I’m back at it again to talk about another BoJack Horseman episode! I am so excited! There’s so much nuance to this show and it is so worth exploring as much detail as possible.
Opening Scene: BoJack is on the set of ‘Horsing Around’ he’s doing a scene with Sarah Lynn. The family is having pancakes for breakfast and Sarah is hiding under the table. At first it starts out fun and Sarah makes a funny tv show joke about being afraid to pop from a pop quiz. Then the scene ends and BoJack gives a pep talk. It’s happy at first, but then it grows darker and the little girl looks horrified. This was the perfect way to showcase ‘Horsing Around’ and Bo Jacks headspace at the time. Also, to introduce his dynamic with Sarah Lynn as a very warped role model.
Favorite Part of the Episode: The whole episode and how it’s themed. This is introducing Sarah Lynn. It gives her background with BoJack. Deep nuances to their relationship and the tragedy that ‘Horsing Around’ caused her to become. All that in the third episode and in around 20 minutes. This show is art and so well written I am in awe every second I watch it.
Best Lines: “Well those boobs and jerkwads are the best friends you will ever have. Without them you are nothing. Remember that. Your family will never understand you. Your lovers will leave you or try to change you. But your fans you be good to them and they’ll be good to you. The most important thing is you got to give the people what they want; even if it kills you, even if it empties you out until there’s nothing left to empty. No matter what happens, no matter how much it hurts, you don’t stop dancing and you don’t stop smiling and you give those people what they want.” -BoJack to little Sarah Lynn opening scene
“But I do wonder as a third way feminist, if it’s even possible for women to reclaim their sexuality in this deeply entrenched patriarchal society, or if claiming to do so is just a lie we tell ourselves so we can more comfortably cater to the male gaze.” – Diane to BoJack (God, just God. This show it gets so deep and this is simply a quick quip and you could easily go past it and just enjoy the episode, but it says so much. Do women claim sexuality for themselves or is it truly for the male gaze? To me I think we can, but still this is such a deep thing that could be discussed, yet the line lasted a few seconds.
“You are not her father and you are not doing her any favors by refusing to set boundaries.” Diane to Bo Jack about Sarah Lynn taking advantage of him. God finally the truth. Someone said it! This show always does a great job at not condoning behavior and giving the facts even if it goes to that dark place there is always consequences, but also a sense of hope.
“I’m at a place right now where I never need to grow as a person or rise to an occasion, because I can constantly just surround myself with fans and enablers till I can die tragically young.” -Sarah Lynn to BoJack
Highlights:
Sarah Lynn is on the news. 12 years after being on ‘Horsing Around’ Sarah released a music single about being sexy and loving sex. Cut to 12 years after that and she is no longer relevant. Instead it’s all about Sextina Aquafina who is talking about how Sarah Lynn should go to the place famous people go where no one cares if they live or die.
BoJack and Todd are at the furniture store. Todd had broken Bo Jack’s bed and these girls come up freaking out, but not about them, about Sarah Lynn and Andrew Garfield who are also in the store. Of course hurting Bo Jack’s already bruised ego. They start talking and Andrew breaks up with Sarah and she starts taking way too many pills. The little girl from the tv show has definitely grown up and her mental health has been ruined from her time on the show. Then she ends up stabbing herself. It’s in public and Andrew didn’t want her to make a scene which of course makes it bigger and she ends up taking a dump on a sofa. It’s over the top dark humor and a really sad tragedy already. Sarah Lynn’s life is already feeling so far gone.
BoJack talking to Diane about the incident with Sarah. He says after seeing her crazy reactions he checked her into rehab. Diane talks about him seeing Sarah again and he says he is more of a before rehab friend, which really tells you all you need to know about him. He’s not a good influence on anyone. Then, Sarah reappears at his door. She talks to him about not needing rehab and then snorts pills in front of him. Instead of helping her and taking her back to rehab like a good friend and role model he lets her hide out with him. He’s even excited about it. I can’t help, but think about what’s to come later. Sarah Lynn’s story is only begun.
Sarah’s subtle manipulations. Sarah knows exactly how Bo Jack is and what she means to him. She is a memory of his fame. She wants to have him there because he’ll give in to anything she wants. At this point in her life she wants drugs and to party all the time and BoJack doesn’t have the sense to stop her and get her to get clean. He enables her and she comes back to him because she knows that. He never tells her no and it sucks cause it feels like he may be the one person that could.
A mini joke. At the party Sarah throws a group of guys passes carrying boxes that saw chips dips and then chains and whips. A super subtle very easy to miss joke, but in this show there’s so much of that. It’s so nuanced and I love it.
Introducing Sarah’s dream. From little Sarah wanted to be an architect. A dream that was immediately shut down by her mom and ignored by Bo Jack. It is the hope and the line that could be used to save Sarah.
BoJack spends the day with Sarah. It seems fun and wholesome for the most part. As the sun sets Sarah tell BoJack that Herb has butt cancer which upsets him. He looks guilty and later on in the show we find out why. He ends up distracting himself and Sarah by giving her his tv award. He says he would have given that to his kid if he had one, but he wanted Sarah to have it. Then he starts singing the end credits to ‘Horsing Around’. BoJack is using Sarah too. She’s there to feed into his memories and feel like he’s on that wholesome show again. For him to feel like a good father figure, but he isn’t and he never was.
BoJack’s final straw is Sarah pawning the tv award he gave her. Only time he stops things is when his ego gets hurt. It’s not about helping her, but soothing his ego.
BoJack kisses Sarah. Not only that, but he has sex with her. They may both be adults, but that was the last thing either of them needed. They both need help and instead they turn to drugs and sex and bonds that aren’t healthy and it only unravels them both further. Todd and Diane try to give Bo Jack reason. To be true friends to him, but he doesn’t listen. Yet they stay friends anyway. Diane tells Bo Jack that he’s now taking advantage of Sarah. She has substance abuse problems and Daddy issues and he knew that and still had sex with her. Again, this show always sheds that light that this is not good for anyone. It’s not even remotely about humor, but laying out mental illness and drug and substance abuse does and how it can be so destructive to peoples lives.
End Scene: BoJack finally says he will take Sarah back to rehab and instead she leaves. She doesn’t want to grow anymore. She says that it’s already too late. As she leaves she says her new catch phrase “Suck a dick, dumb shits” and walks out the door. BoJack takes advice Diane says as it being societies fault for the tragedy of Sarah’s predicament. That he’s not to blame for any part. He holds onto that deeply because to face the truth would be to face that he isn’t a good person and that he isn’t just a victim. So he does what’s easiest and that’s even sadder.
Turns out reporters were outside and they got pictures of the two having sex. The beginning of more pain later. And so it ends.
All In All: This episode was so powerful and good just on its own. It says a lot that you could watch this episode and know so much about BoJack and one of the biggest story lines in the show just on its own. This is BoJack and Sarah Lynn and their spiral into darkness together. This is one of the most important early episodes of BoJack. Also, one of the saddest, but it still is only the beginning.
THANK YOU ALL FOR READING! Let me know your thoughts down in the comments below!
Places to donate to Trans communities:
Some BLM resources:
Link to bail funds to donate to!
Link to a video to watch if you can’t donate!
My friend started Live Streaming so check them out HERE!!
Check out my Instagram and Twitter!
Check out the Sisters of Twilight website.
The Book Raven 