bojack horseman erica mr peanutbutter

Who Is Erica From BoJack Horseman, Anyway?

She has the right number of ears, two eyes, one foot, and a very strange friendship with Mr. Peanutbutter.

Welcome to What Horse Is He Right Now Dot Com, a collection of stories by The Dot and Line about BoJack Horseman Season 5. Spoilers for Season 5 follow.

Now that BoJack Horseman is in its fifth season, there are a few things we’ve come to expect from the hit Netflix series: Todd will get himself into trouble, BoJack will do things that are a bit too relatable, and Erica will always be down to party.

But as it turns out, Erica hasn’t always been a party animal. Season 5 flashes back to 1993, when poor Erica is lost at a Halloween party where she only knows Mr. Peanutbutter and his then-wife Katrina.

Erica and Mr. Peanutbutter have been buddies for at least the last 25 years, but he hasn’t exactly been the most tactful dog, pointing out her physical features by shouting them across a room in public. And boy, has she been through a lot of physical changes in her life.

Erica has been hospitalized for severe burns and has lost a foot (but gained a friend, of course). She has “the right number of ears” in season four, which suggests that she may not have always had two ears—or however many ears are standard for her species. We also have confirmation that she has two eyes, although only one of them is functional while the other looks up towards the sky.

Apart from her physical appearance, we know that she could be a felon and a sex offender, since Mr. Peanutbutter mentions that she can’t vote in national elections and can’t be in Disneyland around all the children. She’s most likely still on good terms with both Mr. Peanutbutter and Katrina even after their falling out, given how Katrina asks Erica to get her out of an awkward conversation at the 1994 Animal Choice Awards after-party.

As for her hobbies and interests, we’re not sure whether or not she’s into long walks on the beach or ballrooms full of multicolored balls, but partying with Peanutbutter is definitely at the top of her list. She even seems to be unfazed when in possession of a rando’s tooth. (Or maybe she grew another tooth.)

Despite having grown out of her shyness, she doesn’t have a lot of friends—that was can see, anyway. Only three characters have ever directly acknowledged her existence: Katrina, BoJack, and Mr. Peanutbutter. Is she a celebrity who surrounds herself with friendly strangers to compensate for the emptiness within? Is partying a way for her to cope with her deep-seated loneliness? Who does she see when she looks in the mirror? Who is she, really, deep down in her soul?

No, seriously, who is she?

Constantly pointing out her attributes might be a faux pas for us, but it’s the only way we know anything about her. Plus, Erica and Mr. Peanutbutter’s relationship seems to be going strong. It’s probably safe to say she doesn’t mind his eccentricities. After all, he’s a good boy, yes, he is.

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