Morality and BoJack Horseman

In this video essay, I explore ethics in BoJack Horseman and the intentions of the people behind it.

Chapters:
00:00-01:42 preface
01:43-03:23 hollywood morality
03:24-06:44 princess carolyn's ethics
06:45-12:34 pc selfish vs. selfless
12:35-15:13 good and bad
15:14-16:42 what is too far?
16:43-18:48 the writers' mistake
18:49-22:59 misinterpreting bojack
23:00-26:22 philbert parallels
26:23-31:21 diane's ethics
31:22-35:00 diane's worst act
35:01-37:16 diane's growth
37:17-39:37 showrunner ethics
39:38-41:54 writers' hypocrisy
41:55-45:08 redemption
45:09-45:50 closing

Sources:
McDonnell, Chris. Bojack Horseman: The Art Before the Horse. Abrams, 2018.
Temple, Matthew. Male Characters and Masculine Representation in the Era of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Hollywood. August 2023. (pdf below; I didn’t actually end up using this source in the final edit, but still highly recommend it. I’m 99% sure “Robert” is Raphael Bob-Waksberg)

Podcast Interview:
Let’s Talk with Sam Fragoso - Episode 142 (Courtesy of Sam Fragoso and Karoline Ribak)

Interviews:

[JohnnyCellos]

Wow this is the best BoJack video on YouTube, amazing work.

[laurayeghz]

When I was first getting sober, still detoxing from alcoholism, I watched all of BoJack Horseman. And it was hard. I identified with BoJack immediately and that scared me witless. It felt like life holding a giant mirror up to me, forcing me to look at myself, and saying

"Look! This is how *YOU* look. BoJack's an asshole but he acts like *YOU* . This is how *YOU* treat people and how they feel. Your friends aren't talking to you right now because *YOU* hurt them. *YOU* did this to yourself. Get better."

It was absolutely crushing. And I think it was crucial in my early sobriety. I still look back fondly on BoJack, but I'm happy to say that after 3 years, I no longer identify fully with him. I still totally get his thought patterns, because he's a well-written addict/alcoholic. But I don't do the same things he does. And that distance feels nice.

[Matty]

wow. hearing people say they look up to bojack is like hearing people look up to rick from rick and morty: theyre meant to warn you not be idolized

[Mu-vmij]

The fact so many people miss the point bojack is so unreal to me. The show is VERY explicit in its theming. It is extremely on the nose. The characters tell you how they are feeling, and It’s done in a very engaging and thought provoking way.

[rainedrop]

I love Diane a lot because she makes me so uncomfortable to watch. I relate to her but it was never in an excusable way. Her personality makes me feel affirmed, seen, and called out. So she will always be one of my favorites.

[dougthedonkey]

I think making Penny a deer was genius character design, since though she isn’t entirely spotted she has prominent freckles, reminding the audience that she is still definitely a child, visually condemning Bojack in a way a different design wouldn’t

[Gpixels]

I love how the message of "life has peaks and valleys" is accentuated by the show's seasonal format. The idea that Bojack rapidly swings from redeemable to irredeemable from season to season, makes the finale hit that much harder.

[psiphre]

bojack in a nutshell: "you will inherit your parents' trauma, but you will not understand it." great video.

[junipermoss]

quick fact check from a bojack lore enthusiast; none of the season finales could have been the last season. bojack horseman actually did get a special exemption, where netflix agreed to let them know if a season would be they started working on said season. rumor has it that bojack was the current CEO's favorite netflix original show, so this may have been the reason for special treatment.

[ZabatheFrog]

Best character analysis of pc ive ever seen! No one really talks abour her selfishness and manipulation

[wildfirefox]

I've NEVER considered that Penny would see that scene. Holy shit that's such an obvious thought but it never crossed my mind.

[inesrv]

I really wished there was a section about Todd. He is presented as a goofy, sweet guy, and the fact that Bojack messes with him and his rock opera further establishes this conception of the character as the start. But as the series went on I noticed he will hang on to any type of excuse to avoid any type of responsability. He does nice things by chance and we want to like him, so he seems like a good person... and then he does awful stuff which can be avoided and it's just like "whoops silly me". He keeps avoiding the consecuences, and even one of the assistants shouts at him he just gets to get everything without doing anything because of the people who enable him. I think the writers had some intention when writing Todd and his lack of agency, so it would be great to hear more about it!

[sunnyanarchy]

Bojack horseman literally changed my life, it made me realize I didn’t like myself and that it didn’t have to be that way, idk how but it dragged me out of my 3 year depression and made me want to be a better person

[acebee]

This was perfect. Too many "video essays" are just people stating the obvious without a point or analysis. This gave so much amazing insight, I hoped it would never end

[Fizzy.subliminals]

i know a lot of people don’t like the characters for their negative traits but that’s something i love about them, it helps us relate, it makes them more real and less static, nobody is perfect and it shows that

[satyasyasatyasya]

honestly, media literacy is at an all time low. people don't so much miss the point but don't even think there IS one anymore, that 'points' are somehow cringe or cumbersome. I don't get it myself, all kinds of media where people just don't take anything away or take the total opposite thing away. Yes, sometimes there's taste and preference and interpretation but frankly modern media is so on the nose, i don't think thats even an excuse.

[caydenaltizer]

I have never seen a better analysis of princess carolyn

[prince]

I have always felt Bo Jack is relatable, and not in a good way. I knew he represented all the parts I honestly do hate about myself. All the bad things I’ve done to the people I loved the most. All the self sabotage and loathing. His mom- I always felt the purpose of the show is pretty much as you said it. A cautionary tale. To never let yourself become the bad things you’ve done. To forgive those people, remember what you have done and take true accountability for it, and move forward being the best person you can try to possibly be. Don’t excuse yourself, don’t let things happen to you, you have to be the light in your own life, or this could happen to you.

[apollodraper]

this is the first time ive seen "criticism" (if you could call it that) of diane's character that wasn't just blatant misogyny. THANK YOU! i relate to her a lot and find it hard to criticize her actions, but your point of view made it very easy to see. i feel like now i know what to work on fixing about myself lol

[liamking]

Damn, I saw the section labelled "Diane's worst act" and immediately thought of the scene you talk about, how it was the catalyst for Bojack losing his grip on the line between himself and his public image, because Diane as his biographer and best friend was always his intermediary between the two, and her spitefully turning the incredible power of fact and fiction she held over him, against him, was the sandbag-kick that caused the big Philbert balloon to float away and bring the violence of his fictional character into reality (helped by the drug addiction that stepped in to replace her friendship).

But you're right, it would have had an equally if not more devastating effect on Penny, I honestly didn't think of that any more than she did.

I remember in season 6, wanting her to be directly confronted by the consequences of her actions, and being frustrated that she seemed to keep gliding through in a haze of self righteousness. But in hindsight, I like how her arc ends, basically finding peace admitting she's a hack and surrendering her grandiose trauma-inspired responsibilities, Bojack included.