3x10 It's You

8.3/10. Man, Todd's speech at the end, huh? This is a show full of devastating lines big and small, but that was a major one. BoJack has already been laid low by the knife-twisting reveal that he was not, in fact, nominated for an Oscar, and in the throes of this, when BoJack's desperate for a friend and for support, Todd lays all of BoJack's problems, all of his failures, at his own feet. Todd's point, that BoJack can't keep doing terrible things and then feeling bad about them as though that makes it better, is as accurate and impactful as it is heart-wrenching for BoJack to hear.

But it's not all doom and gloom! The bit about Todd and Mr. Peanutbutter chasing after Mr. PB's phone and then trying to make up the Oscar nominees themselves after they lose the envelope was delightful. The phone-chase was some easy but amusing physical comedy, and the Oscar bits were chuckle-worthy, especially the names on the whiteboard (my favorites were "Tom Hardy (who is a cat)" and "Jennifer Jason Lawrence." Oh, and the Jimmy Fallon callback/swerve was inspired!

I also like how this episode continues the idea that BoJack has alienated everyone in his life. In his post-nomination hubris, he tells off Dianne. He's already broken ties with Princess Carolyn. He can't get a hold of Ana Spanakopita. And he ruins things with Todd to boot. So when he hits the realization that he is not, in fact, one of the "special" people, he has no one to turn to. That's a really interesting, meaningfully dark place to take the show, and I appreciate its boldness there.

Overall, a consequential episode that is full of the raw-nerved truth this show can muster, but also some solid comedy as well.

BRUTALLY HONEST.

BoJack's gotten an Oscar nomination! But he doesn't feel any different. But after some words from Ana, he decides to hold a party because he deserves it! Diane comes around, gets in another fight with BoJack, before Mr Peanutbutter arrives to give BoJack the good and the bad news.

Then the episode time jumps back to a week. Mr Peanutbutter's on the phone with his brother, and can't stop worrying about him. But in the middle of this crisis, he gets an offer to announce the Oscar award nominations. And on the day, he and Todd loses the nomination envelope and have to make it up on the spot.

When Mr Peanutbutter considers BoJack, Todd doesn't want him to have it.

Todd: "I guess I'm just tired of BoJack walking all over everybody and still getting everything he wants."

Mr Peanutbutter announces the nominees, gets found-out and we cut back to the present.

Mr Peanutbutter: "So, the good news is, my brother's surgery was a success. And the bad news is, you're not nominated for an Oscar."

In the end, PC fires Diane and Judah (I think?), and she finally goes on another date with that mouse. Diane's friend points out her weird fixation with BoJack. And then came the final scene.[/spoiler]

BoJack fails to contact Ana, everyone's left his house, and Todd's arrived. They talk, BoJack says Todd owes him, but Todd tells him he knows about BoJack and Emily. Then BoJack tells him what happened, and Todd's in shock. That's not at all what he thought.

BoJack: "I know I screwed up. I don't know why--"
Todd: "Oh great! Of course! Here it comes! You can't keep doing this! You can't keep doing shitty things, and then feel bad about yourself like that makes it okay! You need to be better!"
BoJack: "I know. And I'm sorry, okay? I was drunk, and there was all this pressure with the Oscar campaign. But now-- Now that it's over I--"
Todd: "No! No, BoJack, just stop. You are all the things that are wrong with you. It's not the alcohol, or the drugs, or any of the shitty things that happened to you in your career, or when you were a kid. It's you. All right? It's you. Fuck man. What else is there to say?"

We've already got a pretty eventful episode, and this isn't even the second last of the season. Many things happened, good and bad but Todd's finally had a showdown with BoJack, and he's telling it as it is. An episode about how BoJack uses his guilt to make the bad things he does feel okay and how he fetishises his sadness in doing so.