Yes And is the tenth episode of Season 2 of the Netflix original series, BoJack Horseman, and the 22nd episode overall. Yes And, along with the rest of Season 2, premiered on July 17, 2015.
Synopsis
Todd gets sucked into the cult of improv comedy. Wanda thinks Diane is a bad influence on BoJack when he has to deal with a career crisis.
Plot
The episode begins with BoJack and Wanda standing on the former's deck over a sleeping, bedraggled Diane, with Wanda annoyed that Diane is overstaying her welcome.
Todd walks in and wakes her up by saying good morning to everyone. Todd asks BoJack and Wanda if they want to fly a kite, to which the former harshly rejects and the latter has to work.
This makes Todd remember that he has a job too, and he goes to the set of Hollywoo Stars and Celebrities: What Do They Know? Do They Know Things?? Let's Find Out!, although he is reminded by J.D. Salinger that he fired him, and Mr. Peanutbutter is also too busy to hang out. A downed Todd walks through town until he comes across a sign for Scientology, but a man instead offers Todd to join his improv club, Shenanigags.
BoJack is on the set of Secretariat, filming a scene where Secretariat is teaching inner city kids calculus. Despite BoJack's worries and the fact a boom mike got in the shot and an actor sneezed during his monologue, Abe D'Catfish, the new, laid-back director, assures BoJack it's fine and they can just fix it in post.
When Abe says how nice of a guy Secretariat was, BoJack counters the scene never happened in real life, although Abe says whatever they film they'll get paid either way. He invites BoJack to his house dinner and assures him to not worry about the movie, saying they're not making Casablanca.
BoJack goes to his trailer where Princess Carolyn is waiting for him in the dark, wearing a trench coat and beret. She demands him to be quiet because no one can know she's here. She asks if she left Vigor would he follow her to a new agency. He agrees but says no one will want to hire him after the movie comes out because the script is terrible and the director, while a nice guy, is a total hack.
Princess Carolyn informs him that he got an offer from Jill Pill for him to act in her off-Broadway play in New York before the movie comes out. BoJack says that it sounds like something he should be doing right now, and he accepts the role with excitement.
Todd is seen at the Shenanigags learning about improv. He has won over group-except Brian. The members explain you get suggestions from the audience and make up scenes based on them, but you're not allowed to ask questions or say no. You should also try to build on suggestions, called the "Yes and" technique. Todd can't believe how simple improv is, which Brian disagrees with. The members tell him most importantly, improv is about community, which Todd has always want to be a part of.
Mr. Peanutbutter talks to Diane on the phone, who he still thinks is in Cordovia. He tells her how proud of her he is and how he's telling everyone what she's doing. Diane is currently on BoJack's couch buildings tower out of Wheat Crackers and Cheese spray, and she end up having to impersonate a refugee by disguising her voice when Mr. Peanutbutter says he wants to talk to one of the locals.
Todd and the other Shenanigags members are at a bar when one of the members spots Copernicus, who Todd learns is the founder of Shenanigags. Todd wants to talk to him, but the other members stop him, saying you can't just go talk to him. Brian tells Todd to an improv on a random lady to prove himself worthy. Todd approaches an old woman and improv her successfully, telling her that her friend exploded, and the gang cheer for him as they all leave. This also gets Copernicus's attention.
Later that night, BoJack and Wanda are having dinner with Abe and his wife. His wife asks about them finishing Secretariat soon, to which Abe reveals they have one week left of filming.
Wanda reveals BoJack is doing a play in New York after they finish. However, BoJack says he can't wait to work on something good and insults the movie, saying it's a piece of shit. Abe is angered by this and decides to extend filming with re-shoots to spite BoJack, which also prevents him from going to New York. BoJack is confused as to why this offended Abe because he was the one who said they weren't making Casablanca. It turns out Abe meant this literally because Casablanca already exists and the movie is about Secretariat.
At BoJack's house the next day, BoJack is explaining the misunderstanding when Wanda questions why he would antagonize Abe. BoJack tells Wanda she's probably glad since she didn't want him to go to New York, and now he's stuck here filming a movie that’ll ruin his career. Wanda doesn't think he should sulk about it, but Diane says he should. BoJack thinks she may be right, although Wanda retorts Diane is the last person to take life advice from.
Todd enters and begins to tell them about improv, and tries to get them to practice with him, but BoJack and Wanda tell him to stop. Todd hopes he impress the leader council so he can become a Level 2. Diane believes he's joined a cult, while Todd claims it isn't, but BoJack agrees that improv is, in fact, a cult because he read a book about cults during he was a Scientologist. Diane rants about how nothing matters, and after she leaves Wanda tells BoJack he has to talk to her.
Todd remembers his class and runs to Shenanigags. The members reprimand him for being late and warn him if he's late again he'll be kicked out. They also reveal Brian was kicked out for being too negative and sent away by Copernicus to the Shenanigags cruise line, the Giggle Ship. Todd then says his best friend told him improv is a cult, but he says he doesn't believe that. The members tell him to invite BoJack to his improv show to see if he's a true friend or not or if he's worth having in his life.
BoJack goes outside to talk to Diane about how long she's thinking about staying here. Diane asks if Wanda's making him kick her out, which BoJack denies. Diane tells him that she wasn't the person she thought she was. BoJack tells her that he'd love to wallow with her but he has to go to work. She tells him that she's was gonna drink and watch old episodes of Horsin' Around. BoJack ends up staying home and hanging out with Diane, to Wanda's disapproval.
Rutabaga goes into Princess Carolyn's office and tells her, as they begin to make out, that the property for their new agency will be ready in June, which gives them two months to move out. He also reveals he had to register their new corporation in her name because of his divorce, to her surprise, but he promises it's only temporary. Mr. Peanutbutter interrupts them and Princess Carolyn tells him about how they are leaving Vigor and starting their own agency. She asks if he'd go with them to the new agency and Mr. Peanutbutter says he's in.
BoJack and Diane are still loafing while watching Horsin' Around, to Wanda's annoyance. Todd comes home but he accidentally knocks over their tower of beer cans, to their annoyance and they tell him to clean his shit up, which BoJack claims he never does. Todd invited BoJack to his graduation show tomorrow night, and tells BoJack he's his best friend and it would mean a lot. Princess Carolyn then calls to tell him that the movie company is prepared to sue him for breach of contract. She demands he go back the set, and tells him he wanted this.
BoJack has no choice but to return to set. He films a scene where Secretariat proposes to his girlfriend, and it ends with him saying "I’m tired of running in circles." Abe spitefully makes BoJack say the last line multiple times. After saying "I’m tired of running in circles” multiple times, BoJack comes to a realization about himself.
At home later that night, BoJack is building a beer can tower with Diane when Wanda comes home and asks BoJack if she could talk to him alone. In the bedroom, she tells BoJack they’re going on a trip to Santa Barbara, as she thinks it would be good with them, and she understands he’s not happy with his movie but moping around with Diane won’t help.
BoJack is upset that Wanda just wants him to pretend to be happy, but Wanda cuts him off and says a lot of people hate their jobs but that doesn’t mean they have to bring it home with them. BoJack scoffs at her saying this because she’s a network executive and all she has to do is air and renew "garbage."
Wanda is offended by this, saying she has pride in her work and every good thing he has come from network executives like her. BoJack shouts he's never happy despite having all those things, and bitterly tells Wanda his life was ruined by a network executive like her. Wanda says she's sorry he feels that way, but that doesn't give him the right to be shitty to her, and she can't be around someone so bitter and negative.
BoJack questions why she's here then. When Wanda questions what happened to them, BoJack says she thought she knew him, and she fell in love with him, but now she actually knows him, the same thing that always happens. Wanda then delivers the poignant line "You know, it's funny. When you look at someone through rose-colored glasses, all the red flags just look like flags."
BoJack goes out to the balcony and tells Diane Wanda is moving out. Diane apologizes, although BoJack says it’s his fault, and she offers to watch another episode of Horsin' Around with her. BoJack asks her why she won't go home.
Diane says she wishes she could just go home to her husband and have a simple night with him, a night where she doesn't have to apologize for leaving, for being difficult, or for not being the person she thought she was.
BoJack tells her the longer she waits the harder it's going to get. Diane asks him if going to New York or making the Secretariat movie that he wanted would've made him happy. BoJack says for a little while. Diane asks him when was the last time that he was generally happy.
BoJack goes for a drive. A broken-hearted Wanda has moved back in with her sister. Todd has his graduation show and is upset that BoJack didn't come. BoJack continues to drive as he appears to slow down.
The doorbell rings at Wanda's sister's house. Wanda, who was crying and being comforted by her sister, goes to answer it, only to be disappointed that it's only the pizza guy. BoJack keeps driving.
Todd goes out to a bar to celebrate with the Shenanigags members, who all greet him, and one member tells Todd that Copernicus wants to talk to him.
Diane calls Mr. Peanutbutter and tells him that she can't talk on the phone anymore, because it's just too hard for her but that she still loves him. On the Secretariat set, Abe furiously questions where BoJack is. It is now morning in New Mexico. Charlotte is about to open her store when she sees BoJack outside standing next to his car, and she looks happy to see him.
Cast
| Actor | Character | |
|---|---|---|
| Will Arnett | ... | BoJack Horseman / Billy John |
| Amy Sedaris | ... | Princess Carolyn |
| Alison Brie | ... | Diane Nguyen |
| Paul F. Tompkins | ... | Mr. Peanutbutter |
| Aaron Paul | ... | Todd Chavez |
| Alan Arkin | ... | J.D. Salinger |
| Maria Bamford | ... | Kelsey Jannings |
| John Cho | ... | Male Improviser |
| Emily Heller | ... | Female Improviser |
| Rian Johnson | ... | Brian |
| Lisa Kudrow | ... | Wanda Pierce |
| Garry Marshall | ... | Abe D'Catfish |
| Kristen Schaal | ... | Sabrina |
| Ben Schwartz | ... | Rutabaga Rabbitowitz |
Trivia
- "Parade" by Kevin Morby plays during the end credits and during the ending of the episode.
- The Chinese themed bar Todd and his improv group go to is designed after the real life The Good Luck Bar and Grille in the Los Felix neighborhood of Los Angeles.
- This is the first mention of Jill Pill
- BoJack and Wanda break up.
- Todd joins Shenanigags, an improv class.
- When Todd wakes Diane up by greeting everyone, she shouts Kinko when she wakes up, which is the little boy that she befriended in Cordovia in the previous episode, only for him to die in a bombing.
- The lemon tree that BoJack bought to go along with his auto-erotic asphyxiation machine in Higher Love is still present in his bedroom.
- When Todd has his graduation show, Double Bass Player and Roxy are seen among the spectators.
- There's no TV in BURT'S.
- Todd has an innovative zombie dentist scene.
- BoJack was a Scientologist.
Intro Differences
- Kelsey Jannings is replaced by Abe D'Catfish in the Secretariat set.