The Ballad of Bojack Horseman

After ‘Part 1’ of the final season dropped on Netflix on 25^th October, we now only have 8 new episodes left of Bojack Horseman, and they will be released on 31^st January 2020. With this in mind, I decided to write this brief post focusing on the show, and specifically its title character. This is truly one of the most thought provoking, hilarious, and brilliantly written shows of the 21^st century and it has gone underappreciated by the awards communities and the majority of the general public.

Starting in 2014, the show was initially seen as an amusing new series that had Hollywood specific humour and some exuberant characters. However, it became quickly clear that it was much more than that, it was an exploration of morality, depression, substance abuse, abuse of power, and the complicated relationships we develop throughout our life. It has taken on very hot button topics like gun control, sexual harassment, sexuality, and much more during its run, and it should be commended for how realistically and bravely they have done so. The supporting cast all have fascinating arcs of their own; Diane, Princess Carolyn, Mr Peanut Butter, Todd, and many others all change drastically throughout the show in complicated ways, but the one consistent for all of them is their relationships with Bojack.

He is a middle aged horse who was a big star of the 90s sitcom ‘Horsin Around’ and ever since has struggled with being a washed up actor in LA. He battles serious self-loathing and self-destructive behaviour, alcohol and drug mis-use, and a constant need to push people away from him. Throughout the seasons, we have slowly realised how this was all caused by his own childhood and loveless upbringing in an unconventional household and the way he has been failing to process this throughout his life, and repeating the same mistakes. I believe the most telling relationship to show this is between Bojack and his former child star co-star Sarah Lynn, someone who Bojack first met as an innocent young girl but we meet as a drug addicted pop star, still desperate for someone to love her. The story reaches a shocking crescendo when she and Bojack go on a binge and Sarah Lynn ends up dying. This is a huge turning point for Bojack as he is finally able to see the horrors his toxic behaviour can cause and how much he failed the girl who looked up to him so much, as well as many other people. This finally leads him to asking Diane to take him to rehab at the end of season 5, and that’s where we left off.

The first set of episodes of season 6 focus for the first time on a Bojack that is sober and truly determined to stay that way, and he now has to discover who he is without the substances, and how his relationships will be effected by this. In the eight episodes, very little happens of much drama to Bojack but mainly to the people around him as he tries to work out his place in the world. I think much has been set up for the final eight episodes to bring about the shows endgame and finally reveal where Bojack Horseman will end up, and if he deserves the happy ending many want for a man who has been so toxic for much of his life. The finale cliff-hanger that promises repercussions for his actions in previous seasons is a compelling lead in to what is sure to be an emotional, hilarious, and very likely, incredibly powerful final set of episodes.