Confronting Mortality | "The View from Halfway Down" Explained

[@Johnny2Cellos]

At 2:39 I say "Alkali is a chemical compound that's typically corrosive" which IS WRONG AND BAD SCIENCE and all of the science commenters are rightfully mad at me about it. Alkali is a class of chemicals, not a chemical compound itself. Thanks for calling me out, yall.

[@realpoopoo]

Johnny 2 Cellos horse

[@pawelnowak5633]

oh, to be honest we know what you meant :)

[@pedroaires35]

@@pawelnowak5633 no we don't, only people who can't grasp basic chemistry appears to understand what he means with the improper use of it

[@pawelnowak5633]

@@pedroaires35 alright mate, if you're gonna be literal with every word writen then yes. when he said that, literally anyone who knows what an alkali is knew what he meant, an alkali is a basic compound. alkali compounds do exist. for example NaOH is a basic compound. or pyridine if you know what that is. the only wrong thing was the fact it was singular and not plural. if you're getting angry over that then you probably also get angry when people use rings to indicate benzene's.

[@pedroaires35]

@@pawelnowak5633 do you realise that words have meaning and it's not being literal but going by what they mean, right? I can't throw affirmations like "good", or "well explained" in this video because it wouldn't match that those expressions/words mean, right?

[@alejandroalvarado3409]

Bojack realizes that he's drowning in the pool exactly at the minute 17, the same time that he waited to call for help for Sarah Lynn.

[@randfur]

Fuck.

[@michelleh.1839]

This episode was so meticulously crafted

[@sapobully4706]

deep

[@tiffanielafleur6597]

@@michelleh.1839 Too bad I can't handle watching it a second time.

[@Louis-cr5nz]

@@tiffanielafleur6597 I feel you

[@AshrujitGhoshal001]

I think Secretariat reading 'The View from Halfway Down' in the episode is the strongest anti-suicide message I have ever seen.

[@nishkaghzala762]

Yeah It's my motto now Can't get it out of my head

[@bojackthetrustworthy736]

Ashrujit Ghoshal as someone who attempted suicide in a similar way,it really makes me cry cuz it was like what I was feeling deep down.

[@thehellhound8582]

@@bojackthetrustworthy736 Hope you're doing better now and good luck. Find meaning in life, even if to other people it's insignificant. I personally deal with life by just being nice, watching someone smile and be grateful for even a little thing is really nice. Now keep on living or you'll truly regret the view from halfway down.

[@cottagebirder]

Honestly I wept whilst watching that part of the episode

[@moneymaker3208]

Ashrujit Ghoshal that was my favorite part of the episode. Very moving. And the door pressuring him to jump was so powerful. He wasn’t ready to die just like in his real life. :(

[@manofcorn5930]

Not sure if anyone mentioned this yet: When Secretariat is giving his poem he goes from 3rd person, to 2nd person, to 1st person. 3.. 2.. 1..

[@Johnny2Cellos]

I didn't connect that, so cool!

[@cxutie5559]

Woooooah clever!!!

[@doctaflo]

MIND BLOWN

[@sunshineembrace7264]

Dude

[@anickagresakova6685]

Shiiit

[@liv-bv3pl]

The fact that he brought sarah lynn to the door as a symbol of him literally leading her to her death is perfection.

[@rowanheart8122]

Especially since he leads her there in her child form, because it was his show that set her on the path of fame, the path of alcoholism and drugs, and the path of death. And she was too young to understand what she was signing up for.

[@heyitsally7995]

I also think that it shows how Sarah Lynn’s death is what led Bojack to this point.

[@Miffy-x7b]

​@@rowanheart8122She's at the age where he gave her that "Don't stop dancing"-speech. He basically killed her back then.

[@jorgeaguilar8431]

Also, bojack constantly mentions that his bottle of water tastes like chlorine, pools have chlorine, it's what he's drowning on, his "last drink"

[@chickencurry420]

Every character was eating the last thing they ate before they died. Herb was eating peanuts, Crackerjack had a ration, etc. And Zach Braff was killed to be eaten so instead of eating anything, he's serving everybody their food

[@angrymushroom06]

Zak Jet ONFG THATS SO COOL

[@crazycute38]

woooow wtffff

[@mnbn]

i noticed this when i rewatched the epsode for the first time and im just. in awe at that BLATANT foreshadowing that the first time around i just completely missed

[@chickencurry420]

@@angrymushroom06 Thanks, I wish I could take credit for that discovery but that was pointed out to me in a youtube video somewhere. I forget the name so I can't credit them properly (I wanna say the video was by Savage Books? or Savage Reading? Something like that?)

[@sprytefox]

The darkness is a metaphor for darkness.

[@imperfect_dan7519]

@TheCartoonZone That's Too Much Man

[@mst3k54]

YOU are a metaphor

[@sprytefox]

@@mst3k54 YOU'RE AN AUDIOBOOK!

[@I_Is_Boredy]

@@sprytefox YOUR A VISUAL NOVEL!!!

[@RP-mp4ow]

The hill is a metaphor for you, and the house is also a metaphor for you

[@liagem2087]

“I wish someone would have told me about the view from half way down” is my favorite line in the whole show

[@kales7884]

“Why, I have half a mind.”

[@chadkennedy7855]

"YOWIE WOWIE!"

[@phatninjahd]

Better than what A sky full of stars

[@chadkennedy7855]

@@kales7884 Ouch.

[@chadkennedy7855]

@@dylanbradley7571 Double ouch.

[@smurfcooper22]

I think Sarah Lynn’s song starting very innocent and then very quickly turning into very sexualized and provocative is a really good metaphor for her life

[@chelseywithaney9219]

and the white hands on her breasts and area :( and how her step dad also molested her :((

[@bloomingjellyfish]

@@chelseywithaney9219 wait he did?

[@lialia-dt7yx]

@@bloomingjellyfish she tastes some fur and says “it’s bear fur, my stepdad was a bear” meaning part of his body was in her mouth at one point. She also says that he was a photographer which is a common way to say someone works in child pronorgaphy

[@bloomingjellyfish]

@@lialia-dt7yx oh shit

[@marthedreamer7629]

@@bloomingjellyfish There's an episode with a flashback of Sara Lynn in the Horsing Around set and she mentions she doesn't want to go back to her dressing room because her stepfather was acting weird :(

[@Just-another-stone]

"Oh Bojack, there is no other side. This is it." Absolutely haunting. That moment, the gentle delivery, and the way the darkness consumes him leaves me feeling so so hollow, and grim.

[@chadkennedy7855]

There is only darkness.

[@natalyamartirosyan]

To me it’s the delivery that makes it so grim: “There’s no escape, accept that.”

[@chadkennedy7855]

@@natalyamartirosyan That's what the dead man says.

[@armando950723]

Darkness consumes him like cancer did.

[@wolfcola6329]

It gave me hot flashes

[@hipersonicc9736]

You probably already know this, but a cool detail: Bojack found out he was dead 17 minutes into the episode, the same amount of time he left Sarah-Lynn in the planetarium

[@jerrygil1965]

Awesome writers, the hell?

[@discomonkie]

what is that supposed to mean tho

[@hipersonicc9736]

@@discomonkie nothing, just interesting

[@discomonkie]

@@hipersonicc9736 oh

[@emily-em6pg]

holy shit

[@leprechaunsteve8930]

This episode was just nominated for an Emmy. Needless to say it deserves the nomination AND the win.

[@firstnamelastname7079]

@Zaymly no

[@Aenlorrocksinwow]

First Name Last Name it hasn’t happened yet

[@Local--Idiot]

If it doesn't win then that bs

[@harryhauff6704]

YourPal Nathan yer lol watch it be big mouth 🤦‍♂️

[@james_fisch]

@@harryhauff6704 I've watched this show gets snubbed for Emmys every year, hardly got nominations apart from Free Churro, which again should have won given what it was up against. But nah Big Mouth has to win, it's dumb and is watched by more people.

[@danoconnor2167]

One thing that I just realised is that Sarah Lynn’s implied abusive stepfather is a bear. Male bears have no parental instinct and often kill their cubs.

[@knucklesskinner253]

@@juno1752 could very well be that too

[@yolandasierra1703]

@@juno1752 same

[@aesthetics7649]

Yeah it’s more likely a pedo bear reference because one of Hollyhock’s dads is a bear and he seems very parental

[@ThePomeranianPrince]

@@aesthetics7649 It’s most likely a reference to Terry Richardson, a photographer who has been outed for a lot of sexual misconduct related cases. He ended up leaving the industry in 2018. So…Bear-y Richardson. (it also makes sense considering Sarah Lynn does mention Richardson being a photographer.)

[@ginao6810]

@@ThePomeranianPrince I thought this too. Plus, the glasses the bear wears…. Terry’s signature

[@Dylan-xt8eh]

I just realised how Sarah Lynn actually ages throughout the episode and bojack says his water tastes like chlorine. The detail put into this series is one of a kind

[@sian666]

CHLORINE OMG

[@liamschofield4435]

HOW DID I NOT PUT CHLORINE AND POOL TOGETHER

[@bobbishmax62]

DID SARAH LYNN GROW UP RIGHT IN FRONT OF OUR EYES?

[@chadkennedy7855]

@@seangilmore355 Have you been watching the first episode of the series again?!

[@ToomanyFrancis]

I immediately noticed the chlorine comment. Water in an unlabeled bottle has always been representative of Bojack's guilt for his effect on Sarah Lynn, and has always secretly been vodka. As soon as he said "does anybody else's water" I had mentally finished the line with vodka. When he said Chlorine instead, I stopped and immediately connected that Bojack had finally jumped in the pool.

[@norm3552]

Bojack: yeah, i dont think the creators actually put that much thought into it Todd: But isnt that the point of art, what ppl take out of it?

[@imalittlestinker]

I loved todd

[@crystalgemgirl731]

Todd really had some profound things, didn't he?

[@cayde7293]

@@crystalgemgirl731 in like three episodes lolz.. but yea.. he was a good man

[@crystalgemgirl731]

@@cayde7293 Ok

[@brentlorbiecki9092]

@@imalittlestinker when did you stop?

[@wishyrater]

I actually just noticed that the setting where Sarah Lynn is sitting under the table and Bojack gives her a harsh lesson is EXACTLY the same position young Bojack sits in when Beatrice tells him to sing the lolipop song. They truly nailed how abuse, neglect and depression becomes cyclic.

[@pitchthewoo]

I can't believe I never noticed that until this video. Blew my mind.

[@Johnny2Cellos]

I noticed when I was editing, such a great detail

[@cv2594]

Never noticed that

[@subjectnivleis7572]

@@Johnny2Cellos he sits under the table again when on the phone :(

[@justjess6636]

This show's ability to add in this much detail is amazing. We should definitely try to support the artists and writers on this one.

[@spockman4250]

I know some people complained that Bojack should have died here, but I think it’s far more important that he lived. Two of the most recurring themes of this show is that you can’t escape the consequences of your actions and you can’t always find closure. But in terms of the story that would have given the audience both of those things. Bojack would never face the consequences of his actions and we the audience would have gotten closure on the character because he died. It would have been an “ending” to Bojack’s story, something that show stresses doesn’t exist in real life. Even when Bojack goes to jail, they say that he’ll be out in a few months to show that even that “comeuppance” will end and he’ll keep having to move forward. I would argue that “Life’s a bitch and then you keep living” is one of the biggest messages of the show as a whole.

[@shreknskrubgaming7248]

I actually think the final episode gave me more of a sense of closure than I would have gotten if he had died. Maybe it's because I was heavily invested in the other characters as well and liked seeing their stories play out, but the ending we got left me much more satisfied and answered a lot more questions. We may not know exactly how all of their lives will play out, but we know the situations that they're in. It felt more like a complete journey for all of the characters, Bojack included, and left me hopeful for all of them. If the series had ended with his death, it would have been much less satisfying for Bojack's arc and would have left me wondering "what about all the other characters? Why bother building up a unique story with all of them and then never giving them a solid conclusion?" It just feels more like a real ending this way.

[@Ross516]

@@shreknskrubgaming7248 I was honestly about to make this exact comment. It annoys me to a degree when people say this should have been the last episode, or would have been the better one- Bojack doesn't get that easy way out. He has to deal with the life he's lived and fix it.

[@jacobvaughanthomas]

The show stresses that endings don’t happen until the point of death, that their is always the days after the happy ending and that inevitably you retreat into the normal human experience

[@sawderf741]

​@@shreknskrubgaming7248This ending is pretty much the opposite to how Horsing around ended.

[@kathleen.jane.x]

I think he did die, the last episode is a play on Diane’s “there’s always the day after the happy ending”

[@macsView]

Don't know if this has been said here, but I think you missed out on a very key part of Beatrices' performance. She becomes entangled in the ribbons, we lose sight of her, and then when the ribbons come away, she isn't there... She never went through the door, only the ribbons did. She was taken by her dementia before she died.

[@opntilmidnight4025]

Wow I had never thought of that, that’s even more depressing

[@shay1444]

@@opntilmidnight4025 really summarises how I feel after reading every comment here

[@Soup4Dayz]

That is quite haunting

[@colinwalker4824]

Good catch, I would have never seen that

[@Moonlight___2]

WHY.IS.THIS.SHOW.SO.FUCKING.GOOD?!?!?!?!?!?!?I DONT WANT TO WATCH ANY OTHER SHOWS EXCEPT THIS ONE

[@justinwifit1876]

Have you ever felt so fear-stricken and haunted at that moment. Where Herb touches the darkness then progresses to engulf him, Bojack says "see you on the other side". The piano drops that tone as Herb replies, "oh Bojack, no, there is no other side. This is it." And that one moment terrified the shit out of me.

[@tamialuster4666]

Those words still haunt me

[@Benny_B0O0]

It’s a hard truth, makes me question what life even is.

[@GuardianTam]

To be fair it's bojacks brain telling him this so there's no guarantee it's telling the truth.

[@TetsuDeinonychus]

@@GuardianTam Yeah, it just means that deep down Bojack doesn't believe in an afterlife (or at least has some doubts that are represented by Herb). Whether there is or not is still a mystery. It is a haunting moment, though.

[@neurotypicalkirby1344]

Same

[@beepbeep8769]

in season 2 bojack says “I feel like I was born with a leak” with goes along with herb saying “everything must come to an end; the drip finally stops”

[@hannahventurina2042]

I thought he was talking about his IV drip.

[@yuhkp]

that’s what i was thinking about too

[@beepbeep8769]

Hannah Venturina could be a double meaning

[@legohead2731]

Low key he got the drip ngl

[@kaltogi6645]

Nah that’s cap🧢 ‼️ the drip never stops😩🥵🥶😈💯

[@lazulidrawzalot]

Fun fact: if you watch the credits of the episode, after the monitor flatlines, it pauses, and then beeps 16 times. If you want to count the flatline beep, it would be 17. 17 minutes into the episode, BoJack finds out he’s dead, and 17 minutes is also the amount of time he waited to call the cops after Sarah Lynn overdosed.

[@hauntedteethcupboard]

17 was also the age that penny was when he took advantage of her

[@nationalinstituteofcheese3012]

@@hauntedteethcupboard17 is a very important number in this show

[@Radicalpea6971]

I love noticing these kinds of things later

[@winglessfairy564]

@@nationalinstituteofcheese3012cheese

[@claudiac.906]

what the fuckkkkk my mind is blown this show deserves all the recognition

[@Icedangel111]

It's also worth noting that hydrangeas are toxic to horses. 😭 His Apologies bring nothing but destruction to those who take them and aren't well thought out, even if heartfelt.

[@AnnthemofArt]

Oh wow 😮 i didn’t know that. Nice observation!

[@seanr.6498]

Thank you. I was looking for a more solid interpretation of the hydrangeas than culturally-dependant flower symbolism, and her it is.

[@mysincerestcondolences]

damn that hurts 😭

[@mysticmoth1111]

eh his mom earned that

[@prayingtogodforakitten7932]

@@seanr.6498 here*

[@weather9405]

notice in the two episodes where bojack jump into the pool, in one Mr. pb saves him and in one from the view from half way down, he calls for diane, the two people who always looks down the pool in the intro when bojack jumps in it.

[@bratantm9385]

Giorno Giovanna mr peanutbutter was always friendly towards him and didnt want anything selfish out of him,just the joy of his friendship...Truly a great character smarter than most would expect

[@mswinter890]

@@bratantm9385 and truly dog like.

[@Sunnystube3]

Holy shit

[@maddieboo2297]

O shit

[@monkeymunchie9717]

So the intro where they look down on BoJack in the pool was actually foreshadowing all the way to this episode??

[@drko88]

You forgot that Hydrangea is poisonous to horses

[@Johnny2Cellos]

I actually didn't know! Thanks for commenting, really cool

[@WobblesandBean]

To be fair, hydrangea is poisonous to pretty much everything.

[@Nickelballsky]

Also Sarah Lynn falls backwards through the door because she didn't see her death coming

[@eriklamela4321]

Micheal Sondag, as well as Crackerjack

[@tomo4977]

I love alot of the art references in BoJack too. like Hockney's reference, but also the Basquiat pieces in Herb's room. As well as it referencing unrequited love between Warhole and Basquiat (Herb and BoJack) I also feel that since Basquiat was also a really talented artist who died young from addiction and mental health issues, I kinda see how parts of him relate to BoJack as well!

[@lukebalod3809]

I love this episode so much but at the same time it's kind of annoying that a lot of people insist this would have been a better finale. BoJack's death would have sent a terrible and irresponsible message as well as being a self-indulgent and melodramatic ending. The last episode is a much more poignant and profound ending.

[@himeakechi]

yes but the fact it’s tragic makes it better

[@jiovek]

@@himeakechi that just sounds unnecessarily edgy imo

[@Tawleyn]

Honestly, with how everything had happened leading up to that point, it seemed like killing him off was the most obvious ending. The fact that they didn't plays into the whimsy of life, luck and fate. Not everyone who is self-destructive and suicidal actually succeeds in ending everything. And then they have to continue on living afterward and deal with the consequences.

[@bogih21]

@@himeakechi I think it was important to show that even after all the terrible things that happened to him and that he'se die he still ended up surviving and being glad that he did. Also now he had to actually face all his problems. I personally think the ending is great as it is.

[@jadenconner3327]

I think it would’ve been a better finale! the ending felt weird

[@bluekeeper12]

In my opinion, one of the easier-to-miss but more powerful things: Diane's last line. Her day was good. She's been grappling with sever depression all season, constantly struggling just to feel ok, much less good, and yet there it is. In what he has accepted as his last moments, all BoJack wants is to think that his friends are good.

[@lorea3478]

Thanks, you mande me tear up

[@ichorous7434]

that makes the end of their friendship so much sadder. bojack is finally able to be a better friend but it's too late and she has to let go now.

[@letmobilet]

ichorous maybe in the future they’ll be friends again, that’s how life is, we don’t expect things to happen

[@letmobilet]

but maybe they won’t tho

[@chadkennedy7855]

#NoOneWillSurvive

[@FlailSnail222]

I’d like to point out that Herb never performed, while everyone else did. I think that this speaks towards how he considered himself to lack a true legacy, only giving one to others.

[@get_dat_bredcheeks8770]

i like to think that it’s because he was a director he wasn’t part of the show he’s just the one that gets it started hence the reason why he didn’t “perform” instead he lets everyone else perform

[@TheTwinkleXD]

funny how he was able to accurately describe others and their stories but never his own. remember his memoir failed bc it was so terrible?

[@cayde7293]

THE FCKN BOOOKK

[@FlailSnail222]

@@cayde7293 It was never released to the public and was terrible.

[@cayde7293]

@@FlailSnail222 exactly, yup! Thats y he never preformed in the dream.. he never left his “legacy” as herb himself called it

[@cousinmajin]

It's really haunting how the tar consumes Herb slowly piece by piece, like how he was painfully fading away when he had cancer

[@shannenlibres2365]

but.. but he survived and got better and then BAM! Peanuts!

[@typhoonzebra]

@@shannenlibres2365 Which is honestly one of the most Bojack moments in the show. Ludicrous, ridiculous, morbid and tragic all at the same time.

[@DeepDiveDevin]

​@@typhoonzebra They made it even better (worse?) with Henry Winkler's line after the funeral "There is no shame in dying for nothing. That's how most people die."

[@leonardofilippini]

i don't know... he didn't actually die of cancer

[@yogurtslayer2358]

That’s the point look at the show where everyone has their back to the door on their performance in the video where know one knows when death is coming Herb thought he was going to die of cancer but he didn’t and...was happy it’s almost like the others secretariat regretted jumping and wanted to survive desperately and that’s when death gets them. Crackerjack went to war hoping to come back a hero and death claimed him. Sarah Lynn regretted who she became and slept happily in bojacks arms then she dies. Butterscotch showed regret Beatrice showed regret and they died. Bojack was the opposite he accepted his fate he accepted death because he thought he was going to die and death never claimed him because it’s unknown and it gets you at your best or regretful moments in life

[@copper1206]

I also think that Sarah Lynn's career as a pop star led to her having many diet restrictions. many pop stars in the 2000s had to practically starve themselves just to keep their figure because their skinny bodies were an accessory to them. I think her eating fast food at the dinner table was symbolic of her last break from being a performer. she even talked about counting calories on her tour while she was at the table. the fast food was something that she yearned for so deeply, something indicative of a normal childhood. something you could have without hating yourself for it like she was taught to do.

[@nikitakirillov1545]

Also Herb had peanuts on his plate during the dinner, which is also some kind of irony (he died because of peanut allergy)

[@tabithamorrison1680]

@@nikitakirillov1545 And of course Bojack's plate had the pills he had taken shortly before he "went swimming." And he mentioned his water tasting like chlorine.

[@mllovelle3665]

you are clearly not a woman lmao

[@_-A.]

Wasn't these foods all the lasts things they all ate before their desth

[@eileensnow6153]

⁠@@_-A.Yeah, Crackerjack’s meal was an MRE (the prepackaged meals given to soldiers on deployment) and Corduroy’s was a lemon, which he would suck on to keep him conscious.

[@ESTARisLOL]

from a suicide attempt survivor- “the view from half way down” is chilling and so extremely realistic.

[@BroAnarchy]

Also as a survivor - im not going to lie, _i completely agree with you_

[@libertylibertylibertyliber1520]

I got chills when he read that and almost cried because my brother successfully killed himself. And I just know that once he was halfway down he felt the same way.

[@jayswrld4125]

Fr its so crazy

[@Vivalarunaway]

I hope you're doing okay now, my friend.

[@shadowhunter5911]

@@libertylibertylibertyliber1520 I’m so sorry 💔

[@santhoshvk4933]

Also, notice how zach braff didn't eat? Well, it was because he died being eaten. He died serving people. And that's why he was the one serving them food.

[@keagansalamon6135]

Oh

[@masochistic_art]

i fucking forgot he was cannibalised i'm cackling

[@ActuallyRocatex]

I thought he was just another funny cameo at first I completely forgot that he died

[@Dalehan]

The only thing I don't fully understand is, why is Zach Braff in Bojack's mind? As far as I remember, he didn't play a significant part in Bojack's life like the other guests of this imaginary party, he didn't see him die and he was completely wasted and hiding away with Diane in a seperate room to begin with when that happened.

[@oussplayz7405]

Holy shit

[@thenonsenseguy2364]

Ok can we just appreciate the fact that a show with a talking horse is able to talk about mental Illness in very relatable way and with much more perfection than any season of 13 Reasons why .

[@badluckcity]

or basically any other movie or show in... well, ever.

[@Nightriser271828]

I said to my husband that for a show with a horse protagonist, Bojack Horseman is profoundly human.

[@Veraux]

@@Nightriser271828 I feel like that's the whole point of the show. I've been discussing this show with my brother for a long time and I tell him that the appeal of it is that anyone can relate to someone in the show. It's a very human show with very human characters. Everyone in the show has their own struggle and their own coping mechanisms even Mr. Penutbutter like I've never struggled with drugs but I can relate to the sufferings of some characters and the absurdity of it all is that the characters aren't even human sometimes. I love the fact that sometimes there's side characters that seem to be super important at the time then they just disappear completely. If you've ever had a break up you can relate to this.

[@chicken0w044]

13 reasons why made consider suicide so many times as a form of revenge

[@dubu9881]

@@chicken0w044 Well yeah, it’s a fucked up show, at least season 1 is. It’s a depressing experience and it’s controversial for a reason. They shouldn’t have framed it like some anti-bullying campaign, they should have owned the fact that it triggers the victim complex many people have. Whether it be for small or significant things, we precieve events within our own lens which leads us to believe that everything bad is intentionally targetted at us.

[@---ut6fk]

Bojack says something like "wow Dad never made it to dinner" and technically, Butterscotch still didn't show up to dinner. Secretariat did. Even in his head, Secretariat was there for him when his dad wasn't. The fact that Secretariat has his dad's voice of course means he saw him as a father figure. Butterscotch still failed him, still disappointed him, even when Bojack wanted so badly to connect with him in his dream.

[@manda5294]

the message in this episode is so strong. i don’t think i’ve ever seen a stronger anti suicide message. i don’t think i’ll ever forget this episode, especially as someone who has dealt with suicidal thoughts and depression. This honestly deserves an award.

[@tamialuster4666]

It really just makes me think about how dirty our brains can do us. Your mind can urge you to the edge.....only to kick your desire to live into full gear once it's too late.... Dick move

[@manda5294]

@@tamialuster4666 exactly. our brains are probably the most deadly things to humans.

[@manda5294]

@Crystal KayNine it was terrifying, but oddly beautiful. it’s honestly amazing, i agree.

[@blurned4221]

Yes

[@blurned4221]

Yes

[@luckyslob3359]

One thing I haven’t seen people mention is the way Secretariat falls into the abyss. He seems to trip backwards into it, perhaps the same way Bojack’s dad tripped backwards during a duel and ultimately died.

[@RiptideUrBadLol]

He never dueled, he killed himself. Either his mom made it up or bojack told himself that because a duel sounds cooler than suicide. And he wanted to see his dad as a hero

[@therealmr.shaddow2976]

BoJack said that his dad got killed in a duel because of the book he wrote. People said it was really bad and Bojack’s dad told everyone he would duel anyone who didn’t like it. A random crazy dude shot him

[@gantzllat]

@@therealmr.shaddow2976 He wasn't shot. His dad walked the ten steps, turn around midway, asked of he had really read the book, he tripped and fell backwards hitting his head with a rock.

[@chadkennedy7855]

@@gantzllat Ouch. On Halloween? That's too much, man.

[@bennichol1510]

@Lucky Slob and also how bojack seems to fall backwards into the pool in each opening of the show.

[@Ekaterina-uu1zn]

There's so much death symbolism in this episode. Bojack's dinner chair kind of looks like a casket.

[@kristenyarbrough4287]

Oh shit i had to go back and look. Good eye!

[@unknownstranger1668]

Thought the same thing but wasn't sure if I was overthinking it

[@andiefromhell]

It also kind of looks like a pool floatie!

[@jasminelav.332]

One thing he failed to mention is that hydrangeas in Japan actually represent the dead. Not "death" per se, but ghosts and "those who have passed on". And that if the blooms are red (or pink) it means they were planted on top of a body.

[@miranda1270]

i saw that too!

[@c.m.9369]

What always gets me with this episode is, how unambiguous it is about the finality of death. It doesn't romanticize it. It doesn't play up this vague: "Maybe it's really an experience Bojack had with the other side, and the souls of people past". It makes it clear. It's Bojack, it's all him, it's just his dying brain. He can't interact with any of these people anymore and they are not waiting for him in the great beyond, where maybe he can apologize or work out some of the issues that he left unresolved with them, there is no such comfort in death. Which is what makes Herb's final words, that this is it, that there is no other side, so powerful.

[@Treeeee2008]

I agree, they could have so easily made it so that bojack's dream was actually him interacting with the souls of his past friends, but this show's smarter than that and straight up tells us that it's not what's happening.

[@dandyriver_]

no matter how many times i watch this episode or this analysis herb’s “oh bojack, there is no other side. this is it.” gives me full body chills. his voice actor did an amazing job with the delivery of that line and it really makes you feel the acceptance of dying

[@lordcrispen]

@@dandyriver_ The timing of the animation of him being devoured by the tar too, like, the finality of the statement is punctuated with zero possibility of explanation or argument. There is no time for objection, only acceptance.

[@mardus_ee]

I personally believe in the existence of an otherside, or another dimension into which our souls move, or merge with the spirit of our alternate selves, as one of the options. There may be more than one such dimension. But the current general knowledge of there supposedly not being any like dimension, must give us pause in order to make the best of our lives and other people's lives, to be kind to ourselves, other people and animals, and to treat them with dignity. Lest we'll have wasted our lives having achieved little to nothing. Granted, even small things bring happiness to us and othres, and even small acts of goodness make a positive change in the lives of other people and creatures, and in our own.

[@sinnercinna]

​@@mardus_ee i think there's maybe (MAYBE) an argument for belief in a nondual, singly conscious, nonindividual collective afterlife - in the vein of, we and everything are all the willful divisions of a formerly singular existence - but the standard vision of meeting your loved ones is unlikely.

[@lilyraimey3499]

Did this episode make anyone else existentially horrified?

[@madsniperD]

Watching this a day after finishing up The Good Place was certainly a trip!

[@coveofhorrors]

i watched this episode the same day as the last good place episode and i was fucking terrified of dying for a good while

[@ElleJay1085]

I’ve fought suicidal ideation throughout my life, and last year was the epitome of my struggle. This episode shook me up, especially the poem, because it’s something I don’t think anyone thinks about or talks about as much as they should. I’ve thought about not wanting to upset people in my life, but never thought about my own possible regret mid-act. It’s such a necessary perspective that I’m glad I got to see.

[@myrrhee8831]

Lily Raimey I still can’t watch it without crying and it’s been several weeks

[@Laurell_Silentshade]

I wouldn't say existentially horrified. I'm sure many people who've had NDEs did some reflection on this poem. It made me just grateful with a stroke of luck I made it through mine.

[@humanman]

I went into this video thinking "I got their messages and meanings". Now I realize I missed like 90% of them. I always wondered what the hell was up with that bird bit.

[@lyndsay369]

same!!!

[@laura-ni8ym]

I knew right away Amy Winfrey directed this episode when that happened lmao

[@icedwater3149]

@@laura-ni8ym may I ask why ?

[@laura-ni8ym]

@@icedwater3149 She's the girl who made Making Fiends and it felt EXACTLY like that indoor recess episode

[@upumpkin]

I know its unrelated but it reminded of that chid bird that died off-screen because they couldn't fly. I don't remember which episode.

[@HumansFreshlyBorn]

Outside of the horror of it, this episode REALLY understands what its like to be dreaming. The way they’ve all shifted in age, the fact that you cant tell what their relationships are at this point, the fact that bojack never asks any questions about it, its all exactly like a dream, good or bad.

[@alyssapinon9670]

And especially when Secretariat says “I know this part is confusing because I’m secretariat but also your dad”. It made me chuckle at how accurately Bojack Horseman portrays the quirks of the human brain.

[@marthedreamer7629]

@@chowdersalt It's hard to remember them, try writing them down as soon as you wake up and see how your dreams evolve as you grow older

[@thonk7611]

@@chowdersalt if you have an alarm clock in the middle of your dream, you should be able to remember the dream you were having right before you woke up. if you remember really fast to write it down it should work

[@leooo6311]

YEP

[@Eric-eq3jx]

Yeh like how the kitchen is mixed in with his family home kitchen and the horsin around kitchen, my dreams do that too

[@DrawnbyaDog]

One thing I love about the poem is that the POV shifts from 3rd, 2nd, to 1st person. A lot of suicidal people tend to dissociate themselves with their own actions until it’s too late and I think that that’s reflected through this poem. He doesn’t connect his own body with the act of suicide until he realizes it too late

[@giorgiafletcher9546]

i also saw someone comment that it mimics a 3, 2, 1 countdown as he falls to the water

[@PrismHeartOfficial]

The end where he's using his dying brain cells to just ask Dianne how her day was shatters my heart every time... *gross sobbing*

[@ClownHoundII]

What makes it worse is that deep down, he only wanted her to be happy. He knew that she was unhappy just like him and only wanted to comfort her but didn't know how to. Even after learning that they couldn't be together, he still wanted her to be happy.

[@justsomegal6938]

As Diane would say :" That's the thing. I don't believe in deep down. I kind of thing all you are is just the things you do." And as Bojack would say: "Well, that's depressing." So, at the end it wouldn't matter if he cared about her deep down. I think, throughout the show, he showed it. In his shitty way, he showed it. it was not buried, we could see it on the surface. Because it was obvious, it was shining in the dessert like a piece of glass. And I would like to think that Diane would see it shine. I think she knew Bojack cared about her in his broken way. But, it was still broken and she was done being piecemeal.

[@chaechae4152]

@@justsomegal6938 beautifully said

[@getfricked6977]

If his brain cells were dying then he would have serious brain damage in the next episode

[@laura-ni8ym]

Amy Winfrey is such a genius. she directed this episode, Free Churro, Downer Ending, etc. and she has this distinct, scary but light-hearted tone to all of her work. She was so perfect for this episode. For those of you who don't know she was one of the original people behind South Park and she also created Making Fiends :)

[@ShamelessLainLover]

Wow, a network takes away her show and she goes on to direct stuff as good as this.

[@DerAykac]

According to "the sources" she was an animator for southpark. "Original people behind South Park" doesn´t quite fit well.

[@yourmailishere]

Holy shit no way! I knew of her from making fiends. And now you're telling me she made all my fave bojack episodes?? I also love south park. What a legend

[@brody10123]

A lot of the best Bojack episodes were directed by Amy Winfrey, and some of the ones she didn’t direct still had her trademarks, eg the inner-monologue animation in Stupid Piece of Shit

[@benvoliothefirst]

@@ShamelessLainLover Reminds me of Karen Kitada...

[@hopeellen2784]

i always felt like the handprints on sarah lyns outfit might be referencing her being molested by her stepdad

[@anneleighsme6079]

Yeah, handprints painted on bodies is often used as a metaphor for assault leaving physical marks, matching the mental ones.

[@welcometotheclub4439]

😮😯

[@gorilla-grip-pussy-support7976]

When was this mentioned?

[@SeriousBusinessman.]

@@gorilla-grip-pussy-support7976 It wasn't specifically mentioned, but hinted at throughout every season where Sarah Lynn was alive, and a couple after that. Sarah Lynn states that: "My stepdad's being weird" when BoJack is having a flashback to when he accidentally got Sarah Lynn drunk which, along with dozens of other quotes, basically implies he is grooming/molesting Sarah.

[@mayo597]

sarah lynn has got to have one of the, if not the most, tragic arcs in the show

[@rocaydran]

something ive always thought about is the characters' ages in the episode, specifically sarah lynn. they all seem to be and remain at the "peak" of their lives (beatrice as the age she was when attending her debutante ball, herb as the age he was when directing horsin around, crackerjack as the age he was when he left for war, etc) except for sarah lynn, who grows and changes throughout the dream. i think it may help to emphasize the way she was never truly happy with herself and the life she was thrown into at such a young age, and as such, never really peaked. it may also show that her peak was yet to come, and she died before she could reach it and truly be happy with herself. it might be a stretch, but i thought it would be worth analyzing.

[@_melodyx]

i so agree with this. due to bojack’s negligence and selfish ignorance, he ultimately led sarah lynn to her downfall before she even experienced true happiness

[@user-ln2go4xp6d]

actually, in the scene where they’re trying to get bojack to sit down and stop trying to find a way out, beatrice is the old, dementia ridden version of herself. sarah lynn growing up with bojack is more like him having a lot of control over her entire life, all the way to her being brought to death’s door by him.

[@smcphee8499]

Just realize when Scretariat/Butterscotch and Bojack went to smoke they were stand on the bridge when Scretariat killed himself. And bojack looks over to see his body in the pool.

[@greenclawclip]

Wait how did Butterscotch die again?

[@talhahayat11]

@@greenclawclip challenged a guy who insulted his novel to a duel, while taking the steps you take before turning around and shooting, he turned his head to ask the guy whether he'd even read his book, and tripped on a root, bashed his head and dies

[@greenclawclip]

@@talhahayat11 oh cause for some reason cause it was the body of secretariat and butterscotch they had both killed them selves

[@greenclawclip]

@@talhahayat11 but thank you:)

[@blurned4221]

Yes

[@majaenya8652]

I've become a bit obsessed with watching Bojack Horseman analysis videos and this is the best one I've seen, it's incredibly insightful

[@Johnny2Cellos]

Thank you so much!

[@krakir3242]

This was very good, but i also recommend you the videos Savage Books did on Bojack

[@Johnny2Cellos]

Savage is top notch

[@RickGrimes-ev3wp]

Fr

[@ndm13]

Honestly the Savage one seemed really basic. This one was top notch though.

[@BananaEnvyPodcast]

I think the reason Sarah Lynn was eating a burger and fries was related to the story about her mom counting every carb she ate. That meal is loaded with carbs. I assume there’s some significance there.

[@Johnny2Cellos]

I talked about this a bit in my full season review!

[@journeyyyyyy]

I thought it was everyone's favorite meal. Or last meal.

[@chickencurry420]

@@journeyyyyyy It's the last thing they ate before they died. Herb is eating the peanuts from the truck he crashed into, Bojack is eating pills and drinking pool water, Courdroy has that lemon. They're all eating their last meals, except for Zach Braff. He was killed for cannibalism which is why he's the waiter, serving everyone

[@journeyyyyyy]

@@chickencurry420 yeah that's what I thought. I said last meal.

[@marmar6_688]

Maybe it's that she is dead now so she can eat whatever she wants I dunno

[@lazybonespro]

Beatrice’s dress stands out to me so much because not only was it the dress she wore the night she met Butterscotch and Bojack was conceived, but it only further pushes the fact that she considers Bojack to be the thing that ended her life.

[@ethanaku7163]

Also, in the dining room, the fireplace behind BoJack is glowing very brightly because he still has life in him. But then fireplace starts to dim later on as the episode progressed.

[@jerrygil1965]

Man, this show......

[@noxamonster]

"if it dosent matter..,can i stay on the phone with you?" i...i need to sit down

[@katiefrances531]

i've known a lot of suicidal people. i always tell them that, if nothing matters, at least stay on the line with me for now. talk to me, stay on the phone with me, don't stop texting me. they always come to. if someone is suicidal, do not ever let them go. don't let them hang up. even if it feels hopeless.

[@angelameetsworld4394]

That convo that they then have is a callback from a previous episode where diane and bojack are making up a fake conversation and saying the exact same things. The phrase that goes after "my day was good" was "I love you" but we never get to hear bojacks answer before he is absorbed by the tar.

[@srinblmlmlke]

I didn’t start tearing up until I heard Diane go “Yeah” with that bittersweet tone. It just gives off this “temporary happiness” feel.

[@kaisergod98]

That phrase just hits me so hard. Sometimes you only need one person on the other side of the line listening, one person yo make hoy feel loved, yo make you feel cared about.

[@chadkennedy7855]

IT'S A BOMB!!!!!!! Oh wait, wrong show.

[@welpshi]

I noticed that when Sarah Lynn looked into the pit while repeating "don't stop dancing" she looked so weary and tired. I think she just jumped in with no problem because she was tired of "dancing" tired of performing and just wanted peace.

[@offsewingdragons9142]

I saw it more of a “is he going to save me..? No…? Ok…” because of the 17 minutes.

[@sikdude4044]

oh man, thie broke me a little

[@Crouch_Gob]

She braces for it by plugging her nose and closing her eyes, like she acknowledged she would die tragically young back in season 1, just closing her eyes and trying not to think too hard about jt

[@welpshi]

@offsewingdragons9142 that is a really good and chilling view on it

[@meg6178]

i think its really interesting how bojack's drowning mirrors the narcissus painting, considering that narcissus is the myth of a man whose self-obsession killed him

[@guilhermefarias5255]

By drowning as well

[@Crouch_Gob]

Also the painting has him being watched while drowning, but not helped, most likely how he saw himself sinking and thought to call Diane but wasn’t able to stop himself from getting back in. A part of him almost definitely knew he would die, just like the lake fantasy in downer ending

[@Crouch_Gob]

I.e. he saw himself drowning and didn’t save himself

[@ansleypayne9870]

when the last seasons came out, my friends and i had what we call “bojack parties” we would pile into a tiny room, order pizza and watch the seasons. we all had predictions on what the last episode was gonna be like. we all agreed that bojack was gonna die. my favorite was my friend’s who said hes gonna be on the edge of a building about to jump off, then someone stops him and says “hey are you the horse from horsing around?” and then the screen goes black and credits roll.

[@nathanseper8738]

That would've been a surreal ending. But even the canon ending is kind of the same, in that there is nothing neat and tidy, with Bojack worrying about relapsing, even as he enjoys the nice night with Diane.

[@lisaNaRVo69]

I thought the last moment of the show was all gonna be the end of the joke ''a horse walks into a bar...'' :') I feel stupid.

[@amildlydisappointingsalad6058]

@@lisaNaRVo69 that would be good

[@ss-fg4bf]

We had Breaking Bad dinners.

[@SerenityM16]

I never got the idea that just because the ending is dark and impactful it means it’s the best ending. The thing about BoJack Horseman is that the show has always been cynical and depressed but ultimately hopeful, there’s always hope as the light of the end of the dark tunnel.

[@FailureToBe]

Ok, tv very rarely makes me cry or even tear up, but when bojack said “how is your day” and then Diane said “my day was...good.” And I don’t know why, but I literally almost started balling.

[@saigakale]

idk... diane's voice kinda creeped me out during their phone call 😭

[@zehlua]

I burst into tears. The loneliness reminded me of when I tried to commit suicide. I felt like I was a burden on everyone I love. If I did reach out for help, people weren't there for me. I found out who loved me that night, when my ex fiance and my friend Haley caught me.

[@allyssaweir7046]

dude me too i lost it idk why

[@Communistdaughter]

Same omg

[@Communistdaughter]

@@zehlua I’m glad you’re still here

[@avery465]

Sarah Lynn was talking about how all her life she was denied the joy of eating burgers and fries when they were taking about what gave they're life meaning

[@FloridaTesfay]

Oh thats deep

[@yupman95]

I don’t get it

[@kallamarsspouse]

@Sean Creed Sarah Lynn had an eating disorder instilled in her by her abusive mother. Sarah Lynn barely ate because she was taught that if she wasn't skinny with big tits, the audience wouldn't love her anymore. That's why her last meal is something that's actually tasty and she doesn't have to feel guilty for it since she's dead.

[@patapettarules7653]

Also maybe a metaphore for the career she wanted. She wanted to be an architect and she was also denied the joy of doing that

[@Starmadien2019]

Shit that's like Beatrice not being allowed ice cream and sweets.

[@levimichael1802]

I’ve been suicidal for a while. And the bridge by my house has been an easy option. In my depressive state I finished the show. I’ve gone to the bridge a few times this week, and the view from halfway down has helped me make the choice not to jump. I identify with Bojack, every suicide attempt he wanted someone to save him.

[@stephendonovan9084]

Hey, I know this is an old comment but I thought it'd be a good idea to ask how you're doing, and if you've gotten any better? I know we're just internet strangers but I hope so

[@HillLuvJump999]

Hey Levi... how we doing bud?

[@stacyslinkey441]

I hope all is well Levi.

[@goldbirdie]

Levi I hope you are doing well! ❤️

[@battybleedingheart_]

hey! how are you buddy? :)

[@gramboni0624]

One thing I found was an interesting subject is Crackerjack. Bojack grew up with the constant reminder that his mother loved her brother more than him. Now in the situation where Bojack is able to speak to Crackerjack everyone treats him like a hero who died fighting against the Axis. But Bojack's version of him is of a cowardly soldier who only ever shot his own men and was killed by a bullet that had previously killed the general he was supposed to be defending. Bojack does everything he can to tear down the man who he sees as having taken his mother's love.

[@frankielovejoy9928]

This actually reminds me of how Crackerjack and Beatrice entered the door. It's obvious that, in real life, Crackerjack's death caused a domino effect on Beatrice's life. In a way, he took her down with him, just like in the dream. But in real life, it was accidental. In the dream, Crackerjack intentionally ties the ribbon around himself to purposely drag Beatrice into the door. This always struck me as Bojack subconsciously blaming Crackerjack for everything that went wrong in his life. If he hadn't died, Honey wouldn't have been lobotomized, Beatrice would never have been left alone with an emotionally absent father, she never would have met Butterscotch, and Bojack would have never been born and never had such a sucky childhood. To Bojack, it's all because of Crackerjack.

[@WillowJordan1979]

That reminds me of way back in the first episodes, when Bojack gave his rant about the troops on TV. He questioned the heroism of soldiers and had to backtrack and apologize. Could well be from that trauma of always being compared to your uncle, who you can never live up to.

[@domb944]

So hydrangeas are kept alive by being completely submerged by water, I think they were foreshadowing bojack in the water

[@Johnny2Cellos]

Yooo, I like that better than anything I said about them haha

[@goodcorwin627]

FFS how many more hidden meanings can we find in that single bloody flowerpot? How insanely good are those writers? Jesus. Seriously.

[@RRonco]

Hydrangeas literally have water prefixed in their name. They need a constant water source during their blooming season or they'll die.

[@aylishmorehouse666]

@@goodcorwin627 hydrangeas need a more alkaline soil to turn pink, a decaying body could cause a alkaline soil. The flowers are being colored by the death around them

[@anarobles9795]

@@aylishmorehouse666 holy cow

[@enzomthethwa5861]

BoJack Horseman is the one show, in which binge watching is dangerous for your mental health. Take it one episode at a time.

[@jazlynnrobison2681]

too late- now I'm awake at 2:35 in the morning and crying because I feel a million things at once. 😎

[@kazumak.1542]

It helps me understand my deep rooted truma. Its therapy

[@FizzyFezzy]

I binged the whole thing in 6 days. I am not okay.

[@snippard1793]

I binged the first 4 seasons In 3 days and had to stop. Needed a serious break.

[@DroseraNara]

Just finished the last episode today.. I haven't slept in 24 hours

[@user-sk7cf8oq4l]

i always thought of dianes "my day was good" as a way of bojack telling himself that his death would only be beneficial to her

[@soapheshinobi5801]

i heard it first as just happy but as the voice and bojack faded away, it felt like she was happy he was gone

[@EclecticallyEccentric]

@@soapheshinobi5801 There's a difference between happiness and relief.

[@teapartypenguin1353]

Which we learn in the next episode isn't true. Diane was so stressed out during those 7 hours after getting his voicemail, thinking that if she had just called back in time, she could have saved him. And when she finds out he lives, she realizes how done she is with being responsible for him and cuts him off. If Bojack really had died, Diane may not have been able to come to that conclusion on her own. She probably would have wasted time feeling guilty for something out of her control. But Bojack living lets her take the control back and choose to cut him out herself.

[@JayJay-sl8du]

In free churro, Bojack mentions how his mother had a dress that she would only wear to these parties and i always figured it was her debutante ball dress. Later Bojack said how his father watched his mother dance in awe, just like that first night they met. Idk i thought thats also why she had that dress on. It made sense to me that she would wear her nicest dress again to a dinner party, like this one kinda is.

[@hbluemole6941]

Yeah, why should Bojack know her debutante dress if not for that

[@name-fv4du]

I'm happy we got to see the dance he mentioned in free churro

[@lucyhampel4518]

Also the shadow on bojack of Beatrice’s dance directly mirrors the one from the episode Free Churro

[@Nostylistbrad]

Btw the lyric change Sarah Lynn did "old sport" was commonly said by Gatsby in the great Gatsby who died in a pool like bojack (wow 2.6k likes that's the most I've ever gotten thanks)

[@sahil9151]

Bradley Paul waiting for the call of his beloved

[@graced1446]

After reading The Great Gatsby (ap lang and comp gang) there are quite a few parts of the great gatsby that you could tie to BoJack Horseman, such as the similarities between Nick Carraway and BoJack (Nick is very judgemental and his story is told as if he’s not even affecting what’s going on around him and he’s a victim of circumstance and not action) as well as all of the obvious class commentary, but this is an awesome observation!

[@frombulapuhskinti7149]

Another connection is references such as the green light quote

[@graced1446]

Adam Castanos omg I hadn’t even thought of that!

[@WeAreTheInsurgents]

I think this might be a bit of a stretch. Sure, "old sport" is Gatsby's catchphrase but it wouldn't make sense to refer to The Great Gatsby as it has little to no correlation with this show, and therefore wouldn't add anything meaningful to the scene; the only similarities are that phrase and the fact that both of them died in a pool (and even that is a stretch since Gatsby is shot whereas BoJack just drowns from his own inebriation). Maybe I'm wrong and it's just an Easter egg or maybe there is a deeper correlation between the two, but on the surface, that connection seems a little far-fetched, especially since it's only said once to BoJack in the entire show (to my knowledge) and there seems to be no other obvious Great Gatsby references. I think it verges more on coincidence but, again, I may be completely wrong.

[@GershwinDecoBeck]

'There is no other side.' I was fairly shaken by how they delivered that whole sequence. Being indifferent to the afterlife, this show managed to dislodge my comfort in that eternal unknown. Gotta live while you're alive. There's no redemption, there's no you, once you're gone . . .

[@leguan278]

I have always had it like this, just cause i would like something to be true, dosent mean it is, i would like there to be a afterlife but i know there isent even if it hurts admitting. But after this episode, i felt a little more stable about it, i wont go around taking everything so serious all the time cause we all end the same place, but i want to live life more as life should be lived.

[@chadkennedy7855]

"BlazBlue ACTIVATE!!!! BLACK ONSLAUGHT! I'll show you THE POWER OF THE AZURE, BoJack Horseman! I'LL SHOW YOU FEAR!!! There is no death... there is no hell... there is no other side... only darkness. ONLY THE VOID!!!! This is the power of the azure."~Ragna the Bloodedge

[@taltigolt]

i always see death as an escape this episodes made it just seem horrifying i think that was the message the writers wanted to give that death is not an escape there is no other side as we all hope it's a nothing

[@chadkennedy7855]

@@taltigolt That's why there is only darkness.

[@ahumanbeingfromtheearth1502]

@Lacey Kean you can't confirm anything, at best you just falsely belive that you can. You have never experienced death (you may have come very close for all I know but you are still alive) and therefore have no more knowledge of what happens after you die than anyone else.

[@missawsomechick]

I’m a huge fan of both Bojack and Rick and Morty, and the fact that the Vat of Acid episode won over TVFHD at the Emmy’s still shocks me to this day.

[@Raquel6098]

Forever this. I love Vat of Acid- but this episode emphasizes so many facets of humanity and is so well done. I think about the view from halfway down all the time.

[@anderswiberg7979]

When Sarah Lynn sings "the needle drops" it may be a heroin reference

[@hbluemole6941]

She snorted the heroin. She probably means it music wise

[@anderswiberg7979]

Well, dont know what they did on the bender and we know that she has had problems with drugs before so I think that its a double entendre

[@lunaleonem3378]

So it isn't a Fantano reference?

[@anderswiberg7979]

@@lunaleonem3378 , fuck, youre right

[@hopoffmydick9574]

also im pretty sure heroin greatly affects your oxygen intake, and sarah lynn held her breath before falling down.

[@BEATmyguest31]

One of my favorite things to do is finish a fantastic show/ film like this one, then come to the comment section to see everyones different interpretations. So many fantastic easter eggs i wouldnt have caught otherwise. Thank you all!

[@meowmachine9147]

Definitely, me too. That's why I'm here with you guys!

[@sky-hf2qv]

wow same that is exactly what I just did right now

[@Krissy19986]

Me too! There are always other theories and ideas that i didnt see, that other people have not only caught but explained. It makes the show that much more interesting.

[@christinarusev4270]

yes me too!! I love seeing all the ways the show affected people differently and what others have noticed that I didn't :)

[@Hivlik]

it’s interesting that one of the papers in secratariat’s hand falls into the abyss and one does not. perhaps another comment about how his art outlives him

[@francisharkins]

Could also be a reference to how Bojack didn't get to hear the full speech from Secretariat when he was a child and mailed him the letter and missed his response thanks to his parents fighting.

[@peperoniezflakers719]

id say its still about the three verses: the before (preparation) the shift and the hope i forgot which one it would be and i might want to rewatch because I'd say that verse meaning was taken with him as he goes to the void

[@amildlydisappointingsalad6058]

@@francisharkins actually they ended up saying that he did hear it and only paid attention to it

[@leifelsmo7023]

I think it could be symbolizing the fact that “on paper” it looks like he didn’t want to live - that’s all anyone see’s when another takes their own life. I’d imagine the page that stayed is the first verse, his true thoughts that occurred when he was halfway down died with him. So sad.

[@AtlasBlizzard]

One of the saddest things about this episode for me is that Butterscotch Horseman isn't there. All of the most important people in Bojack's life who have passed are with him - Herb, Sarah Lynn and even his uncle whom he never even met. But instead of his father, Secretariat is there instead. Even Bojack's horrible mother Beatrice is there, but not his dad, but instead, a male figure he actually looked up to and felt close to growing up. Bojack and his father had such a little connection that he's not even with him as he's staring death in the face.

[@StoutShako]

What about the one dude who died spanking it tho. And Zach Braff

[@dogwatersoda]

@@StoutShako they don’t have anything to do with the original comment. the original comment was pointing out how Butterscotch, Bojack’s Father, didnt even show up in bojack’s dying dream. it reflects how absent he was as a father. and how Secretariat replaced him as a parental figure due to his negligence.

[@homer4340]

@@StoutShakoZach Braff was also there, as the butler

[@jordidraws7723]

​@@dogwatersoda I think they do. OP said that "all of the most important people on Bojack's life who passed on are with him", but Zach Braff and Corduroy barely meant anything to him and weren't really present in his life either.

[@dogwatersoda]

@@jordidraws7723 Yeah but their deaths did have affect on bojack. also bojack did find corduroy’s body and i definitely imagine something like that would have some impact on him, regardless if they were close or not. and Bojack was also in the same house/situation when Zach Braff died during the whole trapped underground situation. he was present in both of their deaths (or discovered one of them in the previous explanation).

[@rhinophew9894]

Fun fact: When Sarah Lynn is singing, the last line dwindles and she doesn't finish before jumping into the door. She doesn't say the word, "call." Possibly an allusion to BoJack as he had to call to save himself but in the end, the call didn't matter and could have been thrown away, like the lyric.

[@andeggbreaks]

Could represent her dying young

[@ashleyventham8478]

Or how about the way he didn't call an ambulance for 17 minutes when she overdosed to save his reputation rather than saving her life? She doesn't say the word call, because he didn't make the call.

[@lexc.0]

dont mean to break this but she also didnt say curtain she only said 'dont stop dancing' missing out 'til the curtain call' not just call

[@somethingswrong7342]

@@lexc.0 maybe cause he wanted to hide he was there with her... so he didnt make the call

[@lujorom9172]

I don’t know y’all, this seems a bit far fetched to me

[@joshuacrawford9862]

From Season 1, Episode 1: "We probably went a little too dark with the series finale."

[@chadkennedy7855]

No shit, Sherlock!

[@EllawoodBlues]

Haha great catch!

[@froggyplatypus]

Also from Season 1: “Princess Carolyyyynnnnn! John Stamos died! We thought night swimming was a good idea!”

[@chadkennedy7855]

@@froggyplatypus "You said it with your action."

[@charlottemunday7311]

@@froggyplatypus "But the current was too strong!".

[@aminatt2201]

I also noticed that Sarah Lynn ages at nearly every cut scene, which could be a metaphor of how the media industry made her grow up so quickly

[@kayleejazz1669]

I know this video is a year old. But the one thing that always makes me wonder is when bojack realizes that Diane isn’t coming to him and he accepts his “death” is if Sarah Lynn went through the same thing he did in an overdose. Did she have a realization in her final moments that bojack wasn’t going to save her, she couldn’t rely on him in life so why would anything change in death or her final moments. We never get to see the inside of her mind in those final moments but it wouldn’t surprise me if it was something similar to bojack. Except bojack got to live and she didn’t.

[@Kat-ek6bz]

17 minutes is a long time. Never thought about this before

[@czperiod2576]

Bojack did not live. No one came to save him. But yes, your statement is chilling and fascinating.

[@alexpiuze877]

What if Beatrice is wearing the dress from the debutant ball because that was the night that bojack was conceived, which could be the night that her life figuratively ended (since she was so unhappy with her life onward)

[@parkerlucas9424]

Well that makes a lot of sense

[@HelloKitty60621]

wow

[@kybunnii]

Yes !!!

[@turdblaster923]

Imagine how dark this would be if this episode was the finale, and the heart monitor at the end never beeped

[@jkspam]

I like the show’s ending as is, but I imagine I probably would have been perfectly content had that actually been the end of the show

[@comfyreadss]

i totally understand the desire for this hard hitting ending but i think i disagree that it would've been more meaningful. personally i think if the show ended with bojack's death it would've contradicted the message of the show & potentially been super detrimental to people who related to him. so much of the show is holding onto the fact that no matter what mistakes you make or how bad you feel, life keeps going. that there will be tomorrow to turn things around; "life's a bitch and then you keep living". bojack is addicted to chasing the highest highs & lowest lows, hence why he does drugs & wallows in his depression. the writers deciding to instantly take us out of that lowest of lows & instead end of an ambiguous, borderline unfinished story (just as life is) was the most fitting end & a testament to the lessons of the show!

[@hq3802]

@@infinitech_industries One of the re-occuring themes in Bojack horseman is that there is always the next day, even if you are on the lowest point of your life , life will keep going and it goes the opposite way also, even if you have a good day in your life , you dont know how tomorrow will be. There is always time for repenting and bettering yourself. You can notice this patern in every season , in which episode 11 is the episode where things get fucked up and episode 12 is the episode in which there is some light shed in bojack life, episode 12 represents the next day . While bojack dying in the end would be dramatic , it would contradict the message this show wanted to pass for over 5 seasons. As Diane said life's a bitch and then you keep living

[@ava85898]

Or even if it did beep and you were left thinking 'Is he alive?? What happenned??'

[@crackedrobin4626]

@@jkspam the point of the show is to not give up and learn how to care at least how I see it so I disagree

[@Charles921]

I really think there is a significance to Secretariet/Butterscotch writing such a deep poem. Just like BoJack longed for that conversation with his dad I think he wanted his dad's life as a writer to be better than it was.

[@kommiekeegan]

i was thinking about this too! since butterscotch couldn't get his book published or have any newspapers review it but one which tore him to shreds

[@bubblyb4785]

the fact that everyone willingly went through the door yet they didn't chose to die at the time that they did, only secretariat 'chose death' (aka he commited suicide) yet he was still forced through, it shows his regret, his depravation to a second chance yet what's done has been done. It truly is the ultimate anti-suicide message. really beautifully executed. :)

[@WitchLunaEstrella]

To me, this episode isn't just about accepting his own mortality, it's about accepting the permanence of his decisions and that his life and relationships can never be the same as they were before. By accepting his mortality, he's also accepting the death of those past connections and rather than desperately clinging to that, he's able to move forward. This sort of spills over into the last episode, where we see him accepting each person in his life as they are now rather than who they were. Mr Peanut Butter is a good friend now, Todd is still a good friend but one with independence and distance when necessary, Princess Carolyn is now a part of his personal life alone rather than being tangled in his messy professional life as well and Diane is someone who means a lot to him but needs to pursue her own path. I could be off-base though, it's just something I found interesting.

[@jfs983]

And Diane didn't JUST need to pursue her own path, Bojack damaged their friendship beyond repairing. She couldn't make room in her life to be the one to always save him.

[@efoxkitsune9493]

Very good comment. As great as this video was, I felt like it kinda took away from the impact of the episode by making BoJack's accepting his own mortality the conclusion. I don't think that was quite the take-away message, and you expressed it perfectly.

[@ellieb.1231]

EFoxKitsune well, one could argue that you can't understand your mortality without understanding consequences. But I too would have preferred that explicitly stated rather than implied.

[@julioi.3166]

Lunamor Rosa yeah. I think another important theme is Bojack learning the permanence of his actions. From what we can see he is atheist. He made mistakes and choices that permanently affected those around him. For better or for worse. When trying to reform himself earlier in the season he believes he can just start from scratch. But the truth is he cant. That was an issue that he struggled with his entire life. Whenever he made a life changing mistake, he just accepted it and wanted to move on. In the interview he is faced with many of these things that were done in the public eye. He has to force remorse out of his mouth when the interview ends. But here he finally learns there is no moving on, no other side, no waking up and starting a new life. He learns you do what you do and that's life. My hope is that his character developed for the better in the end :)

[@Deeegenerate]

@@julioi.3166 I think rather than the fact that he can move on from something just like that, earlier in the show he falsely believes that doing bad things is out of his control, and is only a result of the way he was brought up. He thinks he can't escape his behavior, so he just keeps repeating it. He later believes that the way to fix stuff is to punish himself (distancing himself from others or repeating bad behavior even further) instead of improving himself. By the end he is able to leave the past in the past, move on but not forget. Not excusing himself, just holding himself accountable in a reasonable way.

[@peppyelvis]

Interesting when Zack Braff entered the death door he was speaking about food, and when he died, he was food.

[@Talongirl333]

J. Manuel Aviles Jr. - or the fact that his death was forced by others. If he wasn’t pushed here, he wouldn’t have rolled to the door. Same when he was trapped in Mr Peanutbutter’s house. People ate him, he didn’t die because of suicide, or illness, or age, etc. He was forced into death by others

[@cai6972]

And he served people their food in the dinner scene, similar to how he (involunterily) served people food aka being cannibalized

[@Cloverfr]

@@cai6972 Oh...

[@peppyelvis]

@@Talongirl333 Holy crap, yes! Awesome.

[@peppyelvis]

@@cai6972 Makes sense. Mind blown.

[@lancerufino6375]

I also noticed when bojack is running from the tar and is trying to call diane he hides under the table with the table cloth skewed just like sarah lynn hiding under the table during the taping of horsing around when he tells her to "give the people what they want, even if it kills you, even if it empties you out, no matter what happens or how much it hurts you don't stop dancing" and now bojack is in the same position as sarah lynn

[@WobblesandBean]

Just like he himself was as Beatrice yelled at him to perform for her guests.

[@ThatMissQuin]

Good catch!

[@CaptainVelveeta]

Quite possibly the best 26 minutes in Netflix history.

[@Tawleyn]

Honestly, this is an amazing episode, but the simplicity of "Free Churros" contrasts so... so heavily with how enrapturing the entire thing is that I think it wins out by a small margin.

[@jack-bs6do]

@@Tawleyn no way in hell

[@shagarumedic]

Free Churro was marginally better. Let me emphasize that *marginally*.

[@CaptainVelveeta]

@@shagarumedic Great episode no doubt, it just hit a little too close to home for me personally.

[@maggiemm8867]

In television history

[@tykinnamon9831]

Something interesting to note about the black door - everyone whom Bojack had a positive relationship with in life (Sara Lynn, Herb, Crackerjack) entered the door willingly, while those whom he had negative relationships with (Butterscotch, Beatrice) were forced into the door against their will, and those who remained (Zac Braff, Corduroy) fell into the door by accident since Bojack never really knew either of them all that well.

[@zarouliaall5390]

This is a really good catch

[@legohead2731]

Beatrice doesn’t go through the door She doesn’t get that opportunity

[@nataliegilbert4212]

@@legohead2731 as she was consumed by her dementia before she died

[@yourresidentanon4169]

If the tar is representative of bojack himself, that also shows how he consumes everyone: some go willingly and become friends with him, some not.

[@giorgiasegalla1558]

Bojack had a positive relationship in life with Crackerjack? They haven't even met eachother, plus Cracker rapresented for Bojack the perfect uncle that he could never reach portraid by his mother. In this episode about Creackerjack is said that he only shoot friendly fire and died uselessly fighting nazis(or something liek that) and since it all takes place in Bojack's head, it shows how low of and opinion he had of him. Plus he knows that after his death everything went downhill in his family, from his granma lobotomized to his mother growing up with a terrible father being a terrible mother to bojack herself. What your saying about Crackerjack is forced. Sorry for the essay

[@johnkobebalod3499]

The Emmies don't deserve BoJack

[@Definitelynotabot4]

Periodt

[@cayde7293]

I couldn’t agree more

[@mille5913]

👏🏼

[@SilentFuryjpg-jf9rp]

Exactly

[@LeeMilby]

That poem was instantly iconic. I immediately tried looking it up to see what the source was, expecting it had been written by some famous poet ages ago. I was pleasantly surprised to discover the writer was Alison Tafel who is quite young and was a writer on the show. Instantly timeless.

[@davidgarza4364]

"Original, obviously" - secretariat

[@adzace9]

Dude, we don’t give enough credit to how detail oriented the animation was throughout the ENTIRE series, it’s so incredible

[@keyboardwarrior3702]

Every time I hear the "my day was good" my eyes start leaking.

[@chadkennedy7855]

Pathetic...

[@PrimDidEverythingWrong]

Chad Kennedy So now it’s a crime to cry in a sad scene?

[@chadkennedy7855]

@@PrimDidEverythingWrong I don't give a damn about this episode... so screw you! #LetMeIn

[@parkourbee2]

@@chadkennedy7855 sounds like someone was raised by Beatrice Horseman

[@chadkennedy7855]

@@parkourbee2 God I hate you.

[@Miku_Jeep]

“The Drip finally stops” can also be a reference to Herb’s cancer. Even though it didn’t kill him, The IV he had to use would have to eventually empty out and the drip will stop.

[@cecilia5151]

This was my initial thought !

[@lennethe5299]

I know I’m late but if you haven’t noticed yet, in S5 E6 “Free Churro”, at 17:20 we see Bojack watching his mom dance, and right before he says “My mother, she knew what its like to feel like 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” and more related after.

[@jimmydore5136]

The details in this episode are so terrifyingly well put together, I managed to find a couple of creepy Easter eggs. (Apparently) Bojack only realises he is drowning 17 minutes into the episode. Referencing the 17 minutes he left Sarah Lynn. The poem “The view from half way down”, has three main verses. The first verse is told in 3rd person, 2 is in second person and the final verse is told in the first person. 3, 2, 1... All the guests are dressed in the outfits from the peaks of their lives. Most characters died fairly quick, within an episode or so. So they just wear the outfits they are most well known for, which also happen to be the clothes they died in. Herb and Beatrice, however, wear the clothes the had before their lives went down hill. Herb wears the outfit he wore before he joined horsin’ around, and Beatrice wears the dress she wore before she met butterscotch. The scene where Secretariat and Bojack go for a smoke looks scarily similar to the bridge that Secretariat jumped from. Directly below this bridge lies the pool Bojack is drowning in. Sarah Lynn takes a deep breath before she tumbled into the abyss. (Apparently) a common symptom of deaths from heroine overdoses involves the victim struggling to breathe.

[@hamishgoeden7852]

I'd also point out that you can see that secretariat is holding 4 pages and only gets through 2 before he falls screaming into the abyss. Symbolizing that your life is cut short and you still have more to do when you kill yourself

[@allarxstoast870]

Gawdawm

[@vitopannucci2001]

Thats.. too much man...

[@PlanetJuke]

Holy fucking shit

[@frannelly]

i always thought Sarah Lynn taking a deep breath and pinching her nose, as if she was about to jump into the water, is a direct reference to the metaphor of Ophelia falling into the river

[@jonatajjp]

I would like to point out another interpretarion about the red bird in the living room. All the dead guests are trying to grab the Bird unsuccessfully. Exactly as it was said in the video the bird, as a representation of the soul, is also a representation of life force. The guests can't be alive again and that's why they can't seem to grasp her. And this symbology is further deepen when the solution is Bojack scaring her away. This scene is a symbolic representation of his suicide, throwing life through the window. It even makes sense that he can't participate in a dinner with the dead if he didn't make an act of negating life. Eating in the world of the dead happens in the story of Persephone and Hades from greek mythology. Once one has eaten food from the underworld they belong there and can't come back. AND BOJACK NEVER actually eats anything. Thanks for the video, keep up the great work! EDIT: He does drink the vodka bottle. But never is able to eat the pills.

[@elizabethbasta7903]

Nice analysis, thank you!

[@TenThumbsProductions]

After BoJack turns the corner and you get the 4th or 5th episode it just becomes amazing and gets better and better the whole time. Incredible show.

[@clarkwilmerding4343]

well for us it gets better and better

[@johnkobebalod3499]

I really liked the dark humor in herb's introductions, some describing their death while others describe the tragedy of their lives -"Your friend and mine, and a killer hang. Corduroy Jackson Jackson! - "Please give a warm, burning hot welcome to Zach Braff!" -"Please welcome him before he makes a run for it. It's secretariat!" - "Here's Beatrice horseman, with her younger older brother, Crackerjack!"

[@obamaprism1007]

I dont get the younger older brother

[@varietyhub2948]

@@obamaprism1007 because he died in his late teens/early 20s while Beatrice died at age 80

[@joshuavarela6569]

And your comment is 69 likes now. I feel so happy for being like 69th

[@greentaigo2552]

@@obamaprism1007 Crackerjack died young fighting in the war, Bojack remembers him from the family pictures and he is therefore in his 20s, while Beatrice is represented in her older days because she was an old woman when she died. Crackerjack is her older brother who died younger, so therefore in this afterlife he would be her 'younger older brother'

[@chadkennedy7855]

"Here's Galvanax, the most deadliest warriors in the galaxy!"

[@JasonAFlintham]

One thing I spotted throughout this episode is that Bojack seems to be going through the 5 Stages of Grief: Denial - Bojack starts out thinking he’s just dreaming and that he’ll wake up after the dinner. Anger - Bojack starts lashing out when he sees people dropping into the abyss in an attempt to stop the show. Depression - near the end, Herb starts whaling on Bojack’s insecurities before welcoming him onto the stage. Bargaining - Bojack is convinced he can get out of it all by getting to a phone and calling Diane. Acceptance - “How was your day?”

[@Theelectroarcheologist]

There's also a subtle hint that he has made suicide attempts like this before, as once the dinner is over and everyone heads to the show in the other room, Bojack expects he's going to wake up like nothing happened as if it were a routine he's familiar with. But much to his dismay nothing happens and his dream continues. What's even more haunting about this, is that once he realizes that this dream is heading in a new direction from what he presumed would happen, he begins to look concerned as if he starting to put the pieces together of what's really going on, and how it's not looking good.

[@dontbelame]

@@Theelectroarcheologist i never even considered that the "i always wake up before the show" thing was connected to his suicide attempts, that's so insightful! I thought he had just been having like a reoccuring dream every night, that's a much better explanation.

[@T0B3573R]

During Beatrice's performance she twirls in the air, and behind her you see bojack in his pool ABOVE them all. Meaning bojack and the rest is under the pool. *Halfway down*

[@sorrytomeeee]

i don't know why bojack is so underrated. really. i can't describe how relatable this serie is to me. must watch if you are or were struggling with your emotions.

[@axelpatrickb.pingol3228]

Must be because it is on Netflix which half the world couldn't access, and being a cartoon means it is a turn-off for the more conservative viewers of that half that can't access...

[@samfitz5416]

Tbh it took me a while to actually sit down and watch the show at first. I thought it was gonna be like the likes of Family Guy and South Park. Don’t get me wrong, I like those shows too (not as much) but I’m not gonna jump to click and watch them. I didn’t realise how different Bojack was to those shows until like episode 5 of Season 1 also. This is probably why the show is underrated. I think a lot of people judge based on visuals and don’t care to give the show a chance before they rule it off.

[@florencep2209]

I kinda hated it on my first watch (3 seasons at the time, I think), but I hadn't given it a proper chance. I thought it was pretentious and simply not funny, couldn't understand why so many people were praising it to this degree. Many months later I decided to give it another shot, because it seemed that it wasn't just a trend, people were actually praising it as a masterpiece, and I really wanted to understand why. Then I started my second watch, this time really paying attention and giving it a proper chance. I finished it maybe half a year ago, and I fully get it now. Sometimes our expectations and biases get the best of us. Sometimes we're unfair, distracted, dismissive, without even realizing. Ever since I finished Bojack for the second time, I try to give every show/cartoon a fair shot at convincing me/winning me over. I like to think that I learned my lesson.

[@kaitlyn__L]

@@samfitz5416 I've always gotten people to skip the first season entirely, even if you could really skip to halfway through. Then they can see aeeaon 1 on the rewatch. Bonus: there's a lot of "oh, so HERE is when he screws up Todd's rock opera" type moments. If you start in season 2, people talking about bojack's bad actions before the show and in season 1 blend together, and it yields a real verisimilitude that I think is actually somewhat lacking if you saw it all from the start. They make sure the audience knows the important stuff, through that aforementioned dialogue, in later seasons anyway.

[@fawnxx.9231]

made me struggle even more lol

[@thebesttypeofmusic7216]

I watched Bojack Horseman and everything is worse now

[@chadkennedy7855]

Tell me about it... this show should move to Hulu because if they do, it should be season 7

[@maria-jy3xk]

is this a reference to... my mother died and everything is worse now

[@chadkennedy7855]

@@maria-jy3xk Yeah, his life has gotten worse because of the secrets and lies that he's been kept since day one.

[@peperoniezflakers719]

@@chadkennedy7855 or.... basically the show ended

[@fawnxx.9231]

yeah....

[@raineambrosini7750]

People always mention Beatrice being directly and visibly verbally and emotionally abusive to Bojack but I feel it’s worth noting, then when a young Bojack was under the table trying to avoid performing the Lollipop Song and Beatrice pointed to him, he flinched. He was fully expecting her to hit him, and only opened his eyes when the impact didn’t come. Beatrice more than likely abused him physically, and Bojack likely lived on edge that her berating and taunts and invalidations would also come with physical abuse.

[@frannelly]

i just read this comment and i can't help thinking about that flashback afterparty scene when little Bojack crawls on Beatrice's lap while she's passed out from drinking. It's the only time we ever see any physical contact between them, and that happens in a moment when Bojack feels safe enough his mother won't harm him - or simply push him away. Heartbreaking.

[@clovercurator7997]

I believe he also mentions at some point early on (though I could be wrong) that his mother extinguished her cigarettes on his arm as a child.

[@anotherjuan2260]

I think there is also more to the tar, I remember one time Bojack said that he felt he was born with a leak and that any goodness he started with just slowly spilled out of him. During the dinner the tar was pretty much spilling onto his head from a leak in the ceiling. Go figure.

[@rogue_hitman6582]

Shit good point

[@KH-lf3mu]

I also thought of the tar representing him getting his stomach pumped. When you OD they pump your stomach and you puke up black.

[@baseballpimp1910]

The tar was also a jet black that reminded me of poison, which brought me back to the conversation he has with Diane about how he is poison and everything he touches in his life he poisons

[@emnstuff]

My grandfather committed suicide one early morning in his truck on the side of the highway. I was nine, but from what I heard years later, he tried to call for help after he shot himself. That information was accidentally shared, and will haunt me more than anything else.

[@BroAnarchy]

If anything, there should be consolation in knowing that he is in a better place, and that loved you regardless of his passing. I've been there (on both sides) ... Sorry if this is late, but I'm sorry for that loss you experienced 🙁

[@emnstuff]

@@BroAnarchy thank you. I'm so very sorry you had to experience it as well. Its life changing. I don't wish it on anyone. But you're right. They're in a much better place now. I do take comfort in that.

[@BroAnarchy]

@Ikerrad You don't know much about the metaphysical, do you? Also i lost my sister 10 years ago, who i miss every day... literally watched her die in the hospital, she was 28 years old. So don't you go shitting on me talking about being "disrespectful".

[@kaylahammell1409]

@@chowdersalt Metaphysical is the study of things that are not tangible and outside our realm like an afterlife

[@VRALLSTARS17]

Rest in paradise to your grandfather keep your head up🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@DEN8Y]

This episode straight up gave me nightmares, Sarah Lynn looking through the door before falling backwards was absolutely horrifying.

[@AKSTFelix]

I agree, and it was horrifying in so many ways. You could see in her eyes that she was scared of the darkness, but she was resigned to it as well. Just like in her life jumping into it wasn't something she wanted to do, but had no choice in. Just like how her life was controlled by outside forces for its entirety. She was on that show from three years old thanks to her mother who continued to force her into other roles and other forms of celebrity. From being an actress to being a temporary singing sensation, from the point of view of a child that had grown up in those kinds of environments she had no choice, It didn't matter if she wanted to, if she was scared, or anything else. She gave her entire being to the show that her life became, and jumping through that door was part of her show. You see fear, resignation, and honestly, I see a sad depressed relief, just before she goes backwards, this is the last plunge she takes before the curtain call. When the show finally ends, when she can finally stop dancing and smiling. A hollow relief that's wrapped in grief, a lifetime of trauma, pain, and sheer exhaustion.

[@ChazzDiStefano]

Amber Souders this show really made the perfect character to point out the repeated, almost ritual and cursed, predetermined life of the female child star that happens over and over. We even see the beginning of the next one with Aquafina near Sarah Lynn’s end to reinforce how fleeting, replaceable and never-ending the cycle is. She mocks Sarah Lynn for her time being done because it means it’s her turn for the spotlight, but she must know deep down that she’s next in line. It’s like there’s an infinite line of random girls who will be initiated into this life by adults when the last one expires because of how well and for how long that life sells as a product. It’s a really haunting story that makes you think about real people assigned to that life who never had a choice. Sarah Lynn would have been an architect and it represents all the alternate lifestyles that they might have chosen for themselves if they could.

[@TheStickySpoon]

@@ChazzDiStefano it oddly reminds me of what Drew Barrymore went through and how she put all of her faith into Adam Sandler. Believing in another person goes a huge long way for the psyche.

[@chadkennedy7855]

Tell Netflix to banned that episode and all of season 6.

[@AnimeProphet666]

The door following Secretariat scared the shit out of me. It was kinda funny morbid the first time, but I was *not* okay in the second verse.