BoJack Horseman season 6 episode 13 review: The aftermath
Episode 13 of the final season of BoJack Horseman deals with the aftermath of BoJack’s disastrous interview while also picking back up with Todd and Diane.
Episode 13 of the final season of BoJack Horseman picks up after the events of the previous episode with BoJack living in the aftermath of his disastrous interview about Sarah Lynn (among other things).
The episode also picks up with the other characters after focusing heavily on BoJack’s life in the previous two episodes, but the need to tie up storylines makes for a bit of a messy episode.
To begin with BoJack, he has settled out of court with Sarah Lynn’s family (but it isn’t his only lawsuit), and his manager sells his house out from under him in an attempt to liquidate BoJack’s assets. Homeless, out work, and despised by the public, BoJack has reached his latest rock bottom.
A motif throughout the episode, BoJack calls Hollyhock to talk to her about what’s happened, only to get her voicemail and leave her increasingly desperate messages. As he leaves his house with the last of his mail, he takes a letter from Hollyhock but doesn’t open it, terrified to learn what’s inside.
To BoJack’s credit, he’s back in AA and still trying to do the right thing. If this season is about anything, it’s about the fact that being a good person isn’t granted, it’s earned. On his way out of the AA meeting, failing to find a new sponsor, BoJack runs into fellow scuzzy actor Vance Waggoner (voiced perfectly by Bobby Cannavale). This is a match made in hell if ever I’ve seen one.
While everybody else is exhausted by BoJack, there is one person who has the loyalty of, you might say, a puppy: Mr. Peanutbutter. Out of work and options, Princess Carolyn gets BoJack a role on Birthday Dad and Mr. Peanutbutter is hilariously delighted to host BoJack.
Meanwhile, Maude and Todd have decided to move in together. Todd proposes to Princess Carolyn he should run an in-office daycare to fund his newly adult lifestyle, and Princess Carolyn is, of course, one hundred percent supportive of it.
Todd’s daycare is definitely a high point of the episode as he walks babies on leashes like a dog walker. Baby elephant, baby bird, baby baby! And Todd has finally found a type of chaos he can manage well.
Desperate as ever to prove he’s an adult, Todd invites his parents to a housewarming party with Maude, then panics about having to throw such a thing together. With the help of Judah, Todd hires a full cast for his party to make him seem more sophisticated.
After his demoralizing day at Birthday Dad, BoJack learns Mr. Peanutbutter is going to a party at Todd’s — and that he wasn’t invited. BoJack, of course, can’t let this go and brings Vance with him to crash the party. But Todd, despite feeling the need to prove it, is an adult and politely asks BoJack to leave, saying he can’t risk anything happening when he’ll be seeing his mom for the first time in 10 years.
And then Jorge calls Todd to tell him that Todd’s mom isn’t feeling well and won’t come, but asks Todd to please keep trying. (Sidebar: I am so glad that we get to have Jaime Camil as Todd’s stepdad, brief as it is, on the show again and get a bit more exploration of Todd’s family storyline.)
After leaving Todd’s, Vance drags BoJack to his daughter’s college campus so he can yell at her, eventually leading them to a frat party full of bros who think BoJack was done wrong. Though BoJack enjoys being the center of attention for a bit, he quickly realizes he shouldn’t be there and walks outside.
For the last time, he tries to call Hollyhock and the number has been disconnected. He takes the letter from his pocket and throws it away, walks back inside, and takes a beer.
BoJack Horseman has known many rock bottoms. And while there was a lot that led to this particular moment, feeling that everyone had given up on him, in particular his little sister, pushes him over the edge one last time. It’s heartbreaking.
Back in Chicago, Diane’s first Ivy Tran book is in the final editing stages. In the hands-down best scene of the episode (in this writer’s opinion, but I always could watch more of Diane than we get), we learn that Guy’s surly, bro-y teenage son, Sonny, has read the proof of Diane’s book.
While he tries to act like it’s a dumb, girly book in front of his friends, as soon as he’s alone with Diane, he becomes self-effacing and earnest, providing levity for the episode (along with more incredibly specific jokes about Chicago, of course).
One particular exchange perfectly paints the pain and raw emotion of BoJack and Diane’s relationship without them ever having exchanged a word in the episode:
"Sonny: “When Ivy told Moose that he wasn’t her best friend anymore and Moose said, ‘You’re still my best friend whether you like it or not’ …was that real?”Diane: “What do you mean?”Sonny: “Like, did that really happen that someone could be someone’s best friend still even when they’re disappointed in them?”Diane: “Um, yeah, Sonny, that’s real.”"
Diane’s friendship with BoJack is the backbone of the series, but now it’s at stake more than ever as BoJack comes to terms with his choices. What happens next will determine where they end up…
Next. BoJack Horseman season 6 episode 12 review: 17 minutes. dark