What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedBoJack Horseman
Raphael Bob-Waksberg · Series · 2014
If you loved BoJack Horseman, start with Bo Burnham: Inside (2021) — a film on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 films and 2 podcasts, each matched to BoJack Horseman across media.
You loved BoJack Horseman because it uses dark humor to dissect the messy, painful, and often self-destructive nature of human existence.
Books on the same thread
Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened
Allie Brosh · Book · 2013
Shares 2 threads with BoJack Horseman: Depression, Existentialism.
If the raw depiction of depression in BoJack Horseman resonated with you, this memoir offers a similarly unflinching and darkly comic look at mental health and internal struggle.
A Horse Walks Into a Bar
David Grossman · Book · 2017
Shares 2 threads with BoJack Horseman: Existentialism, Dark Comedy.
Like the central performance in BoJack Horseman, this narrative features a man crumbling under the weight of his own history, blending sharp dark comedy with profound personal trauma.
Watchmen
Alan Moore · Book · 2009
Shares a thread with BoJack Horseman: Existentialism.
BoJack Horseman fans will recognize the heavy existential dread and moral ambiguity found here, as this story deconstructs its characters with the same intensity as the animated series.
A Man Called Ove: A Novel
Fredrik Backman · Book · 2016
Shares a thread with BoJack Horseman: Redemption.
This story of a grumpy protagonist mirrors the curmudgeonly nature of BoJack Horseman, exploring redemption and the slow, painful process of healing through unexpected connections with others.
Films on the same thread
Bo Burnham: Inside
Film · 2021
Shares a thread with BoJack Horseman: Existentialism.
This special captures the exact intersection of existential isolation and performative despair that defined the later seasons of BoJack Horseman, set against a backdrop of modern cultural anxiety.
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Alejandro González Iñárritu · Film · 2014
Shares 2 threads with BoJack Horseman: Redemption, Dark Comedy.
This film echoes the meta-commentary on celebrity culture and the desperate search for artistic integrity found in BoJack Horseman, focusing on an actor struggling with his fading relevance.
Boyhood
Richard Linklater · Film · 2014
Shares a thread with BoJack Horseman: Existentialism.
While less cynical than BoJack Horseman, this film shares its commitment to examining the long-term impact of family dynamics and the quiet, incremental passage of time on identity.
Persepolis
Marjane Satrapi · Film · 2007
Explores: Iranian Revolution, Loss of Innocence, Exile and Identity.
Much like the more serious arcs in BoJack Horseman, this animation uses a personal lens to explore the heavy themes of exile, identity, and the loss of innocence.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Joe Rogan Experience
Joe Rogan · Podcast · 2026
Explores: intellectual curiosity, unfiltered dialogue, lifestyle exploration.
If you enjoyed the long-form, unfiltered conversations about life and culture present in BoJack Horseman, this podcast provides an unscripted look at a comedian exploring various lifestyle ideas.
The Archers
Podcast
Explores: family life, community, farming.
Those who appreciated the serialized, character-driven drama of BoJack Horseman will find a similar commitment to the complex, evolving relationships within a tight-knit community in this long-running series.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What is the premise of BoJack Horseman?
BoJack Horseman follows the life of a former sitcom star twenty years after his peak popularity. The show explores the life of a curmudgeonly horse who attempts to navigate his post-fame existence with a personality that is described as something like copper rather than gold.
Who created BoJack Horseman?
BoJack Horseman was created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg. The series, which premiered in 2014, focuses on the titular horse as he grapples with his legacy as the most beloved sitcom star of the 1990s while dealing with his complex and flawed personality.
Is BoJack Horseman a comedy about a 1990s television star?
Yes, BoJack Horseman centers on a character who was a beloved sitcom star in the 1990s. The show examines his life two decades later, portraying him as a curmudgeon whose heart is not quite gold, but perhaps closer to copper in its nature.
When was BoJack Horseman first released?
BoJack Horseman was first released in 2014. The series depicts the life of a famous 1990s sitcom horse twenty years after his initial success, highlighting his curmudgeonly behavior and his struggle to maintain a positive public image.