Bob's Burgers | Why It Works

It's fair to say I have something of an obsession with Bob's Burgers. I've talked about every episode on this channel already but I want to take another in depth look at what the show does well and what makes it work. Is it Bob & Linda's relationship? Is it Louise's chaotic energy? Gene's musical genius? Tina's relatability? Let's get into it.

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[KProductions]

What should I talk about next? Comment it here!

[GAJake]

It’s almost like adult shows constantly talking about sex is annoying and something like bob’s burgers is refreshing

[HaveanOreshnik]

Will never get over bob saying gene after Gene says something suspicious

[Persononyoutubeee]

The only thing I miss about the old bobs burgers is when something shocking would happen and they would quickly zoom on their faces with dramatic music

[skillet]

It’s extremely funny and clever without hurting or offending anyone. No one group is ever the butt of its jokes, the personality of the character always is. And, the characters actually slowly change and develop over the series despite it not being plot centered. They all love each other in a natural way that’s the wholesome appeal of Bob’s Burgers

[theforgetfulalchemist]

It's crazy that in the eighties and early nineties it was subversive to portray the Simpsons as dysfunctional and now showing the Belchers as chaotic but ultimately loving and meshing well is radical.

[jbcatz]

The family’s financial status definitely helps the storylines because they need to be grounded. Episodes are almost entirely set in the local community, the holiday episodes not being Simpsons style international trips but something as simple as a holiday house down the coast because that’s all the family can afford. The kids don’t have the latest technology, and find joy in each other for it. Bob uses a flip phone long after they’re out of fashion because it’s cheaper.

[blackblack]

I recently became a believer. My girlfriend introduced me to Bob’s Burgers and this video pretty much sums up how I felt about the show and why I love it. Futurama and Aqua Teen Hunger Force are my favorite adult cartoons, so this was a huge departure from what I was use to, but it’s literally the stuff like:

Bob: “Regular Sized Rudy? Why do they call you that?”

Regular-Sized Rudy: “Look at me, I’m regular.”

That has me falling out of my bed onto the wooden floor, rolling in pain. Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Futurama and Bob’s Burgers are my holy trinity of adult cartoons

[forceoffriction]

1. Family who like each other
2. Family who support each other
3. Storylines that don't chase real-world headlines, retroactively dating the episode
4. Relateable character traits that make most characters feel like actual, real people, not charicatures.
5. Family with lower socioeconomic status has a lifestyle that reflects this realistically. Linda repairs clothes and sews costumes. They drive to Florida to see Linda's parents. Their pricier choices are often offset with noted delayed restaurant repairs and the like. They are turned aside for loans, balance bouncing checks, and are often behind on rent. They feel more like real people.

[raylast]

One reason Bob and Linda are unique, aside from not being disfunctional like most sitcom-couples, is that Bob is usually the reasonable of the two. Linda is the chaotic one who‘s impulsiveness is often driving the plot. This is a reversal from the usual dynamic, but at the same time the two aren‘t mismatched at all. Bob isn‘t super-smart, he‘s just usually the one with better judgement. But he‘s also emotionally unaware, and occasionally tries too hard to get his way.

What really puts the Belchers above other sitcom families are the kids though.

[FlowerItzel]

my favorite line will forever be “is this restaurant seamen friendly?” and everyone looks at each other in silence 😂😂

[trevorswims]

One thing I like about Bob's Burgers is Tina. Most cartoons would always have the nerdy boy whose obsessed with girls and is always creepy. But in Bob's Burgers, it's a nerdy girl who's obsessed with boys (which isn't seen that often in cartoons or tv shows, and even though she has her awkward/weird moments at times, it doesn't come off as the usual nerd/geek stereotype. Yes she likes boys, fanfiction, and is somewhat of a geek, but she's her own character despite that.

[henrylivingstone]

I think one of the main reasons Bob’s Burgers is so endearing is because the audience can relate to the characters and the situations.

Unlike the simpsons or family guy, much of the storylines on Bob’s Burgers are grounded in reality albeit exaggerated. Lots of the plots are plausible and aren’t nonsensical garbage. It doesn’t have to resort to shock humor or ludicrous plots to relate to an audience.

[lazyhippie]

One thing I love about this show: the characters actually like each other! Yes, they fight occasionally, but ultimately they love each other and have each other's backs. I love how Bob and Linda are so supportive of their kids' interests and want to support them to the best of their ability, like with Tina's horse camp.

In so many other shows, Family Guy in particular, it just feels like the characters can't stand each other.

[ISBuckley]

One thing I really like is that almost all the characters feel like people you could meet in real life. Unlike other shows where everyone essentially plays one role throughout the series, everyone in Bob's Burgers has their own quirks and interests that make them stand out. We've all met someone like Bob, Teddy, Sergeant Bosco, Tina, Jen, Nat, Jimmy Pesto, or really anyone else. The family's love for each other is incredibly endearing since they almost always have each other's backs and Bob being a great father is such a welcome change to horrible father's in media

[CloudySkkye]

Still going strong after all these years It truly is my comfort show. Great Video!

[KingRioT]

Not long ago I saw somebody mentioning a Family's Guy/Simpsons/Bob's Burgers crossover and I immediately asked why. They don't mesh well with each other. Leave Bob's burgers alone, keep it pure and wholesome.

[Palmieres]

It feels like Bob's Burgers hit the mark when they decided to stay with the mundane. No one's going to space, or inheriting an absurd fortune. No one's joining the mob or running for president. It's just a bunch of small, plausible stories that focus on normal life. I think we need more of that, and like you mentioned, a little bit more of a sense of community. I feel like our cynicism is being brewed in the distance growing between all of us, distances growing in large buildings and soulless neighborhoods where people don't know, talk to or care about each other. And yes, the fact that almost no one is mean-spirited makes it a nice, hate-free and stress-free viewing experience. It's pretty hard to write comedy these days without being a asshole to someone else, which means the comedy in B'sB has to be clever and as well as funny. Really love this show.

[sadlobster]

What I find the most admirable about Bob's Burgers is the fact that the show doesn't take the low road and use disgusting topics just to get people's attention (ex. rape, incest jokes, jabs at the government etc.)

Meanwhile, Family Guy constantly....CONSTANTLY relies on those topics too often in its modern episodes; a most notorious example is Quagmire's Sister

[mytruecrimelibrary]

The first season is my favorite but I still love the show more than a decade in. Especially Gene ❤