BoJack Horseman And 4 Other Smart Shows With Great Writing, Handpicked by Reddit
Tired of cliches and faceless characters? These five shows are for you.
This list contains series that will brighten up even the most difficult everyday life. At the same time, each of them is not an empty trinket, suitable only for wasting time and forgetting, but an individual and stylish project, made with real wit and screenwriting skill.
1. Veep, 2012-2019
Few mock politics as blatantly as Armando Iannucci's satirical sitcom. The show mocks not only the main character, Selina Meyer, but also her hapless team trying to keep Selina in power. As the show progresses, Meyer becomes President of the US, but does not stay in that position for long.
Veep is, of course, a show for those who love when jokes are delivered at machine-gun speed, the morals of political managers are mocked in the most merciless way, and political reality appears as a series of paradoxes.
2. BoJack Horseman, 2014-2020
BoJack Horseman proved that a show doesn’t have to become great right away: the first season was received lukewarmly, the second season enjoyed extremely positive ratings, and then finally animated series was considered a modern classic that demonstrated how animation should be used to convey the inner state of the main character.
Over the course of six seasons, BoJack has come a long way, from an arrogant alcoholic who makes those around him suffer, to a sensitive and vulnerable father and friend who has realized and accepted the mistakes of the past. The show retired as one of the greatest animated series in television history, and BoJack himself joined Tony Soprano and Walter White in the ranks of outstanding television characters of the 21st century.
3. Arrested Development, 2003-2019
Arrested Development ran from 2003 to 2006, after which it was canceled – it never became a hit with Fox viewers, but was popular with critics and was regularly nominated for an Emmy. After the show was canceled, it was released on DVD and began to gain fans around the world. And then it got a second life on Netflix.
Not everyone falls in love with Arrested Development from the first episode: there are a lot of jokes, they are sometimes sharper than needed in an average sitcom. But if you didn't stop watching after the first episode, you probably won't notice as you watch the other eighty.
4. Archer, 2009-2023
Archer has been on the air for 14 long years – during this time it has raised the bar for what is acceptable in adult animation and even managed to fall below its usual level of quality. However, one thing has remained the same – this is still one of the funniest animated shows.
Archer is perhaps the most hilarious parody of spy dramas and action movies of our time: the series mercilessly goes through all the stereotypes, tropes and clichés of the genre, without forgetting to show first-class animated action.
5. Community, 2009-2015
Despite its difficult fate, Dan Harmon's cult series stayed on the air for six long seasons. It was possible to survive thanks to the fans, whose love helped the creators and cast not to despair and always remember that Community was appreciated and, most importantly, understood.
Community has always tried to push the envelope with its experiments: parodies of the post-apocalypse with paintball guns, puppet animation, an episode with six parallel universes, and more. The show was not afraid of anything and always wanted to surprise – for that it will always be remembered and loved.