Erika Hardison reviews Netflix’s Tuca and Bertie…
From the creators of Bojack Horseman, Tuca & Bertie follow a yin and yang relationship between two best friends who are former roommates. Tuca, voiced by comedian and actress Tiffany Haddish, plays the carefree, extroverted, short-sighted best friend to an introverted, calculating, anxious bird name Bertie. The show follows both of their journeys as they learn to live apart in separate living quarters.
The first couple of episodes take a bit to get adjusted to but the story quickly develops as a sisterhood journey of love, relationships, sexuality and ownership of one’s agency. The best friends are equally co-dependent on each other for survival and reassurance and as they try to live independent of each other. However, each effort comes with its own consequences.
Tuca is the firecracker who tries relentlessly to get Bertie to loosen up and let her hair down. Tuca also goes through best friend withdrawals as she now has to share her best friend with Bertie’s new beau. Tuca seems jealous and tries to find ways to occupy her new time without her best friend and that leads to unforgettable pets, jobs and first dates. Even though Tuca tries her best to survive without being so dependent on her friend all the time, Bertie eventually misses being able to live vicariously through her outspoken friend.
As they try to find a middle ground, Bertie uncovers her true passions and sexual needs while Tuca comes to terms with her over-the-top persona and how it relates to her childhood trauma. The two face some hard truths about each other and the world while discovering how important their bond is. If you enjoy Bojack Horseman‘s nihilism and dark humor, you will definitely enjoy Tuca & Bertie’s surreal take on sisterhood and how women navigate society professionally and personally.
Erika Haridson