BOJACK HORSEMAN Season 6: Bidding Farewell To One Of TV’s Best

“No matter how many starts I get, there’s always the same ending. Everything falls apart, and I end up alone,” utters BoJack (Will Arnett) in Episode 11 of the show’s final season. It’s reasonable to presume that this is precisely how the series itself will end, but BoJack Horseman has never been the type of show to build up to some dramatic, explosive finale. What matters isn’t how the series ends, but the journey that it takes to get there.

Since its inception, BoJack Horseman has been a bit of a Trojan horse (no pun intended). At a glance, it appears to be another profanity-laden animated sitcom along the lines of Archer or Futurama. But viewers didn’t fall in love with BoJack for its humor. While the series boasts no shortage of comedic moments, it’s evident after a few episodes that this is something much more profound and heartbreaking. Raphael Bob-Waksberg‘s show offers an unflinching look at the darkest aspects of human nature, and the final season is about as dark as it gets.

Part 1

Netflix released the first half of Season 6 on October 25, 2019, with the first few episodes exploring the eponymous character’s stint at the rehab facility Pastiches. In “The Face of Depression,” the penultimate episode of Part 1, it feels as though our self-destructive hero is finally getting on the right path. BoJack travels to Chicago to reconnect with Diane (Alison Brie) and heads to Connecticut to see Hollyhock (Aparna Nancherla). He stops dying his hair, embracing his graying locks. He also accepts a drama professor position at Hollyhock’s school, Wesleyan University. In one of the show’s most heartwarming moments, BoJack finally gives Mr. Peanutbutter (Paul F. Tompkins) the “crossover episode” he’s been coveting for years. It’s an unconventionally uplifting episode that fills viewers with a sense of hope and the belief that BoJack is becoming a better person. But as BoJack has observed, each time he gets a fresh start, everything eventually falls apart.

The creative minds behind BoJack Horseman frequently use the versatile medium of animation to their advantage. Whether it’s the mostly-silent, “Fish Out of Water” or the bottle episode “Free Churro,” where BoJack delivers a 25-minute eulogy, the most experimental episodes always turned out to be the show’s best. Part 1 of Season 6 concluded with another risk-taking episode, “A Quick One, While He’s Away.” What makes this episode different is that none of the main characters make an appearance. It was a bold move, but it resulted in an immensely effective cliffhanger. Reporters Paige Sinclair (Paget Brewster) and Maximilian Banks (Max Greenfield) begin investigating Sarah Lynn’s (Kristen Schaal) death. In New York, Hollyhock meets a man named Peter (Jermaine Fowler), also known as Pete Repeat from Season 2 Episode 11, “Escape from L.A.” He recounts the story of his prom night, entailing an older man providing him and his friends with booze. Fans of BoJack Horseman remember the moment all too well, from Peter’s girlfriend Maddy (Ali Wong) getting alcohol poisoning to BoJack abandoning them at the ER. When Peter explains that the man was a celebrity, Hollyhock asks who it was. But the episode ends before Peter replies because unfortunately, we already know the answer. Although BoJack isn’t in this episode, it’s obvious his newfound happiness is on the verge of crumbling down.

BoJack Horseman never declined in quality throughout its six-year run. Seasons 3 and 5 are the most remarkable, and Season 6 doesn’t quite live up by comparison. But at the halfway point, there’s still plenty of promise as BoJack’s future hangs in the balance. BoJack Horseman has always been notably authentic in its portrayal of mental illness, and Season 6 is no exception. The most noteworthy element of the first eight episodes of the season is the show’s depiction of depression, especially in the form of Diane. This season shatters some of the misconceptions surrounding depression. As Joey Pogo (Hilary Swank) discusses with Mr. Peanutbutter, “People who seem happy can actually be the most depressed.”

Part 2

Three months later, on January 31, Netflix graced us with the very last episodes of BoJack Horseman. Part 2 picks up right around where Part 1 left off, with BoJack blissfully unaware that Hollyhock knows about Penny (Ilana Glazer) and that reporters are investigating his past sins. In all the years of the show, this is arguably the happiest we’ve ever seen BoJack, as his new teaching gig provides him with a genuine sense of purpose.

Episode 9, “Intermediate Scene Study w/ BoJack Horseman” opens with BoJack rehearsing a lecture. “Acting is about leaving everything behind and becoming something completely new,” he announces. But the big question at the start of Part 2 is: can BoJack leave his past mistakes behind and be a good person? One of the main focal points of Season 6 is how the past can come back to haunt us as well as the importance of accountability.

These episodes examine cancel culture and the murky area between our past and present selves, how striving to be better doesn’t absolve us of our past transgressions. When Princess Carolyn (Amy Sedaris) and BoJack talk about how he can apologize without incriminating himself, Diane compares the situation to being pushed out of a plane, “The two of you are talking like you’re trying to brainstorm ways to get back on the plane. That’s not gonna happen. You can try to find a parachute or you can dive headfirst into the earth, but the plane is gone.” Becoming a better person demands owning up to one’s mistakes instead of covering them up. It’s a painful lesson, but an imperative one. 

One of the standout episodes of the season, “Good Damage” allows us to enter Diane’s mind as she struggles with writer’s block. It also sheds light on the ups and downs of antidepressants. While many movies perpetuate harmful stereotypes about antidepressants (Zach Braff’s Garden State, for instance), this is a much more realistic look at how they can truly make life with depression more manageable. 

The highlight of Season 6 is another experimental episode, “The View from Halfway Down.” It’s one of the best episodes of the show, even if it fails to surpass “Free Churro” or “A Fish Out of Water.” What happens to BoJack isn’t unexpected, but the way the story is told is inventive and impactful. It’s one of BoJack Horseman’s most devastating episodes, right alongside Season 3’s “That’s Too Much, Man!” Try to avoid spoilers for this one, but be prepared for some heart-shattering scenes.

The final episode “Nice While it Lasted” pales in comparison to its predecessor, but the last scene is one of the show’s greatest moments. The ending is predictable, but exactly what BoJack deserves. Hence, some viewers might find the finale disappointing or underwhelming. But overall, it’s a satisfying, poignant conclusion. Part 2 of Season 6 doesn’t neatly tidy up the plot, because that’s not how it works in real life. BoJack Horseman masterfully conveys how the road to recovery is a never-ending voyage, and progress is not a straight line. If Season 6 teaches viewers anything, it’s that it’s okay to have setbacks, but we still have the power to start over again. As Diane articulates, “Sometimes life’s a bitch, and then you keep living.”

BoJack Horseman: Conclusion

BoJack Horseman is so much more than a satire of fame and the entertainment industry, the same way its protagonist is more than an addict. Season 6 isn’t the series’ greatest, but for a show that never had a bad season, that’s not necessarily a drawback. In the end, this is a show about growth, and Season 6 proved that the series evolved along with its characters.

In the beginning, BoJack was a washed-up celebrity who needed to stop clinging to his past. In the Season 1 finale, Secretariat’s advice to a young BoJack was to run straight ahead whenever he gets sad, “You keep running forward no matter what. There are people in your life who are going to try to hold you back, slow you down, but you don’t let them. Don’t you ever stop running, don’t ever look behind you. There is nothing for you behind you. All that exists is what’s ahead.” It’s still sound advice because moving forward is crucial for personal growth. But after a whirlwind of atrocious behavior, BoJack tried to run from his past. Season 6 provided the necessary lesson that people need to be held accountable for their wrongdoings.

As difficult as it is to say goodbye to BoJack Horseman, it’s for the best. If the show continued, audiences would eventually grow tired of watching BoJack fall apart and try to put his life back together again. Thus, Season 6 is the best possible note for the series to go out on. The 2019 series Undone demonstrated that Raphael Bob-Waksberg isn’t a one-trick pony, and while we don’t have any more BoJack to look forward to, we can still look forward to whatever Bob-Waksberg does next.

For fans, BoJack Horseman remains endlessly rewatchable. Despite its heavy subject matter, it’s worth watching again just to catch all the subtle jokes lurking in the background of each frame. It can be emotionally draining to rewatch the series, but it’s certainly rewarding. As bleak as the show can get, there’s always been a glimmer of hope. 

Hopefully, BoJack Horseman will continue to attract new viewers long after this finale. Between its odd amalgamation of animal and human characters as well as its niche pop culture references, the series has never been an easy sell. Sure, BoJack is brimming with witticisms, but the humor is just the icing on the cake. Part of the show’s appeal is how easy it is to identify with the characters, even in their worst moments. As Todd (Aaron Paul) ponders, “Isn’t the point of art, less what people put into it and more what people get out of it?” And there’s so much to get out of BoJack Horseman. For anyone who’s ever struggled with addiction, anxiety, or depression, this show is a comforting reminder that you are not alone. Who would have guessed television’s most relatable character would turn out to be an anthropomorphic horse?

What did you think of the final season of BoJack Horseman? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

BoJack Horseman is currently streaming on Netflix.