When you first begin watching Bojack Horseman, it appears to be a comedy with dark aspects presented in the form of a crudely animated adult cartoon. The show is set in a bizarre version of Los Angeles filled with anthropomorphized animals and humans.
However, the show is much more than that. It is wide a canvass depicting cruel truths about love, loss, careers, happiness, the human psyche and generally life. The inner struggles faced by all characters present a brutally honest melancholic truth about adult life, possibly something to expect once the “bubble” of University bursts.
It is no secret that for our generation, life post graduation is difficult. Routines and structure that previously were intrinsic to the last three or four years of your life are taken away suddenly, with no warning. University allows you to excel in an academic environment, and craft and curate your identity. Yet many graduates return home to feelings of isolation, an extremely competitive job market and a nihilistic sense that the previous years were a waste. Essentially, post graduate life is filled with uncertainty.
Post graduate emotional distress is real, and something students are under-prepared for. Adult life can elicit feelings of loneliness with many graduates being miles even continents away from their closest friends. This results in these thoughts being very difficult to let out.
This is where television can help. With the recent release of shows that present a ham fisted attitude to mental health issues, Bojack Horseman is a diamond in the rough.
All the characters possess deep emotions and speak openly about their feelings, in a poignant and often miserable manner. Sensitive issues such as parental abuse, mental health, depression and the desire for a meaning in life are discussed in a respectful and illuminating way that I personally have not seen another show do.
A key component of the show is the truths it presents. As a recent graduate who has experienced a loss of meaning in life, I found the show incredibly important. It presented many truths I was unwilling to believe, and most notably presented realistic characters I could relate to. Characters who also were feeling a sense of loss in the universe, a sense of no direction in life.
By seeing how the characters’ deal with the emptiness life can contain, it makes the audience feel less alone. It made me feel less alone in the world, and that everything will get better.
Crucially, it made me realise I was not alone in thinking these thoughts.
At a time in life riddled with uncertainty, it is important to not feel alone in your thoughts. This is why I not only think Bojack Horseman is an excellent show, but also is incredibly helpful in dealing with the anhedonic feelings many will experience post graduation.
I will leave you with a quote that struck a chord with me.
“It gets easier everyday. It gets a little easier, but you have to do it everyday. That’s the hard part.”
Photo Credit
Photo is Pexels creative commons
Guest Author Bio
Lily Quarton-Parsons
I am currently studying my Masters degree in London, studying Anthropology. I have a keen interest in music and film, and focus on using these two art forms to improve my mental and spiritual wellbeing. I also love travelling and feel this helps improve my soul.
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