Published by Mason Oldridge, 30 January 2024
CONTAINS SPOILERS!
Bob’s Burgers has quickly risen up the ranks to join the likes of The Simpsons and Family Guy as part of Fox’s core Animation Domination programming block. However, where the others focus on a family full of squabbling and abuse towards each other, Bob’s Burgers breaks the mould with a more loving and caring dynamic… and proves it is still a winning formula.
So how do The Belchers differ from The Simpsons and The Griffins? Homer Simpson is famous for the numerous occasions he has strangled his misbehaving son Bart and Meg Griffin is the primary butt of the jokes in the Griffin household, often at the hands of dad Peter with his trademark “shut up, Meg”. This trope might be outdated and overused in The Simpsons, Family Guy’s more deadpan approach keeps it funnier, though it is refreshing to see an animated sitcom succeed with an added layer of healthy relationships. Bob and Linda are happy, or at least content, in their marriage and storylines never really focus on any marital strain. It is apparent how much the parents care for their children Tina, Gene and Louise too; notably in the double-length Christmas episode The Bleakening. Upon discovering the kids have snook out on Christmas Eve, Bob and Linda are up and out to ensure their safety. However, the pinnacle of these healthy relationships is how the kids all get along with each other. Siblings fight and argue at the best of times in real life, and while this bickering is included in the show, what shines through is the love they ultimately have for each other. The kids often embark on adventures together, generally with a shared aim rather than pitted against each other. In A Fish Called Tina, Louise makes a touching speech about how much Tina means to her and Gene as a big sister, which she does as a distraction to allow Tina to escape from an embarrassing situation. In Drumforgiven, Louise exacts revenge on a music store owner who bans Gene from playing with a keyboard for sale, admitting her anger is because someone hurt her brother. In The Plight Before Christmas, Tina abandons her performance in a play to attend Louise’s poetry contest, in which Louise reads out her poem about her family. It can also be argued the show is family-centric as they all work at the restaurant where Bob is a third-generation restaurateur. He may have had his differences with his father in the past but Bob’s Burgers is nonetheless a family business that gives it that personal touch.
The show also succeeds due to the unique personalities that each family member individually possesses too. Bob talks in a rather monotone voice which makes his angry outbursts all the more funny. This is usually caused by frustration with Teddy over some nonsensical topic or due to his rivalry with the owner of the pizza restaurant across the road Jimmy Pesto. Also, his passion for food can see him be overly caring at times, whether freaking out over a Thanksgiving turkey or whispering to his food and mimicking conversation. His wife Linda is an enthusiastic optimist who often sings about whatever is going on, with her bizarre remarks often rendering Bob stunned. Eldest child Tina is a socially awkward teen whose puberty-fuelled obsession with boys is hilarious. She probably has the strongest moral compass of the kids, leaving her uncomfortable in many situations, resulting in her iconic anxious groan and panting-like heavy breathing pattern. Middle child Gene loves music, often seen playing with the sound effects on his keyboard, and often states jokes or puns about what is being discussed. Youngest child Louise is feisty, mischievous and likes to rebel against the system. Many of the kids’ antics are masterminded and led by her, though behind her hard outgoing exterior is a soft, kindhearted centre. Louise’s appearance is defined by her pink bunny ears which she refuses to take off, reflecting her stubborn personality.
Despite this, the setting too plays a key part in the show: the fictitious, coastal town of Seymour’s Bay. The restaurant is situated on a high street with the Wonder Wharf amusement pier at the end of the road, an attraction often frequented by the kids. The family live in their cosy flat above the restaurant, with many scenes taking place both up and down. In addition to these locations, the kids are often at Wagstaff, the school they attend, where they have encounters with their eccentric teachers, mainly the guidance counsellor Mr Frond. Animation is one of the strongest tools for providing escapism, as it can offer up a fantasy land that live action just can’t replicate in the same way, and this series serves up a fictional world that viewers can enjoy visiting without leaving their own homes.
Arguably the most important element of an animated sitcom is the comedy and Bob’s Burgers definitely delivers the laughs. Funniest moments include Bob teaching Tina how to drive with disastrous results, Gene forgetting the name of the restaurant at a big advertising opportunity and Teddy thinking that Bob’s surname was Burgers.
Overall, Bob’s Burgers delivers on comedy, setting and characters but above all it opts to showcase a loving and caring family as opposed to the usual formula used for TV families, creating a much more wholesome show with more of a reliance on story rather than gags. In the words of Tina trying to be spicy: see you soon, bitch!