Fans were delighted when Netflix confirmed in September 2017 that BoJack Horseman is returning to Netflix this fall for season 5. The streaming giant’s critically-acclaimed animated comedy-drama series, created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg, and designed by Lisa Hanawalt, features BoJack Horseman, the washed-up humanoid horse star of the 1990s sitcom Horsin’ Around.
Netflix’s confirmation of the renewal of BoJack Horseman for season 5 came less than two weeks after Season 4 started on September 8, 2017, and the show was riding high with a 97% approval on Rotten Tomatoes.
With fans looking forward to the start of the new season of BoJack Horseman, here is everything we know about the upcoming series, including release date, casting, plot line and teasers.
BoJack Horseman Season 5 release date
BoJack Horseman Season 5 will premiere on Netflix on Friday, September 14, 2018, a year after the release of season 4 of the show.
Netflix surprised fans in June 2018 by announcing the release date for season 5 via BoJack Horseman’s in-character Twitter account. BoJack wasn’t supposed to share the release date information with his Twitter followers, but he let it slip in response to an all-caps question by a fan who wanted to know when season 5 would come out.
“Wooowwww congratulations you are the 10000000 person to ask that question your prize is the answer September 14th now please stop asking me,” an exasperated BoJack tweeted.
wooowwww congratulations you are the 10000000 person to ask that question your prize is the answer sept 14th now please stop asking me https://t.co/YlMPphjRdq
— BoJack Horseman (@BoJackHorseman) June 27, 2018
Netflix’s official Twitter account then interrupted the conversation, scolding BoJack for revealing the new season’s release date without first obtaining permission.
bojack…we talked about this
— Netflix (@netflix) June 27, 2018
i remember a 87% coherent conversation where you told me to do this right now
— BoJack Horseman (@BoJackHorseman) June 27, 2018
do i have to revoke your twitter privileges
— Netflix (@netflix) June 27, 2018
no you cant i have powerful friends
— BoJack Horseman (@BoJackHorseman) June 27, 2018
help @jack how do i change my password
— BoJack Horseman (@BoJackHorseman) June 27, 2018
And just in case fans thought that BoJack Horseman was only pulling fans’ legs, Netflix released an official statement confirming that the new season will debut on Friday, September 14, 2018.
BoJack had confirmed the renewal of his show for season 5 on Thursday, September 21, 2017, nine months before he announced the release date on Twitter. About two weeks after Season 4 premiered on Netflix on September 8, 2017, BoJack’s in-character Twitter account posted a short animation video which showed a string of text messages sent to BoJack’s smartphone by a fictional Netflix executive whose number BoJack Horseman sarcastically saved on his phone as “Clingy Exec.”
Clingy Exec informed the fictional equine character that he was returning to Netflix for season 5.
“Hey Bojack, it’s Netflix… We would have called but we remember how angry you were last time we interrupted your nap…,” the message to the fictional equine character read. “Anyway, big news!… You’re back for a Season 5! S0 keep up the good work and see you on set soon!”
SO, THIS HAPPENED… pic.twitter.com/ZgRcG7anIF
— BoJack Horseman (@BoJackHorseman) September 21, 2017
Will Arnett also dropped a hint in a September 21, 2017 tweet that showed a photo of the script for the first episode of the new season of BoJack Horseman, written by Kate Purdy, who’s been writing for the show since its inception in 2014.
— Will Arnett™ (@arnettwill) September 21, 2017
The release date for season 5 follows the precedent set by season 4 which debuted on September 8, 2017, in contrast with the previous three seasons which debuted in July and August.
Bojack Horseman Season 5 teasers
Netflix offered fans a first look at season 5 of Bojack Horseman after it announced the release date for the new season.
#BoJackHorseman Season 5 premieres Sept. 14 — FIRST LOOK: pic.twitter.com/hQIz5ojfAA
— See What's Next (@seewhatsnext) June 27, 2018
The first-look image released on Twitter shows BoJack on the floor with a gunshot wound on his chest. A reptilian character stands over him with a gun in her hand, and there are people looking on in the background. The suggestion by some fans that BoJack Horseman’s garb in the image looks like a noir police detective’s, sparked speculation about what was happening in the scene.
Some fans suggested the image shows BoJack’s latest effort to make a comeback to stardom, and that it probably shows him in a scene from Princess Carolyn’s new TV series Philbert, which she pitched at the end of season 4.
Bojack Horseman Season 5 casting
The producers of the show have so far not revealed any information about additional casting for the upcoming season. However, we know that all of the series’ main characters will be back for season 5.
Will Arnett will be back to voice the titular BoJack Horseman, an alcoholic horse who was the star of the popular 1990s sitcom, Horsin’ Around, but is now struggling to adjust to life post-fame.
Other returning cast members include Amy Sedaris as Princess Carolyn, a pink Persian Cat. She is BoJack Horseman’s former girlfriend and agent. She formerly worked with Vigor agency, but she left to start a new agency with her boyfriend Rutabaga Rabitowitz. She fell out with Rabitowitz and left to start her own agency called VIM.
Alison Brie voices Diane Nguyen, BoJack Horseman’s Vietnamese-American ghost writer, and graduate of Boston University. She is the girlfriend of Mr. Peanutbutter, who is also a former sitcom star. BoJack developed romantic feelings for her.
Aaron Paul voices BoJack’s unemployed 24-year-old human pal, Todd Chavez. He first arrived in BoJack’s house for a party but has stayed on for five years since them. Their relationship is somewhat strained, but BoJack continues to offer him a roof and financial support. There were instances in the series in which BoJack sabotaged Todd’s effort to gain financial independence, suggesting BoJack really does not want Todd to leave.
Todd is clearly talented. He understands the Japanese language, composed his own rock opera and shows evidence of having entrepreneurial skills.
Paul F. Tompkins will voice Mr. Peanutbutter, an anthropomorphic yellow Labrador Retriever. Peanutbutter was Diane’s boyfriend, and later her husband. Peanutbutter was also a sitcom star. He starred in Mr. Peanutbutter’s House. He and BoJack Horseman were formerly professional rivals, but they are now good friends. Although he is a dog, Mr. Peanutbutter is a graduate of Northwestern University.
Bojack Horseman Season 5 plot line
Netflix has not released any official synopsis for the new season of BoJack Horseman, but the series, which first premiered on August 22, 2014, will likely continue from where season 4 left off. BoJack Horseman follows the muddled life of the alcoholic anthropomorphic horse (Will Arnett) in his 50s, his human friend Todd (Aaron Paul), his agent and ex-lover Princess Carolyn (Amy Sedaris), who is a cat.
BoJack is the failed star of the hit 1990s TV sitcom Horsin’ Around, but now spends too much of his time boozing and moping about in his apartment in Hollywoo, the fictional area of L.A. where BoJack and his friends live.
Hollywoo is based on the name of the real-life Hollywood area in L.A. It is a recurring gag in the series, following the events of the sixth episode of season 1, titled Our A-Story is a “D” Story. In the episode, BoJack removed the D from the HOLLYWOOD sign while drunk.
BoJack dreams of making a comeback to stardom and dictates his tell-all autobiography to his ghostwriter Diane Nguyen. During season 4, he met Hollyhock (Aparna Nancheria), a teenage horsegirl he thought was his daughter, but eventually discovered was his sister. The season ended with Diane (Alison Brie) and Mr Peanutbutter (Paul Tompkins) making an effort to reconcile.
It is likely that the new season will explore the relationships further. Diane and Mr. Peanutbutter will likely smooth over their differences. However, Bojack and Hollyhock’s relationship could hit the rocks. Fans will recall that at the end of the last season, Hollyhock told BoJack that she would rather have a brother than a father figure in her life.
BoJack Horseman Season 5 comes to Comedy Central
Netflix announced in July 2018 that BoJack Horeseman reurns will begin airing on Comedy Central in September. The streaming giant confirmed that the show will make its debut on Comedy Central after season 5 starts on Netflix. The news came after it was announced that South Park Season 22 will premiere on Comedy Central on Wednesday, September 26.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4CG5PxXoJo
“Comedy Central has a long history of using potent satire to help make sense of trying times, so BoJack Horseman is a perfect fit in our lineup,” the cable network said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to be the first to put BoJack on linear TV, and who better than an animated horse to teach us a thing or two about humanity? Straight from the horse’s mouth.”
BoJack Horseman’s distributor Debmar-Mercury had announced earlier in the year that they were shopping the animated series to cable networks.