BoJack Horseman: 10 Times BoJack Was The True Villain Of The Series

BoJack Horseman managed to shake up the anti-hero stereotype with a brutal, self-critical narrative. Despite its self-awareness, the equine lead of the show had a few noteworthy hang-ups which he acknowledged but refused to work on, and many times on the show he crossed the grey area to actually become the bad guy.

BoJack’s tendency to shrug off accountability and escape from his social responsibilities made him seem insensitive and even cruel. There have been countless occurrences on the show where, despite being in a position to make a positive change, BoJack has simply moved on or sought escape from a messy situation with no regard for others. In short many a time on the show, BoJack really was the villain of the story.

10 When He Sabotaged Todd’s Rock Opera

When BoJack worked towards crushing Todd’s showbiz dreams, he came across as someone really nasty since he took advantage of Todd’s past video game addiction. He had initially scoffed at the idea of Todd writing a rock opera, but he agrees to help out to make a point to Diane.

But, when he sees financiers were coming to see the opera, he maneuvers to trigger Todd’s past addiction by paying a supermarket employee and a character actor to draw Todd’s attention to a certain video game the night before his big performance so Todd would relapse.

9 When He Betrayed Herb

Herb Kazzaz was the creator of BoJack’s breakout show “Horsin Around,” and, in the nineties, he was subjected to an onslaught of hate for having a relationship with a man. Herb was about to lose his job and urged BoJack to threaten to leave if Herb was fired, which would have surely worked since BoJack was the big-ticket star of his show.

But, even after promising Herb, BoJack backs out as he chooses his success over his friendship with Herb. What Herb asked BoJack to do was simply a tactical solution, so BoJack could have easily intervened and helped Herb out

8 When He Slept With Emily

BoJack’s decision to have sex with Emily outraged fans as it crossed a clear boundary since Emily was, in a way, seeing Todd. Since Todd was asexual, there was no sexual component in his and Emily’s relationship, but they were both clearly interested to be with each other. In fact, the same night BoJack had agreed to be Todd’s wingman so he could help him out with Emily.

After Todd rejects Emily’s offer to have sex, Emily considers a fling with BoJack, but it was wrong on BoJack’s part to pursue a sexual relationship with her.

7 He Was Responsible For The Downfall Of Kelsey’s Career

BoJack was quite insensitive to her situation. She was fired from their first project together because she had listened to BoJack’s idea of filming a crucial scene at the Nixon Museum; she was eventually replaced in the movie. Since BoJack was the lead he suffered no consequences and also showed no accountability for what had happened.

In season 3 once again, Kelsey loses out on a job due to tensions between BoJack and Princess Carolyn and also due to lack of funds. Though it wasn’t his fault this time around, he simply didn’t care enough to look out for Kelsey even though he had wronged her once before. 

6 When He Purposefully Lied At The Game Show

BoJack hurt Mr. Peanutbutter’s feelings at the game show when he told him that Diane left the country for philanthropic work to get away from her awful marriage to Mr. Peanutbutter.

During the same show, BoJack agrees to play a double or nothing round. He is asked a question about the actor who starred in Harry Potter. Just to spite Daniel Radcliffe, his co-player, he purposefully gives a wrong answer, though Daniel reminds him that the money is for charity. Due to BoJack’s egotistic move, all the money which could have gone to charity was burned in front of them.

5 The New Mexico Episode

The jury’s still out on whether BoJack would have really engaged in sex with the seventeen-year-old Penny if her mother, and BoJack’s friend, Charlotte hadn’t walked in on them. BoJack had refused Penny’s advances in the past, but Charlotte finds the two in bed together, and the show never reveals BoJack’s intentions. Yet, the entire New Mexico episode was marked by BoJack’s selfishness.

He gives alcohol to an underage teen who gets alcohol poisoning, and BoJack abandons her and also shrugs off any responsibility and drives home.

4 How He Treated Bradley

Bradley was BoJack’s co-star in “Horsin’ Around,” they reunite once again at Herb’s funeral when Bradley tells BoJack that his parents got divorced as his mother had an affair with BoJack. Not only did BoJack fail to show any remorse for his past actions or apologize, but he couldn’t even remember the name of Bradley’s mother.

When Bradley begins to develop a “Horsin’ Around” sequel, BoJack shows interest. But, soon after, BoJack spots a chance to star in the “Flight of the Pegasus” trilogy, a role that could make him a bigger star, and he tries desperately to get out of Bradley’s project, but he can’t gather the courage to be upfront with him. At Todd’s new year’s party, BoJack’s agent Ana harshly tells Bradley that BoJack wasn’t interested in his sequel anymore, which hurts him, but BoJack once again escapes accountability.

3 When He Threw Beatrice’s Doll From The Balcony

A lot can be said about BoJack’s tense relationship with his mother. Beatrice made many mistakes as a parent, but, when she started living with BoJack, she had dementia and needed care. Beatrice gets attached to a doll that Hollyhocks gets her and starts treating it like her child, which annoys BoJack, possibly because she was never a loving mother to him.

During a disagreement with Beatrice, BoJack, in a fit of rage, throws the doll over his balcony, which makes Beatrice cry. This was a rather shocking moment of cruelty because not only did BoJack fail to act sensitively, but he also treated his mother with his usual resentment even though she wasn’t entirely lucid.

2 When He Fires Diane

After reading the first draft of his memoir “One Trick Pony” written by Diane, he lashes out at her for not painting him in a better light. Diane tried to explain how his vulnerability makes him more humane and also builds a better connection with his fans, but BoJack demands that Diane re-write the whole thing. It’s a potential example of why, despite everything, BoJack and Diane aren’t real friends.

When Diane leaks excerpts from the book and draws BoJack’s attention to the fact that the memoir is getting attention for being a poignant account, BoJack simply fires Diane for not listening to him. 

1 His Drug Bender With Sarah Lynn

BoJack’s drug-fueled bender with Sarah Lynn is widely deemed to be the most devastating chapter in the whole show. In season 5, BoJack leads Sarah Lynn to an alcohol and drug binge which lasts quite a few days and ends up killing Sarah Lynn. Upon finding her unresponsive, BoJack panics, and, instead of rushing her to the hospital, waits 17 minutes before calling 911 to make it look like he found Sarah Lynn after her overdose.

It is revealed that she was alive for some time and maybe could have been saved if BoJack would have acted faster. Not to mention BoJack also lied to her parents and the cops about how she died and denied any connection with her death, which was quite unethical on his part.

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