Hey, everyone. This is a series where I will be sharing my thoughts as I go through a show everyone in my circle recommended for the first time. It won't be exactly a first impression as whatever episodes I talk about will be watched at least three times before sharing these thoughts.
Episode 4 - Zoës and Zeldas
Okay, I see it. Episode 4 seems to be putting together something special. Todd has a rock opera that could succeed, that's where the most comedy was while being a great A or C plot to the episode depending on how you want to see it.
We also seem to see parallels and similarities being drawn between BoJack and Diane as both seem to be attempting to hide their nature and true desires by attempting to be something they're not in a way. It's either my problem or the episode just didn't do that well enough, either way, it was a good seed to plant.
TBH, I would have loved to see where Todd's opera would have gone. But, the twist at the end gave us a deeper at how deceitful yet lonely Bojack really is.
My rating: 7/10
Yes, it gave us a deeper look at our characters. It gave us good comedy that wasn't just a desperate attempt to be Family Guy-like, but, there were some problems with the pacing other aspects.
Episode 5 - Live Fast, Diane Nguyen
This was a good sitcom episode, which puts me in two minds. One, praising the episode for being a great "Friends" episode. Two, criticizing it as the first scene of the pilot was all about how it's not a sitcom.
If we're going by sitcom standards, this one gets a 7 from me. If we go by what was promised, then we'll see.
The B plot had Todd turning BoJack's house into a David Boreanaz's house as a means to make money, if you add Princess Caroline into the mix, you have a great sitcom plot. Nothing more, nothing less.
The A plot was also a sitcom one with Diane seeking to arrange her father's funeral while being mistreated by everyone around her, including BoJack. The heart-to-heart conversation the pair had at the end of the episode is done in a way that's more heartfelt than a typical sitcom, but it is still a sitcom style.
My rating: 5/10
This seems to be the area where the show is for me so far. You can't start the show by promising me it is going to be different then not delivering. It was funny, I laughed. But, I am not rating Friends or According to Jim here. Using an episode heart-to-heart conversation to end the episode just isn't enough, especially when you have done that three times already.
Episode 6 - Our A-Story Is a 'D' Story
Oh my God! At this point, I am just trusting @b0s and @laviesm when they say that the show will get better. Otherwise, I would have stopped here. Is this the worst episode than episode 5? No. But, only because it has one great running joke that I really enjoyed.
BoJack and Mr. Peanutbutter enter a pissing contest over Diane. BoJack likes her and he's insecure and an asshole so it makes sense. Mr. Peanutbutter notices, so it is understandable. There's nothing of substance here.
BoJack ends up stealing the "D" from the Hollywoo sign (No misspelling here). The news segments and painting people so brainless that they just call it Hollywoo after that was just really funny for me.
My rating: 5/10
I really have nothing else to add. The episode is just there.
In Conclusion
I am trusting the people who said that the show will get better even though so far I am seeing the opposite happening. I have noticed seeds being planted for future plots, especially in Prickly Muffin. Also, characters around BoJack seem to serve a purpose and aren't just there to fill time.