Why We Keep Forgiving BoJack Horseman (Yes, Even After All That)

He’s the Star of the Show

We’ve spent six whole seasons dissecting BoJack’s messy, tragic life—more than we’ve spent wondering what our second cousin actually does for work. We know every heartbreak, every childhood wound, and every drunken spiral. And somehow, knowing his pain makes us root for him. It’s like watching someone set their house on fire and still hoping they find the extinguisher before it all burns down.

BoJack Does Try... Occasionally

Let’s be real: BoJack has the emotional intelligence of a soggy waffle most of the time. He ruins relationships, torpedoes careers, and somehow manages to make bad decisions worse. But every so often, he makes an effort—a small, pitiful, stumbling effort—to be better. And that’s enough to keep us chanting, “Maybe this time he’ll turn it around!” right before he swan-dives into another scandal. Redemption arcs, even the slow-motion train-wreck kind, are irresistible.

His Nightmare of a Childhood

BoJack’s parents make the worst PTA parents you know look like actual angels. They emotionally wreck him, neglect him, and turn him into a vessel for their own failures. Does that justify his actions? No. But it does shine a spotlight on why he’s such a chaotic disaster. Watching him wrestle with those scars feels personal—like a mirror for anyone who’s ever had to untangle the mess someone else left behind.

But, Come On… He’s a Talking Horse

At some point, we’ve got to admit: the guy’s a cartoon horse. That absurdity keeps things from feeling too real, even when the show plunges into its darkest moments. The talking-horse factor lets us laugh at the chaos without completely spiraling. But then BoJack does something truly horrible, and we’re back to squirming on the couch, whispering, “It’s just a horse… right?”

We See Ourselves in Him (and It’s Terrifying)

Here’s the truth: BoJack isn’t just a mess. He’s our mess. That self-sabotage? That fear of failing everyone you care about? That nagging little “not good enough” voice in your head? Yep, he’s got it all. We want BoJack to figure things out because, deep down, we hope we can do the same. (And if you relate to him a little too much? Therapy. Like, yesterday.)

Final Thoughts

BoJack Horseman is a walking, talking disaster wrapped in horse form, but he’s also painfully human. We forgive him because we hope—for him and for ourselves—that even the most broken people can heal. If BoJack can stumble toward something better, maybe we can too. And hey, if all else fails, at least we’re not actually cartoon horses. we can too.