BoJack helps Todd out after the latter writes a rock opera. Diane's ex-boyfriend, Wayne, is writing an article on Mister Peanutbutter for Buzzfeed.
Tropes:
- Call-Back: BoJack, Princess Carolyn, Todd, Mr. Peanutbutter, Diane, and Wayne are seen at the Comedy Central Roast of Gloria Steinem, mentioned by Princess Carolyn in the previous episode.
- Clickbait Gag: Wayne's dedication and skill are portrayed negatively as a parody of Buzzfeed and its alleged use of clickbait. He spends a week writing an article called "Nine Jokes From the '90s We Haven't Stopped Laughing at," only for it to turn out he's been writing gibberish for a week and only intends to put actual words in the article right before submitting it.
- A Day in the Limelight: For Todd, focusing on his rock opera.
- Don't Explain the Joke: The trouble with BoJack's first shot at stand-up comedy.
- Early-Bird Cameo: Emily makes her first appearance, leaving Todd after his addiction. She doesn't get a proper appearance until the third season.
- Fauxshadow: The Beast Buy receipt underneath the couch. Todd does eventually figure out that BoJack sabotaged him, but the receipt never plays into it.
- Flipping the Bird: Todd's girlfriend does this before leaving him.
- Genre Mashup: Todd describes his work as "Tommy by way of Cirque du Soleil, set in space with heavy erotic overtones and a gripping psychodrama of thriller with plenty of heart and more than a little humor."
- I Got You a Drawer: A non-romantic variant. BoJack gives Todd a closet to store his shit after BoJack sabotaged his rock opera.
- Literal Metaphor: BoJack says that he know what happens when a baby bird gets pushed out of the nest too soon because he's actually seen it happen.Mama Bird: I thought he was ready. He seemed ready.
BoJack: It's not your fault. - Lousy Lovers Are Losers: BoJack's inability to satisfy Princess Carolyn during sex is Played for Laughs for how comically incompetent he was.[BoJack is mechanically pounding Carolyn as lays on her back straight-faced and annoyed]
BoJack: Are you close?
Princess Carolyn: [exasperated] No.
BoJack: How 'bout now?
Princess Carolyn: [even more exasperated] No.
BoJack: Now?
Princess Carolyn: You're not even inside of me!
BoJack: [climaxing] Oh gaaaaaahhhhhhd!
[he immediately rolls off her while she's still immobile]
BoJack: ...Did you get there? - Malaproper/Mixed Metaphor: This episode has three variations of the "Fool me once" saying.Mister Peanutbutter: Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, fiddle-dee-dee.
Virgil Van Cliff: Fool me once, shame on you, but teach a man to fool me, and I'll be fooled for the rest of my life.
Todd: Fool me once, fool me twice, fool me chicken soup with rice.- Just to be clear the original saying is, "Fool me once, shame on you........... Fool me and won't get fooled again."
- A Man Is Always Eager: BoJack's two sex scenes ended with immodest orgasms, despite not penetrating Princess Carolyn either time (the second time, she hadn't even come to bed yet!)
- Once More, with Clarity: The end reveals how BoJack managed to put his plan together.
- Series Establishing Moment: This is the first episode to establish the show's Central Theme that, try as they might, people don't simply "get better."
- Pac Man Fever: The game Todd gets hooked on initially thought to be some sort of dungeon crawler before its revealed to be some sort of Tetris rip-off.
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: Discussed, though not by name. Being a Zelda means you're a sunny, fun-loving extrovert (Red Oni), while being a Zoë means you're a smart, cynical introvert (Blue Oni).
- Sequel Hook: In-Universe example. Todd calls his opera "Newtopia Rising. Book 1: The Search for a New Utopia", to which Mister Peanutbutter immediately thinks that there should be a sequel.
- Shout-Out: Raphael Bob-Waksberg stated in an interview that the "Are you a 'Zoë' or a 'Zelda'" game was inspired by Sister, Sister, when people were asking whether they were a "Tia" or a "Tamara". This would also inspire the "Go home, Goober" catchphrase later said on Horsin' Around.
