BOJACK HORSEMAN’S TRANSCENDENTAL TRIP IN “A FISH OUT OF WATER”

November 2018

        Bojack Horseman does not sound like a show that would get deeply philosophical or introspective, but it does in almost every episode. The series is a dark, yet funny animated show on Netflix that centers around the washed-up, cynical, depressed actor, Bojack Horseman (who is a literal horse). He is most well-known for his 80’s sitcom, Horsin’ Around. Bojack is an alcoholic and has a history of destructive behavior (towards himself and others). In the particular episode titled, “Fish Out of Water” from season 3, Bojack goes underwater which is quite different from his normal residency in southern California (within the world of Bojack, it is called Hollywoo). Ralph Waldo Emerson’s transcendentalist piece Nature talks about the freedom of nature and its boundlessness. Emerson’s ideas of how humanity interacts with nature are all shown in this specific episode. Bojack being in a new and different space, his lack of conventional communication with others, and the bond that forms after he gets stuck with a baby seahorse all contribute to his break in habits from his usual society.

        Bojack has to go underwater to promote his new film that may change his career. It has the potential to make him a serious actor and to gain respect from his peers. Instantly, he is forced into a helmet so he can breathe. But the audience can no longer hear him talk and he cannot hear what others are saying. He’s isolated. As soon as he gets to his hotel, he tries to drink out of his flask and smoke a cigarette, but he cannot. He has this physical barrier, and his compulsions that are inherently linked to his celebrity and his image aren’t accessible. Emerson notes how important it is for someone to leave their societal space, to truly encounter nature and to have a full transcendental experience. He invites people to do so. “To go into solitude, a man needs to retire as much from his chamber as from society” (Emerson 5). Even though Bojack is still in a civilized world, it is totally unfamiliar.