Bojack Horseman had undoubtedly become the number one series of 2010, as its countless prizes and nominations testify. What differentiated this series from the others was its ability to reflect the dramas of today’s society, although this is an animated show and the characters are animal. It doesn’t matter if you’re in your teenage years or in your 30s, everyone can relate to the characters of the show, from the NEET to the overwhelmed office worker.
Bojack is a middle-aged star of the fictional 80s’ sitcom “Horsin’ Around”, forgotten by most of the people living in “Hollywoo”, the frenetic depiction of the real-life capital of showbiz. Our narcissistic horse moves throughout the series in a never-ending quest for finding his meaning, ruining the life of everyone who tries to be helpful. Diane, Princess Carolyn, Todd and even his “daughter” are pulled by Bojack into a spiral of self-commiseration, anxiety and a sense of unaccomplishment, which ultimately forces them to confront their own problems. It’s already clear from the first few episodes that the brilliantly written plot will guide the spectator into a stream of emotions and feelings built on the contradictions of our society.
Indeed, capturing the various nuances of the TV series, we can have different representations of our modern world and its dynamics. Our society is chained to the myths created by both mass and social media, providing inaccurate models and an overall superficial attitude. The consequences are clear: the race for fake models of perfection is the first cause of growth in the rate of depression and anxiety,
especially for the generation that has “grown up” with mass media. In spring 2017, 40% of students said that at least once they felt so depressed that it was difficult for them to function, and 61% of them said they had “felt overwhelming anxiety” in the same time period, according to an American College Health Association survey of more than 63,000 students at 92 schools.
Therefore, following Bojack dealing with his alcoholism, and peeking inside the life of his teenage “daughter” struggling to look perfect on her Instagram account, we can have different representations of various generations that make up our world full of contradictions.
Bojack Horseman is not just entertainment: there’s much more going on. A series like this seems to be the long-awaited satirical response to the need of sensitization about mental health issues. Feeling so realistic and entertaining, this product could be regarded as a ground-breaking entry in the panorama of TV shows, a future masterpiece that nobody should miss.
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