Bojack Horseman: The Mother of All Monologues

[@kiefferindisguise5196]

The "I see you"/"ICU" twist got me in the core

[@cfloryy]

kieffer in disguise but I didn’t understand the ICU

[@sealion6030]

I know right?

[@prismagraphy]

Chabbadi Flory I.C.U. is short for Intensive Care Unit. She was reading a sign, but he misinterpreted her statement as “I see you,” instead of “I.C.U.”

[@sunnywestside4210]

shit hurt

[@johnnysopals]

yeh that was a definite hurt to the gut and soul

[@rorygo456]

I remember watching the whole episode and not realizing that 22 minutes passed, that episode is so well written that you get lost, simply amazing

[@Soft_Ghost]

Me too. When it ended I was like... 'wait, that was a monologue episode?'

[@itsatr1p]

I thought I still had atleast half an episode lol great episode.

[@ComaAlpha]

I watched it a second time immediately because it was that good. When the credits rolled I was like "wait, what? How was that a whole episode?" And then I looked at the playback time and was like damn, I guess a half hour did pass.

[@ShaDHP23]

'That's Too Much, Man' did that for me

[@babyy2k_glh]

I watched a cartoon horse talk for 22 minutes and was entertained the entire time

[@theincfiles]

The most beautiful moment was the ICU moment when he realized his mother hadn't even finally seen him and acknowledged him but rather was trying to understand where she was. The disappointment on Bojack's face hit hard

[@g13maxey]

I saw that ICU moment instantly. Fucking brilliant writing

[@Vee_9001]

What’s interesting is that we’re not even sure if that’s what his mother meant. It’s just the meaning that Bojack himself arrived at, and the one that becomes truth to him.

[@jacobevingham8495]

Livingstone That’s a really good take, and although I really should have, I haven’t given that idea much thought until now.

[@KosTis]

Also, on the Amelia Earhart episode, I liked when PC's mom said: UCLA? No, you will not see LA!

[@blazingsilver7218]

Even though the episode is almost entirely in one room, Bojack’s mannerisms and facial expressions make it wonderful and sad to watch. When he’s talking about all three of them drowning, and being comforted by the fact that they all knew that, his face and Will Arnet’s voice absolutely sold the conflicting emotions Bojack is going through.

[@scifislack]

Will Arnett deserves an Emmy for this voice work on Bojack, especially for this episode, the writers and animators also deserve really high praise.

[@wvu05]

If he doesn't get one, there is truly no justice in Hollywoo.

[@myflippinggoodness8821]

@@wvu05 oh there is no real justice in Hollywoo. But damned if there isn't talent in this show

[@robynhoodie]

The Emmys have zero respect for animation. Best animated show is measured in single episodes because the voting board doesn’t want to sit though full animated series.

[@wvu05]

@@robynhoodie Every series selects one episode for consideration.

[@MrThebeast115]

This episode got nominated for the Emmy's

[@diabreadstick]

“My mother is dead, and everything is worse now” really stuck with me because the last time I saw my dad alive I was angry with him. I wish I could’ve told him I loved him one last time before he died, and I’ll never get to do that.

[@moneymaker3208]

TheLaxLex i’m sorry. I lost my dad suddenly too and I definitely wish I had more time with him. I feel you so much.

[@barkbark2500]

He knows. He knows you love him. He’s watching over you. I bet he’s really proud. 🥺

[@georgiamastroddi9376]

Teach your kids. My dads dad died and he had that regret. We tell each other we love each other even though we might be upset at the end of every conversation.

[@Wedolko]

Did you ever find the mugger who killed him and become spider man afterwords?

[@jay0787]

@@Wedolko bro

[@aeriswf]

This episode has one of my favorite quotes from the show: "Usually when people ask how I’m doing, the real answer is I’m doing shitty, but I can’t say I’m doing shitty, because I don’t even have a good reason to be doing shitty. So if I say, “I’m doing shitty” then they say, “why? What’s wrong?” And i have to be like, “ I don’t know, all of it?” So instead, when people ask me how I’m doing, I usually say, “I am doing so great.”

[@georgemunyawiri8989]

Was lookin fr this ..thnx

[@alwaysforanimals]

Best description of 2020 for me

[@Lemonpoetarts]

Holy shit that resonates so well with me

[@captainjirk9564]

"They ask you if you're fine and you just have to say that you're fine but you're not really fine and you just can't get into it..."

[@torioffline]

i remember realizing about ten minutes in that the whole episode would be that monologue and it hit me like a ton of bricks

[@CabezasDePescado]

you must be used to processed crap

[@torioffline]

Et Cogito Ergo Sum dude what?

[@Legority]

yeah, I was like “oh. this is amazing.”

[@apothecurio]

When I realized it was all monologue I was got super exited knowing how brilliant the show is I knew they would do a good job

[@JackJackUrban]

And I Think, Therefore I Am What does that even mean? how could you possibly know that from that comment?

[@fioxeraviari5002]

As the daughter of an emotionally abusive mother this episode hit very close to home, beautifully written, the only way to get away is to break all contact and work on fixing yourself

[@deborahpaulenenchehawthorn]

Iris Welten I haven’t connected to anything in television like I did this episode. I wept during this analysis because it further encapsulated my emotions when I saw the episode itself. I don’t get on with my mum or dad and though things are better now, it sucks that I can’t be my true self with them. Everything is so thwarted and I have to act like it’s fine. I’m from an Strongly religious African family so emotional abuse isn’t even seen as a real thing. It’s the norm you know? I’m not religious anymore but after watching this episode about ten times and crying so hard my heart hurt, I felt a deep urge to pray that I can fix things with my parents while I still can 😭. I love my parents so much but it’s all so fucked and I really want to connect with them truly but it’s almost a lost cause and at this point I just need to play my cards right so I can get away from them.

[@WILLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLU]

I’m in a similar situation. Cutting off family is easier said than done especially this time of year. Part of you feels like you owe them your time and love and that you’re ignoring their good intentions. Makes u feel shitty sometimes seeing their messages and calls. But u can’t grow while remaining attached to people who created these toxic and abusive situations

[@deborahpaulenenchehawthorn]

WILLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL your reply made me actually cry because this is so true. I successfully cut ties with them last year for about 8 months. I was homeless but it was worth it. It wasn’t practical though as I needed to sort out my life and I had to come back to them. You’re absolutely spot on when you say it’s easier said than done. Now I’m just playing along with their crap but it’s so hard and I cry everyday. I love them but the dysfunction is not good for my mental health. I’m clinically depressed and bipolar and they refuse to acknowledge it. Hopefully I’ll be financially stable in a year and will eventually leave. I have an amazing partner though who’s been there for me through it all and I’m grateful for being able to make friends with amazing people like you guys online and to know that I’m not alone 😘❤️

[@deborahpaulenenchehawthorn]

WILLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL I know it’s hard when they try to reach you and you feel overwhelming guilt but you have to look out for yourself. At the end of the day you’re the only one who really knows what’s best for you. My biggest regret is getting back in touch with them when I wasn’t stable enough to disconnect with them if they tried to make me miserable again. Stand your ground and get your footing and then you’ll be in the right space to have a good but distant relationship with them. As important as family maybe you have to keep the upset as far away as you possibly can. If you every need anyone to talk to, you have a friendly stranger on the internet who cares. I really hope things work out for you 🙏🏿. No one deserves to go through such hurt 😢

[@AMcGrath82]

Sounds like you're a better person than she was.

[@thetruephoenixful]

I love this essay but i also wanna give a huge kudos to bojacks actor, it is so hard to monologue and he carried a whole episode on his own and did it perfectly. That's an achievement worth accolades

[@pengenmodernia6990]

*will arnett

[@aeriswf]

Apparently Will Arnett did most of the voice acting on his first reading of the script, which I think is truly a testament to how great of a voice actor that man is (although I could be completely wrong)

[@katthunter6561]

Definitely. The man is a fantastic actor- didn't he voice Butterscotch, too? Even more impressive.

[@TheFrugalVideoGamer]

The single hardest hitting line in the episode - "You know the shittiest thing about all of this? Is when that stranger behind the counter gave me that free churro, that small act of kindness showed more compassion than my mother gave me her entire goddamned life. Like, how hard is it to do something nice for a person? This woman at the Jack-in-the-Box didn't even know me. I'm your son. All I had was you!"

[@dhrogontorres214]

Brought me to tears. What an amazing voice actor, and writers, and animator, truly a masterpiece

[@austincrist7581]

Surprised you didn't mention the fact that the episode ends with the realization that Bojack wasn't being seen by the right funeral.

[@Actiomedey]

It's kind of inconsequential in the end I would say.

[@ComaAlpha]

I think that clashes with the main point of the video.

[@noelnegele6039]

I tried to swipe off your little black bird thing image from my screen. Felt stupid after.

[@kirstenlaird3056]

I think it ended like that because if it had really been Bea's funeral, he would have been the only one there

[@deborahpaulenenchehawthorn]

I think it was so poignant because it highlighted the core point of his monologue... none of it really mattered in the end; the very despair of the loss and how pointless it all felt. That’s how I felt about it anyway. It was foreshadowed by his realization that she’d been talking about being in the ICU and not a profound statement mirroring the emotional connection he had assumed he’d experienced with her. I laughed and I cried so much at that part and then at the end when he ended up in the wrong funeral, it hit me so hard. I was shaken for days. As the speaker in this video says, we all just want visibility specifically by those we love 😢. My relationship with my family is pretty fucked up and this episode hit too close to home.

[@InSpades0]

This video is over and everything is worse now.

[@eriklamela4321]

True dat

[@TheWhitetiger011]

Aw fish! No what do I do?

[@TheoButKindaNot]

Doggy Doggy what now?

[@myflippinggoodness8821]

See, THIS is a great analysis. Thank you Savage Books :')

[@veryoriginalandfunnyname9219]

Aw! That’s too much man!

[@Nanook128]

Bojack's comments about sitcoms being unable to have a happy ending is a very meta statement about the show he himself is the star of. Every time it looks like Bojack's life is trending in a positive direction, something will always come around to crash him back into the depths of despair, because the show must constantly push him to increasingly darker places to keep the emotional escalation going. Bojack can never stay happy because that would be the end of the show.

[@billygoatguy3960]

the show is ending after the next season from what i've heard, but i have to agree with this video in that he's not driving himself toward disfunction constantly because of the show, it's because that's what the positive influences in his life:TV has taught him. At the end of season five it showed him making a leap of faith and visiting a therapist, which is ultimately the most positive thing he has done for himself in the show so far, therapy is a process that requires personal commitment, which he will develop in the coming time. The writers aren't stupid enough to make this show keep on going because of profit, they know how to make a happy ending, and how to make the happy ending logical.

[@scaryperry3061]

It's a comment about life, really. Usually, when we are told a story, it goes somewhere, paints a goal - even if ever so slightly. And when it finally achieves that goal, we feel completion. That's extremely rewarding, so we crave more. And we try to apply these types of narratives to our lifes. But it doesn't work that way in the real world. There's no such thing as a definite ending, whether happy or sad. Some days we'll be doing amazing, some days we'll be severly depressed, most of the time probably just doing alright - there's no final destination to be achieved, no everlasting fulfillment. There's always more show. Until there isn't. It works as a commentary for BoJack Horseman (the show), because it is written so realistically. It's based on the principles that also apply to life itself. The characters go through struggles, achieve success, then go through even more stuggles. There's no closure.

[@dislecsyk991]

The show has said itself a number of times that there's no such thing as an ending or closure. The story won't end, but Bojack will. I can't see the series ending with anything but his death.

[@cheekybananaboy3361]

i wonder if the show will end with him being happy. that would be interesting, but i'm unsure as to how they'd be able to pull that off in a satisfying way.

[@cheekybananaboy3361]

@@dislecsyk991 me too

[@Tawleyn]

The prologue of the monologue really hits me hard. When he leans over and says "Thaaaaank yooooou?" to BoJack… I've made that face. I've been that kid. It makes my skin crawl every time I hear Butterscotch say it.

[@tommybello3162]

Yah...yah my dad was never so direct but he made it obvious that's what he wanted me to say...

[@nostaljitube4073]

I'm sorry, that's really sad.

[@nunyabizness3866]

I really relate to this episode in so many ways.

[@seandalmolin-mcevoy7277]

The opening scene is amazing. The first thing his Dad says to him is “yeah yeah I see you” which becomes such a big line during Bojack’s monologue. His dad also says “your mother is having another one of her episodes”. This episode of the show is literally about his mother. It’s another one of her episodes

[@gabe_s_videos]

Tawleyn It’s anecdotes like these that make me thank God every day that I was born into a family that never once abused me.

[@JackToeRip]

What I really enjoyed in this episode was Bojack's belief that when his mother dies she'll have this final gesture and it'll give him some understanding of her, proof that she cared. Because that's what TV taught him, it taught him to hope, taught him that flawed people are good at their core and they'll show it when push comes to shove. Bojack's understanding of morality and humanity that he learned watching shows didn't teach him a core part of reality. TV isn't real. And the reality is that his mother doesn't have a character arc, she doesn't come around and get better. Just like Becker, no matter how much he watches or wants it to improve, it never will. And all he got in the end was the same child-like disappointment from the same childlike-hope, plus a free churro from someone he didn't even know.

[@grahamreece519]

Add another layer of irony - its a tv show we can all relate to of a guy trying to relate too much to tv shows

[@nathan916]

Me on February 1st 2020: Bojack Horseman is over and everything is worse now

[@iblame_nargles]

Hope you enjoyed it!!

[@ΓιόνηΖάτσε]

@@iblame_nargles its really unexpected when someone is randomly kind on the internet, cheers

[@iblame_nargles]

Hey, fuck you! I wasn’t talking to you! (Being mean is too easy, it’s incredibly easy to literally turn anything into an argument. Being nice feels better and I comment a lot less - win win. Hope you/whoever reads this has a nice day!! ♥️)

[@snbsixteen6stars201]

Thankfully tuca and birdie Will come back to adult swim

[@lauren_sunshine]

This statement gets more and more true as 2020 goes on

[@IzaakMyers]

A couple days ago I was talking to a friend about Bojack, and mentioning our favorite episodes. Of course this one came to topic, thus it created a discussion: My friend kept saying that during Bojack's monologue, a few clips of the memories he told were being shown, while I said nothing was being shown, and most of the episode was Bojack talking at the funeral. Turns out I was right. Apart from the starting flashback, everything you see in this episode happens inside the funeral parlor, nothing else. But at the same time, both me and my friend were amazed, because all those flashbacks my friend thought he had seen were his imagination, in other words, his visualization of Bojack's words. That only goes to show how well written this episode was, to a point of simple descriptions of past events told by Bojack were enough to make my friend imagine something so convincing that he thought were true.

[@yamilrodriguez1253]

I had to rewatch the episode yesterday cause I keep remembering those flashback but also remembered thinking ''Wow, a whole episode of him just standing there and talking ad it's so good''

[@josipnikolic2045]

There is a flashback when he talks about drowning and remembering you can swim

[@fan4every1lol89]

The writing is so compelling and vivid

[@Nublet864]

The line from this episode that really got me was "I was your son. All I had was you," bit. It's just really heartbreaking to see that he was able to get what he wanted from Beatrice (I small kind jester) from a random cashier at a jack in the box whose only crime was asking if he was having a good day when he wasn't...

[@quinintheclouds]

god yes that line kills me on a personal level

[@LadyStoneheart312]

I want a small kind jester too. Jesters are better than clowns

[@ted_5197]

r/boneappletea

[@HyenaFox]

Yeah. That line kills me because I think it's the first time in the entire show where we actually hear Bojack's voice start to break. He's actually on the verge of tears with this line. I mean, obviously, he's gotten sad with his voice before, but he's never gotten to this point. I think he said as much, at one point saying "I can't cry in front of people" at the scene for Secretariat. Throughout the entire eulogy monologue, he takes on this passive aggressive tone. He's obviously having a lot of emotions, and they're all overwhelming for him, so it's coming out as somewhat dismissive and sarcastic anger. But that line, in fact, that little rant, he really starts to break. And that's really scary to witness in someone who's just spent 20 real time minutes lashing out in somewhat passive aggressive displays of hurt.

[@maxwell9561]

@@ted_5197 r/beatmetoit

[@SolidSnake240]

The monologue didn't feel that long. I was so blown away that it only felt like 10 min at the longest

[@spencerhazey2060]

That's how you know you've found something special

[@jerrygil1965]

Amen

[@lukehubl6733]

Bro bojack horesman is literally the best most diverse show ever I swear

[@takefive5607]

are you twelve

[@provenriveter]

@@takefive5607 Do you think you're a sophisticated 14 year old? Because those are the vibes I'm getting from you

[@yagirl177]

Everybody in this comment thread is a child

[@1niyc6i8bxse]

Ahmen yo, this show is amazing. Best

[@bigphatty5298]

@@yagirl177 your in this comment thread too. Good show

[@resurrectthenight]

I'd listen to Bojack rant about whatever for hours and I wouldnt get bored

[@themountainengine3282]

I’m guessing most of his rants would be relating to honeydew.

[@juanmario]

Lmao if anyone has ever seen the Reese‘s commercials no lie they missed the chance to show that Bojack was doing a recess commercial or something 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@ethanr6748]

An episode with no talking and an episode that is all a monologue are the two best episodes of this show. EDIT: HOLY MOLY OVER 3000 LIKES WOW

[@TheAllKnowingTribute]

Oh my god, when he’s underwater? It’s so fucking beautiful.

[@CrowCoded]

I agree. When I sat down to watch them both I was skeptical in the first few minutes, but it soon became so engrossing and fascinating to me, that by the end of it I hadn't even realized how much time had passed.

[@kylecook7187]

I personally don't love the silent episode. And it gives my lovely woman a panic attack.

[@isamovies1192]

absolutely

[@samuraijackoff5354]

Silent episodes make artists more expressive than explaining.

[@mushymcmushington7176]

My mother was raised in an abusive home with parents very VERY similar to Bojack's (aside from, you know, being human). Both her parents are gone, most recently her father who's last moments were in the ICU from an overdose. This episode hit home HARD for her, and she ended up crying her eyes out.

[@ksaraf23]

When he said to Diane “I am the one who has suffered the most because of the actions of Bojack Horseman”, I got literal chills!

[@thegreenvoltage]

I completely agree with him when he said that. And when Diane said, “what about Sara Lynne? How have you suffered more than her?” So much of me wanted him to say: “because I have to live with the fact she’s dead because of me!” But his frustrated facial expression and tense, anxious body language said it.

[@Passions5555]

@@thegreenvoltage Diane gave me such mixed feelings when she was coming at him in that instance. She pissed me off so much with her holier than thou attitude toward Bojack and honestly thought she was a rotten self righteous person. But she was also right too and her frustration that something she wrote would make someone as toxic as Bojack okay and accepting of his very fucked up flaws and toxicity like the character Philbert.

[@christospapadopoulos6271]

I remember watchnig this episode and when the final scene came, when bojack opens the cascet and finds out he is in the wrong place, I laughed so hard, only to feel comoletely down afterwards... This show is the only things that managed to make me feel so opposite emotions at the exact same time

[@chuvst3r]

beatrice horseman's own son didnt even go to her funeral.

[@kareemjeiroudi1964]

👏👏

[@S.D.323]

I wouldn't either

[@venahtmusic]

Bojack Horseman is one of the most profound and tragic characters I've seen in a television show. Let alone, an animated tv show. It's a shame that too many people seem to write it off because it's a cartoon.

[@Johnlindsey289]

Why is animation and pupptry treated badly as it's something for kids?

[@excusezmoi9823]

@@Johnlindsey289 Yeah! Art is Art!

[@kawaiicrossing5047]

@@Johnlindsey289 because of age stereotypes.

[@Johnlindsey289]

@@excusezmoi9823 Well stuff like Dark Crystal franchise, Labyrinth, Team America, Meet the feebles, Crank Yankers, Dinosaurs (the show) etc. get rid of those puppet for kids stereotypes Even Bojack Horseman, Watership Down, Heavy Metal, Fritz the Cat, Wizards, Pink Floyd The Wall, Fire and Ice, Fantastic Planet, Spawn TAS, classic Simpsons, Futurama, MTV The Head, Duckman, Rock and Rule, Starchaser, DC animation, Liquid TV, Aeon Flux, Undone, Beavis and Butthead with the movie, South Park with the movie, Mortal Kombat animated movies, Mask of the Phantasm, Hey Good Looking, Ninja Scroll, Cowboy Bebeop, Akira, Perfect Blue, Princess Mononoke etc. fight that stereotype on animation being kids

[@LikeTheBuffalo]

You were my _mother._ All I _HAD_ was you!

[@brandon_goes_backpacking]

You can hear his heart break in his voice when he said, "she was just reading a sign."

[@corbans5796]

I binged this entire season the day it came out

[@hereandthere8157]

On the subject of bojack’s mom in the second season episode 1 She told young bojack to “not get too close the tv, it’ll make you cruel” what’s funny thing is bojack then became a tv star in a tv show

[@kristenyarbrough4287]

Amazing analysis, though i disagree on one point. I think bojack is addicted to dysfunction, but that doesn't mean he doesn't believe in happy endings. That's his whole problem for the first few seasons. He believes finishing the book will be the happy ending, making secretariat would be the happy ending, winning the Oscar would be the happy ending, and it kills him that these don't make him happy because life still goes on afterwards. He even believes that in an alternate reality, he could have had a happy ending with Charlotte, an idyllic life with no more problems or dysfunction. I think he believes in happy endings and wants to have one, but feels trapped in his own dysfunction, and his need for validation This video is amazing though, I think you really nailed the meaning of this episode.

[@raininghail4049]

Absolutely, he thinks if he does a big enough thing, he’ll live “happily ever after”. When he inevitably gets sad again, he feels all his work is wasted, and spirals into his “burn it all down” mentality.

[@collinthomas7901]

I just got to this episode, and man, it freaking hit me hard.

[@gubtefumcki6399]

Try a train

[@Soft_Ghost]

I personally love this episode because I, too, was waiting for the grand gesture and to be seen while acknowledging that it probably won't ever happen. After watching the episode I wonder if I'm still waiting for an "I See You".

[@jbenedict122]

This was my absolute favorite episode, and the joke at the very end where BoJack has been in the wrong funeral this entire time *spoiler alert* is in my opinion, one of the smartest and most well set up jokes in TV.

[@libidinistlyn]

Patrick Benedict spoiler alerts don’t work if u pet them after the spoiler lol lucky for me I’ve seen the show along with most of the people watching this video probably

[@ypraisethesun4431]

You cant say spoiler alert after you said the spoiler

[@VioletEmerald]

You should edit your comment to move or delete the spoiler alert lol

[@almostambidextrous]

Maybe some people appreciate being alerted when a spoiler has occurred?

[@bigphatty5298]

@@ypraisethesun4431 he actually can and did.

[@rini6]

This episode said a lot about how it feels to lose someone you had a flawed relationship with. It still hurts. It even hurts more because, like Becker, there’s no chance for it to get better now.

[@btonyh5878]

You should make a video on this episode's antithesis, "Fish Out of Water"

[@savagebooks7482]

Good idea!

[@btonyh5878]

@@savagebooks7482 Cool

[@weirdskyreallyweird.5519]

Something both episodes have in common is that the entire point in the episode gets undone by a joke lol

[@monarch6662]

Skylar O'kane the joke didn’t unravel this episode it showed finally being seen twice it showed that while he was talking for 30 minutes to a audience about seeing people he didn’t see them until he decided his mother should be able to be seen that somebody besides himself should be seen and that’s the moment he saw he was in the wrong place talking to the wrong audience unable to do what he wanted his mom to do see

[@sheogucci]

wow, for a new channel, this content is surprisingly high quality. This was a very clear analysis and breakdown of this great episode. Keep up the great work, I'll most certainly be back for more.

[@evans7122]

Telling someone "I see you" at the end of the road is not a relief, it is really painful. You have won, why hurt me again?

[@PhoenixEnforcer101]

I'll admit this episode had a tear in my eye. Especially with the I see you reveal

[@SalivatingPanda]

This show constantly leave me devastated with a tear or two.

[@christine023]

Heavy Weather Report I was literally bawling.

[@moneymaker3208]

Because of the Implication I paused at that part. I had to take a moment. It was sooo sad.

[@pedrogmb]

"Lives in hollywoo..." Love this

[@pedrogmb]

By the away, excelent Work.

[@punishedthatch8495]

The I See You statement hit hard. Dementia has that kind of effect. When my Grandad died of Alzheimer’s, he turned to my mum and just said “You!?” and flatlined. Up until this point he didn’t recognise his own daughter and we have no idea if it was a moment of recognition or he was just trying to figure out what was going on. He died before he could explain. This moment still haunts my mum.

[@tyrellthompson1228]

They had that underwater episode which was barely any talking then they had this monologue episode which is nothing but talking and I enjoyed watching both This show is hella good

[@ComaAlpha]

I lost an abusive drunk of a father back in 2016 and I must say this video reminded me of that and I'm not ashamed to admit it, but I actually cried during this video.

[@sagedill5993]

I lost mine in 2012 and it left so many unanswered questions and I as a self aware person but struggle to make myself better sees myself in him which I think instead of letting go of his death made me hold on to the loss more... because I know deep down the main reason I wanted him to get better and rise above his depression and alcoholism is to know if he could do it.... so could I.

[@ComaAlpha]

@@sagedill5993 you're a better person than I. I was and still am much too selfish to give a rats ass. If my dad was still alive it would be as if he's dead anyways. I just cut my mom completely out of my life because she's a cold hearted cunt. My dad liked to act and even think he cared, but underneath it all he was just as selfish as I am. Fuck them both.

[@lunebadru5997]

I..honestly cant wait until my abusive mother passes from this world. She took my brother from me. My only friend in the world. Because he looked like my father

[@sludgerat444]

@@lunebadru5997 what do you mean?

[@lunebadru5997]

@@sludgerat444 my mother destroyed our family because of jealously

[@charge202]

We see Beatrice dancing a little bit actually but as a shadow so not really "seen"

[@VintageBalderdash]

What gets me is that Bojack is the first to tell Diane and us viewers that Family is a sinking trap and closure is something made up to sell movie tickets, but the way he winces after he says "My mom died and all I got was this free churro" crushes me. He knows the train has left, and his gauche, judgmental mother will never make up for the hole she planted in him, and it'll never be okay. And when no one's there to help you, the only framework left is macho independence and self-sufficiency. 'I'll just fix everything myself, on my own. All other people do is hurt me. I am stronger for knowing this, trust is an exploitative strategy made for tricking the vulnerable.'

[@Mackiechane]

I always liked the tie between his saying "you can't have happy endings in sitcoms, because then the show would be over" and Gina's song - you can't stop dancing 'til the current falls. Bojack thinks that in order to keep going he has to be depressed. In his most confusing, drug induced, and fabricated moments he truly believes that being alive necessarily means sadness until the curtain falls.

[@aredlippedbatfish2338]

i actually have this episode to thank for my essay, i was rewatching bojack one late night when i remembered i had an essay due, i didnt know where to start but once free churro came on i decided to write about death and as to why ppl are so afraid of it. i started rambling on but the words fit so well together that i got an easy 100, and my teacher left a feedback saying i would be a good writer and he would support me if this was a future i wanted to go forth with

[@kelly-alec]

my favorite part of that entire episode is probably when he says "I was your son! You were all I had!" the way it was delivered and how for a moment, instead of being furious at his mom, he was just...sad. crushed that she never loved him when that's all he needed. all he truly wanted.

[@BradsGonnaPlay]

This is what has never sat right with me in the show. Todd’s “you are all the things that are wrong with you” moment hurts so bad because, yes BoJack is damaged and causes damage to those around him, but he’s never been shown true love in his life and anything related to love has always been used to manipulate him. Getting close to people causes a fight-or-flight instinct and the only person who understood that properly was Diane. Their final scene together shows that perfectly when she says (paraphrasing) “it’ll be okay, I’m sorry, and thank you”

[@amharbinger]

I remember watching this episode and the second it opened I knew it was going to be Bojack speaking and thinking "This is going to be a great episode". Having a character just speak in a single scene means every word, every movement has to be perfect since the viewer is watching nothing but them. This remains my favorite episode of all time, the beginning, the ICU twist, and the finale when he realizes he's not at the right funeral. That's where it hit me, he wasn't speaking to the audience he was speaking to himself. He didn't notice the crowd until the very end, like looking into a void and speaking his heart. Or perhaps he thought these are the people his mother knew but he just accepted he never met them because they were so distant.

[@boiledcrap]

The episode was practically a stand-up special; it is framed in such a way that it looked like a stage set.

[@ilikechicken8929]

Mother of all monologues! Get it? :) Because the monologue is about how Bojack had a broken relationship with his mother which can never be fixed because she's dead. Ha ha how cleaver.

[@Eightsixseven23224]

It's confusing so it's daring and smart

[@nilesoien7867]

It's almost John Cheever cleaver.

[@hentosama]

and he is figuratevly beating a dead horse

[@kilobaxi3378]

Can I get a rim shot?

[@trippingkanga134]

Do you get the joke

[@michaelfrank6851]

“I don’t hope or plan to make a 22 minute video about the entire monologue” Makes a 14 minute long video instead

[@julesrules7297]

*shrug*

[@darraghsheridan4060]

I don't Bea every loved BJ, in fact I think she felt more guilt for Hollyhock. However she did empathize with BJ's brokenness. She brings him the painting her father left her, of which Sarah Lynn destroys in S1. It clearly meant something to her & she wanted him to have it. Of course this goes over BJ's head. In S2, after reading his book, she tries to reach out & comfort him in her "Born Broken" speech. Of course in BJ & Bea's toxic relationship, any attempt to connect comes off as an insult & only makes things worst between the two. Thus making it even more tragic

[@catherinetheegreat8742]

She was probably still terrified of her mother's loss of her son and subsequent lebadomy and her childhood promise to her mother of "never loving anyone the way she loved crackerjack"

[@violetraven8323]

Based on my personal feelings with the show and interacting with others that shared there personal feelings with me. Bojack bringing up tv shows to explain his complicated feelings is like the show runners recollecting how much the show means to their audience. Them realizing how much they can relate and utilize self-reflection in the characters and plot of it. And how we as a society can be so emotionally invested in media we use it to explain our mixed emotions and experiences.

[@kristenyarbrough4287]

I usually use television for analogies when explaing an abstract concept, and this episode actually helped me to understand and to give advice to a friend who was fighting with her mother.

[@aidanredding8058]

It should be considered a crime that this episode and show never won an Emmy

[@RicardoPierotti.]

I really hate my parents, and I didn't thought this would get me in the way that it did, till this day I am confused on how I feel, about them, and about this episode.

[@LToote]

PLGS01 P ❤️❤️❤️

[@eaaa2244]

When I watched this video I felt like this whole speech could be given at an accomplished university as a lecture on literature. It is engaging, to the point and very educational. You are a top notch youtuber. Keep up the good work.

[@dominiclaurence7879]

So great! It deserves to be seen.

[@krs1315]

Easily my favorite episode, unbelievably powerful and moving, just a testament to how thoughtful these writers are. It isn't just a witty adult themed cartoon, there is deep meaning behind this show and I love every bit of it

[@HyenaFox]

9:31 I also want to point out the dichotomy between that identity and his. Everyone instantly recognizes him as "the horse from Horsin' Around", no matter what he does. Every attempt to reinvent his fame does nothing to separate this identity from him. Every time he's brought back into the limelight, he is not accredited to his new work, like the book, Philbert, or Secretariat, but simply "the horse from Horsin' Around". Later in the show, he begins to get annoyed at this identity, because he wants people to see him as the Bojack Horseman HE WANTS to be, even though he knows he isn't that person. Despite this, even he himself longs to just be "Bojack Horseman from Horsin' Around", because his view of his fame has caused him to believe he was happy then, despite the fact that the flashbacks show us he was just as miserable during Horsin' Around as he is now, only then he was relevant as a celebrity.

[@avenasia]

It was such an amazing and deep episode. Truly mesmerizing to watch.

[@melindahicks9146]

Bojack’s mom is one of the most polarizing yet realistic figures I’ve seen on tv

[@splorby176]

the part where he said "i knew it could be so much better and when it got cancelled i was so bummed out (because now it never will) and that's what losing a parent is like" hit me like a fucking train. i waited and waited and waited for my own parent to get better and for us to have the relationship we used to and when she died i realized i wasted all my time being pissed at her and now things will never get better. this fuckin show, man, 10/10

[@avabradford4718]

Probably my favorite scene of all in this show is the flash back " my mother she knew what it's like to feel your entire life like you're drowning with the exception of these moments, these very rare, brief instances, in which you suddenly remember YOU CAN SWIM." just the music the change of tone and his mothers dancing silhouette was absolutely beautiful to me.

[@wasteprocyonid5168]

I am so glad you decided to make Bojack content, otherwise I wouldn't have found your channel and the well thought-out and practical analysis. Thank you so much for dissecting everything to its very core!

[@NoxAtlas]

You know what's funny? The whole episode feels like a Hommage to "Der Kontrabass", a theatrical play that was all about a musician having a monologue about his life and music. The idea of having a monologue during an entire show isn't new but Bojack Horseman actually took that risk to make this work for television too. And it's brilliant. Even if it's just Bojack talking, the monologue itself is so heavy and meaningful. He isn't just talking bullshit like comedians in their shows but it gives us some important insight into his way of thinking and how he truly feels.

[@mateuszjesionkowski3741]

This form is called a monodrama and is a lot older and wider than "Der Kontrabass."

[@Hakajin]

There's also a strong relationship with Ibsen's "A Doll's House." There's a strong suggestion that Beatrice views her life in light of that play.

[@AnnohaSF]

It’s so surreal to hear someone talk about Bojack Horseman with Violet Evergarden music in the background.

[@tomboy5212]

How this lost an award over The Simpson is beyond me!! This is brilliant

[@sagedill5993]

I appreciate the experimental routes the show takes from having a episode the maybe had 3 minutes of dialogue then the rest rely on mostly visuals to a whole episode of on monologue and very little visuals

[@sealion6030]

After 5 minutes I realized this would be the entire episode and I was like, oh hell yeah! And that ending was really great. Man what a good show.

[@justinmonisit5932]

I didn't expect to watch it all, but I did. Good job

[@slimefish5142]

I remember watching this and being like "there's no way this is a 22 minute long monologue... That would be boring" and afterwords all I could think of "wait no I want more that was amazing"

[@mrsgt1981]

I really appreciate your due diligence and commitment to the craft.

[@YakwithaSak]

It’s crazy to think that quote about them all drowning together was foreshadowing to bojacks almost death in the view from halfway down he’s drowning and in his dream he is with his mom and dad

[@majidshamm2600]

This is one of the best videos on bojack horseman ive ever seen, thank you man

[@almostshay]

Watching this after the finale makes it so much more powerful. It's so hard to say goodbye. ...Hey, Mr. Blue...

[@adrianacaggese2606]

This was brilliant. You deserve more recognition :)

[@nytolkalms9876]

The theme of being seen is so interesting, like what you said about how Bojack ironically refuses to see his parents even though that's what he's craving from them. It's interesting to think about how they have different ways of being seen as well, based on their upbringing. Like Butterscotch wants to be 'seen' through his novel, which Bojack never reads because he spent the entirety of Bojacks childhood accusing Bojack of getting in the way of it and ruining his ability to write, leading Bojack to resent it. And then Beatrice wanted to be 'seen' at her open casket, which might be a reference to her lifelong preoccupation with her weight and her looks, due to the childhood message that that was the most important thing a girl could be. Beatrice also spent the entirety of Bojacks childhood blaming Bojack for 'ruin'ing her looks, and says she was 'beautiful' before she had Bojack. In death she is considered too hideous for an open casket, and Butterscotch's book only received one terrible review. These ways that they tried to be 'seen' i.e loved were ultimately meaningless, and Bojack seems to be following in their footsteps, by trying to be 'seen' by his parents, especially his mother, by starring in Horsin' around and by pursuing fame, which is extremely empty and just as meaningless. Interesting stuff. Edit: spelling

[@jacobdominguez7808]

This is an outstanding analysis 👍

[@zazendom977]

I remember watching this and 5 mins in thinkin “I hope this is the entire ep” And I was in for a treat

[@carterf3585]

Bro how the fuck did this show never win an Emmy? It's genuinely a masterwork

[@Johnlindsey289]

A shame the puppeted Weekend at Bernies like corpse of Zombie Simpsons is still on the air and getting emmies when Zombie Simpsons is a cheap forgettable knockoff of The Simpsons (as in The Real Simpsons as in seasons 1 to 11) as the show should had ended 20 years ago at season 11 then become Zombie Simpsons

[@saraoliveira8836]

I watch this episode every single day I'm not exaggerating or kidding. Every night before I sleep I play this episode.

[@aaronnicolaus1400]

Sara Oliveira why

[@angelosinski]

@@aaronnicolaus1400 bojacks voice is soothing. sets you dreaming. and its uninterrupt

[@kittylovesfilms]

You truly understood the message of the show as well as the ep. You put into words what i could not. That ep brought me to tears a few times. AMAZING show! Already rewatched 5 times all the way through. I keep picking up new lessons. Mmmmmmmmm!!!!!

[@RandomJimbo]

You just earned yourself a sub. Keep it up

[@elizabeths960]

I’ve always wondered why Bojack, in that episode when he was talking to Diane at the ghost writers’ meeting, put such an emphasis on being a good person “deep down.” I finally realized at 10:48 , when he references it again with his mother, hoping that “deep down” she loved him and that she was a good person too, that he cared so much because if “deep down” was denied of himself by Diane or anybody else, his concept of own mother’s love would be denied too.

[@zerjiozerjio]

Yeah, this is very good content indeed. And yes, this episode was great. A friend of mine said it was obnoxious and just unacceptable, so he skipped it. We are no longer friends, of course. Haha. Thanks for redeeming my opinion!

[@alextrizzi5177]

Sergio García You ended a friendship over a tv show. Wow lol

[@irongirltoni]

@@alextrizzi5177 Perchance.... 'Tis but a joke

[@doddimor4854]

I remember watching this episode with my mother. She is a big fan of the show, it was her favorite and , I can't blame her it was a fantastic episode 22 minutes past and I couldn't even feel it, like you said in the beginning it's really one of the best BoJack Horseman episodes to ever exist, and it's my personal favorite.

[@birritan5479]

God this video made me super feely. I was on the verge of tears on this one. Good job

[@mantaraywizard]

Not only are these amazing analysis videos (Ive been on a binge), theyre really great commentary on characters in general, even in my own life. I got myself thinking about a lot right now. Damn.

[@Atomic3Promiscuity]

This was outstanding.. Even if it made me feel all numb inside. Subbed!

[@cblang8115]

Around 8 months ago i watched the beginning of this video. I never finished it. It inspired me to watch bojack horseman. I finished in around a month and forgot about this video. Honestly bojack is the best tv show iv ever watched and i dont think theres a close second. Thank you. Im now going to watch this video and truly appreciate it.

[@Karanthaneos]

We actually see a shadow of the mother when he's talking about how her mother felt like flying while doing her number at the supper club.

[@Atomic3Promiscuity]

Really?

[@Karanthaneos]

At that part you can see a shadow of her twirling. It's actually in plain sight.

[@otterhero6229]

Karanthaneos yeah but its a shadow. The screen is still fixed on Bojack, as it is for the rest of the episode.

[@Hakajin]

That scene is very interesting, because it's reminiscent of a scene Ibsen's "A Doll's House." Which is the play Butterscotch says Beatrice is crying over in the beginning flashback.

[@caramel1cactus]

Never thanked anybody for a video on youtube but I got to say, your selection on topics about series development had help me a lot with my writing so thank you.

[@sahin5051]

Wow..so many layers. I love this peeling off of layers..

[@althelor]

Onions.

[@Ingethel-]

You’re a very insightful man. Thank you for breaking down what is, to me, a hugely personal episode 👍🏻

[@frozenyogurth]

What I appreciate about this show is that Bojacks abuse, wasn't shown as physical but mostly (if not entirely) emotional. Even today emotional abuse gets written off, calling the victims "soft" and "snowflakes" and this show clearly shows a character that acts out due to emotional abuse. Not physical, emotional.

[@erice1717]

This is one of the best things on KZbin, of all time. You somehow managed to make a perfect episode even better.

[@kolkeet]

I watched the entire new season the day after it came out

[@billyalarie929]

You deserve a fucking Streamy Award for your work on this channel. Absolutely revolutionary for creators/writers.