Okay. So, look. I understand why Penny was traumatized regarding what happened with Bojack. I get that. I also understand there is a small percentage of people who say things like, for lack of a better way of illustrating this, what happened “wasn’t that bad” or “wasn’t 100% Bojack’s fault,” etc. Okay. For anyone who comments here, let’s hear each other out. I get the arguments. This isn’t one, but:
So I’m doing a millionth rewatch and Paige is stalking Penny to get her story; she and Max are in Penny and Charlotte’s home. Anyway, at one point, Penny says:
“Wait, do you think Bojack… got Sarah Lynn drunk?!” then immediately says to her mom, “I’m NOT a kid, okay!?”
I feel like perhaps this was the show telling us precisely how much of a child Penny still was, even in her very early 20s? Because it is so naive to be dumbfounded or even the slightest bit surprised about Sarah Lynn choosing to get drunk. Of course, it’s immediately followed by trying to prove to the parent that they aren’t a kid-- this is something usually done by kids.
It also reminds me of how, when watching that fateful episode (escape LA), I was thinking Penny acted so much younger than I remember being at that age. My circumstances were different. But, I kind of feel like the show is trying to tell us that Penny still hasn’t reached maturity, even having gone to college etc. She was fairly put together, but also naive and immature for her age.
Any thoughts?
Look, I don’t really have a horse in the race of “defend Bojack from the Penny incident.” It’s not a zero-sum situation. Both parties are clearly wrong, and Bojack being wrong does not in any way absolve Penny, because the nature of Penny’s wrongfulness goes a step beyond just “teen soliciting sex from an adult.” Penny’s wrongfulness is “Sober adult soliciting sex from a drunk man.” Doesn’t matter if Penny is immature, that is the mistake she is making. Bojack’s wrongdoing is less interesting to me because it’s been thoroughly mapped out. The small percentage of people who defend Bojack are eclipsed by the percentage of people who act like his wrongdoing absolves Penny. It doesn’t.
Aaanyway, to answer your question, yes, I completely agree. I wonder to what extent Charlotte and Kyle sheltered their kids. Or perhaps it was just the peaceful Tesuque environment, and when Bojack brought the Hollywoo with him it tested Penny’s level of adult maturity. I need to rewatch the episode. It’s been a while. I do not recall the degree to which Bojack’s behavior may have conditioned Penny over the course of his stay with Charlotte. I don’t think he had any intention of grooming Penny, so I won’t use that word to describe it, but he clearly had an effect on her in one form or another.