In 2014, Netflix audiences were introduced to the animated sitcomBoJack Horseman. No one would have expected it to cement itself as one of the smartest, most mature, most complex dramedies ever to hit screens, but that’s precisely what the show soon proved to be.
The characters ofBoJack Horsemanare layered, flawed, and all too human (even the ones that aren’t humans at all). They do the right thing just as often as they mess up, resulting in characters that are easy to like just as often as they are despicable. Despite their ups and downs, though, one thing is for sure: The genre has rarely seen characters as great as these.
10Beatrice Horseman
In a series with characters as complex as those ofBoJack Horseman, it’s hard to label someone a villain. But if you absolutely had to define one character as the show’s antagonist, the easy pick would be Beatrice (Wendie Malick), BoJack’s troubled and abusive mother.
Beatrice’s tragic backstory is one of the saddest parts of the whole show, but it hardly excuses her consistently cruel and belittling behavior toward her son and everyone else in her life. Incapable of love and empathy due to her atrocious childhood, she became an adult who mistreated those around her and gave BoJack nothing but punishment and apathy.
9BoJack Horseman
The show’s protagonist is also one of the best-written characters of any animated show. BoJack (voiced byWill Arnett), a washed-up actor desperate to revive his career and give his life some semblance of meaning, shows one of thebest representations of mental health issues in television.
Fans are often placed in the shoes of those who love BoJack: stuck in the circle of feeling joy and relief to see him try and grow as a person, but then inevitably feeling disappointed when he relapses into his toxic ways. At some point in the show, it simply becomes too hard to give BoJack another chance at redemption.
8Princess Carolyn
BoJack’s on-and-off agent and ex-girlfriend, Princess Carolyn (Amy Sedaris) has an interesting dynamic with all of the show’s main characters. Ambitious and hard-working, she’s willing to do pretty much anything to achieve her goals.
PC is often one of the show’s most relatable and sympathetic characters, a persevering career woman with a head full of dreams. However, she can sometimes also be one of the show’s most reproachable people. Opportunistic and a constant contributor to the toxic Hollywoo environment that the show critiques, she makes it hard to root for many of her actions.
7Diane Nguyen
The yin to BoJack’s yang, Diane (Alison Brie) is arguably the show’s second most important character, which she constantly makes clear with her practical, hard-willed, and idealistic personality and actions.
By far the wisest and most intelligent of the series' main ensemble, Diane tends to be the voice of reason and everyone’s moral compass, and her loyalty to those she cares about makes her very endearing. However, she’s also just as lost as BoJack is, which sometimes leads her down paths that are destructive for herself and others.
6Sarah Lynn
The object of one ofthe saddest moments in sitcom history, Sarah Lynn was one of the children that acted alongside BoJack in his hit showHorsin' Around. In no small amount, due to him, she became an erratic young woman with issues and addictions.
Gently put, Sarah Lynn is a lot to handle. For some, her personality can be obnoxious, and her actions might be just a bit too toxic to overlook. At the end of the day, however, it’s impossible not to empathize with her, a victim of the system whose childhood was ripped away from her.
5Mr. Peanutbutter
His bubbly personality might be too much for BoJack, but fans of the show sure do love Mr. Peanutbutter. A cheerful but not particularly talented actor who used to star in the rival sitcom toHorsin' Around, he’s nothing but positivity and good vibes.
Mr. Peanutbutter is loving, friendly, and loyal to a fault. He’s the kind of friend you’d want around whenever you need cheering up, and his wacky hijinks never fail to makeBoJack Horsemanfans laugh. There’s a lot more to him, though. His pattern of dating much younger women eventually becomes concerning, and his inability to take anything seriously often makes him a much worse friend and partner than it may seem.
4Beloved Character Actress Margo Martindale
Plenty of real people make an appearance inBoJack Horseman, but none have a role as prominent and fun as that of beloved character actressMargo Martindale, one of the series' funniest recurring secondary characters.
Beloved character actress Margo Martindale is violent and easily angered, capable of committing everything from murder to armed robbery without experiencing an ounce of remorse. This doesn’t sound like a particularly likable character but sprinkle in a surprisingly solid arc and some of the show’s most hilarious scenes (which contribute to making this one ofthe best dark comedies ever on television), and you have a character that’s always a delight to see on screen.
3Hollyhock
Don’t be intimidated by the terrifyingly long last name: Hollyhock Manheim-Manheim-Guerrero-Robinson-Zilberschlag-Hsung-Fonzerelli-McQuack is one ofBoJackHorseman’s loveliest and most kind-hearted characters. As soon as she’s introduced, she becomes one of the most important parts of BoJack’s life.
Hollyhock is young, innocent, and needs guidance in her life. Unfortunately for her, BoJack isn’t often in the best position to offer that, but she’s far too intelligent, and her heart is far too big for her to get caught in the fallout of his toxicity. The fate of the two’s relationship is heartbreaking, but one can’t help but feel good for her in the end.
2Judah Mannowdog
Princess Carolyn’s assistant, Judah Mannowdog, may seem too stoic and cleanly professional to be a particularly likable character, but his surprisingly endearing personality and love for PC gradually made him one of the series' most beloved elements.
Anyone and everyone could really do with someone as reliable and helpful as Judah in their lives, as he often proves in pretty much every amazing scene he’s in. There’s also a lot more depth to him, though, providing for some scenes with PC that are among the show’s most moving.
1Todd Chavez
One look at Todd’s face is enough to understand why he’s arguably the show’s most likable character. Friendly, energetic, and the most creative guy you could ever meet, he’s the kind of person who can make laziness an endearing trait.
Todd is the purest and most good-hearted person in the story. He’s the most loyal of friends but knows when someone isn’t good for him; he’s a lovable slacker but incredibly successful and ingenious; he constantly gets stuck in goofy shenanigans but finds the funniest ways to get out of them. Many ofBoJack Horseman’s characters aren’t always easy to like, but Todd most definitely is.
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