BoJack Creator Reinvents Adult Animation—Again—With Netflix’s Long Story Short

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The traditional format of animated family sitcoms has remained fairly consistent for the past 36 years, starting with The Simpsons, and shaping shows like King of the Hill, Family Guy, and Bob’s Burgers. As expected in a cartoon, the characters are exaggerated and their escapades are outlandish. One characteristic that has contributed to their enduring popularity is that time doesn’t appear to progress from one season to another. Since the actors aren’t bound by aging or deterioration, these series exist within a sort of everlasting present, allowing for ongoing updates in cultural references while keeping the characters at roughly the same age. (Except for a recent revival of King of the Hill that leaps eight years ahead.)

In the Netflix series titled “Long Story Short,” created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg, who is known for creating BoJack Horseman, employs animation’s flexibility to manipulate time in a unique manner. The story takes us through various significant moments in the life of a single Jewish family, from the 1990s up until 2022 (with an unexpected visit back to 1959 as well). Humorous, quirky, thought-provoking, and heartwarming, it occasionally leans towards sentimentality, which may not be everyone’s cup of tea among BoJack fans. It expertly weaves together multigenerational themes of love and resentment to create a complex tapestry of characters and their connections.

In the heart of this intricate network reside the siblings Avi, Shira, and Yoshi Schwooper. Their last name is a blend of their father Elliott Cooper (portrayed by Paul Reiser) and mother Naomi Schwartz (Lisa Edelstein). The eldest, Avi (Ben Feldman), is thoughtful, self-important, and staunchly non-religious. Shira (Abbi Jacobson), the middle child, is defined by her anger. Youngest brother Yoshi (Max Greenfield) is the peculiar one in this family, which, as Avi’s quiet, blonde girlfriend observes in the first episode, has never been particularly known for its relaxed normalcy.

In “Story,” the series skillfully connects significant events from the Schwoopers’ childhood to their adult experiences, making Jewish identity a primary focus. Conversations frequently incorporate Yiddish terms and the Holocaust remains a constant underlying concern. A notable episode revolves around Shira’s wife Kendra (Nicole Byer) and her journey to embrace Judaism. The series presents various interpretations and sentiments regarding Judaism. Though October 7 is beyond the scope of the first season, I eagerly anticipate the show’s potential in Season 2 to delve into this complex period for Jews globally. Initially, Naomi appears as a typical Jewish mother with her persistent, controlling, critical, passive-aggressive, and self-dramatizing behavior. However, as the story unfolds, we come to realize that she embodies not only these stereotypes but also its core essence.

Bob-Waksberg possesses a knack for incorporating humorous nuances that resonate with truth. Combined with an exceptional voice cast and animation styled as scribbles, he masterfully transforms the emotional turmoil of the Schwoopers into visual representations. He gracefully delivers sly parodies reminiscent of ’90s alt-rock posters adorning Avi’s childhood bedroom, surreal allegories featuring wild wolves in a middle school setting, and lines such as “Oh no, Mom’s personality is acting up.” However, _Story_ also encapsulates the universal, profound reflections on life that made _BoJack_ iconic and his thought-provoking, yet underappreciated Amazon series _Undone_ equally captivating. Similar to those shows, it is deeply intrigued and touched by our personal perspectives of relationships and time, exploring how our self-crafted narratives about these aspects shape us into the individuals we become.

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2025-08-22 11:06