For Me, BoJack Horseman Became a Call to Action

Over six seasons, BoJack Horseman used humor to examine complex social issues like addiction, depression, and sexuality.

Now, the Hollywoo stars & creative team behind the beloved series reflect on the show’s legacy and the incredible fandom it attracted. pic.twitter.com/X9ntM4XWOf

— Netflix US (@netflix) February 12, 2020

“What did I sign up for?”

I don’t think many people knew how powerful and lasting the impact of BoJack Horseman would be on the world. It isn’t very often that a show emerges that is able to hit on so many important topical issues so poignantly and truly leave behind season after season that evolves, raises the bar, and leaves audiences wanting more. In the above Twitter video the Hollywoo stars and creative team, including Will Arnett, BoJack Horseman himself, talk about saying goodbye to their iconic show.

I can’t sum up in just words how BoJack has improved my life. Back when I lived almost 2 hours both ways from my therapist, I would load up episodes to watch on the way there and it would help me think of things that I needed to address in my own life. It would give vocabulary to relationships I was stuck in, people I was attracted to, pain that I had fetishized, and insecurities that I had allowed to fester within myself. But rather than make things worse, I’ve always treated BoJack as a call to action. If you look closely at the characters and see aspects of yourself that you see uncomfortably reflected in them, then that is the motivation for change.

From BoJack to Diane to Mr. Peanutbutter to Todd, the show highlights the many ways we as people (or animals) can take responsibility for the role we play in our own downfall. Many of us will never get the closure, love, and mindless adoration we want, but that doesn’t mean we should give into this idea that the only way to live is to accept the shadow of misery in our lives as the norm. BoJack is a reminder that even with trauma, mental illness, and pain, we are still responsible for the actions we take, the people we’ve harmed, and the way we choose to heal.

I’ve rewatched the last season of BoJack twice now and I realize that if there is one message I want to keep with, it’s something that Diane said in the last episode about trusting the happiness and trusting the people that make you happy. It’s okay to be happy, to be selfish sometimes and follow the love, the path, the writing that makes you happy.

Sometimes the people you love the most will put burdens on you that are not fair, and it’s okay to say so and work towards being an independently happy person with their own boundaries. It’s okay to love someone, but you love yourself more. Thanks, BoJack.

(image: Netflix)

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