Bojack Horseman: The Slow Burn of Consequences

There’s an old adage in the realm of television sitcoms: status quo is god. The format of weekly television has historically limited the creative options for television writers. A sitcom is a product, even more than film or dramatic television. Viewers expect to tune in every week to see the same people in similar hilarious situations. A change in the status quo can ruin a sitcom. If the relationships between the main characters are changed, it dramatically shifts the way the series has to be written from that point on. Difficulties can come up quickly when you consider screen-time requirements for certain characters. Keeping it safe is imperative, which is why serious changes are often ret-conned or pushed off for as long as possible. Countless shows have been ruined after romantic tension is resolved in their key relationship. If we grade the forms of film on a scale of commercialism, sitcoms rate just ahead of soap operas. They are much more product than art, due mostly to the limitations of the business model.