Bojack Horseman Season 3 Review


Bojack Horseman Season 3- That Went Well



And here we are again, after two seasons of fantastic reception the third season of Bojack arrives and manages to blow away any expectations. The third season is more personal, its harder to watch, it contains some of the toughest moments in a show but manages to create some of the funniest comedy at the same time. I love season 3, I see it as the changing point in the show’s run, where they use their excellent writing to create symbolism and more artistic elements- which is something that carries on through the show from this point. So, lets delve into every single episode once again!
We start the season with “Start Spreading The News”, where Bojack is plunged head-first into the race for the Oscars, for a film he wasn’t even in. Ana Spanakopita is one of my favourite characters in the show, she is this formidable force of unknown nature that throws Bojack off, it’s nice to see Bojack in a lower status. Season 3 starts off excellently by having a very difficult scene in its first episode, the conversation with the reporter is hard to watch. Hearing Bojack visibly effected by the events in New Mexico is a nice decision, this show manages to explore cause and effect well, especially on a character level. Diane and Mr Peanutbutter’s marital issues are incredibly uncomfortable and realistic, you can so cleverly feel their relationship falling apart. I think overall, it’s a set-up episode that not only sets up lovely plot points but a shift of tone for the show, crossing the ratio of comedy to drama, in favour of drama yet still maintaining the wackiness we love.

“The Bojack Horseman Show” is an episode that I have a love/hate relationship with. I think the episode itself is fantastically put together, but I was never a fan of the concept of The Bojack Horseman Show, it was retconned in at the end of season 2 and feels like a last-minute addition to an established past. However, the episode its self is effortlessly clever, establishing the year by stupid fourth wall breaking jokes and having fun with the time frame of 2007 is great. I do really like the characters of Cuddly Whiskers, Jill Pill and Emily, they are established well, especially Emily. I’m glad they bring her back for the rest of Todd’s arc in Season 3.  It is nice to see all the character’s pasts intertwining, especially exposing Mr PB’s flaws in how he approaches relationships and the origins of Diane and his dysfunctionality. It also nicely shows how Bojack has matured from 2007, he sabotages his own show with pretension because of a fear of fame, leaving the viewer in constant fear of Bojack’s self-sabotage. A lovely episode, that unfortunately I would have preferred some earlier reference to The Bojack Horseman Show but they still pulled it off.

Unfortunately, “Bojack Kills” is one of the more forgettable episodes of the show. I think its where the show pushes the zaniness a bit too far, the ‘strip club for kids’ idea doesn’t quite pay off. Goober is a hilarious character but isn’t used in the best way, he is Sarah Lynn but without the character behind the wackiness. I do enjoy the murder mystery part of the episode, with good mystery mixed with fantastic Bojack writing. It’s nice having Diane using the ridiculous situation to avoid Mr PB, and finally we have a lovely moment of Mr PB clearly noticing Diane avoiding him, we also see his hypocrisy in a ridiculous b-plot involving a skunk. The reveal of ‘Bojack Kills’ as a drug is fine, its nice to see the idea of fame being reached in unconventional means. A forgettable but fun episode that does a lot of service to Diane’s character.,

“Fish Out Of Water” is an absolute achievement in Television history.  A visual treat, where the writers have so much fun with the insanity of the underwater world. The different pun’s involving different sea creatures, as well as placing it in a modern-day setting is hilarious, seeing whales in cabs and sardines in hotel rooms is highly entertaining. Obviously, I must mention the incredible score in this episode, an almost dialogue-less episode that relies on a beautiful melodic score that elevates every scene. It is nice to see Bojack in quite a vulnerable situation, he isn’t the cleverest person in the room, far from it, he must learn how to adapt in a multitude of ways. I don’t love the baby seahorse storyline, because it becomes exhaustingly like a Mr Bean episode with the amount of slapstick and failures. However, I do love the theme of parenting and protection, and Bojack’s letter to Kelsey sums the episode up fantastically. In true Bojack fashion, the ending leaves you in this hilarious disbelief that he was so close to fixing things, but never quite did. A fantastic, quiet masterpiece that I truly adore.

It’s nothing more than a set-up/ catch-up episode, but I have a lot of appreciation for “Love And/Or Marriage”. Its only here to set up Emily, Diane’s pregnancy and Ralph Stilton. But I do still enjoy it. The focus isn’t really on Bojack, he gets fantastic news that Secretariat is a hit, and he and Todd crash a rehearsal dinner as famous celebrities. The rehearsal dinner gets extra points for its LGBTQ+ representation, as it never draws attention to it and just treats it as a wedding, as it should be treated. Emily is a lot of fun in this episode, she has good chemistry with Todd, as she plays off Todd’s naivety and is flawed in her awkwardness. Diane and Mr PB’s therapy is great, the fact that the blame is never put on either one of them for the flaws in their relationship is really refreshing.  the hilarious drug trip scene, that shows Diane as someone who hides a lot behind barriers, especially towards Mr PB. And finally, PC’s three dates are fun, it’s a quite light-hearted episode except for Bojack’s conversation with one of the brides, but I really enjoy the dates. After showing the exhausting nature of dating in your 40’s, Ralph is instantly charming, their chemistry is instantly fantastic, and episode leaves you wanting more for their relationship. I must mention the lovely montage at the end, with Todd’s insecurities, Judah and PC’s care shown for each other, Bojack and Emily. A quite underrated episode, a nice mix of levity and character as well as a fantastic cliff-hanger.

Every season has a fantastically controversial and political episode, and “Brrap Brrap, Pew Pew” does not disappoint. Abortion is a tricky topic to do an episode about, but once again Bojack discusses and analyses the topic whilst somehow managing to stay respectful. The stress of Diane’s abortion placed alongside the hostility and manipulation of the media. Its ridiculous satire, but in the end, a lovely conversation with a teen girl gives the episode a lot of weight as it manages to pull off a serious topic with an astounding amount of respect. Bojack’s story is a bit disappointing, as he finds out Ana is helping all the clients and thinks that why they are all winning the awards and it is a bit inconsequential. However, the last scene is upsettingly dark, Ana’s almost sociopathic manipulation of Bojack’s insecurities makes her a terrifying but fun character. A risky, but well-done episode that hits a lot of fantastic marks.

“Stop the Presses” is a concept episode where the concept isn’t as good as the substance. The conversation with the newspaper woman is the weakest part, because it seems a bit of a detour from what the show usually does. There are some fantastic moments, the return of Margo Martindale being a highlight, it is always a treat to see her craziness. The awkwardness between Emily and Bojack is tough to watch, finding out that Bojack slept with her and then hearing him getting questioned as to why is great. The ‘You Are Secretariat’ moment is a fantastically revealing moment for Bojack, it links to Bojack’s childhood admiration. His relationship with Ana is beautifully twisted and seeing Ana in her everyday life is a nice metaphor for the show’s themes of identity. It has a couple of nice moments, but the way they presented it was un-necessary and took away from the plot underneath.
Another filler episode that surprisingly works well is “Old Acquaintance”. The fast paced and frantic agency inner workings are immense fun, Gecko and Rabbitowitz are fantastic characters to bring back. The competition and manipulation placed against Bojack’s torn personal connections between the projects makes it even more tense. However, PC’s over-working and stress takes over and results in her losing each project, a truly quite damaging moment for the character. The show loves to put down PC Immensely, but in the end, she is one of the most likable characters in the show due to her kind heart causing her all these troubles. The guest star of Captain Peanutbutter’s is great, I really enjoyed this plot line due to how it addresses how we present ourselves, a character like Mr PB is someone with such an extreme face-value, it is nice to see a similar face value but with a darker side underneath. Overall an episode that has a lot to do, with a pace that is quite exhausting, however the consequences and presentation keep it fresh.

I really love “Best Thing That Ever Happened”, it’s a lovely relationship study in a high-concept wacky situation, which is what Bojack does fantastically. The restaurant is a location that offers a lot of creative moments as it falls apart, highlights being the firing of the Italian waiter. For me, this is Amy Sedaris’ best performance, she manages to be frustrated, desperate, exhausted, angry and does it all with this charming conviction. The argument is well paced, with moments of self-reflection and not a constant aggression between the two. And in the end, the latter half of the episode has this melancholy tone as the two discuss their faults and their history. I can’t say much more about the episode, the flashbacks are great, the ending is really quite upsetting, and it is one of the best dialogue-based episodes in the show.

And we are here, the signature final three episodes of the season, this is where the show shines in each season. “It’s You” is no exception. It has an escalating tone and pace to it that explodes into one of the most unexpected final scenes. Todd and Mr Peaunutbutter’s story is hilarious, the jokes based around the ridiculousness of Hollywoo are so entertaining. It is just the right amount of over-the-top, Mr PB is at his best and seeing Todd turning on Bojack is very refreshing when played through a conversation with Mr PB. The pace heightens as Bojack realises he may not be happy even after being nominated, and Diane confronts him. Their conversation is so difficult to watch, it’s clearly a point their relationship might not get back from. The presentation of the part and the phone sequence are animated beautifully, the animators really had their fun with it. I would have placed the reunion of PC and Ralph at the end of the previous episode, as it doesn’t really fit with the story and themes. Finally, the argument between Todd and Bojack is essential to the season, it is something that has been coming for a while. Todd is always on the borderline of being pure comedy relief, but this shows some excellent maturity. Its fantastic to hear him break down all the faults in Bojack’s character, the fact that he finds excuses and wallows in self-pity instead of confronting the real problem. An incredible episode I wish was just a bit tighter and focused to make the episode clearer on its themes and direction.

If everything that is wrong with Bojack is himself, then it is time he apologised and made amends, and in turn this results in one of the most devastating spirals fort Bojack’s character. “That’s Too Much Man” is an episode to behold. Seeing Bojack’s negative impact on Sarah Lynn, exposing his selfishness and manipulation of this girl is truly upsetting. The structure is excellent, it doesn’t distract too much and somehow makes the episode have a very creepy tone, there is an edge to it, I think it may be due to the lack of cuts that aren’t blackouts. Returning to each character for amends, yet only making it worse, is a double edge sword. On one hand its difficult to see Bojack’s failure at fixing his relationships, however it is nice to see him trying to make changes even if they are misguided. The sequence with Penny is haunting, the sense of dread and panic that sweeps both the audience and Bojack is fantastic. Kristen Schaal is of course completely incredible, I am a massive fan of Kristen’s voice talent and this episode showcases her skill, especially hearing her talk about being an architect. But I must address the final moments and Arnett’s performance. The scene in the planetarium is possibly my favourite in the entire show, Bojack’s monologue and that last “Sarah Lynn” are truly heart-breaking, it is visually beautiful with the silhouettes and stars creating this calm and serene vibe to one of the most upsetting scenes of the show. Truly amazing, a visual and structural treat and with some outstanding performances.

“That Went Well”, this is not only my favourite episode of the season, but one of my favourites of the show as a hole. The opening flashback ties together the Bojack Horseman Show plotline very nicely and is a nice send off for their relationship. But somehow, after such a heavy emotional aspect, the episode is still hilarious. The ‘Pasta Plotline’ is arguably clever, arguably lazy, arguably too stupid but definitely hilarious. Then we have Bojack resorting to signing up for ‘Ethan Around” after he takes a surprisingly mature boost of positivity. PC becoming a manager, Diane joining a blog and Todd losing his company are lovely little set up moments. But it is Bojack’s reaction to the child actor that results in a glorious sequence, as he worries about the prospect of another Sarah Lynn. ‘Stars’ by Nina Simone plays over Todd figuring out his sexuality, PB being told he is running for Governor and PC at her company-this shows a positive step in each character. Placed in direct contrast to one of the lowest moments of Bojack, as he lets go and closes his eyes and effectively attempting to end his life. But the music builds, and he suddenly stops as he notices a group of horses running through the desert, and the episode and season ends there. The last moment has been debated greatly by fans, with hundreds of interpretations but personally I see it as a moment of hope, this is Bojack realising he has the opportunity to strive for potential. I must commend this episode for what it must balance and do, yet still manages to make it entertaining and creative.

Season 3 of Bojack Horseman left me speechless. It is one of those seasons that has such an impact on the spectator that the few structure and narrative beats I didn’t love are almost insignificant. If you don’t love an episode of Bojack, you can still see the fantastic craft that goes into the writing and this is an amazingly written season of television. On top of all this the show plays with form and animation, something that season 4 and 5 have taken to a whole new level. I congratulate the effort that goes into making this show as you can clearly see it pay off in this season.

Thanks for taking the time to read through these extensively long Bojack reviews!