Liam Hoofe reviews the sixth episode of BoJack Horseman season 4…
BoJack’s mind has always been something of a warped place, and the sixth episode of season 4 takes us deep into that mind. Giving us a second by second account of his day.
It’s been abundantly clear from the first season that BoJack hates himself, but this episode amplifies that, exploring what is actually going on his mind as he experiences all of the events that take place around him. Every thought, even the positive ones are peppered with venom and self-loathing and it becomes increasingly apparent as the episode wears on, that despite his best efforts, BoJack will likely never be able to fully escape his demons.
It’s a great concept for an episode and one that allows the show to justify a lot of BoJack’s actions. BoJack hears voices inside his head, one voice in particular – that of his mother. The relationship between BoJack and his mother is being dissected more and more as the season wears on and it is becoming increasingly apparent that BoJack is the man he is because of his upbringing.
While some may dismiss this as pseudo-psychological nonsense, BoJack feels far too smart to be branded in such a way. It’s no coincidence that in BoJack’s mind, he views himself as a child. It is a feeling we have all experienced as adults, that deep down we are still the child we once were, and that we are all just kind of winging this adult business.
The episode also allows the animators to have some fun with BoJack’s thoughts. The warped, twisted nature of his mind allows the animators to get incredibly creative at times, and the fact that BoJack sees himself as a doe-eyed child is a really nice touch.
The episode comes with two of the show’s most difficult moments this season so far, as well. First, there is BoJack throwing his Mother’s doll out of the window. It sounds rather petty, and in many ways, it is. Beatrice has become attached to a doll, and BoJack becomes jealous of this. The magic of the show, though, is the way it makes this such an important moment. Having the insight into BoJack’s mind that we do, means we can understand why he does what he does, and in many ways, it feels completely justified, even if it is difficult to watch.
The second moment is when BoJack tells Hollyhock, after she expresses feelings of anxiety, that the voices will go away when quite clearly, they don’t. BoJack here does not want to damage his daughter, even though he knows the potential future she may face. It’s a bittersweet moment, in one respect, it’s nice to see BoJack care about someone else and wants to protect them, in another, it’s sad to know that Hollyhock is likely to go end up following the family tradition of failure and self-loathing.
Like most of BoJack, the strength in this episode lies in the tiny moments. It’s a thoughtful episode, one that is also buoyed by an interesting narrative device and some excellent animation.
What did you think of ‘Stupid Piece of Sh*t’? Let us know in the comments below and let Liam know on Twitter, here- @liamhoofe
Originally published September 12, 2017. Updated September 13, 2017.
