What The BoJack Horseman Season 6 Trailer Teases About The Series' Ending
All things must eventually come to an end... perhaps even the perpetual misery of BoJack Horseman.
Netflix has released the trailer for the sixth and final season of the acclaimed animated series, which will be broken into two parts. The trailer teases that, contrary to everything we know about the washed-up, alcoholic BoJack, he might actually be capable of getting his life in order — and that, thanks to a long overdue stint in rehab, there may finally be sunny days ahead for the former star of '90s sitcom Horsin' Around.
The spot is centered on a letter BoJack (Will Arnett) is writing to his friend Diane Nguyen (Alison Brie) from rehab, and his disposition as he narrates the bulk of it may be shocking to fans of the series, who have seen the hapless man-horse pushed into progressively darker places with each season. Throughout it all — his towering and well-deserved insecurity over his Oscar win, his fumbling attempted seduction of the young daughter of a longtime friend, his borderline complicity in the death by overdose of his former co-star Sarah Lynn, and so much more — the show has always carefully parceled out nuggets of hope that the darkness might someday abate for BoJack, and this new spot is the strongest indication yet that with this final season, it will make good on that promise.
The spot opens with what is presumably BoJack's peaceful view from rehab, and we hear his voiceover narrating his letter as portions of it are occasionally scrawled across the screen. "Dear Diane," he begins, "Hello! This is a letter."
This is about as eloquent an opening as we would expect from a guy... er, horse who is known for overthinking his words just a little, but BoJack picks up steam as he rolls along. "Rehab is making me write a letter to a friend, because I guess letter writing is therapeutic," he continues, and the tone of his narration has us dying with curiosity as to whether there was a question mark at the end of that sentence in his letter. He then deadpans: "I hear it did wonders for the Zodiac Killer."
We see BoJack watering plants, doing yoga, and generally taking it easy as he continues, "Anyway, rehab's going fine" — but of course, a quick gag before the title card reassures us that this isn't exactly accurate. We then check in with Princess Carolyn (Amy Sedaris), BoJack's former agent and occasional lifeline, as she adjusts to life with her adopted daughter. "I'm a strong, independent woman, doing it all," her voiceover insists. "I haven't even had a spare minute to think of a name!" We then see that she's talking to Diane, who comforts her with, "Don't worry about it. My parents didn't name me until I was 4, and I turned out great, right?" Princess Caroline, with her silence, basically pleads the Fifth.
We then see BoJack taking a but of a turn for the worse, as he continues his letter with "Today sucks," which is then quickly scribbled out. "The story of my life is that I never get anything nice," he intones, as he regards the universe in a water bottle and takes a forlorn drag on a cigarette. "You'd think I'd learn to adjust my expectations by now. Anyway, what's new with you?" We see Diane reading his letter, looking puzzled, before BoJack delivers the punch line: "Just kidding, you can't say anything, this is a letter."
There's a strange and brief shot of the streets in apparent chaos and random citizens wandering around in a panic, which we have a feeling will end up being central to the final season's story somehow. We then see Diane talking with an unseen party in a diner, rattling off what could just as well be a response to BoJack's question. "I'm doing great," she says. "Our videos are making a difference!" (We get a quick screen shot of Diane reporting on "Rings & RIngworm" for Girl Croosh.)
We see that Todd (Aaron Paul) is wrapped up with somebody named "Jorge," who has some unexpected news about his mother; then, we see Mr. Peanutbutter (Paul F. Tompkins) getting a little shocking news of his own. "I'm not a sad dog, I'm a happy dog," he says during a conversation with a heavily tattooed woman in a bar. His new friend then drops a bomb on him. "People who seem happy can actually be the most depressed," she says, and Mr. Peanutbutter reacts to this predictably: "Oh no," he says, "I seem very happy!"
A montage as BoJack wraps up his letter further teases interesting developments among the series' principals: Mr. Peanutbutter and girlfriend Pickles covering their ears during some sort of major disturbance in their home; Princess Carolyn being torn in a dozen different directions due to her parenting duties; Todd and Jorge waiting in the intensive care unit.
"I'll cut right to the chase," BoJack continues (probably after the seventh or eighth page). "Every time someone leaves rehab, it makes you think about your own progress. I bought into this idea that I was this thing that couldn't be changed... the main thing I think about is how stupid I am, that I didn't do this sooner. I wasted so many years being miserable, because I assumed that was the only way to be. I don't wanna do that anymore. Also... am I crazy, or have I gotten really good at writing letters? Your friend, BoJack. P.S.: Horseman."
Are we crazy, or is that an incredibly upbeat note for BoJack to end... well, anything on? Well, there are certainly a couple of odd and foreboding elements in this spot — not the least of which is, if we're guessing correctly, a tease of a major earthquake that happens at some point — that indicate it won't be all sunshine and roses for BoJack when he gets out of rehab. But season 6 looks to be giving the old horse something no previous season has: hope, and perhaps a chance for some lasting peace.
Season 6 of BoJack Horseman will consist of 16 episodes, which will be released on Netflix in two parts of eight episodes each. (via IndieWire) Part 1 will drop on October 25, while Part 2 will follow on January 31 of next year. It'll be tough to say goodbye to one of the very best shows on television, but BoJack has improbably gotten better and better over its entire run, and we have no doubt that it'll continue to, right up until the very last episode.