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Bojack Horseman season 5, episode 1 recap: ‘The Light Bulb Scene’

By Ariba Bhuvad

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Season 5 of Bojack Horseman is going to be a sensational season of television indeed!

Bojack Horseman is back! And after all the drama of season 4, Bojack is back in front of the cameras doing a new show called Philbert. But he’s a bit disturbed because the character of Philbert has many parallels to his own life. The set looks just like his home, Philbert’s alcoholism and rough-around-the-edges attitude, and not to mention overall demeanor mimic that of Bojack and it’s throwing him for a loop.

Is this really the type of horse he is? As he grapples with that, we are introduced to old and new characters in the season 5 premiere including Mr. Peanutbutter who is playing Julius Ceaser in a commercial in the next set over, Bojack’s co-star Gina (voiced by Brooklyn Nine Nine’s Stephanie Beatriz), and Bojack’s director (voiced by Mr. Robot’s Rami Malek).

Something that always stands out about Bojack Horseman are the minute details that make every scene hilarious and so darn catchy. The use of different animals and their natural functions juxtaposed onto a reality where humans and animals coincide is pure genius. Case in point, an orangutan on set swinging from the lights to fix something or the grip person being a snake wrapped around the light to hold it up.

It’s just astonishing how much thought goes into this show and the season 5 premiere really set the tone and stage for what the season will bring. One thing is for sure, this season is going to be dark and insightful as Bojack struggles with playing this new character and facing the truth about who he is.

Credit: Netflix

Bojack Horseman wouldn’t be complete without Bojack sleeping with someone who in this case is his co-star Gina. She doesn’t seem all that into it or him and shrugs off any emotional connection. It’s clear that Bojack is emotionally distressed and has started rationing his alcohol intake to a certain amount every night. But what he misses more than alcohol is Hollyhock who is away at college.

Speaking of family, Princess Carolyn makes the decision to adopt and visits the adoption agency to get started. After writing a check for $60,000 and being ripped off, she must now wait to hear from someone that is putting their child up for adoption. Her escapades at the agency are hilarious but frustrating because it doesn’t seem like they care all that much for her.

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We get some Todd action in the season 5 premiere who is in an asexual relationship but hasn’t exactly found a career path or even a job. This seems to be a point of frustration for his partner which pushes him to go and look for a job. What was supposed to be an interview to be a janitor turned in something much more (President of ad sales) due to his fake resume.

During the filming of Bojack’s new show, he brings up an issue about some of the scenes being too gratuitous and “male-gazey” so the director eventually changes the scene up to be a full frontal nude scene with Bojack. And though there is some fighting and resistance, Bojack ultimately ends up doing it for Princess Carolyn’s sake.

Mr. Peanutbutter and Diana are officially divorced when this season begins and we learn this after he picks her up from the airport. It’s quite awkward between the two of them and the facial expressions in this scene are spot-on for how they are feeling (seriously, how do they make the expressions so profound and concise?!).

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To celebrate getting through his controversial scene, Bojack throws a party at his house and his director apologizes for how heated things got earlier in the day. He wants Bojack to know the show isn’t about him, but it’s about his character and he should not take offense to the places they will go with Philbert.

And as the director puts it, “This is going to be a sensational season of television.”

It is indeed.

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