Is It Just Me or Are We Nailing This?: Essays on BoJack Horseman

by M.L. Schepps, Joshua James Amberson, Molly E. Simas

A deep-dive into the animated television show BoJack Horseman, by way of personal essays, comics, tarot, and interviews.

Within: alcoholism, international fandom, the history of screwball comedies, unlikeable cartoon women, absurdism, representation in voice acting, the power of Lisa Hanawalt, and much more. For fans, as well as those who can't understand what there is to love in a cartoon about addiction and depression.

With words from: Joshua James Amberson, Timothy Day, Jessica Fonvergne, Lauren Hobson, Tessa Livingstone, M.L. Schepps, Jourdain Searles, and Molly E. Simas. Plus an interview with Leca from BoJack Hidden Jokes.

Illustrations from: Eileen Chavez, Ross Jackson, Naomi Marshall, and Liz Yerby.

Cover and back cover art by Sarah Mirk.

68 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2020

Reviews

[Jüülæ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have so much love for this show, and this collection enhances that even more.*chef's kiss* My favorite essay was the philosophical analysis on Todd.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love Bojack Horseman like most people I know do then you were probably affected (or are still) by its poignant and dark themes. You’re also probably prone to overthinking and self-reflection to a destructive degree. However, if you are one of those people above then I think this collection of essays will hit a chord with you.

Not every essay will resonate and I admit that some sections were ones that I skimmed through after the opening paragraphs but others were captivating. An expected highlight was The Myth of Todd Chavez but the explorations of PC and Shrill Rant were amazing.

This is a book for lovers of Hollywoo, the depressed and those looking to do something with their damage.

[Lindsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really excited when I saw this at the bookstore because BoJack is my favorite show ever. However, I expected these essays to be more about the characters and show themselves, but it turned out to be autobiographies that slightly used the show to explain different parts of the writers’ (of this essay collection) lives. I still was interested in what they had to say, but this was a pretty weak attempt at covering the philosophical masterpiece that was this show.

[Mireyah Wolfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

"One must imagine Todd happy."

This collection of essays examining the themes and the effects of Bojack Horseman on its viewers was both a quick read and an impactful one. If you're a Bojack fan that likes to dig your teeth into media analysis, I highly recommend picking this up if you can. In particular, I personally connected deeply to the rather inspirational comparison of Todd to Sisyphus, and will likely come back to that essay again in the future.

[Ren Basel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love to see other people writing academically about BoJack Horseman. There are so many deep themes in the show that just beg to be picked apart, and it's so cool to see this collection of essays. There are a great range of topics, and I highly recommend this to anyone interested in deeper analysis of the show.

[M.L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think you'll enjoy!