Even if you haven’t ventured to watch it, you’ve definitely heard of Netflix’s “BoJack Horseman.” It’s an animated comedy-drama that follows BoJack Horseman (Will Arnett), a washed up celebrity with several addictions and the tendency to sabotage his (and everyone else’s) happiness. It’s a show that can be both stupid and funny while also being nuanced, ultra-realistic and sometimes hard to watch with its heavy themes. On Oct. 25, Netflix released the first half of “BoJack Horseman”’s sixth and final season, and this season matches the superb quality of past seasons and has me both sad and excited for the series’ end.
Warning: this is not a spoiler-free review. For a show that relies so heavily on the past characters’ actions, unfortunately there was no way for me to review it without talking about everything.
In this season, BoJack finally goes rehab for his drug addiction that pervaded season five and strained the few, already pretty rocky relationships he’s had. BoJack’s story delves deep into the complexity of addiction, talking specifically about the long and difficult road to sobriety and the difficulty of staying sober. BoJack feels less like a ticking time bomb, ready to destroy everything around him at any moment. He seems calm and almost like a mentor to the other characters who are falling apart this season. It’s like BoJack finally learned how to accept himself, flaws and all.
Princess Carolyn (Amy Sedaris), the hard-working Persian cat, also has a pretty interesting story this season. She has adopted a daughter, and she’s still as busy as ever with her job as a talent agent. She struggles to be a “woman who does everything” while still providing for her daughter.
Diane (Alison Brie) has a lot of ups and downs this season. She’s in Chicago for most of the season with new character, Guy (LaKeith Stanfield), who works as her cameraman. Her story has her finally confronting her mental health and her fear of commitment.
Mr. Peanutbutter (Paul F. Tompkins), the fun-loving and oblivious golden labrador, has to learn what BoJack and Diane have learned before. He has to be honest with his newest girlfriend, the social media-savvy pug, Pickles (Julia Chan), about his recent affairs. Mr. Peanutbutter realizes he can’t make everyone happy all the time and that it is often better in the long run to be honest despite how hard it is.
Todd (Aaron Paul)’s storyline isn’t as developed in this season, which I have a feeling will change in the last half of the show. The first half of the season doesn’t have him involved in as many antics, and he barely gets any screen time at all, but I won’t spoil it in hopes someone else will get the same joy that I did of seeing it. Todd definitely becomes less of a mystery in this season despite having the least amount of screen time.
This new season has hilarious new characters, and brings back recurring characters from past seasons to show us what they’ve been up to. By the end of the season, one of the darker plotlines has come back with full force, and I have a feeling, despite all the progress BoJack’s made this season, it’s going to haunt him and permanently change who he is.
All in all, knowing that this is the last season of “BoJack Horseman,” it seems like it’s going to be one of the best yet. It’s already had whole scenes that made me laugh out loud, and episodes gave me that familiar tug of emotion I equate so strongly with “Bojack Horseman.” Now’s definitely the time to start watching so you’re ready to see the last half of the season while people are still buzzing about it. The only thing I will say is that you shouldn’t go into season six blind. In order to get all the jokes and understand the plot, you need the five seasons of buildup. As a longtime fan of the show, I can’t wait to see how they decide to finish it when the last half premieres on Jan. 31 next year. I have a feeling it’s going to be fantastic.
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