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Reviews

BoJack Horseman: Live Fast, Diane Nguyen
(2014)
Episode 5, Season 1

The show is still not taking off
This was another modest episode. After the Todd-centric story, the spotlight is now on Diane. We know that Diane has a terrible family after she receives a call to be notified that her father died. She is not distressed at all for that news because she despised him, for justifiable reasons. The big problem is that she has to return to Boston to meet again with her miserable mother and her detestable brothers. A series of events makes her slowly losing patience at the point of completely becoming berserk. And hey, I can understand her. Her family is excessively atrocious. Not only that they don't take care of the funeral, that they are constantly manipulating Diane and they are always loitering. They also humiliated her with a hard prank when she was 16 and drew balls on the corpse of their own father, among others irritating acting, turning him into chum later. Few times fictitious characters generated so much hate on me. And, since that was the purpose, I guess that's a merit. As expected, BoJack didn't help at all since he only passes time with Diane's brothers and supports them. However, he shows a certain maturity being nearer to Diane and writing a really nice letter to her to remedy his actions. Oh, and I loved it when BoJack played with the kaleidoscope. The subplot was a bunch of non-sensical casualties, including tourists believing that pathetical David Boreanaz rip-off and Todd listening photographs. I actually liked how Princess Carolyn was involved in the story but, overall, it was not a strong episode.

BoJack Horseman: Zoës and Zeldas
(2014)
Episode 4, Season 1

Are you a BoJack or a Mr. Peanutbutter?
So, are you a Zoë or a Zelda? I think I am closer to a Zoë. Incidentally, I guess I've watched this episode in the Zoë mood. I can't find too much to remark from this one except for the brilliant meditation about what character of the Mr. Peanutbutter's show are you more alike to, and except that stunning ending, reflecting on the idiosyncrasy of Diane, and particularly of BoJack, who are defined like Zoë too (the latter one, got it undoubtedly deserved). That was the kind of montages that makes me love the show. The actions of BoJack in this episode confirms the meanness and selfishness there are inside him. He poked out a likable side and bury it ruining the big opportunity Todd had to mature. Other minor highlights are the hit-and-miss dynamic between BoJack and Todd, both when they are confronted or working together, and the new storyline opened to future episodes, since the episode finished with a first-plane of the ticket of the videogame that damaged Todd. One of my problems with this one is that Todd's project barely calls my attention. His opera is always boring for me, whether when it is supposed to be boring and when it is supposed to be great. Another one is that I didn't care for the new characters except for Margo, whose participation is always delightful. Neither Wayne, who delivered too little and only advantage is the possibility for Mr. Peanutbutter to shine with his hilarious observations, nor Virgin Van Cleef, who is probably one of the least memorable guest characters of the entire show. Oh, and this is probably the least funny episode so far.

BoJack Horseman: Prickly Muffin
(2014)
Episode 3, Season 1

The first -and weakest- main appearance of Sarah Lynn
Sarah Lynn, the tender girl of Horsin' Around, 12 years later sex-symbol, is 24 years later an authentic disaster. As well as his fictitious dad, she is now a ruined shadow of what she was, manipulative, far away from her glory days, and is now misspending her richness in parties and drugs. Her downfall is evident, reaching the point of being the guestroom of BoJack, and falling even lower after their farewell, admitting she was never to grow and that she was going to surround with sycophants and enablers. I quite like how their dynamic was displayed here. It's like if Sarah features BoJack, while the horse occupies the role of his close people. BoJack playing the role of a permissive father was actually funny. He gives her a lot of ridiculous authorizations and permissions, even letting her destroy the house. However, the scene where they pass time together was kinda refreshing. I laugh out loud when Bojack simulates the credits rolling after that. I was not able to foresee the big twist: now they have sex. That was an odd decision that made me leave the show for a second time, but that I don't mind anymore. Todd and Diane played a supportive function. The former, being the of the voice of the reason and the mature one, was actually great. I uniformly liked the joke of the comparisons between his situation and Sarah's at BoJack's house. Princess Carolyn shines approaching Sarah and making her take the bait in a plan to cheat Vanessa Gekko. The endings, with the paparazzi birds taking photos of BoJack and Sarah having sex, was a clever opening of a future storyline. Not one of the best episodes, though.

BoJack Horseman: BoJack Hates the Troops
(2014)
Episode 2, Season 1

The first classic of BoJack Horseman
The episode that hooked me up the second time I tried out to watch this show. An instant classic episode that presents a dispute that BoJack has with a seal for a box of muffins, and how the controversy spreads to inconsequential stuff like the condition of a veteran of the seal, the condition of a famous star of Hollywood of the horse, or the number of muffins that had the pack (12!). The handful of commentaries that BoJack shares were actually thoughtful, and the role that the media played, exaggerating the situation, condemning BoJack, and deviating the debate, was fantastic. Parallel, the protagonist led the subplot along with Diane. They have their first progress in the project. Diane is an awesome character. She brings out the deepest feelings and memories of BoJack, and they share a great dynamic. The final scene, where BoJack opens up and tells her how his childhood was, is beautiful. Incidentally, the flashbacks showed here were very tough, proving the hard growing up that the horse had. Her mother was cold and distant from him. His father was violent and harmful, whether psychologically and physically. Mr. Peanutbutter starts a reality, "Peanut Butter and Jelly" which allowed a lot of material for jokes and a scenario to BoJack for apologizing for his behavior with McNeal. Meanwhile, Todd is in trouble again, this time with a Japanese girl that tried to swindle him and stole 80 bucks from Todd's account. It amazes me how serious problems are overlooked and the episode is built on details.

BoJack Horseman: BoJack Horseman: The BoJack Horseman Story, Chapter One
(2014)
Episode 1, Season 1

It doesn't invite you to be a fan of the show, but it's enjoyable once you are a fan.
I must admit that I rebuffed BoJack Horseman the first time I've sat down to watch it. I felt this first episode was missing something, and I didn't give a shot to the second one... Fortunately, I came back, because I would lose a brilliant show. Technically, it failed as a pilot for that reason, but my thoughts on this episode have changed watching it in hindsight. I think they offered a very complete presentation of the show: the first handful of jokes of animals conserving their instincts and tastes of animals, the non-linear narrative, the use of recurring jokes that, as Mr. Peanutbutter said, get funnier every time, the quick transitions between scenes... all those elements define the show and you can recognize them since the outset. Also, we watched the first segments of the straightforward 90s sitcom, Horsin' Around, including the ridiculously dark series finale. The downfall of BoJack, two decades later, was precisely established. he does awkward observation or jokes in the least accurate moment, he screws it up whatever he is involved in, he spreads selfishness, he oscillates between the hyper-high self-esteem and the pessimism and self-disrespect, he alternates between the total honesty and the subtle insinuation. There is also a fantastic presentation of the top-level cast. Todd gets troubles with a Mexican cartel, Mr. Peanutbutter appears to take out the worst of BoJack, Princess Carolyn deals with BoJack as her agent as her attempt of boyfriend in opposites ways, and Diane has her first conversation with BoJack. The revelation that she and the dog are together was great and unexpected. A solid pilot and, thereby, a solid episode.

The Simpsons: Undercover Burns
(2020)
Episode 1, Season 32

David Harbour steals the show.
Right now, with a sole watch, with the fresh image of Fred episode in my retina, and with all the hype still around, I have to say it was the strongest season premiere since The Falcon and the D'ohman, aired nine years ago.

David Harbour, the guest star, has great scenes and his actuation was outstanding. Fred was an entertaining, captivating character. Most of his entries were goddamn funny. His first interaction with an employee where he angrily decides to fire him, his presentation to Homer, Lenny, and Carl where he passes from being apathetic to kinda friendly, and his experience at Moe's stand out for me.

I really appreciate the evil role Mr. Burns performed here. The beginning of the fake fair used as an excuse to make children work was perversely cruel and it's an action worthy of the classic villain of the show. I enjoyed the scene in the bathrooms where he notices everyone hates him. After that, we learn a lot about his obscure repertory through the severe commentaries of Homer, Lenny, and Carl about the mistreatments they receive from their tyranny boss. And I must say, it's a mind-blowing idea that Mr. Burns suffers the hostile actions of Mr. Burns with another face, another body, and another voice.

The lines that Lenny and Carl had speculating about Fred, and how casually he and Burns were never together, and that kind of jokes were abundant throughout the episode vary from decent self-awareness jokes to create an absurd atmosphere to desperate attempts to explain the audience what was happening, depending on my mood, so I can not say if I liked them or not in general. Homer played a friendly role. He invites Fred to join him and his friends to lunch and then all of them enjoy great moments together. I enjoyed both montages a lot. The first one shows the crew in diverse activities as the roller coaster or fishing, ending up in a nice session of karaoke. The second one goes over the flexible, enjoyable, and relaxing place of work that the Nuclear Plant became.

In conclusion, I think Undercover Burns was better than expected. David Harbour was fantastic and his character, Fred, is quite funny. Burns recovered a pinch of evil, and it was nice to have so many scenes at the Nuclear Plant. The animation was easily above Anderson's standards, too. So, it was an enjoyable episode and a nice first-kick in season 32. Season 32, for God's love. I'm so proud of this show.

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