What is it about?

We follow Bob and his family trying to make ends meet with their small burger restaurant.

This cartoon is suitable for all ages and tries to give something to everyone.

Why do I like it?

Most family comedy shows display people that are very mean to each other1. Bob’s Burger, on the other side, is wholesome: showing us a loving family that stands united despite day-to-day struggles.

While the show is primarily a slice-of-life comedy, I think it shines primarily when it goes into deeper emotional moments (where its kindness works to its advantage) and when it gets slightly surrealist with its characters2 and locations3 (something sitcom can hardly budget for).

Some downsides

The first season took some time to find its rhythm, oscillating between fart jokes (a lot of fart jokes) and more adult-oriented themes. But, once the show found its voice, it became significantly more consistent.

Some plots are fairly weak, the B-plot can sometimes save an episode4 but there are definitely weak episodes that can be safely skipped.

Notes

The writers have now produced a movie5 and a similar-ish cartoon called the Great North6.

bob's burger

  1. One just needs to remember that Homer strangling Bart is a running gag in the Simpson. ↩︎

  2. Mr. Fischoeder, a recurring character, wears a white tuxedo, a small cape and an eye patch. ↩︎

  3. You can expect secret rooms and treasure hunts once every season and those reliably make for some of the best episodes. ↩︎

  4. Episodes follow a classic A-plot / B-plot structure. ↩︎

  5. The movie is okay. Not as good as some of the best episodes but it has some great animation and demonstrates a clear understanding of what makes the show good. ↩︎

  6. I would recommend it to fans of the original show who are looking for more content in a similar vein. ↩︎