Bojack Horseman Season 6 Part 2 (8 Eps)
After an incredible 6 season journey, Bojack Horseman finally has come to an end with the last 8 episodes making up the second half of the shows sixth season releasing on Netflix. The show which follows the once 90s sitcom star turned depressed washed-up celebrity trying to find peace and happiness despite deep trauma and wounds has gained critical acclaim for it's deeply realistic and profound exploration on topics like grief, trauma, alcoholism, regret, relationships, and other topics that plenty have to deal with and suffer from in their everyday life. Where Bojack Horseman might not have always been the nicest or most positive show, there is no denying the emotional blade it carries often stabbing the audience with a couple of episodes per season filled with heartbreaking emotion and pain. Surrounding this pain is a cast full of colorful and relatable characters and a world filled with enough bizarreness and hidden jokes to be entertaining and unique while also being truthful to the human experience enough to stay relatable.
In this final season of Bojack Horseman, Bojack (Will Arnett) is finally living the life he wanted, teaching at Wesleyan University has provided Bojack not just his long-desired escape from Los Angeles but also a life filled with purpose and happiness. For the first time in a long time, Bojack truly feels good about himself. This is all threatened however when reporters Paige Sinclair (Paget Brewster) and Maximillian Banks (Max Greenfield) start to investigate Bojack's connection with the death of Sarah Lynn (Kristen Schaal) which Bojack lied to the police about his involvement with. This investigation starts to pokes at Bojack's other darker moments and knowing the story is on its way, Bojack feels like his life of happiness is coming to an end and must figure out what to do.
If there was one phrase to boil Bojack Horseman Season 6 Part 2 down to it would be "the quest for closure". Way just past Bojack himself, every character is still trying to find that elusive closure that will make their life better. From the struggling relationship between Mr. Peanutbutter (Paul F. Tompkins) and Pickles (Julia Chan), Diane (Alison Brie) who is trying to write the book she always dreamed of but just can't find the words to write it, and Todd (Aaron Paul) who is trying to figure out his complicated relationship with his mother. Fitting for its last season, the show finally brings closure to these characters but also doesn't sugar coat it. Not every piece of closure is permanent or all that special. Despite being the end of the show, this isn't the end for these characters as some big happily ever after. No matter the high or low of a day, life rolls on oblivious to what destruction it can bring.
If there was one phrase to boil Bojack Horseman Season 6 Part 2 down to it would be "the quest for closure". Way just past Bojack himself, every character is still trying to find that elusive closure that will make their life better. From the struggling relationship between Mr. Peanutbutter (Paul F. Tompkins) and Pickles (Julia Chan), Diane (Alison Brie) who is trying to write the book she always dreamed of but just can't find the words to write it, and Todd (Aaron Paul) who is trying to figure out his complicated relationship with his mother. Fitting for its last season, the show finally brings closure to these characters but also doesn't sugar coat it. Not every piece of closure is permanent or all that special. Despite being the end of the show, this isn't the end for these characters as some big happily ever after. No matter the high or low of a day, life rolls on oblivious to what destruction it can bring.
The show makes it clear that closure is not the end of pain and trauma but rather the acceptance of it and the growth that can come from that. Where it is easy to only see negatives when looking at past pains and traumas, it also serves as the building blocks for who we are. Those mistakes are what allows us to build the staircases to our higher futures and where it is ok to hurt from them, it is equally important to recognize their impact as a driving force of our growth. Where Bojack has always been a mature show, this might be one of the harder themes to accept from it. But also this is one of the best morals the final season could have provided. This show easily could have gone out with a depressing and dark ending that would have destroyed audiences but instead, without giving away any spoilers, it overall chooses to be productive and end as a show with a purpose for good and inspiration even if there are still lingering dark thoughts here and there.
If there was one negative to the season it would simply be the pacing in it at times. By giving every main character (Even Todd!) a serious narrative and arc the show quickly finds itself in the tough position of balancing anywhere from 2-6 stories of substance at any given time. Naturally, this is going to lead to some weird editing trying to build development in every story within only 20ish minute episodes. There are times where the show can feel like it is rushing trying to fit everything in but it never gets bad to the point where it took away from the emotional effectiveness of these arcs or hurt the series that much.
Where the idea of Bojack Horseman ending originally seemed like a disappointing and even scary thought, they really did a great job with it. Where it might be what most would expect going into a series finale, it still gives an effective and satisfying ending to the show that gives enough closure for an ending while also keeping the idea of a future beyond this season for the characters in mind and open. This is a mature ending that continues the Bojack Horseman tradition of exploring the human condition unlike any other show out there. It gives closure to our characters and closure to a story that will honestly stick with me for my entire life. Thank you Bojack.
If there was one negative to the season it would simply be the pacing in it at times. By giving every main character (Even Todd!) a serious narrative and arc the show quickly finds itself in the tough position of balancing anywhere from 2-6 stories of substance at any given time. Naturally, this is going to lead to some weird editing trying to build development in every story within only 20ish minute episodes. There are times where the show can feel like it is rushing trying to fit everything in but it never gets bad to the point where it took away from the emotional effectiveness of these arcs or hurt the series that much.
Where the idea of Bojack Horseman ending originally seemed like a disappointing and even scary thought, they really did a great job with it. Where it might be what most would expect going into a series finale, it still gives an effective and satisfying ending to the show that gives enough closure for an ending while also keeping the idea of a future beyond this season for the characters in mind and open. This is a mature ending that continues the Bojack Horseman tradition of exploring the human condition unlike any other show out there. It gives closure to our characters and closure to a story that will honestly stick with me for my entire life. Thank you Bojack.