bouncing everyone off of one another and showing off the show's comic sensibilities. Todd getting lost, Midnight Cowboy-style in a hotel was slight but so so funny. And the other comic elements of the episode from Mr. Peanutbutter hijacking his accountant away from his son to come up with terrible, Todd-like ideas for shows, to Princess Carolyn managing the agency while multitasking, to the sendups of award season banter, were all superb. Overall, this episode hit the right mix of introducing the conflicts and emotional stakes of the new season, checking in with all of the characters, and making some hilarious jokes in the process. This episode definitely bodes well for season 3.