Ep 12. That Went Well

After a tumultuous season, BoJack Horseman returns for its third season finale with "That Went Well." With only one episode left in the season, the show delves deeper into its characters, their motivations, and their choices.

The episode opens with some of the most recognizable characters in the show - Princess Carolyn and BoJack - in a diner. Though they're nearly done with their meal, the two appear to be in the middle of a conversation, which sets the tone for the rest of the episode. As the show's executive producer, Raphael Bob-Waksberg, put it in an interview with IndieWire, "BoJack and Carolyn's friendship is the most important relationship on the show. Every time they're on screen together, it's an opportunity to show how these two characters care about each other, despite their flaws."

Throughout the episode, we see both characters dealing with the fallout of the previous season's events. For Princess Carolyn, this means struggling to keep her firm afloat amid the loss of a major client. BoJack, on the other hand, is grappling with his own demons, as he faces the consequences of his actions in the previous season's finale.

As his problems pile up, BoJack turns to drugs and alcohol as a means of escape. The show has never shied away from portraying the darker aspects of its protagonist's life, and "That Went Well" is no exception. However, the episode does take a different approach to these themes than in previous episodes.

Rather than focusing on the consequences of BoJack's actions, the episode looks at the reasons why he might behave the way he does. In an interview with The Guardian, Bob-Waksberg explained, "These characters are not just their traumas. They're not just their suffering. I think the show is about trying to acknowledge that trauma exists, while also acknowledging that there is more to people than their traumas or their past."

As the finale progresses, we see BoJack struggling to reconcile his past with his present. This leads to some of the show's most emotionally charged moments, as BoJack confronts relationships and events that have defined him. According to Bob-Waksberg, this search for self-acceptance is at the heart of the show: "I think BoJack is kind of a way of working through my own anxiety and depression and issues of feeling like a fraud and feeling like I don't deserve success or happiness."

While BoJack's struggles are at the forefront of the episode, "That Went Well" also takes time to explore the other characters that make up the show's world. Todd, Mr. Peanutbutter, and Diane all get their own storylines in the final episode, which serve to tie up loose ends and set up potential storylines for the next season.

Overall, "That Went Well" is a satisfying finale to a complex and thought-provoking season of television. The show's commitment to exploring the lives of its flawed characters is on full display, as the episode tackles issues of addiction, acceptance, and friendship. As the credits roll on the third season, audiences are left eagerly anticipating the next chapter in the story of BoJack Horseman.