BoJack Horseman season 6 review: An end to tie up loose ends

BoJack Horseman’s first part of season 6 explores BoJack’s and his friends’ many complex relationships and inner struggles while still giving us the classic comedy we expect.

The first part of BoJack Horseman‘s two-part final season premiered on Oct. 25 and opens with BoJack (Will Arnett) at Pastiches Rehab Center where he checked into at the end of season 5. We quickly learn that BoJack is preparing to go back to “the real world” and how he will be forced to confront his inner issues and past mistakes head-on.

Most importantly, BoJack is faced with his involvement and connection with Sarah Lynn’s death and how he has evaded talking about the truth.

All around BoJack, his friends are struggling with their own lives as well. Princess Carolyn (Amy Sedaris) has her hands full (literally) caring for her infant, Ruthie, while trying to have it all: something she’s been dreaming of this whole time. Todd Chavez (Aaron Paul), BoJack’s close friend, ends up finding some strange joy in taking care of Ruthie as a nanny.

Even Diane (Alison Brie) learns to open up and face herself head-on. She meets someone named Guy (Lakeith Stanfield) who believes in her and really cares for her which forces her to reevaluate what’s really important to her.

The biggest thing that makes BoJack Horseman so successful and popular is how it realistically treats actual real-world situations that people go through every day. An article from Odyssey shares three real-world issues that the show addresses from past seasons, however, season 6 definitely steps this up.

We see things like mental health issues, addiction, being a working mom, challenges in romantic relationships, and asexuality. In fact, Todd comes to terms even more with his sexuality this season and BoJack even introduces a potential love interest for Todd to the “All About That Ace” dating app.

Something that I think makes season 6 of BoJack Horseman stand out is the final episode of part one, “A Quick One, While He’s Away”. This episode doesn’t feature BoJack at all. In fact, none of the main characters we would expect are in the episode at all. Instead, it features reporters trying to dig deeper into Sarah Lynn’s death and who was involved.

The episode ends on a major cliffhanger, making this two-part final season so genius and nerve-wracking. After Hollyhock (Aparna Nancherla), BoJack’s half-sister, attends a party in New York City, she meets a guy named Peter and they spend some time together talking outside.

Pretty soon, he reveals that he knew someone “pretty famous” who he knew was involved with the death of Sarah Lynn, and we realize that we know exactly who Peter is. The episode ends with Peter looking nervous about sharing this person’s name with Hollyhock.

Not only do we know that he means BoJack, but it also makes us wonder if he knows about Hollyhock’s relationship with him. With BoJack’s life seeming to be heading in the right direction at the end of the previous episode, this twist ending almost guarantees that season 6 part two will be the downfall of BoJack.

In their review of the first part of the season, AV Club shares that:

"There’s still been plenty of mayhem and emotion, but the tone feels more muted than it was before, less time spent on grand flights of fancy and severing the emotional arteries. On balance though, it’s been satisfying in a different way. It has the feel of a show that’s in its final season and it knows it, bringing in a wide array of familiar guest stars and finding a place of relative closure for its main characters."

I definitely have to agree with this. We finally get to see all of our favorite characters come to terms with their situations and gain closure in their relationships. Creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg somehow continues to bring us more and more within the BoJack Horseman and the show stays as relevant and impactful as ever, even six seasons later.

We will be sure to keep everyone updated on any more BoJack Horseman news! Make sure you stay tuned for any info and reviews for season 6 part two coming January 2020!