Bojack Horseman has officially ended, with 6 seasons and a widely appreciated legacy. The Netflix series has fans all over the world as it navigates the difficult terrains of depression, misogyny, gun violence, #MeToo Hollywood accusations and existential questions of who we are and what our duty on this earth is. Ultimately, the show helped us realise that we aren’t alone. Every character is relatable — the 20-something Todd who is unemployed and has no goals, the cynical writer struggling with depression, the depressed Bojack who was famous once upon a time, and a 40-something Princess Carolyn: manager who patiently maintains her position in a male-dominated industry.
But more than anything, Bojack Horseman has been an emotional, jarring journey. It has the most vulnerable, shocking moments of depression depicted in its rawest form. Here are some moments that stand out because they reached out to all of us, proving that mental health issues and depression aren’t some glamorous feelings. They’re very real, and very painful.
When Bojack spoke what’s been on many of our minds: the struggle of just living life. Depression is a disease that makes the smallest things, even getting out of bed, a struggle.
This scene, when Bojack exclaims that he’s always in pain…man, it’s real. For people suffering with mental health problems, the pain is internal and not always visible, so it’s hard to prove to other people that it is exhausting.
This moment was really dark. It showed us Bojack at one of his most vulnerable states, exposing something about himself that he genuinely believes to be true.
“Nothing on the outside, nothing on the inside” is one of the lighter, funnier depictions of depression and how it can make one feel completely dead. Lifeless. Emotionless. Hopeless. Trust Bojack to make it a funny affair.
In a rather Bollywood moment with the filmy trope of baarish fuelling the emotional intensity of the scene, Bojack is vulnerable, once again. And breaks our hearts, once again.
Here, again, there is baarish but it is fuelled with Bojack’s undeniable sardonic humour. Jokes are a common deflection tool that people struggling with mental health issues use to diffuse the situation. And Bojack is a pro at that.
But, there are beautiful moments in the show that teach us how to deal with depression, how to move forward and see the beauty in life. Like this scene from the finale, when Diane tells Bojack how she learned to trust the man she loves, thereby trusting that things will be okay in the end.
And this moment, when Rutabega gives Princess Carolyn the ‘star talk,’ which can really be applied to all of us. Mark my words and look in the mirror and recite this speech the next time you feel low or worthless. It’ll instill within you a confidence that isn’t reserved just for famous stars.
Although this scene is from one of Bojack’s benders (which explains how Diane is Lucy from Peanuts), it’s a really sweet moment that shows us how the most profound things come from the simplest of words. Maybe life isn’t that complicated after all, and it depends on how we see it.
And finally, the season 2 finale has one of the most iconic scenes from Bojack Horseman. This scene really tells us how we need to move forward with life, how it is probably the toughest task to perform but the only thing that will help us in living. Depression is a heavy weight that tries to paralyse us, but we need to keep moving forward. There’s only so much that we can spend on our past mistakes.
Ultimately, Bojack Horseman showed us the dirtiest, most toxic traits of depression with making it a glamorous affair. Bojack himself suffers deeply with depression, but he’s always condemned for his mistakes. The show writers make sure that he pays for his toxic behaviour. Because there is simply no excuse to harm the people around you, especially the people trying to help you. Ultimately, we grow with Bojack, Diane, Todd, Mr Peanutbutter and Princess Carolyn. We feel a little more understood when we watch their lives as being somewhat similar to ours. We feel a little lighter knowing that our mental health issues are in fact legitimate. We are not alone.
Bojack Horseman is created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg. It stars the voices of Will Arnett, Amy Sedaris, Alison Brie, Paul F. Tompkins, and Aaron Paul. Available on Netflix!
Follow Mirchi Play on:
Instagram: @mirchiplay
Facebook: MirchiPlay
Twitter: @mirchiplay
