While the Netflix original show Bojack Horseman might seem like your classic adult animated sitcom on the surface, the show delves into a variety of dark subject matter including depression, the cycle of toxic relationships, and generational trauma. The show’s creators balance the conflicting genres of comedy and drama by incorporating the philosophy of existentialism into its narratives. Existentialism was created by the French theorist Jean-Paul Sartre, who defined the theory as the belief that each individual is responsible for creating purpose and meaning in their own life. The season three episode of Bojack Horseman entitled “Fish Out of Water” exemplifies this theory through the narrative arc of the show’s titular character, Bojack, as he undergoes a journey of acknowledging and accepting his own radical freedom.
Radical freedom is an integral concept of existentialist philosophy and is based on the Sartrean idea of existence preceding essence, meaning that human beings are free to define themselves based upon their choices and actions. Sartre adamantly rejects the idea that individuals are defined by a fixed human nature, or “essence,” instead arguing that humans are given “radical freedom” to define themselves based upon their own actions. While radical freedom can be enlightening in its philosophy, it can also evoke a deep sense of anxiety and fear, demonstrated by the concept of “bad faith.” Individuals with bad faith act as if they are not free to make their own choices. Instead, they deny their responsibility by attributing their choices to external factors and social norms.
Bojack Horseman clearly exemplifies a man stuck in the cycle of bad faith. Throughout the show, Bojack consistently makes self-indulgent and reckless decisions, only feeling remorse when he is forced to own up to the consequences. He engages in toxic cycles of drug and alcohol abuse subsequently choosing to blame his terrible decisions on his intoxication. While Bojack is a victim of child abuse and generational trauma, he never makes the active decision to deal with its consequences. Instead, he chooses to further his cycle of drug abuse rather than attend a therapy session. As Sartre emphasizes in his definition of bad faith, Bojack uses the generational cycle of physical and mental abuse as a justification for his own self masochism, trapping himself in a continuous cycle of bad faith. Bojack chooses to blame his unhappiness on his addictions and past trauma rather than accepting the idea that he is responsible for his own happiness. Bojack never takes the steps to fully realize his radical freedom, until he is forced to do so in the season three episode, “Fish Out of Water.”
Water is a prominent motif throughout Bojack Horseman and stands as a clear metaphor for Bojack’s radical freedom throughout the show. “Fish Out of Water” is an unusual episode of Bojack Horseman, shifting the show’s usual setting from the fictional town of Hollywoo to the underwater world of Pacific Ocean City. Nearly all of the episode’s dialogue occurs in the first minute and a half, when Bojack loudly complains of his distaste for water and his fear of being submerged in it. Bojack views water as a terrifying and oppressive force, which is clearly demonstrated in his unwillingness to attend the underwater film festival. His apprehension for water is evident in the title sequence, with Bojack falling backward into his pool as the show’s eerily depressing theme song plays in the background.
Bojack’s unwillingness to submerge into the water parallels Sarte’s discussion of the anxiety of radical freedom, demonstrating his unwillingness to accept responsibility for his life choices. In his essay “Existentialism is Humanism,” Sartre argues that humans feel a deep sense of anguish when accepting their radical freedom, because in doing so, they are forced to grapple with a world in which they are entirely responsible for their own morality and happiness. Bojack often finds himself submerged and overcome by water and feels as though it is moments away from pulling him down into its unforgiving depths. Bojack is deeply scared of the unknown and being placed in a world where he can no longer fall upon similar patterns to justify his behavior, thus necessitating a break in his cycle of bad faith. Ultimately, Bojack is forced to overcome his fear as he finds himself alone at the bottom of the ocean, unable to communicate due to the language barrier in “Fish Out of Water.”
Fully submerged, Bojack can no longer fall upon his usual crutches of alcohol, nicotine, and even his own voice, making him completely at the mercy of the water. Through a series of misadventures, Bojack finds himself taking care of a baby seahorse who has been separated from his father. While the Bojack above land would have disregarded the baby or been unable to care for him due to his substance abuse, underwater Bojack finds himself helping and growing a sincere attachment to the child, taking care of him as they search for his father. Here is the first sign of Bojack actively breaking out his cycle of bad faith and embracing his radical freedom, as he is consciously making the decisions to help someone other than himself, thus allowing his authentic self to shine through. However, not until the final five minutes of the episode does Bojack truly begin to move toward acceptance. After locating the baby’s father as an employee in a taffy factory, Bojack causes a series of mishaps trying to reunite the two, ending with him cornered on the ledge of the precariously high taffy factory. As the ledge slowly begins to crumble Bojack is overcome with uncertainty, still afraid of truly accepting the radical freedom the water represents. But the ledge breaks anyway, and despite his fears that the water will drag him down, Bojack realizes he can float. Bojack’s realization parallels Sartre’s argument that enlightenment comes with the acceptance of radical freedom. He argues that embracing existential freedom allows humans to live authentically and to create their own meaning in a meaningless world through their individual actions. By embracing radical freedom, Bojack accepts the uncertainty of water and realizes that it possesses a form of freedom that allows him to find true gratification and happiness for the first time in his life.
However, the episode does not end on this uplifting moment. Instead, the viewer moves back to the hotel where the film festival Bojack was supposed to attend has ended, and for the first time in the episode, Bojack interacts with people other than the baby seahorse. In this scene, Bojack begins to revert to the character we once knew, finding ways to indulge in alcohol and nicotine. There is a deep sense of disappointment here. The audience has watched Bojack, over the duration of twenty-one minutes, embrace a form of freedom and acceptance he has denied himself from for three seasons, only to fall back into the same pattern of bad faith almost immediately. While many have interpreted the scene as the show critiquing existential philosophy, as it seems to suggest that Bojack can never fall out of his cycle of selfishness and substance abuse, a deeper existential meaning lies under the surface. The show argues that the acceptance of radical freedom is not merely enough, instead, you must dedicate yourself to it, actively reflecting the person that you want to be through your actions. Radical freedom is inherently intertwined with responsibility, accepting one’s freedom is only the beginning, but in order not to succumb to bad faith, you must continuously work to emulate the person you truly want to be. As the show claims in its season finale, “‘It gets easier. Every day it gets a little easier. But you gotta do it every day. That’s the hard part.’” The show embraces the Sartre’s ideas of existentialism and modifies it, showing the enlightenment that comes from accepting your own radical freedom, while also demonstrating the effort required to take responsibility for your own happiness.