Bojack Horseman, The Good Place, and the bittersweet calm of finality.

“Yeah, well, what are you gonna do? Life’s a bitch and then you die, right?”

“Sometimes. Sometimes life’s a bitch and then you keep living.”

“Yeah.”

“But it’s a nice night, huh?”

“Yeah. This is nice.”

Caution!: Spoilers for ‘Bojack Horseman’ and ‘The Good Place.’

Two of my favourite TV shows aired series finales this week: NBC’s excellent high-concept fantasy sitcom about the afterlife, ‘The Good place’ and Netflix’s acerbic animated satire about an anthropomorphic, alcoholic, celebrity horse, ‘Bojack Horseman.’ It’s the latter I own a pin of, but in all honesty, both shows are equally important to me. I’ve always given a lot of importance to works of film and television in one’s life. I hope to one day make content for film and TV, and being the overly cinematic person I am, certain shows and movies have played significant roles in shaping my outlook on the world around me. I never really saw ‘The Good Place’ and ‘Bojack Horseman’ as being alike, but as I watched the last episodes of both shows over the past weekend, there was something awfully similar in the way I felt watching them end. Rachel Sigee at the Guardian and James Poniewozik at the New York Times both did outstanding jobs in comparing the shows and their themes/characters, but there was something more personal that connected both shows for me. They entered my life in my junior year of high school and as anyone I have ever met can tell you, I have not stopped raving about them since. They were both so special. They dealt with uncommon, often dark themes, but managed to remain two of the funniest shows I have ever seen. They were escapism at its finest, both questioned what it meant to be good in a world that often feels so shitty. Yet, they managed to inspire me and many others. Whether it was offering a little bit of hope in a time of need, or just making it easier to get out of bed in the morning.  

While ‘The Good Place’ managed to be hopeful with its classic dose of creator Michael Shcur’s famous optimism, Bojack’s nihilistic and sardonic outlook also managed to open a dialogue, and oftentimes, help people.  I always found it ironic that some of the most human shows on TV were about an animated horse who used to be the star of a 90’s sitcom and a fire squid demon who leads a group of dead humans trying to learn how to be more ethical. Still, it was those very characters that I grew to love and root for. Those very characters who represented parts of me and helped me grow and become who I am. Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell) and Bojack Horseman (Will Arnett), were terrible, damaged characters. For the past five years, I watched both characters evolve into different version of themselves. Bojack struggled and the show never once let him use his unfortunate upbringing and previous trauma as an excuse. He was not a good person a lot of the time, and he got his reckoning. Yet, we also saw a side of this character that was never represented in TV comedies before. A vulnerable, broken being, struggling with the weight of who he was. So often I just sat and stared at my distorted reflection in my screen trying to process what had just happened after an episode ended. It was a dark show, but it helped me understand so, so much. It taught me to believe. To push to be the best version of myself, even when it feels like I can’t be. Like I said, The Good Place was different. Its themes were broader. The stakes were larger, but it still showed us what we could be. An ideal afterlife. It questioned the very truths of the universe, and made us laugh while doing so. It, much like Bojack, impacted me. It furthered my optimism. It allowed me to continue to keep believing. To keep looking for the magic.

The thing that truly connects these shows in my mind forever though, is how I felt watching them end. I watched both endings alone, in my bed, wearing my pyjamas. There was no viewing party, no fanfare, just me and my laptop. As the credits rolled on both shows for the last time, it was bittersweet. In their song ‘Netflix trip,’ AJR sings: “Who I am is in these episodes, so don’t you tell me that it’s just a show.” ‘Bojack Horseman’ and ‘The Good Place’ were far more than just shows. So, while I loved having resolution for these characters, of course it was sad to know that this was their ending. Yet, what surprised me the most, was the feeling of calm I felt in the finality of everything. As I sat and watched Michael finally experience joy as a human and Bojack Horseman and Diane Nguyen sit in silence as Catherine Feeny’s soothing vocals played in the background, there was a feeling of stillness, like this felt right. I was meant to watch these shows. They entered my life when I needed them and they’re always going to be there to inspire me to do better, despite all my flaws and mistakes. They ended perfectly, the story was over, the circle was complete. I sat on my bed content. Not to be too dramatic, but it felt like time slowed down and for those few moments I was in my trance of tranquility. A calmness in the finality. Like Bojack said, “this is nice.” 

 So, this brings me to the pin. The pin is made of soft enamel. It’s gorgeously crafted, with high quality paint and different textures. It was made by Little Seeker pins on etsy and it was a gift from my ex-girlfriend. We both loved the show and it became something we loved watching together. It’s special to me, just like Bojack. The ending of our relationship was sad, as endings often are, but I have no regrets about the time we shared. Looking back now, there is a sense of calm to the finality of it all. Many things are ending in 2020, but that also means many things are beginning. I wear this pin with nostalgia, reminiscing about an earlier time, but prepared. I’m ready for whatever comes next. 

Just for fun: Here is a picture of me dressed as Bojack Horseman for Halloween.