Bojack Horseman Season 6 (Part 1) – Closing Time









Bojack has been a massive part of my life since it premiered and when it was announced the show was ending, it really crushed me. But I have faith in the tremendous creative team behind this show and the decisions to split the seasons into two is by far the right decision. The first half of season 6 manages to maintain the essence of uncertainty, there isn’t any familiarity or expectations for where the season is going to go and that is what made it truly phenomenal to watch. There is no ‘episode 11’ style episode, the finale is a set-up episode, the first episode doesn’t hold back, and it feels much more unpredictable and freeform which is exactly what this show needed before it ended. So, let’s go through all 8 episodes of Season 6 (Part 1) and explore the fantastic set of penultimate episodes in all their soul-crushing details.

A Horse Walks Into a Rehab

Seeing Bojack in rehab was without a doubt my most anticipated part of Season 6, I think I was excited to see Bojack confront change and finally try and get better and ‘A Horse Walks Into Rehab’ is fantastic at this. The opening scene shows moments after Sarah Lynn’s death and establishes the amazing repeated motif of the starry sky that remind Bojack of his last moments with Sarah Lynn. This episode is increasingly self-reflective and slower paced in comparison to usual chaos in Bojack Horseman premiere episodes, there are two plots that compel the episode, a present-day exploration of how Bojack has matured since arriving in rehab and a series of flashbacks answering the question ‘When did Bojack first drink?’. The present-day plot is using the antithesis of Jameson and her rebellious attitude with the new Bojack who is wiser and slowly growing to show care and understanding of different people. It isn’t anything special, it has several fantastic rehab jokes, which sounds weird I know, but it is a slow set-up for the change in Bojack we are going to see this season. The flashbacks however, are sublimely uncomfortable and distressing and make this episode stand out. Starting from the ‘Horsin’ Around’ days with the reveal that the mysterious character Sharona perhaps started influencing Bojack’s alcoholism, but then we explore his high school days and then his teen days and even as far back as Bojack as an infant. They really influence our perception of Bojack, balancing the possibility of him being as much of a victim of his addiction yet not toning back the admittance that he ultimately a bad person. A complex and daring premiere that kicks off Bojack’s arc this season.





A New Client

I feel like every review I write about Bojack I always replicate the sentiment of ‘I just want Princess Carolyn to be happy’ and this season is no different. From what I thought would be an optimistic start for her character as she realises her dream of being a mother, ‘A New Client’ explores just how difficult her life as a single mother is in brutal uncompromising fashion. This is the episode where the really creative team got to flex their muscles with the anxiety inducing effect of her overlapping repetitive monotony that has become her life. The sound design is disorientating, rhythmic and overwhelming as well as so many amazing animation quirks seeing her insomnia kick in and her life becoming a blur. It is brutally honest in exploring the difficulty of being a single mother as PC tries to go to events about ‘women who do it all’ but is criticised for wanting to relax and rely on others. The arc throughout the episode is PC realising she can reach out to people and rely on them, whether it be Todd to look after her baby, Bojack and Venessa as friends that she can confide in and even Mr Peanutbutter is a creative help. The final ten minutes will bring even the strongest people to tears, her admitting she is struggling to Venessa and her exploring her individuality in relation to how that makes her a good mother with her iconic tongue twisters, all concluded with the emotional cherry on top which is her naming her daughter Ruthie. It is about honesty, compassion and support which is something her character needed and makes it a highlight for the whole season.





Feel-Good Story

It is political episode time! I’m joking of course, every season has its episode with a harsh political meaning but what makes it successful is the fact these episodes still maintain character and emotion. ‘Feel-Good Story’ is a depressing look at capitalism from the perspective of Diane, it is important to realise that the hyperbolic portrayal of capitalism takes a bit of a backseat to Diane’s character. In classic Diane fashion she uses her platform to rebel against human indecencies however the essential idea that the episode explores is her relationship with Guy (Lakieth Stanfield) who reacts to her tendency to obsess over things like this. It is uncompromisingly harsh with the portrayal of the White Whale Corporation in relation to honest gross capitalism, the politics is witty and ruthless which is a staple of the show at this point. However, I really enjoy the more human side, Guy is a fantastic character, he is charming yet imperfect and voiced to perfection by one of my favourite actors of recent memory (Lakieth Stanfield is amazing go watch Sorry to Bother You). Their relationship is refreshing as the two comfortably communicate through some difficult moments as well as some really happy moments, the balance is realistic and honest. It is once again an episode that compels Diane to consider her own happiness, L.A isn’t the place she should be instead she needs to take a step to reconsider herself and move in with Guy. Not as strong as the previous two episodes, it is still fantastic and full of heart, satire and emotion.





Surprise!





I haven’t really touched on him, but Mr Peanutbutter throughout the first few episodes has been full of guilt about his affair with Diane and this is the episode where this finally pays off. I have to be completely honest, but I haven’t always been a fan of Mr PB and Pickles, the two are exhausting to watch at times but this episode explores their dysfunctionality and how Mr PB is a deeply flawed character. But the true ironic highlight is seeing all of these characters come together, Diane, Bojack, Todd and PC all get to come together and reflect on the people that they are now. The concept is simple-ish, Todd organises a surprise wedding, but Mr PB reveals his affair forcing everyone to awkwardly hide as the two argue. It is quintessential Bojack hyperbolic slapstick comedy combining everything that makes this show so funny: sharp witty dialogue with hidden jokes in the background all over the backdrop of an emotional story. The way the other characters treat this as normalcy allows them to interact honestly, Todd and PC bond over caring for Ruthie which is heart-warming for the both of them, but my favourite is definitely how Diane and Bojack interact, the highlight being Bojack talking about his chip which is a brutal moment of development for his character. Mr PB and Pickles conclude their argument is the most dysfunctional way ever, showing how PB is genuinely the only character without self-reflection at this point. A hilarious episode combining slapstick with character in an essentially unique way.





A Little Uneven, Is All

And when you think the season is heading in a certain direction, the show takes a turn and looks at something we didn’t expect. All of the character arcs we have seen so far are essentially what we expected but now we shift direction and look at something else for these characters. Bojack doesn’t want to leave rehab, a sentence that seems crazy for this character, but this is the stage of his character where he has found peace. He deflects the real issue, which is him coming to terms with how he is scared of reality whilst sober and begins a conspiracy to deflect this idea. Now this seems like the concept of the episode, but instead this lasts ten minutes to highlight how Bojack has changed to become a much more self-reflective and honest person, he reaches out to Todd in a moment of vulnerability. We also look at several flashbacks on how he got Sharona fired through a moment mirroring how he treated Herb, these flashbacks come out of nowhere and are ruthlessly harsh as Bojack reflects on them and the person he is. Diane struggles with writer’s block as she begins to try and create something honest and personal, showing how she’s struggling confronting her own creative identity. The other plot is an eerily realistic portrayal of the Hollywood assistants going on strike, which just this week is happening in real life which is crazy and hilarious. The closing act see’s Bojack inadvertently getting Dr Champ drunk and showing how easy he can ruin lives. It is a set-up episode with a lot of creativity and surprises and bridging the gap into the final few episodes of the season.





The Kidney Stays in the Picture





Hooray! Todd episode! This was a surprising developing episode for all of the characters in the show but especially the treatment of Todd and exploring his past with the introduction of Jorge Chavez (Jaime Camil) in what is really quite a dark storyline. Todd’s mother is in a coma and he needs to find his Kidney, that he gave away, so he can save her, whilst Bojack helps Dr Champ and Mr PB becomes the new Face of Depression. Todd’s relationship with his step-father is clearly complex and flawed and this is the compelling arc throughout the episode, it is nice to see Todd have some agency and destroy misconceptions that he isn’t achieving his potential. One of my favourite moments of the season is Todd exclaiming ‘I’m happy!’ showcasing that he is a character that is ultimately focused on being happy rather than other ideas about what makes a life fulfilled. He was always seen as a disappointment by his parents, but shouldn’t they be proud of him for being happy and maintaining his personality. Dr Champ and Bojack’s scenes are fantastic, seeing Bojack confront a mirror version of the dark side of himself compelling him to realise a lot about his character and go through character realisations that are essential for his development. Finally, we have the Assistant Strike, where PC and Turtletaub destroy the operation resulting in a moment of sympathy from PC and the wonderful much-awaited return of Judah. A fantastic mature episode taking the final steps to the penultimate episode.





The Face of Depression

This could have been the finale to Bojack Horseman. It is an incredible piece of television with such a vibrant and unique tone of melancholy and finality and I loved it so much. Bojack returns home aimless, he enters his house to see reminders of his past glaring back at him, the rest of the episode is about Bojack finding his place. Every character goes through a growth which feels earned and really bittersweet and heart-warming. Seeing Bojack reconcile with Todd, Diane, PC and Hollyhock is wonderful as Arnett clearly portrays how far this character has come and matured. I mentioned there isn’t really an ‘episode 11’ of this season, but this takes the place as the penultimate episode with the most emotional weight rather than the episode that upsets you the most. Bojack and Diane’s conversation and him tidying up for her demonstrates the first step to caring for others. He visits Hollyhock and we see how much the two of them care for each other and how important they are to each other, it is once again amazing to see her back. Bojack then helps PC realise the importance of having people around her and helping her, their conversation is subtle and heart-warming, especially the destruction of that awful painting that has haunted this character. And finally, he reconciles with Sharona, fully apologising and then we get that heart-breaking reveal of his grey hair which is probably my favourite moment of the series as we see this completely reinvented character. We also have Bojack finally giving Mr PB that crossover, this whole episode is full of that warm fuzzy feeling combining nostalgia with character honesty in a masterful way And I struggle to write about that last scene in the church without crying, hearing Bojack say ‘Peace be with you’ was beautiful and that last little wink to the camera solidifies this as the ending we want for Bojack. But of course, that wasn’t enough.





A Quick One, While He’s Away

And now an episode dedicated to the most important question the show has been toying with for the entirety of its run ‘Does Bojack Horseman deserve happiness?’ and I think this is the closest we are getting to that answer. Episode 7 is a beautiful look at how Bojack has repaired himself, how he has matured into a better person and helped the people around him however episode 8 doesn’t feature any of the main cast and is instead a look at the people Bojack has ruined and drawing attention to the fact that he has got to face the consequences to his actions. We see how Kelsey is struggling in her professional life, as she is afraid of taking risks after her stint for Secretariat, we get reminded that Bojack is at fault for her firing and her position in Hollywood. However, she manages to push through and make a film more honestly portraying women which demonstrates how she is slowly rebuilding herself. Yet she needs a lead actor which is when we meet Gina for the first time since she was attacked by Bojack, she is clearly struggling from PTSD and that is damaging her career and perception in Hollywoo. Meanwhile we also follow two eccentric journalists investigating the death of Sarah Lynn, the tension riding on how close they are to discovering the truth about Bojack. Finally, we see Hollyhock struggling with her anxieties around alcohol, drawing attention to how she is still recovering from the events of Season 4, yet the rug is pulled from under us in the third act. After a beautiful depiction of an anxiety attack (the advice given is genuine and I loved that touch) she is helped by a mysterious man named Peter. The moment you realise that he is Sneaky Pete and then that slow tense scene that climaxes in him revealing to Hollyhock the events of ‘Escape From L.A’ is an amazing cliff-hanger. The episode is a reminder we can’t get comfortable, that no matter how happy Bojack is, we need to consider the awful things he has done.





Season 6 (Part 1) is everything I hoped the climactic moments of this story would be. The season is slower with an almost complete focus on self-reflection which is the resounding theme of the whole season. Every character goes through a degree of self-reflection all cumulating in the beautiful ‘The Face of Depression’ where these characters interact with a sense of realistic progression. Whether it be Todd realising that he shouldn’t have to be confronted with being a failure, instead he should focus on being happy. PC realises she can’t do everything herself and there is nothing wrong with showing vulnerability and relying on people in any shape or form. Diane comes to grip with finding herself and her own creative voice yet struggles with depression resulting in her maturing and taking action. Finally, Bojack becomes an unrecognisable person, rehab changes him slowly into someone who reaches out and is honest to others, he recognises flaws and tries to help and realises this is what helps him get better ultimately resulting in him becoming a professor. However, the final episode, and what I presume the second half will be dedicated to, is a commentary on the past catching up to Bojack. He has done wrong, he has hurt people and although he has reconciled with those closest to him, there are others that he has disregarded and are still suffering from his actions which is unacceptable and its time for him to face consequences. It is a daring move to pull off, but I really love this whole philosophy on this season and once again leaves me in that wonderful uncertainty.



