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Bojack Horseman is the titular main character of the show of the same name. The show primarily follows BoJack and his life after his successful '90s sitcom, Horsin' Around. BoJack is a clinically depressed alcoholic and is often self-centered, acting rudely and out of personal interest.
He is voiced by Will Arnett who also portrayed Missing Link from Monsters vs Aliens and Batman from The Lego Movie 1 & 2, and The Lego Batman Movie.
Background
BoJack Horseman grew up in an abusive family. His mother Beatrice Horseman was the heiress of the Sugarman Sugarcube fortune, while his father Butterscotch Horseman was a failed novelist gone working class horseman. His father was an alcoholic and regularly verbally abused BoJack while he was young. His mother, Beatrice, resented BoJack for everything he had done to her including being born. Her smoking habits, forceful will, addiction to cigarettes, and constant bickerings with Butterscotch made BoJack's young years difficult.
To escape from his terrible home life, young BoJack reveled in the fame of Secretariat, the 1973 Triple Crown winner. BoJack grew fond of Secretariat and wanted to be just like him.
As BoJack became older he turned to comedy for solace after the 1973 suicide of Secretariat. While trying hole-in-the wall comedy clubs, BoJack met Herb Kazzaz and Charlotte Moore, Herb's girlfriend. The three became good friends while trying to become big stars. Herb finally lands a show called Horsin' Around and confides in BoJack that he is to be the star of the show.
During the show, BoJack slowly becomes more and more depressed. He turns to smoking and alcohol just like his parents in order to deal with the pressure and loneliness of becoming famous in Hollywood. When Herb is caught doing lewd acts in public with another man, the ABC network executive talks to BoJack about letting Herb go. Although against it at first, BoJack finally agrees to stay while Herb is fired. BoJack doesn't talk to Herb after until Herb is on his deathbed. BoJack continues the show through the rest of nine seasons until its cancellation. The finale features the death of BoJack's character, The Horse, and the doctor telling his adopted orphans that he died of a "broken heart" because they didn't love him enough.
Twenty years later, BoJack has fallen into a cynical depressed life of couch living while watching reruns of his has-been show. While staying alone he hosts a party where he meets Todd Chavez who never leaves and becomes BoJack's only friend. BoJack also begins to date his agent, Princess Carolyn, in an effort to not be alone. Reaching utter despair, BoJack is approached by Pinky Penguin of Penguin Publishing, to write his biography. Believing to be up to the task, BoJack promises to write the book himself. Unable to, they force him to hire a ghost writer, Diane Nguyen, the writer of his hero Secretariat's biography. Already hating her for her unpronounceable last name, he doesn't meet her until late into a party hosted by Todd. Attracted to her immediately, he is disappointed when she reveals that she is dating Mr. Peanutbutter, BoJack's rival and in season 4 unbeknownst to him he has a daughter named hollyhock but she turns out to be his long lost sister due to his father impregnating his mistress henrietta.
Personality
Being described as a curmudgeon, BoJack is often seen as rather bad tempered and irritable, with little patience for a lot of people around him. A key example for this would be Mr. Peanutbutter or Todd, who although give BoJack plenty of attention are constantly insulted, and looked down upon by BoJack's very bitter nature. Although being annoyed by his surroundings, BoJack ironically has a nasty habit of driving some of his closest friends like Princess Carolyn to distraction. Most commonly through his numerous schemes to get his own way, which usually end up in a disaster.
BoJack also seems to be somewhat plagued by his utter self-loathing and struggle to accept himself, this depressed side to his nature often comes out when he is with Dianne. However his sentimental moods have been more common recently, even with people like Mr. Peanutbutter, most notably in season 2. In addition BoJack finds himself haunted by his past, on a regular basis, flashbacks are often seen of BoJack remembering his relationships with Herb Kazzaz and his mother. While he can seem rather hostile on the outside, BoJack does have a caring, and melancholic side to him, but rarely shows this side of himself to others, partly because of his insecurities to show any weakness to others.
