In co-ordination with Time to Talk Day (6 February), Dr Dieter Declercq, Lecturer in Film and Media Studies at Kent’s School of Arts, provides expert comment on how the animation of Bojack Horseman is being used to reduce the stigma of mental ill health. He said:
‘Last week, Netflix released the second half of the final season of BoJack Horseman, a series which has been widely praised for its thoughtful exploration of mental ill health. But what makes animated cartoons particularly good at capturing what it’s like to experience depression, anxiety, or worthlessness? As opposed to live-action film or TV, animation does not record the world as we see and hear it. That’s why making an animated cartoon to document a store robbery is useless as evidence in a court of law, by contrast to CCTV footage. However, because it does not record the world outside us, animation is particularly good at capturing our inner world – what we feel and experience.
‘In Bojack’s final season, the episode “Good Damage” experiments with different animation styles to reveal the inner turmoil of Diane Nguynen, a sensitive and intelligent writer, who is experiencing depression. Diane’s representation is pared down almost to a sketch, which captures her sadness and vulnerability. Bojack Horseman offers a window on experiences of mental ill health which may otherwise be inaccessible to some audiences. Likewise, the show may help people who are going through something similar to articulate their experiences to friends and family.
‘Of course, audiences may react very differently to the representation of mental ill health in Bojack Horseman. Somebody who is experiencing similar mental health issues may well find it confrontational, if not overwhelming, to see them on display in a cartoon. Nevertheless, the series uses animation to reduce the stigma around mental ill health, which by itself is invaluable.’
Dr Dieter Declercq‘s research combines methodologies from Film Studies, Media Studies and Aesthetics. He is particularly intrigued by the significance of popular media in our daily lives. Recently, he has worked on the political significance of satire, the moral value of irony in TV series and the value of comedy to our mental health.
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