LONG STORY SHORT is a cringe-inducing animated series from the creator of BOJACK HORSEMAN, Raphael Bob-Waksberg. The story unfolds through memories as it follows a Jewish family full of hidden guilt, trauma, and regret, trying to figure out their identity without having their overbearing Jewish mother, Naomi, controlling them.
Growing up as a Jewish kid in Arizona in the 1990s, I saw many aspects of my own experiences reflected in the story (although not to the same exaggerated extent and played for comedic effect). Instead, it’s that feeling of being different and trying to assimilate at school, while coming from a family with strong opinions and a different religious background. Yet, at the heart of LONG STORY SHORT, and what makes it so relatable, is how the customs and generational trauma get passed down. From there, it’s up to us to define what part of it we want to carry with us… wow. That’s some heavy sh*t for a cartoon. And I wouldn’t expect anything different from Bob-Waksberg.
Final Thought: At one point, the mom (Naomi) says, “I love you, I love you, I love you… say it back!” That need to feel loved is a lived-in experience by all of the Schwoopers’ family… and one that made me love watching LONG STORY SHORT.
The entire first season is available on Netflix.