The previous season of BoJack Horseman showed BoJack at the lowest he could possibly go. He went on a month-long drug bend with Sarah Lynn only stopping after she overdosed. With no one left, Bojack drove off into the unknown only stopping to gaze at a group of running horses leaving us in anticipation about where he would go from here.
Season 4 starts off right where it left off, with Mr. PeanutButter running for governor. Once that falls through, BoJack drove to Michigan to his grandfather’s old house looking for some sort escape. Once back in L.A., he was introduced to his alleged daughter named Hollyhock and the two try to figure out who her mother is. Along the way Bojack got trapped underground with Diane and Mr. PeanutButter, reunited with Todd and had to take care of his dying mother.
Season four sets itself apart from previous seasons is the surprising development of one of the shows most hated characters — BoJack’s mother, Beatrice Elizabeth Horseman. Viewers got to know a bit about her battle with dementia, and how, at a young age, she witnesses the mental demise of her mother in one of the show’s darkest moments yet. It’s only surpassed by the season’s climax where viewers actually went into the mind of Beatrice as we see saw how her marriage with Butterscotch came to be and who Henrietta is.
It’s through Beatrice’s story the series shows off some of its strongest writing yet. It takes such a despicable character like Beatrice and provides a backstory so captivating that it at least helps fans understand how she became such a heartless person. It also gives us a representation of memory loss so real and soul crushing that it will leave any viewer stunned as to what they just witnessed.
This season isn’t without its fair share of ridiculous shock humor that fans have come to expect from a show like BoJack Horseman. Todd had a “brilliant” idea about clown dentists. After it idea failed with all his workers somehow contracting rabies, he came up with the disturbingly hilarious idea of making a fitness routine in which runners literally run for their lives in fear of being bit by the zombies. Mr. PeanutButter’s race for governor was hilarious, especially watching his ex-girlfriends Jessica and Jessica desperately try to work with his carefree antics only for him to unwilling ruin it. It culminated with him hilariously dropping from the race randomly, and turning his ex’s into psychotic politicians who try to run for governor.
Season four of BoJack continued to push the series forward as one of Netflix’s most brutal comedies airing. While it may not be as amazing as season three, the season gave viewers some of the most complex writing, surprising twists and some of the darkest imagery in the series to date. Season four is an absolute must-watch for any BoJack Horseman fan.
Season 4 of BoJack Horseman is available for streaming on Netflix.
Rating: 4.5/5
