BoJack Bows Out

One of the greatest television shows ever written went out with a bang at the start of 2020 with its sixth and final season detailing ‘BoJack Horseman’, who shocked and scared us, and brought us to tears as we loved, judged and yelled at the titular character, hoping deep down that things eventually worked out for him.

The washed up 50-something actor who lives in a mansion in the hills of Los Angeles is the former star of the 90s daytime sitcom ‘Horsin’ Around’. While more recent projects have brought him back to the eyes of mainstream audiences, he’s plagued by the ghosts of his neglectful and abusive childhood, and the repercussions of his actions in adulthood.

The final season details his life after finally admitting to his faults and accepting that he needs help. Though he has the best intentions, a rare thing for BoJack, no good deed goes unpunished. Those around him finally see him for who he is, as he struggles to cope with sobriety and his past chasing him down at warp speed.

‘BoJack Horseman’ has always been a tale of two horses and in the final season we see the juxtaposition of the friendly, fatherly horse from ‘Horsin’ Around’ and the narcissistic, alcoholic, drug-addicted horse from Hollywood, who lives life as it comes and very rarely thinks about the consequences of his actions.

In that same way, the show paints Tinseltown as a glamorous place that everyone wants to be part of but which sits atop a metaphorical tar pit – representing the drugs, backstabbing and sheer shamelessness that characterise it.

Just as BoJack grew up understanding that no matter how miserable he felt he still had to put on a show (as performing was the only thing that made his parents care about him), this show expertly highlights the need for balance in all areas of life.

Other characters who had this same dilemma were Diane Nguyen, who had a seemingly perfect life but was still depressed, Princess Carolyn, who succeeded in her career prospects but struggled to start a family and then connect with her daughter Ruthie, and Todd, who appears to be completely oblivious but is actually very insightful and creative.

In the second last episode, ‘The View From Halfway Down’, BoJack dreams of a dinner party where the guests are all characters who have passed on and who perform on stage for him. Former co-star Saran Lynn, who died in his arms during their several weeks-long drug and alcohol binge in season three, his former friend and colleague Herb Kazazz, who died hating BoJack, his mother Beatrice, whom he hated, her brother CrackerJack, former co-star Courdoroy Jackson Jackson and Secretariat, BoJack’s childhood hero who killed himself in the 70s. Secratariat performs a beautiful and haunting poem highlighting the regret he felt seeing the view from halfway down the bridge he flung himself from. This contrasted BoJack’s feelings; wanting so badly to die for so long, but then realising that life might be worth it. This single poem was the most powerful moment in the show, displaying the skill of the writers.

In the end, a lot worked out for a lot of people. But the show does not force a feeling of finality. The last episode ended like any other – as if the story could and would still continue. It’s almost up to us to figure out what happens next.