Jackson Ball reviews the third episode of Netflix’s BoJack Horseman season 2…
Some unfortunate circumstances lead to BoJack (Will Arnett) being reacquainted with the rest of the Horsin’ Around cast, as they attend the funeral of the show’s creator, Herb Kazzaz (Stanley Tucci).
Spoiler Ahead – You Have Been Warned!
One of the most poignant plot-threads of the first season was the relationship between BoJack and Herb. The betrayal of his former best friend was one of the first clear examples of just how self-centred BoJack really is, but more importantly, his apparent remorse gave us a glimpse of a character desperate for redemption. The fantastic voice-work of Stanley Tucci on served to heighten these particular segments.
Herb finally lost his battle with cancer, and this episode centres on his funeral and the preceding wake. Joining BoJack in attendance are his former co-stars from Horsin’ Around, including a return for drug-fuelled party girl Sarah-Lynn (Kristen Schaal). The years have not been kind to the stars of the 90’s sitcom – amazingly it appears that BoJack is actually the most normal member of the group – reflecting the classic Hollywood stereotypes of the ‘child stars gone off the rails’.
Also attending the funeral are the show’s regular supporting characters, Todd (Aaron Paul), Princess Carolyn (Amy Sedaris) and Mr. Peanutbutter (Paul F. Tompkins), each with questionable motives given that none of them were close friends to Herb.
It is Princess Carolyn’s antics that provide the most laughs though, as she becomes trapped in an awkward situation of her own making. Having arrived at the funeral with the morally-questionable goal of wooing potential clients, her false pretences are threatened by the suspicions of Herb’s close friend Henry Winkler (voiced by the man himself). Princess Carolyn’s predicament is only exasperated by the over-zealous nature of Mr. Peanutbutter, forcing her to regale the funeral guests with detailed stories of her close (and totally fake) relationship to Herb.
It’s another solid episode that rewards fans of the first season, and particularly the BoJack/Herb relationship. It’s another cruel twist for the character of BoJack, as we see that his ‘perfect’ on-screen family from Horsin’ Around (the only family he has ever really valued) were not as functional as we’d been led to believe. It’s also an added sucker-punch that we now know that he and Herb will never reconcile.
Best ‘Animal-Based Gag’ of the Episode: Jake and Maggot Gyllenhaal attend the funeral.
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https://youtu.be/5zpb9S9uD1s?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng
Originally published July 22, 2015. Updated April 14, 2018.
