6 6 GQ. C O M. A U S E P T E MB E R /O C T OB E R 2 0 1 7THE BRIEF
STAR OF GAME OF THRONES AND 2018’S AQUAMAN, JASON MOMOA WILL BE ATTENDING OZ COMIC-
CON IN BRISBANE, SEP 23-24, AND SYDNEY, SEP 30-OCT 1; OZCOMICCON.COMTELEVISIONI
t’s a tale as old as time itself. A horse
lands a starring role in a ’90s family lands a starring role in a ’90s family
sitcom, makes his fortune, then lives sitcom, makes his fortune, then lives
out the rest of his days in a flashy out the rest of his days in a flashy
Hollywood Hills pad – growing more Hollywood Hills pad – growing more
bitter and disillusioned and drunk, bitter and disillusioned and drunk,
by the day. That’s the elevator pitch, anyway.by the day. That’s the elevator pitch, anyway.
Starring WStarring Will Arnett as BoJack; Amy ill Arnett as BoJack; Amy
Sedaris as his agent, a cat named Princess Sedaris as his agent, a cat named Princess
Carolyn; Alison Brie as his (human) Carolyn; Alison Brie as his (human)
girlfriend, Diane; and Aaron Paul as his girlfriend, Diane; and Aaron Paul as his
(also human) housemate, Todd, the Netflix (also human) housemate, Todd, the Netflix
series may sound a little offbeat. series may sound a little offbeat. series may sound a little offbeat.
“I never really thought it was that weird,” “I never really thought it was that weird,”
protests Bob-Waksberg. “You’ve seen protests Bob-Waksberg. “You’ve seen WWho ho
Framed Roger RabbitFramed Roger Rabbit, right? That’s what it , right? That’s what it
is – humans and animals.”is – humans and animals.”
He’s not wrong. But it’s also a hilarious, He’s not wrong. But it’s also a hilarious,
often dark, look at fame, success, love and life often dark, look at fame, success, love and life
that might just be the smartest show on TV. that might just be the smartest show on TV.
We talk to the man who started it all.We talk to the man who started it all.BoJack
Horseman
is back
AS THE ANIMATED SHOW
RETURNS FOR A FOURTH
SEASON, WE CATCH UP WITH
ITS MULTITALENTED, DOUBLE-
BARRELLED SHOWRUNNER,
WRITER – AND SOMETIMES
VOICE ACTOR – RAPHAEL
BOB-WAKSBERG.GQ: Is season four all done
and dusted?and dusted?
Raphael Bob-WRaphael Bob-Waksberg: aksberg: Yeah, Yeah,
it’s been delivered. So if it’s been delivered. So if
somsomething big happens in the ething big happens in the
world that we need to address, world that we need to address,
well, it’s too late.well, it’s too late.
GQ: WGQ: We live in uncertain time live in uncertain times. es.
Has that ever happened to Has that ever happened to
you before?you before?
RB:RB: Occasionally. But very Occasionally. But very
rarely in a mrarely in a major way where ajor way where
we’ve had to change a story or we’ve had to change a story or
somsomething. It’s hard because ething. It’s hard because
we want our show to be we want our show to be
somsomewhat timewhat timely but somely but somewhat ewhat
timtimeless, so it will hold up for eless, so it will hold up for
a few years. Wa few years. We had a joke e had a joke
about Carrie Fisher this season, about Carrie Fisher this season,
so we had to go back into the so we had to go back into the
recording booth and change it. recording booth and change it.
Hopefully nothing else Hopefully nothing else
happens, but at a certain point happens, but at a certain point
you have to be OK with it.you have to be OK with it.GQ: Four seasons is a big deal. GQ: Four seasons is a big deal.
Do you ever think about the Do you ever think about the
Seinfeld Seinfeld thing – going out on thing – going out on
top, not mtop, not milking it? ilking it?
RB:RB: Oh no. I’ll m Oh no. I’ll milk it for as ilk it for as
long as I can. Wlong as I can. When I’mhen I’m out of out of
stories, that’ll be timstories, that’ll be time for me for me e
to end it – not when Amto end it – not when America erica
or the world has lost interest. or the world has lost interest.
Though I guess if Netflix has Though I guess if Netflix has
lost interest, they’ll tell mlost interest, they’ll tell me e
it’s done.it’s done.
GQ: They mGQ: They must have all kinds ust have all kinds
of stats about who’s watching, of stats about who’s watching,
when they’re zoning out. when they’re zoning out.
Is that helpful?Is that helpful?
RB:RB: I think Netflix has access I think Netflix has access
to all of those stats, but they to all of those stats, but they
don’t share themdon’t share them with m with me. e.
I remI rememember hearing stories ber hearing stories
about about House of CardsHouse of Cards and and
early on, that they would call early on, that they would call
[executive producer] David [executive producer] David
Fincher and tell himFincher and tell him when he when he
was losing people. He was like: was losing people. He was like:
‘I don’t want to know. Never tell ‘I don’t want to know. Never tell
people that’. It would drive mpeople that’. It would drive me e
crazy. All I need to hear is: crazy. All I need to hear is:
‘M‘Make make more’.ore’.
GQ: A doco called GQ: A doco called ShowrunnersShowrunners
described the job as painting, described the job as painting,
while writing a novel, while while writing a novel, while
doing your taxes. Is it? doing your taxes. Is it?
RB:RB: I don’t know. W I don’t know. We’ve entered e’ve entered
this era of the ‘showrunner this era of the ‘showrunner
as auteur’ – like they’re this as auteur’ – like they’re thismysterious genius who has
to do every single job. I don’t to do every single job. I don’t
think that’s necessarily how think that’s necessarily how
good shows get mgood shows get made. For ade. For
every Louis CK who’s incredibly every Louis CK who’s incredibly
talented, there are five other talented, there are five other
executive producers who think executive producers who think
they’re that, but are total they’re that, but are total
mmegalomegalomaniacs who just aniacs who just
mmake garbage.ake garbage.
GQ: You’ve got an emGQ: You’ve got an email on ail on
display in your office fromdisplay in your office from a fan a fan
who suggested you’d forgotten who suggested you’d forgotten
to add tails to the characters.to add tails to the characters.
RB:RB: Yeah. W Yeah. What I really like hat I really like
about that emabout that email is this person ail is this person
felt so passionate about what felt so passionate about what
we’re creating. One of mwe’re creating. One of my y
favourite shows, ever, is favourite shows, ever, is MMad ad
MMenen and I loved it in a way that and I loved it in a way that
felt so personal. So I like that felt so personal. So I like that
people feel strongly enough people feel strongly enough
that somthat someone could love eone could love
everything about the show – everything about the show –
except, ‘why don’t they have except, ‘why don’t they have
tails?’ That’s the one thing tails?’ That’s the one thing
holding it back.holding it back.
GQ: MGQ: Maybe somaybe something for ething for
season four, then?season four, then?
RB:RB: Yeah, we have a bit of Yeah, we have a bit of
timtime before it preme before it premieres. ieres.
MMaybe we’ll try to squeeze aybe we’ll try to squeeze
in a few tails.in a few tails.
SEASON FOUR OFSEASON FOUR OF BOJACK BOJACK
HORSEMHORSEMANAN STREAM STREAMS ON S ON
NETFLIX SEPTEMNETFLIX SEPTEMBER 8BER 8WWILL ARNETT STARS ILL ARNETT STARS
AS BOJACK HORSEMAS BOJACK HORSEMAN, AN,
A WA WASHED-UP ACTOR; ASHED-UP ACTOR;
AARON PAUL PLAYS AARON PAUL PLAYS
TODD, HIS DEADBEAT TODD, HIS DEADBEAT
HOUSEMHOUSEMATE.ATE.