Bojack Horseman Season Six Part Two review

January 31st was a day of finality for those mourning our time in the EU, those who love to complain about January, and my Netflix subscription. Grey clouds hung overhead, and the only light seemed to come from The Good Place as it said its tender farewell to us all. But even as I wiped away the tears from seeing Eleanor and co. leave our lives for good, I knew instantly what had to follow: Bojack Horseman’s own final bow, after six wonderful seasons.

Bojack and The Good Place have both been phenomenal, game-changing shows that reshaped the landscape of comedy. They’ve been among the most consistent TV releases of the 2010’s and will be watched and enjoyed for decades for their loveable, broken characters. They explored their themes without restraint and they both ended true to themselves. In BoJack’s case the end is riddled with uncertainty, and the knowledge that change takes time (lots and lots of time) and effort.

They’ve been among the most consistent TV releases of the 2010’s and will be watched and enjoyed for decades for their loveable, broken characters

Picking up from the events of the last season, BoJack’s final episodes see his past being undug by screwball comedy investigate journalists while he tries to establish himself as a professor. It’s all solid material as Bojack is surrounded by aspiring actors and pre-Hollywood prima donnas in the making, though it’s not long before everything that was looming last year starts to catch up. It’s a solid starting premise as once again BoJack seems to have a chance of making a new life for himself.

Unfortunately, it’s not long however before he has to make the critical choice, coming clean or stay in denial knowing the truth may rear its ugly head any day. Inevitably everything comes off the rails and we see the very essence of his being tested, his past in Horsin’ Around set to be lost and his few friendships disintegrating. It’s at this point we reach the penultimate episode, and it’s one of the most horrifying of the entire run. He can’t seem to escape his own inner demons and those he’s wronged. I won’t spoil how events unfold, but I will say it’s masterfully executed.

It’s been a tough road of discovery for these people, and while some characters may seem perfect for each other at this point they also are mature enough to acknowledge that without each other they wouldn’t have gotten to where they are now

The rest of the cast’s journeys vary in terms of how they end. Princess Carolyn’s ending is probably the strongest, and she has some of the sweetest moments here as she gets an unexpected win. Diane has one of the most visually impressive episodes as we see her psychosis manifest into an animator’s dream while writing her book. Todd does get some connection with his mother his hijinks don’t quite have the right spark, though hearing exactly what ludicrous events have led here recited back is hilarious. Mr Peanutbutter and Pickles also feels like something which is just tidied away rather than fully dealt with. It’s been a tough road of discovery for these people, and while some characters may seem perfect for each other at this point they also are mature enough to acknowledge that without each other they wouldn’t have gotten to where they are now. The writing and the emotions all land, and at no point is the show boring, it just set itself ridiculously high standards.

Of all the TV series finales, Bojack’s reminds me the most of Girls’. They both end quietly without a great deal of drama and a lot of uncertainty as to whether the journey was necessarily worthwhile. Their final moments are calm, open-ended, but we know that it’s time to say goodbye, even if more years of stories could theoretically be told. BoJack Horseman in the end is a great show with a strong enough ending. It’s not quite The Good Place’s in terms of complete cohesion, but the two shows will only come out on the same day once together, and we’ve been more than lucky to have both as a new decade of comedy dawns.

Catch up on the first half of the season: Bojack Horseman Season Six Part One review