Good News 'BoJack Horseman' Fans

According to the Chinese calendar, 2016 is the Year of the Monkey. I'm skeptical, though — if that's the case, then why does it feel like this year is all about the horse? On Friday July 22, BoJack Horseman Season 3 dropped and I've been too busy marathoning to even consider asking is BoJack Horseman Season 4 happening? But yeah, whatever. If you're a fan of getting all your good news in one generous portion, then you're going to love today, because the official Twitter account for the show has already tweeted that hell yes, "season 4...it's happening." 2016 is officially the year of the Horseman.

Heave a sigh of relief: I'm only five episodes in, so fear not, there will be no spoilers here. But according to Variety, apparently the third season ends with such a large cliffhanger that it would be pretty difficult for the show to have been cancelled after its ending — so color me intrigued. As such, it's hard to be surprised that Netflix is going in for another season.

It's also wonderful news simply because the show seems to be getting stronger and stronger with every season. The first season was fun and sweet — playful about celebrity and the aging process. But, aside from the animal aspect which felt like a cute gimmick, it didn't feel like it was a gamechanger. Fast forward two seasons, and the team behind the series have found their groove. And again, without divulging any significant plot points, for me the turning point was in the "Fish Out Of Water" episode.

You can watch this episode whether or not you've ever seen the show before because it functions beautifully both as a standalone piece and in context of BoJack Horseman as a whole. BoJack heads underwater and the entire episode plays out almost totally without dialogue, since he has a diving helmet on. Without BoJack's usual defenses of booze and cigarettes — since the helmet means he can't consume either of them — it functions like an old-timey silent era cartoon, with the visuals taking center stage as audio becomes irrelevant, and lots of physical comedy and unlikely coincidences. BoJack is still BoJack — cynical and sad and a little lost — but the episode has a warmth about it you wouldn't have seen in the first season.

So maybe that's the key to BoJack Horseman's success. We don't love it because it's something old and familiar, we love it because it's continually able to reinvent itself and surprise us and push boundaries as to what a cartoon can be. So here's to Season 4 — may it continue to be as cynical, hopeful and experimental as season three has proved to be.

Images: Netflix (2)