Beloved series BoJack Horseman has now come to an end, and it may very well be remembered as one of the best television shows of the modern era. The animated comedy-drama, available to stream on Netflix, debuted its final episodes on January 31, and fans witnessed their favorite characters finally receive the endings that they deserve.
In true BoJack style, the final episodes encompassed simplistic and slap-stick comedy with harrowing and hard-hitting scenes. Several stunning sequences blended uplifting emotion with foreboding existentialism. Here are five moments from the final episodes of BoJack Horseman that warmed our hearts and five that chilled us to the bone.
Warmed Our Hearts: Judah Sings To Princess Carolyn
Judah was one of several recurring characters who returned for the sixth and final season. After reuniting with Princess Carolyn, Judah resumes his old job role as PC’s assistant. The feelings between them gradually grow and the series concludes with a marriage ceremony and an emotional serenade.
Fans see a new side of Judah in the final episodes of BoJack Horseman. He lets his hair down and shows his sweet side by singing a very Judah-like love song to Princess Carolyn.
Chilled Our Bones: BoJack Reads Hollyhock’s Letter
After BoJack reads a letter from his sister Hollyhock, the troubled horse relapses from sobriety and breaks into his old house while intoxicated. He almost drowns in the pool, mirroring the show’s title credits that seemingly foreshadowed his fate.
We never learn what Hollyhock wrote in the letter yet the effect it has on BoJack is enough to understand that his sister wants nothing to do with him. This is heartbreaking but understandable. Hollyhock grew up in a healthy environment that allows her to see how toxic BoJack can be, despite his intentions.
Warmed Our Hearts: Mr. Peanutbutter Stands By BoJack
Although BoJack and Mr. Peanutbutter’s relationship hasn’t always been the best, the happy-go-lucky Labrador is the only person to truly stand by BoJack throughout the final episodes. Mr. Peanutbutter invites BoJack to live with him and is waiting for him on his prison release day.
Mr. Peanutbutter is a loyal friend who lives up to his dog-like characteristics. Despite the bad things BoJack has done, it is nice to see him with a true friend by his side.
Chilled Our Bones: Penny’s Panic Attacks
The final season of BoJack Horseman addresses Penny’s recovery from her encounter with BoJack in Season 2. While the majority of the series focuses on BoJack’s point-of-view, the final episodes address Penny’s reaction to the situation and how it affected her.
Charlotte mentions that Penny has only just managed to get her panic attacks under control, highlighting her trauma towards what happened. It is a reminder that the victims of BoJack’s actions are also recovering.
Warmed Our Hearts: Closure For Diane And Mr. Peanutbutter
Diane has a well-written and relatable arc throughout BoJack Horseman’s final seasons. After moving to Chicago to be with her new boyfriend Guy, Diane struggles to write while taking anti-depressants, and grapples with her newfound happiness before making peace with her “damage.”
One of the most heartfelt scenes in the final episodes is the final phone call between Diane and Mr. Peanutbutter. They reflect on their history and it becomes apparent how much these characters have grown.
Chilled Our Bones: BoJack Runs From Death
“The View From Halfway Down” is arguably BoJack Horseman’s best episode. After nearly drowning in his pool, BoJack encounters the people he has lost — including his mother Beatrice and Sarah Lynn — in a chilling dream sequence that pushes the boundaries of existential storytelling.
One by one, the people in BoJack’s life who have died fall through a doorway into inky nothingness. BoJack flees from the tar-like substance as he tries to cling to life in a harrowing and haunting succession of scenes.
Warmed Our Hearts: Todd And BoJack’s Final Conversation
Todd is the most light-hearted and likable character in the show. His presence injected the series finale with a much-needed dose of fun and humor, as well as a poignant perspective on life.
Todd references the Hokey Pokey while talking with his old friend and roommate. When BoJack expresses doubt about staying sober, Todd tells him to listen to the song’s advice — “you do the Hokey Pokey and you turn yourself around.” It is a heart-warming scene that stems from the series’ happiest and most optimistic character.
Chilled Our Bones: Secretariat’s Poem
“The View From Halfway Down” is a chilling mesh of nightmarish existentialism, but Secretariat’s poem still stands out as particularly haunting. The character, who canonically committed suicide by jumping off a bridge, reads a harrowing poem that recalls his immediate regret and horror about his impending death.
Secretariat becomes increasingly seized by terror as the ominous doorway keeps appearing behind him, saying he’s “not done yet.” The scene is one of BoJack’s most well-written and evocative sequences from the entire series.
Warmed Our Hearts: Diane And BoJack’s Final Rooftop Conversation
In a call-back to Season 1’s finale, BoJack Horseman concludes with Diane and BoJack talking to each other while sitting on a rooftop. The final conversation between the friends is initially frosty as Diane tells him about the last voicemail he left her. However, the two characters slowly find closure as they discuss their pasts and the people they have become.
BoJack and Diane’s arcs throughout the final season centered around recovery. They share more similarities than they care to admit and it is uplifting to see them support each other instead of dragging each other down.
Chilled Our Bones: BoJack’s Interview
Throughout the final season of BoJack Horseman, there was an impending sense that the truth about BoJack’s involvement in Sarah Lynn’s death was inevitably going to be exposed as reporters Paige Sinclair and Max investigated the troubled horse. BoJack appears to get away with it after his first public interview, in which he manages to come across sympathetic enough for audiences to side with him.
However, his second interview is much more damning. BoJack’s sympathetic demeanor unravels and the sordid truth about his past actions causes him to become a social pariah as the public shuns him.
