Netflix's New Animated Hit Is This 100% Fresh Gem From 'BoJack Horseman' Creator

On August 22, 2025, Netflix released the first season of the animated series Long Story Short. Raphael Bob-Waksberg, the showrunner of the project, is also responsible for the Netflix masterpiece BoJack Horseman.

The ten-episode series immerses viewers in different periods of the Schwooper family's life, reminding us how fleeting human life is.

If you still miss BoJack Horseman, Long Story Short is a show you just can't miss, and here's why.

What Is 'Long Story Short' About?

Long Story Short is a story about a large family and their everyday joys and tragedies. The Schwooper family includes Naomi and Elliot, as well as their children: Avi, Yoshi, and Shira. Later, the cast grows to include the kids and romantic partners of the protagonists.

The main feature of the series is its endless time jumps. Each episode begins in one of the characters' pasts and then moves to the 2000s or 2010s to show how those past events affected the characters.

The show moves chaotically along the timeline, so viewers quickly learn how the Schwoopers' fates unfold: someone will die, and someone's marriage will not work out.

'Long Story Short' Is an Anthology That Will Keep You Glued to the Screen

The lack of a central plot draws comparisons to Bob's Burgers, King of the Hill in its early years, and The Simpsons in its heyday.

However, while classic adult animation preserves characters at one age, the writers of Long Story Short have creative freedom and can choose any time interval for the story.

Long Story Short works brilliantly as an anthology with ten highly diverse stories from one family's life. Some episodes are hilarious and absurd, while others are tragic and touching.

Add to this the comedic style of BoJack Horseman, in which the characters constantly swear and joke about each other, and you have a top-notch adult animated series.

'Long Story Short' Is the Closest to 'BoJack Horseman' You Can Get

Long Story Short is a worthy successor to BoJack Horseman, with the potential to emerge from its predecessor's shadow and grow into an equally outstanding and unique project.

Long Story Short is the most convincing attempt by the modern animation industry, and by Raphael Bob-Waksberg himself, to replace BoJack Horseman.

At the very least, the two series share a core message: to break the cycle of trauma and family problems, one must recognize and take responsibility for them.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Long Story Short'?

• Long Story Short has 100% from critics and 80% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the series has a score of 7.5/10.