BoJack & Family Guy Have WHAT in Common!?

SUPPORT ME ON PATREON!- / johnny2cellos
What if I told you that Family Guy and BoJack Horseman have more in common than you realize. Now, obviously they are INCREDIBLY different shows. They have vastly different styles of humor, different episode and seasonal structures, they have different goals as adult animated comedy series. But at their CORE there is one super specific and super important commonality that they share, and it all has to do with with their protagonists’ relationship to SITCOMS.
Edited by Joe Murphy @nazchoz798
Follow me on Twitter: / johnny2cellos
Music:
Johnny 2 Cellos Theme Music - Norman Marston
Johnny 2 Cellos Theme REMIX- @BlackTyeChi
Video Used:
BoJack Horseman (2014-2020)
Family Guy (1999-2024)
Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted.
"Fair Use" guidelines: www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html

[@astrojuicy]

Petah the horse is here

[@kaitlyn__L]

Petah the hoause is heyah

[@breadanbuttwr]

HELP 😭

[@turtleanton6539]

God i hate family guy

[@AuroraIceFlame]

Damn that’s what I came here to comment lol

[@in-completeanimations1715]

The fact that this made me chuckle for over two minutes shows how fucked up my life's become

[@DTheAustralian]

If we’re talking Peter vs BoJack, the most interesting difference between them is consequence. BoJack never gets off scot free for his terrible actions and gets the correct punishment due to his world being grounded in reality, whereas Peter’s wackier and less structured world allows him to do whatever he pleases without issue. Both shows use this element as a strength, which really is curious.

[@EdgieAlias]

Not curious. Lazy.

[@jerzyksudak945]

I agree , also it would be interesting if they made a special episode where Peter faces the consequences for all his past actions just like that episode that showed what would have hapened if Stewie killed Louis.

[@turtleanton6539]

​@@jerzyksudak945end of seinfeld

[@joshuamoore91]

I agree mostly. Bojack gets away with a lot though. The reason he makes some of his worst decisions is because being rich and famous allowed him to do and get away with so much that would normally ruin someone's life that he somewhat feels untouchable for a good chunk of the show which has a lot to do with him not taking accountability for most of the show.

[@gothicMCRgirl]

As much as I don’t really like Family Guy, trying to compare both shows seems pretty bad just on principle. Yes both shows are adult cartoon comedies, but it’s clear that their end-games are pretty different ultimately. Bojack WANTS to be a down-to-earth comedy with characters that have an arc, while Family Guy takes advantage of the fact that it’s a cartoon and forgoes real life rules and consequences for the sake of jokes (whether it succeeds at being funny is a matter of opinion). Bojack has a continuous storyline while Family Guy is mostly episodic. Their structures and goals are very different from each other.

[@dalfin9286]

What separates Peter from BoJack is that even at his Lois, he is still a Family Guy

[@JC-ts5ii]

Lmao😂

[@ManicKiwii]

There he is, officer 👮‍♀️👮‍♂️

[@rufusblue8044]

I see what you did there

[@Rusty.Shacklford951]

Just a family guy griffin his best to never lois down and let us see the voulence in movies and sex on tv

[@kaylenejantjes8113]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 WOOOOWWW!

[@jasonguarnieri4127]

Bojack is normal words, but a horse guy. And Peter is horse words, but a normal guy. It all makes sense now.

[@guldmattbb473]

Honestly, I’d argue MrPeanutbutter and Diane’s relationship is probably most connected to something like Family Guy if you really think about it. They essentially have the same dynamic of ‘stupid but well meaning husband’ and ‘serious but eccentric in her own ways wife’ you see in a lot of those shows. PB even has a tendency to try and pull off harebrained schemes and wacky sitcom plots the same way Homer or Peter would in their respective shows. But Bojack kinda deconstructs that concept with their relationship and basically asks ‘what if Peter and Lois were a real couple where Peter’s wacky hijinks actually had consequences and Lois had to constantly put up with being married to what is effectively a child in an adult body’. Hell, you even see the grand romantic gestures that would 100% have been an ‘alls well that ends well’ moment in those respective shows. Except Diane hates that. She becomes increasingly frustrated with PB and the two show a clear lack of compatibility. PB even seems stuck in his own sort of status quo, and he only manages to better himself once he accepts that his pattern of relying on relationships to fulfill him is unhealthy and tries to be happy being by himself for a change. Bojack definitely also fits in this category, but there’s something about PB and Diane that feels more connected to the sorta Family Guy/Simpsons formula than the horse guy, at least in my humble opinion

[@hauntedhaunter6148]

This is brilliant

[@MKETSHOW117]

This theory definitely seems worth exploring further in a video as well!!

[@onionbubs386]

I binged Bojack in its entirety these past few weeks, which means I've also been indulging in yt video essays surrounding the show. And I gotta say, yours are handsdown the best. You're very good at finding new meaning in scenes that have gone unnoticed, formulating a script that is both easy to understand yet brilliantly astute.

[@Johnny2Cellos]

oh wow thank you so much!

[@onionbubs386]

@@Johnny2Cellos you're welcome! thank *you* for making such quality videos :)

[@Randomlad.0737]

​​@@Johnny2Cellos You, and your KZbin friends, make this site a bit more nuanced and obviously more fun.

[@guywiesel2380]

Shafrillas is also top tier

[@matti.8465]

So basically Bojack tries to live his life by sitcom rules but is unable to use them in real life, whereas Peter does the same thing and it always works because his world operates like a more self-aware sitcom. If Bojack's attempts to live his life like in Horsin' Around actually worked then he might be as reckless and detached from reality as Peter.

[@genericname2747]

I wish that Family Guy kept up the vibe of the first season, where it's a guy raised by sitcoms trying to be a good family guy.

[@pedrovallefin8406]

On one side, i get why they dropped that angle cause it did feel too much like a Simpsons clone during those early years. But on the other side, the irreverent tone it embraced its the main cause of its deterioration. Yeah, it allowed the show to fully form its own identity and gave it a level of popularity that even ended up affecting its precursor. But i would say the original point still stands. Just like the Simpsons its always at its worse when it tries to be Family Guy, Family Guy was at its best when it took cues from the Simpsons. Of course, i never liked Family Guy all that much and i havent seen a chapter since that season where Brian died, so im probably not the right person to talk about it.

[@ToonrificTariq]

Without a doubt, one of the greatest video essays I’ve ever seen in my life. No, I’m not bias. Fuck y’all.

[@Tacomaz125]

I'm so happy you're still doing Bojack videos. I literally subscribed to your patreon to watch Bojack along with you because the absolute need I have for Bojack content is too strong😂

[@MrSiriusAB]

9:03 The 'D' gets replaced in the series finale, but with a 'B' instead, Welcome to Hollywoob

[@ethandeboer103]

I rewatched the first episode of Bojack recently, and it's so interesting how similar the tone is to Family Guy: there are cutaway gags, more juvenile humor, and overall even more sitcom-y then most Bojack episodes. It almost makes Bojack feel like a divergent timeline from Family Guy, like if they took a Family Guy type show and took it in a different direction. The thematic similarities that Johnny showed in this video further prove this feeling that I have had for a while

[@BroxTheHusky]

Great video as always Jonny, but also how dare you not include “Peter, the horse is here” lol

[@frankielovejoy9928]

What I find interesting about Bojack is how some of the lessons one might learn from a sitcom are not inherently wrong messages to present to someone, it's just that Bojack does not take it to heart, even subconsciously. For example, you've mentioned how Bojack craves and does well within a structured environment with some semblance of routine. This is something some older sitcoms will present as a good thing. Like having a stable home life with a spouse and kids, working a standard 9 to 5 job, and having a little downtime with friends. It's a very structured routine that many sitcoms would package as a way to improve stability in life. And we see that this is something that can apply to Bojack. He had a miserable home life as a child, isn't married, is a father to no one (that we know of), and his track record for friendships is strained to put it lightly. As such, it makes sense that Bojack would crave structure, and when he has it, he manages to at least keep himself out of trouble. The problem is Bojack does not usually try to maintain this structure on his own or find a new structure when the old one is gone. As you said, he destroyed the old Sugarman place when his work on the house was done. He did well in rehab, but once he was outside of it, he immediately started to revert back to old behavior. Bojack lives off of sitcoms but doesn't take the most important lessons to heart. And I think a big reason for this is when Bojack DOES try to find structure, he sometimes tries to find it with the wrong people. He tried to play out a fantasy with Sarah Lynn, but she clearly was not on the same page as him. He did well in rehab until he got himself mixed up with Jameson. But Bojack DOES do well when with someone who does care about his wellbeing, like Eddie. Like the people who want to cut off Bojack for being toxic, Bojack needs to remember that the same mentality applies to him. Not surrounding himself with toxic people.

[@bensadfleck9972]

The only thing in common i can see is that the BoJack Horseman pilot used cutaway gags in a similar way to Family Guy.

[@neilhannan5112]

People read the title of the video: Blasphemy 😡 Heritage People After Watched the Video : He's Right ❤

[@tiablue9106]

Did u mean “heresy”? lol

[@tiablue9106]

or sacrilege

[@SkullWaneVideos]

Has anybody ever thought that there should be a Bojack statue made of Lego's, since Bojack is voiced by Will Arnet, and will arnet is in Lego Masters?

[@vaulthunter7777]

A reference to G.O.B. from Arrested Development would be appreciative or a reference to the Dragon Lord (Tiny Tina's Wonderlands), highly unlikely that either would be get 1 especially Wonderlands because it came out after the show ended but still that'd be pretty cool.

[@SkullWaneVideos]

@@vaulthunter7777 you know what else would be cool? A waffle maker that makes waffles that connect with each other, like Legos.

[@vaulthunter7777]

@@SkullWaneVideos That WOULD be pretty cool lol

[@katzencowboy2313]

i quote "normal words but a horse guy" daily, its such a funny phrase

[@brieannashelnutt7400]

What is this, a Family guy and Bojack horseman crossover episode???

[@brittasnow64]

I think the way they handle Brian's character throughout the early seasons (and also pre-s12) feels kinda Bojack-ish, they showcase his depression and loss of purpose get worse over the years as he constantly ruins his relationships and it culminates in the episode "Brian & Stewie" where we learn that he even has a "way out" in a safety deposit box.

[@108asf]

Isn't that the horse from Horsin' around?

[@bogesy]

you're right, Bojack needs a Bojack-copter

[@a.n.9800]

I didn’t know that Family Guy also had an episode that was basically just one character monologuing. Given how much attention Bojack got when it did an episode like that I wonder why I didn’t hear that comparison sooner.

[@user-oe8pc5hw4o]

Peter also has a thing for horses. The roid rage horse, the brain damaged one and the horses which painfully rejected him.

[@JaceyChristian]

It does make a lot of sense how both shows have a concept of sitcoms only Family Guy fully, and is, embraces it while BoJack Horseman deconstructs it by being that of real life. Peter gets away with so many things that he would be sentenced to life in prison or even to death, but gets off scot-free. BoJack, however, has to deal with the real world and how a mindset of a sitcom is not healthy and only leaves things unresolved in the grand-scheme-of-things.

[@matewhocreates7136]

I absolutely loved this video!!! Sitcoms being a part of bojack needs to be something talked about everywhere!! Also ive never really liked the sarah lynn episode but thanks to your take, I do! Great video 😊

[@LydiaTaylorMusic]

I felt family guy vibes every time they did a "cutaway" joke but considering family guy took the cutaway thing from the simpsons and the simpsons probably got the idea from somewhere else, its really just a matter of too much media existing in history for them not to be informed and inspired by each other

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

LOVE both shows and is very interesting to see that they are opposites in how they handle consequeses: Bojack pays dearly for his many mistakes while Peter can do whatever he wants and aside from the punishments he gets from episode to episode he never faces long term consequenses. And they're both amazing for it

[@nilevinsmoke5880]

Tbh I never thought of bojack horseman as a sitcom tbh for some reason its the show I watch when I'm depressed

[@blakebirdsell6879]

Bojack Horseman: A genuine mature show that can tackle dark themes in a respectful manner with humor that can be funny and characters that are likable and three-dimensional. Family Guy: A show that used to be funny and well written. But now needs to die!

[@ndm13]

Can we retroactively make Family Guy six seasons too?

[@desuretard8654]

What's wrong with Family Guy?

[@bacht4799]

⁠@@desuretard8654personally it is that people take it too seriously “ know that feeling..” but it’s funny because the idea with Family Guy is the same with Rick and Morty because people misunderstanding what it is .. and don’t mean that condescending or anything like that but it’s because those two shows is regular be told to be ripoff of The Simpsons and Back to the Future.. but that’s not it .. Family Guy is a joke on sitcoms where something crazy happens and everything is ok later and Rick and Morty is Dr Who parody instead.. I not the first one saying that but it’s probably why one of the reason it’s getting the hate it gets.. if Family Guy was a band it would be Sex Pistols a lot of attitude and noise but no substance and for some what they stand was awesome for them but for many they was annoyingly garbage which only good thing was something better come out it instead…!

[@twurtle12hd39]

How did THIS VIDEO make me realize Peter was raised on those shows lmao

[@GravyBaby420]

A friend of mine refuses to watch Bojack because she hates family guy, and the first few episodes are family guy-esque with the crude humor and cut away gags

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

Yep. They are both animated series. So clear!

[@Lwhale.3797]

As much as I loved Family Guy as a pre-teen, it’s hard not to think of it in the “modern” era when everything feels lazy, there is nearly zero continuity, clichéd plots are regurgitated and shitposts are written off like some attempt at meta-humor. It’s honestly remarkable you and Toonrifiq were able to analyze FG in such a thoughtful and meaningful way.

[@BobtheExile]

11:45 "stable" lol nice choice of words there

[@greayworks7232]

Honestly, a lot of the people that make up both of these worlds remind me a lot of one another. I think something that's also important about Bojack that may go over some fans heads is that the world and show of Bojack Horseman isn't a realistic one. A lot of reflections of shows in Bojack Horseman as well as how characters and ideologies are shown in such an exaggerated way it nearly leans into absurdity. Even the show Horsin Around, is very much a parody of the cliche image a lot of people have when they think of empty-minded sitcoms and it reminds me of Family Guy/American Dad would portray a sitcom.

[@happyguy3317]

the last chapter of Family Guy i saw was when his daughter finaly speaks up to the constant abuses of the family towards her andit end with her instead of standing her new position just acepting that this are better off as before and everything goes back to the abusive jokes, that is when i understud Family Guy it isnt for me...

[@ciberkid22]

Apparently they've lately stopped with the Meg Abuse jokes, which only really highlighted that that's all she had going for her as a character. So now she's just boring

[@lyre6820]

New sad honse video from Johnny let's go🗣️🔥

[@PeriodicalMusic]

Yknow this video makes me image a world where family guy took itself a little seriously and worked the way bojack did, Peter isnt a good guy by any means and id love to see that explored and everlasting trauma and stuff that comes from his action, we could still have jokes and cutaways maybe but we could actually explore the characters more and how peters values and life centered around past tv shaped him and how they affect people around him

[@MxMaker]

It take me so long after seen the bojack horseman episode to underestand that i dont need to forgive people for their orrendous action. Its hard to reflect how deep into our cores religious and fiction stories forge our lives.

[@Randomlad.0737]

Very good, as someone who's mixed on Family Guy, but still enjoys the first three seasons, it's cool to see how Family Guy and the AMAZING BoJack Horsemen took a similar idea and ran in different directions. Family guy is the alternative choice if BoJack let his false/distorted views on the world win and lived in a silly sitcom world, at least the early seasons are like that.

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

LOVE your bojack videos! They made me a fan of you in the first place! Was just watching the churro video! You're the Best ❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@hihello3372]

Man thank u, every time i get a notification i get excited but when its BOJACK HECK YES

[@sobmodolo]

I like to say that Bojack saved my life because it’s still my safe show. So I look forward to your videos all the time and it keeps me going. Thank you, this means so much to me.

[@TheCosmicFreeway]

lovee your outro song, I always stick around for that

[@sirjesirae]

I love this - these thoughts, this kind of conversation. So good! I miss the pod.

[@auzzyvtgaming]

I always look forward to seeing that you've uploaded 🎉

[@ChampionMarx]

Well they both make me sad. Bojack because of how well it depicts the fragile nature of the human mind and how shit life can be both because of our choices and things beyond our control. Family guy does it by how it has gone from a actually funny family comedy to an unwatchable pile of trash that makes me hate every person both in the show and on the writing staff.

[@kaitlyn__L]

Yeah, god, even the first seasons have some meanspirited jokes a la what ended up defining it… but the backing band playing a 3-note sting and “let us ayyy” reminded me what 13-year-old-me ever saw in them before I soured on the show for its late-00s behaviour

[@bluecanine3374]

I know you said you are modtly familiar with old Family Guy, but a recent episode directly centered on Peter getting his values from 80s media (movies specifically) and jokes about how outdated they were. Think it would have been a good one to add to this vid

[@BlackKnight66600]

I want you to know Johnny that I don’t have the money to sub to a patreon, but if I did you’d 100% get one from me. You’re the only youtuber I enjoy who’s content is consistently great.

[@Johnny2Cellos]

I appreciate you!

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

​@@Johnny2Cellosyou're amazing man 😊😊😊😊

[@thepriceisright048]

I do miss when family guy was more complex

[@wheresfluffy123]

Your patreon package is very creative!

[@punishederic4761]

youtube royalties made me laugh way harder than anything in your videos before thank you I really didn't expect that.

[@montsa]

Any updates on Cartoons That Curse -podcast?

[@decadentgamer3108]

Well that was certainly an interesting explanation., I do see where you're coming from, especially if we're talking early Family Guy because modern FG is just... I don't even know lol But yeah both Bojack and Peter are as you explained, influenced from the TV, the thing that gave them both joy and raised them but the influence manifested in different ways. I think that's why I ended up loving Bojack so much after putting it off for so long. I watched Bojack for the fist time in my life in late November and into December of 2023and I was shocked at how hooked I was with it and I still think about some of the scenes to today. Anyway I love that aside from the anthropomorphic animals, the world is still rooted in reality and the actions of the characters have consequence, namely with the title character himself whereas Peter tends to get away with everything he does Scott free. It was just nice to see an adult animated sitcom go down that route. And plus you know, Bojack actually had an engaging ongoing plot where the characters did change and grow, something that I had wished Family Guy would've eventually done but has never done yet. Sure they killed off a few side characters but aside from Cleveland getting divorced and re-married, there has been no real change that affect the structure of the show and this is what Bojack provided for those of us wanting that.

[@thebiggestofoofs3176]

Went into this 100% expecting esteemed character actress Margo Martindale guest starring in episode of Family Guy

[@mxsmitzz2235]

Normal words, but a family guy

[@ciberkid22]

Normal words, but a man who positively can do all the things that make us laugh and cry

[@TheCommenterDragon]

Literally no show is safe from Family Guy and the criticisms of it's creator, Not even Bojack Horseman. It's absolute madness. lol

[@madnessarcade7447]

It’s not even Seth he’s not even involved with the writing of the show that much anymore outside of voicing the characters

[@boboinkkk5390]

Great video But I think there are a lot of interesting comparisons you could have made between Brian and Bojack too (Just an idea)

[@kooeksaggs4752]

can you do a comparison between bojack and rick and morty? love your video btw

[@rami_atallah]

Wow every time I discover a new thing. Keep it up ❤

[@1cantd1e]

Great video

[@dergutehut3961]

In my opinion the thing both shows have in common is great observational humor.

[@martianmeghan]

I'm not a big fan of Family Guy, so I was a bit skeptical going into this (I love Bojack Horseman).I never thought I'd agree that Family Guy and Bojack Horseman have anything in common but here I am. This was an excellent video analysis of the two shows! Good stuff :)

[@poptartpoltergeist9765]

Heya, Mace here!! Can’t wait to listen to this on my wait to see Godzilla! Tysm for making such amazing content and can’t wait to see more!

[@AuroraIceFlame]

Petah, the horse is here

[@elishevaw.4158]

I never thought of this. Johnny, you are a genius

[@MarxistMomentum]

This video is like a set-up to a joke: What does a Horse man and a family guy have in common?

[@TheEcoolarg]

conclusion: Seth mcfarlane is probably a bad person with a very good memory for unconsecuencial things while bojack is a fictional character reveling in his past

[@benjaminshoultz9657]

Love the outro rap!

[@WeebJail]

ah thank you for reminding me family guy was actually good for a few seasons

[@ElJorro]

A brilliant analysis

[@lyre6820]

JOHNNY IS BACK 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@Joi.530]

I feel so lucky to catch your videos this early! I love your bojack vids and other analysis's keep up the good work!

[@miloselfesteem2326]

"A weekly telling of stories and allegories that they share together, and then talk about them afterwards" thats all we need from religon. Just something to reinforce that we are doing good by trying to do good. Why cant it be that simple

[@Jeremy-ot6pb]

the question i never knew i needed an answer to

[@justjoshua5759]

I’ve always seen bojack as the anti family guy. It does everything family guy does as a subversion but imo better

[@That_Chikin]

You’re videos are great 👍🏽 hope you’re doing well

[@kittyturtle98]

This has opened my eyes

[@GREENBHOY06]

Honse

[@theragingrodent__]

Thank you.

[@genericname2747]

Hors

[@Diceyed]

yo, that was a good take. It's an interesting juxtaposition.

[@kalebkennedy327]

I know it was a throwaway gag and things went back to normal after, but The episode of Family guy where Peter shoots quagmire in the arm, and Quagmire wont let Peter get away with it unless he lets Quagmire shoot him back

[@parkerstange851]

Peter Griffin and Bojack Horseman in the same video!!! What is this, a crossover episode???

[@LarvaFamily-cd3oi]

Bojack Horseman’s dad, Butterscotch Rhode Island, was a horse in Rhode Island, where the Griffins went on vacation in Treehouse of Horrors

[@TheDanishGuyReviews]

This is like the 3rd time I get told to watch Tariq this week. Fine, I'll get around to re-watching his videos next week. Re-watching, as in, I already know he's doing great work.

[@xlro8f853]

You should do a video about American dad.

[@Patrisia_69]

pls do videos on archer

[@A3B_Yates]

I mean they both have enemies. Bojack: Mr Peanutbutter Peter: The Giant Chicken

[@ciberkid22]

I try mentioning these similar points but there's always one guy going "bro it's family guy" lmao

[@diegomedina9637]

Basically... People really need to give the manatees writing Family Guy some credit for that Bojack Horseman joke.

[@christianbaeza2471]

The background music sounds like it sampled cookie chips

[@ewetwentythree]

The two best shows ever...

[@user-jh4lx4mi3c]

in many ways I LOVED Both BoJack Horseman and Family Guy But there very different shows and I'd do think BoJack Horseman is a more complex show then Family Guy sure they have wacky characters and cut-away gags but with BoJack Horseman there characters are better written and goes all in the fake TV Family to the painful real Family drama Meanwhile the Modern day seasons of Family Guy are gotten worse with it's characters and it's jokes but at the same time have gotten a little better but with there characters of BoJack Horseman have more complex and better written and at least BoJack Horseman had a satisfying ending while Family Guy is still on going but there classic seasons are better

[@BigPurp9]

They’re both without a doubt my 2 favourite animated shows of all time

[@the-nina-beans88]

What’s funny was when I was a kid when Family guy first debuted on Fox ( yeah I was 10 in 1999) I though the show was called “ family Guide due to the gag of the I in family having a tv dotted had me under stand the joke of them trying to be that tv family but with a talking dog and.. Stewie

[@AimShows]

when you finish the podcast do you think you will put it on youtube, Spotify or something else?

[@Johnny2Cellos]

Not likely, I think the audio commentaries will remain on Patreon. At least for a long time.

[@raedefrane5505]

Why is that doll the Beatrice's stuff at 10:18 didn't her dad burn it (though it is next to the photo of him illustrated THAT complicated relationship)

[@Lil_Yuri]

Man, that thumbnail is cursed. Good essay though

[@thatcomicandmangafanfromdublin]

10:20 herb kazaz jumpscare

[@CrookiNari]

Conceptually this video inflicted psychic damage on me, but still great analysis as always.