[Premium Access] Bojack Horseman - 4x11 Time's Arrow - Group Reaction

her dad never allowed her to eat ice cream

Burooj Ahanger

Three takeways: 1. Joseph Sugarman was incredibly cruel about it, but burning her possessions was something that had to be done because scarlet fever is super contagious. It's just how that sort of thing was treated back then (see The Velveteen Rabbit) But again, he was cruel in how he did it. 2. The cycle of suffering and abuse is passed from generation to generation, and at this point I think we're all well-acquainted with how those wounds have manifested. But this episode is an important moment of growth for BoJack. He has every reason to hate his mother for what she did to him and to Hollyhock but even without the extra knowledge that we have about her life, in the end he chooses to comfort her with a lie. I don't know if the BoJack of season 1 would have done that. 3. Just as important, Beatrice chooses to lie to him too. Remember that Beatrice wasn't allowed to have ice cream growing up and I think her hesitation in answering BoJack implies that she never did end up having any. She doesn't know what it tastes like, but instead she chooses to go along with him, assuring him that the ice cream is, indeed, delicious.

Alex

Very good point.. Even after Bojack's dad took the 6 figure salary job they both made no attempt to actually 'parent' Bojack. Beatrice saying things like "Go play outside" in that very quick montage where they are getting new furniture, Bojack's dad ignoring him when he says he is forming full sentences... It's a tragic situation to see played out and even more sad to know that there are plenty of families out there where this exact situation is playing out.

The Normies

..... hey guys, remember Mr. PB and the ski race guys.... and not the fucking horror movie of pain we inherit from our parents that we never realize we have... and the puns...

The people who are raised by terrible parents/terrible environments and suffer, but are able to find a way to make peace with their troubled pasts and live happy lives are heroes in my opinion. Everyone by varying degrees are affected by their past in negative ways, it's up to each individual to break the cycle of pain and hate and try to have a positive impact on the world whether it be by raising a happy family or helping others/animals in need.

Neil Patel

ours too. that was...some episode.

The Normies

Hurt people hurt people damn

Antonio Bacon

The funny thing, seeing the reaction to the "old timey male/female relationship" it makes me so happy that i know they will react to Attack on titan next year ^^ that is going to flip their world view on so many subejct. gotta love it.

Hængeklumpen

Theory: on some level Bea recognized Hollyhock was the same horse-girl she gave up for adoption years before: when Boj & Holly first go to the nursing home, Bea says "Oh, it's you," to Hollyhock, and then immediately starts calling Bojack "Henrietta" all season and refers to Hollyhock as "the girl." She is kind to Hollyhock and harsh to Bojack/"Henrietta". At Bojack's house, he throws Bea's baby doll out the window, echoing her childhood doll going in the fire and triggering all her trauma around motherhood and family. When she starts putting the same generational trauma on Hollyhock with the laced coffee it's the end of the line, but throughout the season Beatrice is healing her own sense of guilt by mothering the very child she split from its real mom and gave away. Of the 3 members of the Horseman household, she's simultaneously the least and most aware of the reality of the living situation all season long

T.Benz

I think this episode show a cold true, that most people can’t escape from their raising I mean in TV, movies, etc we always see persons with a bad childhood who grow up to be better, like a molested kid that become a pedophile hunter cop, and yes those cases are real, can happen and are excellent role models, but unfortunately they are a minority, in most people cases is like Beatrice, you had shitty parenting and you become shitty with your kids who become shitty like Bojack Sure the Sugarman-Horseman family took the shitty part to the extreme, but my point is most of us carry crap from our parents or raising and can’t escape from that, even is not something as strong like the Sugarman-Horseman family’s If you don’t believe do this, if you are close to your 30’s or older, take a good look at yourself and ask you, how much of my behavior and ideas are truly mine and how many did i copy from my parent/raising? If you had good parents and good raising be thankful and if you don’t, well this episode shows what happens if you just get angry with the world like Beatrice

Nicolas Salazar

Beatrice had it rough. I can see the vicious cycle of abuse, since she treated Bojack just as badly as her father did to her. Bojack's dad was shitty, but I don't think what he did excuses what Beatrice did to be honest. I hope this doesn't come off as me trying to excuse Bojack's dad, but the flashbacks to me painted both parents as equally at fault for their shitty situation. For example Bojack's dad finally took the job after years, but it still didn't fix things for them, highlighting that even in a more comfortable life style that these two were just incompatible and still took out their frustrations on their son.To me they were both irresponsible people who resented and blamed each other for ruining their life and thus took it out on each other and their son. I can sympathize with Beatrice more, since we got to see her story, more than Bojack's dad, but I kind of feel like the episode showed they were both bad, naïve, and more or less human who made bad choices and they blamed everyone except themselves for their bad life decisions, and took out on Bojack, who both said he ruined their lives with Beatrice going the extra mile of saying he wasn't worth it. I sympathize with her way more than I did in the first three seasons when we met her, but I also feel like she still at fault for how she treated Bojack still. I still feel Bojack is justified in disliking his mother and putting her in that home. Like I don't want to say Bojack's dad being shitty excuses her from all the blame in how Bojack turned out. She is like Bojack where I can sympathize with her and can understand how she turned out to be the way she is, but still feel she ultimately at fault for what she has done and can or could have been better.

Jjop017

Well this was a great way to start my morning.

Fighting Wombat