Reasons to binge-watch a Netflix horse series

It’s September, which means that we are about to embark on a parade of new fall comedy TV series. Unsurprisingly, most of the new comedies look like they are going to be duds. However, as with House of Cards and Orange is the New Black, Netflix has quietly premiered another show, BoJack Horseman, that far surpasses the competition. So what is the Netflix secret?

1. Viewers binge watch Netflix shows. 

One of the benefits of the Netflix model is that the whole series is written to be binge watched in order. This way shows don’t have to sacrifice precious screen time to adds and “What you missed last week” segments. It also gives the writers more freedom to create callbacks to earlier episodes that are more likely to be picked up by an audience that has watched all episodes of the series.

2. The shows have the freedom to be weird.

BoJack Horseman is based on a rather strange premise. It is a cartoon whose protagonist (voiced by Will Arnett) is a washed up 90s TV star trying to write his life’s memoir. The protagonist is also a horse. The characters in the show are a mix of humans and animals which all act similarly regardless of their different species. The show is set in a world in which it is not strange that Penguin Books is managed by real penguins. There are however inherent jokes based on these unique role assignments. For example, making a horse do the tasks that normally a dog would do, or mistaking a raven for a crow gives each episode a comedic aspect.

3. Netflix attracts writers who are creative without the restrictions of a typical television network.

Netflix offer its writers more flexibility and BoJack Horseman has less censorship than many other sitcoms. That being said, there are shows like Family Guy which also remain largely uncensored.

4. Netflix shows attract high profile actors.

BoJack Horseman has a cast full of veteran comedy geniuses including Will Arnett, Aaron Paul and Alison Brie. There are also guest appearances made by celebrities like Stephen Colbert, Kristin Chenoweth and Olivia Wilde. The quality acting of these actors ensures that amid all of the silliness of the show, the surprisingly dark and moving aspect of the series, that the protagonist has a drinking problem, is not forgotten.

BoJack Horseman is a comedy which makes all the regular jokes about sex, drugs and alcohol but it is also about having everything you ever thought you wanted yet still searching for a way to be happy. The show really starts to find its footing in episode three which tackles the issue of child stars desperately trying to maintain relevancy in the same way Lindsay Lohan and Miley Cyrus might. This is the first time the viewer becomes aware of the hilarious and oddly resonant nature of the show.

BoJack Horseman is truly the best new comedy to binge watch this fall.  And, above all else, it’s just plain funny.