Final season of ‘Bojack Horseman’ takes poignant, contemplative turn

A horse in a suit and a woman sit on a rooftop gazing up at the stars. To most people, this will be meaningless, but to fans of the animated series “Bojack Horseman,” it is the poignant final image of a show that is simultaneously a hilarious Hollywood satire and a contemplative, emotionally complex drama. Released Jan. 31 on Netflix, Part 2 of the final season brings closure to the stories of its human (and animal) characters with grace and humor. 

The protagonist, BoJack Horseman, is a humanoid horse living in an alternate version of present-day Los Angeles populated by humans, animals and hybrids of the two. Once the star of a popular ’90s sitcom, BoJack has since fallen into alcoholism and drug abuse. 

The final season begins with BoJack teaching an acting class at a university. After five seasons of denying his mistakes, falling into depression and lapsing back into abusive cycles, we finally get the sense that BoJack is going to turn his life around. 

As the season progresses, his dark past comes back to bite him, and though he eventually finds some kind of inner peace, he will first go through one of his most harrowing breakdowns yet in the “The View From Halfway Down,” an expressively animated episode that deals with his existential fear of death. 

This final season feels mellower and more resolute than previous ones. In many places, it trades laughs for dramatic character development. But this slight change in tone helps ground the sincerity of the ending. The series finale, “Nice While It Lasted,” provides a bittersweet conclusion, bringing the characters together one last time for a wistful send-off. In that final scene, BoJack and his friend Diane sit on a rooftop and ponder the nature of life, exemplifying the ability of “Bojack Horseman” to turn the surreal escapades of animated cats and horses into a serious study of how to lead a good life.