We met Bojack Horseman as a washed-up sitcom actor and struggling alcoholic. Over the years, we dove into his tortured childhood and the reason behind each strained relationship Bojack Horseman maintains with those in his life.
We grow close with those around Bojack Horseman for one reason or another. Princess Carolyn is his agent and former lover. Diane is his memoirist. Mr. Peanut Butter is a star of a sitcom star that rivaled “Horsin’ Around.” Todd crashed on Bojack Horseman’s couch one night and never left. The best part about all of these characters? All of them are flawed and complicated. Not one is a perfect cookie cutter “good character” or “bad character.”
It was not unreasonable for the audience to expect Bojack to get better. We thought he was heading in the right direction with rehab in season six, part one. However, we did not get a happy ending. It might seem justified for Bojack after sabotaging the one success that his best friend could have had, buying alcohol for highschoolers and going on a bender with recovering addict Sarah Lynn that led to her death.
Though it happened in season three, journalists find out about Bojack’s role in Sarah Lynn’s death and chase characters left in the past to find the truth. Bojack decides to let the truth out and tell all in a series of interviews. However, the interviewer spins this into outing Bojack’s tendency to exploit his power over women. Bojack, of course, denies this. Soon after, Bojack begins working with a character who is openly sexist, racist and violent: Vance Waggoner.
After learning all of the abuse Bojack endured and my experience with addiction secondhand, I can’t help but sympathize with him. However, seeing Bojack and Vance adjacent to one another forced me to put Bojack’s actions into perspective. Is it worse to be openly accepting of terrible actions or to be in denial about it? This season began with Bojack coming to terms with his addiction, but there is still cognitive dissonance between accepting his actions and what those actions mean.
I started watching Bojack Horseman toward the end of my freshman year of college. Now, as a graduating senior, I feel as though many of the themes that are addressed in the final episodes are applicable to us in such a transitional period.
I started watching Bojack Horseman toward the end of my freshman year of college. Now, as a graduating senior, I feel as though many of the themes that are addressed in the final episodes are applicable to us in such a transitional period.
There were doors that the writers left open; Bojack met his sister, Hollyhock, in season four and her life changed severely since. It is safe to say that after the cliffhanger ending of season six, part one, we know that their relationship will never be the same—and she exited his life without a trace.
Everything that Hollyhock has exhibited in the past showed us that she was a great communicator. Hollyhock sent Bojack a letter after ignoring all of his calls, which we understand to say that she does not want him in her life anymore. Bojack relapses afterward. It didn’t make total sense. Was it Bojack taking over her space by teaching at Wesleyan? Was it the interviews that put her over the edge? The audience is forced to acknowledge that closure is not always guaranteed.
Through attempting to write a book of personal essays, Diane keeps getting lost in a middle grades story about a mall detective. As a writer myself, I could not relate more to the frustration. However, the problem says a lot about the state that Diane is in. This book of personal essays she hoped to write would cause her to dwell in the past and sulk over her shortcomings, which would set her back in terms of her struggle with depression. Her imagination running wild shows that she isn’t being restricted by her mental illness anymore. Her creativity is flourishing. Any story can change as it is being written—and it is okay to let it change.
The workaholic tendencies of Princess Carolyn always had her saying that it was too late for her because she spent all her good years working toward her success. It was too late to have a baby. It was too late to get married. It was too late for happiness. There were too many missed opportunities. By the last episode, she was married with an adopted baby. Though she was an optimistic character through the whole series, I had never seen her happier. It is never too late.
We did not get a happy ending—everyone is just in a better place. It’s implied that will change with the ebbs and flows of life. If we’ve got nothing else in this world of anthropomorphic, talking animals, we’ve got realism.
We did not get a happy ending—everyone is just in a better place. It’s implied that will change with the ebbs and flows of life. If we’ve got nothing else in this world of anthropomorphic, talking animals, we’ve got realism.
Todd has always rolled with the punches in the world that never felt like his own. He is one of the most loved characters for his goofy failing-upwards qualities. He always had pretty profound things to say through the shenanigans. His best quote? It was nice while it lasted.
Kirsten Magas is a fourth-year English major with minors in creative writing and journalism. KM867219@wcupa.edu.