Brand New Couch

The season's first episode picks up shortly after the season one finale.[2] BoJack decides to adopt a positive life attitude, hoping to turn his life around, but it affects his job performance where he is starring in the title role of the Secretariat movie.[3][4]

The episode sets the stage for the series in new and unexpected ways. The season two premiere not only reveals more about Bojack and his insecurities but gives us our most thorough look at his mother Beatrice in the series up to that point. Showcasing the struggles and conflict between the pair of them in multiple time periods and unveiling the depths of the trauma that Beatrice had inflicted on her son (BoJack). The episode explores BoJack's inability to unpack those traumas as he navigates his first days on the set of Secretariat.

The episode opens in 1973, as a nine-year-old BoJack watches the Dick Cavett show, watching his idol get interviewed. With abusive and neglectful parents, BoJack looked to athlete and triple crown winner Secretariat for guidance.

“Don’t you stop running and don’t you ever look behind you, there’s nothing for you, behind you. All that exists is what's ahead.”

The opening shows a little bit more about BoJack's relationship with Beatrice and Butterscotch and how he is affected in his adult life. BoJack deeply internalized Secretariat's advice which is clearly reflected in his attempts to showcase a "brand new attitude" as seen in this episode. His obsession with a new attitude throughout the episode is showcased through his conversations with everyone he speaks to (even those he doesn’t normally get along with). He consistently spews meaningless toxic positivity sayings throughout the episode.

Ironically BoJack's "brand new attitude" was meant to ensure he doesn’t blow his opportunity on the Secretariat movie but ultimately does the opposite in the episode. When he is meant to portray Secretariat at his absolute lowest, darkest moment; he can't do it. BoJack was so focused on the façade of making it look like he’s happy and positive all of the time; combined with the fact that he is continually running forward and never looking back (literally) prevented him from drawing from his real-life experiences in his performance. After breaking for the day, Kelsey tries to get BoJack to reflect and really understand what it is that he sees in the character. Why did he take this role in the first place?

Throughout the episode, the show flashes scenes of BoJack going on runs while listening to a podcast titled Old Dumb Life, Brand New Attitude. Although it only spews meaningless toxic positivity, the self-help podcast actually reinforces BoJack's penchant for ignoring his history. Throughout the entire episode, Diane recognizes that this "new attitude" is not working. She attempts to talk BoJack through it, and we see brief moments where he does start to unpack some of the parts of his past that eat away at him. He panics and fantasizes about running away to Mexico and starting a new life. Which, overall, shows that this "brand new attitude" is his incapability to meaningfully grow from the past.

BoJack has reasons to run away from his past; his childhood was not happy or healthy, it was abusive. To portray this, the episode is sprinkled with scenes featuring the biggest culprit of that abuse, his mother, Beatrice. Even opening with a particularly telling scene between the pair of them. This line in particular informs BoJack's motivations over the course of the episode.

“You better grow up to be something great, to make up for all the damage you’ve done.”

Of course, BoJack grows up to be incredibly successful, jumping from a small-town comedian to a massive sitcom star on one of the most successful sitcoms on TV. We actually get to see Beatrice's reaction to this in 1988, during just the second season of Horsin’ Around, she attends a taping in L.A. As the audience around her laughs, she is silent. The pair go out for lunch afterward and BoJack fishes for validation, but he still did not meet Beatrice's standard for greatness. However, still, at this point in working on Secretariat - BoJack's perception of what will make him happy - is tied up in that validation he seeks, he sees this film as his final opportunity. Over the course of the episode, we actually see the perfect illustration of BoJack's unwillingness to grasp with his past in any meaningful way. While he’s showcasing his "brand new attitude" and putting on this façade of positivity, he is actively ignoring calls from his mother, Beatrice. He ignores her calls twice throughout the entire episode but then, as he seemingly loses all hope, listening to his self-help podcast, and wallowing in his trailer before he is meant to go back on set; he finally answers the phone.

Beatrice tells BoJack that she has read his book. In doing so, she learns his unfiltered thoughts and opinions about her. She learns the things she did to BoJack were held onto for his entire life. Although she does not apologize, or make amends she does acknowledge them. She tells him that his pain, suffering, and unhappiness are his birthright, like her, no matter what he does; he will not be happy. Even if he adopts a perfectly positive brand-new attitude. Even if he finds massive success with Secretariat. She ends the conversation with:

“You're BoJack Horseman, there's no cure for that.”

After the phone call, BoJack turns off the self-help podcast for the last time, no more "brand new attitude". He goes to set and he immediately delivers his line. In the end, Bojack does not get a "brand new attitude" he does, however, get a "Brand New Couch".

• "Brand New Couch" on Netflix
• "Brand New Couch" at IMDb