41 BoJack Horseman

NETFLIX 2014-20

None of the pieces of this animated comedy have any business fitting together.

It’s set in a world where humans live and work alongside animals that walk on two legs, talk, and wear clothes. Its title character (Will Arnett) is a washedup Nineties sitcom star struggling with substance abuse, depression, and an inability to stop hurting anyone who cares about him, including his daffy roommate Todd (Aaron Paul), manager/ex-girlfriend Princess Carolyn (Amy Sedaris), and biographer/friend Diane (Alison Brie). BoJack is filled with silly wordplay, Hollywood satire, and dumb humor presented in brainy fashion. But it’s also a poignant, tragic character sketch where the character just happens to be a horse-man — a parody of antihero dramas that ask you to empathize with assholes, yet one that succeeds in making you empathize with this asshole. And somehow, all of these disparate elements combine for by far the best show Netflix has ever made.