[Warning: This article contains MAJOR spoilers.]
“BoJack Horseman” is one of modern television’s best shows. It features the titular BoJack Horseman, a disgruntled 90’s sitcom star, trying to navigate life after fame. This Netflix adult animation follows BoJack through his later adult years, highlighting trauma both enacted upon and caused by him.
BoJack is admittedly a very troubled character and a victim of generational trauma. Two specific episodes, “Time’s Arrow,” and “The Old Sugarman Place,” highlight BoJack’s parents’ traumas, specifically his mother’s Beatrice. Beatrice’s mother was lobotomized for showing too much emotion about her son dying in World War II.
Her mother made Beatrice promise to never love anyone the way she loved her son, and Beatrice internalized that. Beatrice never let herself love anyone, including her own son. Beatrice once told BoJack, “You don’t know how lucky you are to have me! I hope you die before I do, so you never have to know what it’s like to lose a mother.” This quote perfectly explains their relationship. Beatrice is aware of her own trauma yet is unable to stop herself from inflicting more onto BoJack.
This circles right back to BoJack and how he lets himself inflict more pain on those around him instead of choosing to be better than his past and his familial trauma. There are many events that BoJack caused that inflicted trauma and pain upon those involved, but I’m going to focus on three. The three events include Penny’s encounter in New Mexico, BoJack’s relationship with Gina amid his drug addiction, and the tragic life of Sarah Lynn.
When BoJack’s dream movie, “Secretariat,” didn’t work out how he wanted it to, he ran away to New Mexico to visit his old friend Charlotte. He is shocked to learn that she has a husband, Kyle, and two children, Penny and Trip.
Nevertheless, BoJack ended up staying with Charlotte and her family for two months, growing closer to everyone, especially Penny, who is 17-years-old then. Towards the end of BoJack’s stay, he took Penny to her senior prom. He supplied her and her friends with alcohol, one of whom overdoses and had to be taken to the hospital. BoJack and Penny leave them at the hospital. Back at home, Penny makes advances on BoJack. BoJack rejects her and goes to sit with Charlotte.
BoJack then makes advances on Charlotte, which she gives into at first, but realizes is wrong and tells him off. BoJack goes back to find Penny at his door, making a second attempt at sleeping with him. He refuses, but leaves the door open, metaphorically giving her the go ahead.
Charlotte walks in a few minutes later to them getting into bed together. Charlotte rightfully loses her cool at both of them, telling BoJack she will call the cops if he isn’t gone in 30 minutes. He leaves. This trauma follows Penny and Charlotte through the rest of the show and for the rest of the characters’ lives.
In the fifth season of the show, BoJack becomes addicted to prescription pain pills. In his drug-induced haze throughout the season, he confuses his real life with the show he’s starring in, “Philbert.” His co-star and girlfriend, Gina, tried to help him by confronting him about the hidden pills all over the house. During his rage, he strangles Gina during a stunt on set until others have to intervene to get him off of her. Gina doesn’t want to lose her newfound stardom to just being “the woman BoJack Horseman choked,” so they quickly do an interview to clear everything up and absolve BoJack of any wrongdoing. However, it is this event that pushes BoJack to finally go to rehab.
Sarah Lynn is probably BoJack’s biggest victim. From her childhood, he enforced negative ideals about her fame and Hollywood that she would later internalize for the rest of her life.
BoJack was the reason she got into alcohol for the first time, setting her up for a lifetime of addiction. When she was nine months sober, BoJack called her up, and they went on a month-long bender. During this bender, they try to make amends with the people they have hurt, including showing up to Penny’s college which caused an anxiety attack for Penny.
Their apologies are hollow as they are under the influence of substances. At the end of their bender, Sarah Lynn finds heroin in BoJack’s glove compartment. She takes it, and overdoses at the planetarium. BoJack is with her when she dies. He panics, calls himself from her phone, waits 17 minutes, then calls 911. Sarah Lynn died at the hospital, meaning she could have been saved in those 17 minutes.
BoJack is a flawed character with a troubled backstory. He puts truth to the phrase “hurt people hurt people.” These three women highlighted are only what I consider the worst of his wrongdoings. To fully grasp the complexity of this character and his influence on those around him, one must watch the show and witness the events that unfold.
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