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A memorable combination of comedy and tragedy, Bojack Horseman has never shied away from difficult themes. Its most recent season, released in September, continued the show’s tradition of animating experiences in painful detail.
An ensemble of harsh and relatable characters is invigorated by strong vocal performances from the show’s star-studded cast, which includes Paul Arnett and Amy Sedaris; its macabre tone and mature content is offset by bright visuals and a cool, cartoonish art style. For an animated series largely focused on anthropomorphized animals, its depiction of mental illness and day-to-life is oddly realistic. This season is marked with a desire to expose its characters, be it through stand-alone expositional episodes for its supporting cast or a dive into the troubling past behaviours of its lead.
Season four ended on a positive note for titular character Bojack (Will Arnett). Demoted from the role of Hollyhock’s (Aparna Nancherla) long-lost-father to her long-lost-brother, our problematic lead was finally given a position which expected a little less of him. The season opens with the production of his new show ‘Philbert’, in which he plays the main character. The show-within-a-show parallels the story of Bojack’s own life, mostly serving as an outlet to highlight the unsavoury parts of his personality.
Diane (Alison Brie) and Mr Peanutbutter’s (Paul F. Tompkins) respective arcs have strayed a few steps since the break with the last series. The second episode of the season (‘The Dog Days Are Over’) feels overwhelmed with melancholy, as the viewers see the pair’s messy love story told from Diane’s side through an article she writes, titled ’10 Reasons To Go To Vietnam’. The piece explores her attempts to reconnect with her heritage and ‘find herself’. Her obvious alienation from her cultural roots is exposed when she visits Vietnam and feels isolated from the people and practices there. Equally, she is never quite at home in America, feeling disconnected from its way of life after she is mistaken for a Vietnamese woman by white tourists. Feeling she belongs partially to both worlds, but not truly to either, the visit caps off the mini tragedy that was Diane’s arc in season five . The narrative screams at its audience that running away from your problems will never solve them and that communication with yourself is essential to survival in today’s world.
This season also gives insight into Mr Peanutbutter’s past. For the first time the show does more than just scratch the surface of his character, interrogating his otherwise constantly pleasant personality as he develops a new relationship with young waitress Pickles (Hong Chau). This relationship shines a light on his past behaviour and causes him to reach an unsettling conclusion about his past failures with love. It serves as an effective element of introspection for a character whose life and motivations have been hitherto unexplored.
Bojack’s feline manager Princess Carolyn (Amy Sedaris) is given similar treatment this season as she attempts to adopt a baby. As per usual, a healthy dose of misfortune is integrated into her story and we watch her fail several times. In true Bojack style, her personal tragedy is matched matched by a comedic – and very surprising – reappearance from old flame Ralph (Raúl Esparza), hinting at a possible rekindling of their relationship. For the first time we see glimpses of Princess Carolyn’s familial relationships, learning that Bojack isn’t the only character dealing with a difficult mother.
Todd (Aaron Paul) is ever-present as the comic relief, which is essential for a show so steeped in morbid subject matter. The character never fails to entertain. Recent seasons have seen his character come out as asexual. To see a character’s asexuality so openly explored and discussed, even in an offbeat comedy like Bojack, is fascinating. This season reveals his experiences with several different relationships, dismissing the misinformed idea that asexual people do not have relationships.
Bojack Horseman is not afraid to confront sensitive issues. This season deals with themes of feminism, death, drug addiction and assault. Something which may resonate with contemporary audiences in the era of #MeToo and #TimesUp is the show’s targeted attack on Hollywood’s tendency to forgive the actions of powerful people, a concept which is epitomised through the horrendous character of Vance Wagonner (Bobby Cannavale). It’s not all clean cut when it comes to portrayals of feminism though; Diane’s feminist stance is treated as annoying and whiny, while Bojack is praised as the poster boy for women’s rights after stating that “choking women is bad”, before the. season comes to a close with Bojack carrying out this very act under the influence of drugs.
Death is touched on again in this season as Bojack’s mother Beatrice (Wendie Malick) battles with dementia and senility. The episode ‘Free Churro’ is dedicated to the character and the entirety of the episode is a 20-minute eulogy from Bojack. The drawn out speech is equally painful and hilarious, almost serving as an episode-long epiphany for Bojack that his maternal issues will never truly be resolved. It delivers punch after punch as it delves into the intricacies of their relationship – especially Bojack’s desperation for validation and his sadness after never truly receiving it. Yet, as it leaves the viewers who might have loved to see a resolution between the two characters with a sense of discontentment, the eulogy is the opposite of cathartic., In the typical, painful and frustrating style which has come to define Bojack Horseman, we learn that things don’t always work out so neatly.
Substance abuse has been alluded to in previous seasons, but receives a proper platform in series five. Bojack has a heavy addiction to alcohol in the first couple of seasons and this season the show once again delves into the issue after an injury leads to complications involving prescription painkillers. Bojack’s visible torment becomes increasingly difficult to watch. It is addressed with such unromantic harshness that we see him willing to harm himself even further to get more pills.
The tagline for the latest series of Bojack Horseman is a quote from Diane; “You say you want to get better but you don’t know how”. This is painfully relevant to the show’s rhetoric as we see each character undergo their own emotional battle, contributing to the impact of Bojack’s rawest season yet.
