Liam Hoofe reviews the ninth episode of BoJack Horseman season 4…
Princess Carolyn and Ralph have been a shining beacon of hope for the show in season 4. Their battle to have a baby, despite Princess Carolyn’s difficulties having children and their love for each other in the face of diversity and prejudice has given us hope that perhaps, just perhaps, someone in BoJack could have a happy ending.
The episode here begins with a look into the future. Princess Carolyn’s great-great-granddaughter, Ruthie, is giving a talk to her classmates about her family history, and in particular, the worst day of Princess Carolyn’s life. It’s an interesting narrative device for BoJack – one that effectively tells us that, despite all the grief that is going to come, Princess Carolyn will get through it, and not only that, she will definitely have a child. It fills us with hope and gives us something to look forward to, something the show rarely does so blatantly.
The use of Ruthie as a framing device for the episode also makes Carolyn’s day easier to stomach. She loses her job, is betrayed by the one person at work that can she trust, and then finds out she has lost another baby. The subject of miscarrying is an extremely sensitive one, and BoJack handles it very well here. The effect it has on Princess Carolyn is difficult to watch, but it feels like a genuine reaction.
But there is still hope. Just when things begin to get really dark, Ruthie is interrupted by her teacher and she reassures us that is all going to have a happy ending.
It then cuts to Ralph and Carolyn meeting for dinner. Thanks to Ruthie’s words, we assume things are going to go well, but that is not the case. Princess Carolyn cannot deal with her miscarriage and Ralph’s support is simply not enough for her. It’s a horrible scene to watch – that horrible feeling of loneliness when you are surrounded by the ones you love is perhaps the darkest of all and that is clearly how Carolyn feels here. Then, Ralph leaves and Carolyn goes back to her office to drink, and cry.
She then rings BoJack and that’s when the episode’s stinger comes. ‘You know what I do when I have a really bad, awful, terrible day? I imagine my great-great-granddaughter in the future talking to her class about me. She’s poised and funny and tells people about me and how everything worked out in the end’.
My stomach dropped. How did I not see that coming? BoJack did it once again here, delivering a killer blow that wiped the floor with me. It’s always been the hope that kills you with this show, but never before have they been so cruel about it. Ruthie is the season’s best episode yet, and it’s also the darkest. It’s storytelling at its most honest, and those final few moments feel like a sledgehammer has hit you in the gut. Brace yourself guys, because things are probably going to get worse from here on out. Why do I do this to myself?
What did you think of ‘Ruthie’? Let us know in the comments below, and let Liam know on Twitter, here- @liamhoofe
