BoJack Horseman is a character you can laugh with, cry, hate and love all at the same time. This show tackles a variety of challenging issues encompassing the human condition including what it means to have a family, what it means to love someone, fleeting happiness, drug abuse, nihilism, child abuse, death, depression, legacy and so many more.
The creators of BoJack Horseman clearly have a deep and affectionate love for their characters. Writer Raphael Bob-Waksberg doesn't hold back on delivering his characters unique lines and character arcs that inspire and challenge audiences. I was enamoured in all of the side character's lives because of how grounded in reality they were. Even in Season 4 Episode 2 with Eddie the dragonfly, the desire for both of these characters to open up to each other with what they are both going through was strong. It was sad to see BoJack leave Eddie never to return, abandoning what could have been an exceptionally healthy bond for the both of them.
Life is cruel and doesn't always work out the way we want it to. That's primarily what the show is about. It's a take on trying to be happy and never quite getting enough of what you need to be that. BoJack deals with this by drowning himself in liquor, drugs, sex and even in part destroying other people with his self-destructive tendencies to distract himself from not being happy. We saw that with Wanda, and frankly, most of his relationships.
We see a similar trend with all of the characters in the show of success and failure and never being quite satisfied with either. It wasn't until they began to take responsibility for their actions that they truly started to come to terms with their meaningless lives.
BoJack Horseman offers something for everyone. While I think most audiences can relate to BoJack in some way, there are also a lot of side stories going on with other characters that make us question our own decision making. Personally, I didn't want this show to end - I finished watching in little over a week. It was like looking into a mirror with all of my thoughts, questions, desires and having them blasted back at me with no remorse and little to no closure - not to mention an emotional rollercoaster.
I think Diane puts the ending of the show perfectly in perspective:
There are people that help you become the person you end up being, and you can be grateful for them, even if they were never meant to be in your life forever.
Her quote doesn't just apply to her relationship with BoJack, but also our relationship with him too. The lessons and stories of this show have left a profound mark on me that will stick with me forever. Even though these are just animated anthropomorphic animal characters in a loosely realistic world, it doesn't change what the creators of this show wanted to convey. The scenarios portrayed in BoJack Horseman are so exceptionally down to earth, we simply can't help but see ourselves in them at every turn.
This show has given me a lot to think about.
Goodbye BoJack Horseman, this is where our lives stop intersecting and I move into the next chapter of my life. The impact of your life will stick with me and motivate me to be a better person. I'm glad to have met you, I'm sad it's over, but it was nice while it lasted.
I hope you are able to be happy.
