BoJack Horseman ran on Netflix for six seasons and offered viewers a cast of people and animal-people who experienced profound change and growth over the course of the series. Creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg had a hand in creating characters with some of the most deeply layered personalities in animation.
Throughout the years, BoJack and his (sometimes) friends went through numerous life developments such as marriage, divorce, death, childbirth and identity crises. These experiences imbued each character with strong personality traits. But although they saw deep changes in their lives, the essence of each BoJack Horseman character remained consistent throughout the series, and each one has a quote that sums up their essence in a sentence or two.
Hollyhock: "But I've Never Had A Brother."
Introduced at the end of season 3, Hollyhock's primary goal was finding BoJack Horseman, whom she believed to be her father, so she could locate her mother. This storyline sees Hollyhock, one of the best relatives in BoJack Horseman, and BoJack attempting to find her birth mother as they struggle to bond with each other.
The conclusion of this storyline results in the reveal that Hollyhock is in fact BoJack's sister. BoJack's failed attempts to be a father figure to Hollyhock are met with scorn, as she actually has eight fathers and does not need another. What she did seek when she came to BoJack was a familial connection that she hadn't experienced before, bringing her journey full circle as she never had a brother.
Sarah Lynn: "Getting A Drug Named After You Is Cooler Than Getting An Oscar."
Sarah Lynn's introduction in the modern timeline of BoJack Horseman sees her in total contrast to the innocent young girl seen in flashbacks to the 1990s sitcom, "Horsin' Around." After the sitcom ended, Sarah Lynn became a pop star who soon turned to drugs and became the troubled 30-year-old seen at the start of the series.
For the majority of her appearances throughout the first three seasons, Sarah Lynn was consistently reckless, dangerous and irresponsible. While there is more depth to her character, there's no doubt that she is defined by the numerous selfish actions that display her as a troubled person. Not only is this one of the saddest things about Sarah Lynn, but it also suggests that she cares more about drugs than her career.
Beatrice Horseman: "No One's Ever Nice To Me. Why Should I Be Nice?"
A major traumatic aspect of BoJack Horseman's childhood is his relationship with his mother, Beatrice. In every single one of her appearances throughout the series, Beatrice Horseman is rude to BoJack, refusing to acknowledge his achievements as something to be proud of.
Beatrice's mean behavior, particularly toward BoJack, is explained in one simple quote in which she reveals that since no one treats her nicely, she refuses to be nice to others. It is a moment that cements her main personality trait as a bad mother to BoJack, as she has suffered hardships throughout her life and, she believes, has never received any niceties, which explains her actions.
Mr. Peanutbutter: "What Is This, A Crossover Episode?"
Mr. Peanutbutter is a character who is defined by his lovable and approachable nature, something that most characters fawn over, but not BoJack. From the very first episode, BoJack makes it clear that he dislikes Mr. Peanutbutter, primarily because Mr. Peanutbutter is happy when BoJack thinks that he shouldn't be.
Mr. Peanutbutter's most iconic quote in BoJack Horseman, regarding a potential crossover between his and BoJack's '90s sitcoms, reveals his desperate need to be friends with someone he admires. Throughout the series, this sentiment is constantly expressed as Mr. Peanutbetter attempts to bond with BoJack, which becomes a defining aspect of his personality.
Princess Carolyn: "You Know Me. I Always Land On My Feet."
BoJack's agent, Princess Carolyn, is the busiest character in the series, always coming across difficult situations and doing everything she can to resolve them. At face value, she is a problem solver and defines herself as never being crippled by a complicated situation.
Even in one of the direst circumstances, in which she suffers a miscarriage, Princess Carolyn adamantly insists that this traumatic experience will not stifle her. She claims that she can survive anything, regardless of how awful the circumstances are, and it establishes her as a character who very rarely allows herself to grieve, as she is so busy assisting her friends with their issues.
Todd Chavez: "Sometimes I Feel Like My Whole Life Is Just A Series Of Loosely Related, Wacky Misadventures."
In a series full of eccentric characters, there is arguably none wackier than BoJack's friend Todd. Throughout the show, Todd almost always finds himself in a side adventure opposite the main plot of the episode as he accidentally floats in the sky on a drone, enrolls in a fight between two prison gangs, or becomes lost in a hotel, for just a few examples.
This wackiness leads to Todd securing several jobs throughout BoJack Horseman, seeing him hilariously failing his way up as he becomes the head of several companies despite his apparent incompetence. No moment defines Todd's wackiness better than his own acknowledgment of it, as he expresses how even he does not understand how he ends up in such odd situations.
Diane Nguyen: "Every Happy Ending Has The Day After The Happy Ending."
Beginning as a ghostwriter for BoJack which quickly leads to a tumultuous friendship, Diane Nguyen constantly expresses views and opinions that often alienate BoJack and the other characters in the series. In the first season, during a conversation with Naomi Watts, who is playing her in a biopic, Diane reveals a hard truth.
It is one of Diane's most inspirational quotes in BoJack Horseman, as she claims that the concept of a "happy ending" is flawed as there are always days after it, days which cannot live up to that happiness. It is one of Diane's most apparent personality traits that she is skeptical of anything good that happens in her life, which becomes a factor in her divorce from Mr. Peanutbutter.
BoJack Horseman: "I'm A Good Person, And I Need You To Tell Me That I'm Good."
The titular character of the series, BoJack Horseman, is a cynical antihero overcome with self-loathing, ennui and existential dread. He may be the protagonist of the series, often being there for his family and friends in their times of need, but BoJack is certainly not a typical, good-hearted protagonist.
After consistent self-destructive behavior that often sees his friends suffering from his actions, BoJack still wants to be told that he is a good person, refusing to acknowledge his part in why public and private perceptions of him are so negative. He displays this desperataion most overtly near the end of the first season when he asks Diane outright to tell him that he is a good person. It's a defining aspect of BoJack's character that he commits heinous acts but expects those around him to accept them as flaws and love him anyway.