Would you watch a show on cable about an emotionally unstable horse that lives with his human friend? On paper, BoJack Horseman doesn’t make a lot of sense. It is one of the more critically acclaimed properties in streaming giant, Netflix’s vault.
You may be able to catch the show in a place other than Netflix as the show is looking for a channel to sell via syndication. The Torante Company secured the off-network rights to Bojack for a domestic syndication sale before the show went to air. The company is headed by former Disney CEO Michael Eisner.
“I’m very proud of ‘BoJack Horseman.’ Who knew a washed-up sitcom star, who happens to be a horse, would drive the best reviews of any television show or movie in which I have been involved in my career?” Eisner commented. “This business is all about who you work with creatively. Thank goodness (creator) Raphael Bob-Waksberg walked through my door.”
The distributor of the deal Debmar-Mercury has an unusual situation on its hands. Just what is the price on a show like this and for its distributors overall?
“Not only do we love the show but we think this horse-man can finally buck the trend in comedy, providing a strong alternative to conventional sitcoms,” Debmar-Mercury co-presidents Mort Marcus and Ira Bernstein said in a statement to Deadline.
The show would provide a benchmark to other creators and would show the viability of Netflix originals off of the streaming service.
As Bojack character Todd Chavez would say, “Hooray!” At least that is how the mood is at the moment with so many options in the air.
