by Mike Hilty, Contributing Writer
Welcome to Cross-Platform Partners. In honor of a new movie release, I have selected a TV show to watch to pair with the movie. Think of it as a way to get hyped for the new movie, a preview of things to come, a means to tide you over if the movie won’t be released where you live for a little while, or a change of pace if you’ve run out of related movies or sequels.
May had a lot of different options. Between a Marvel movie, a Stephen King movie, and a long-awaited sequel to a beloved movie, it became a little tricky to come up with a show to watch. I eventually did find that there were three TV shows that are getting movies this month. Adaptations from show to film are not always easy to pull off. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a movie that lived up to the TV show or made the experience somewhat better. So I made a list of which ones would be the viable options based on what I would prefer to watch. Coming in at number three was Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers. I loved the theme song and loved the show as a kid, but it was swiftly eliminated. Number two on my list was Downton Abbey. I liked the first movie, but watching the show feels like it would be a betrayal of shows I told my wife we’d watch together. That really left one option: Bob’s Burgers. My sister swears by this show. She loves it and has been watching it from the start. I don’t always trust her opinion on movies or TV shows (sorry Lauren), but this is one where I should have listened to her sooner.
Bob’s Burgers, created by Loren Bouchard and Jim Dauterive, is about a burger joint run by Bob Belcher (voiced by H. Jon Benjamin) and his family. With his wife Linda (John Roberts) and their three kids Tina (Dan Mintz), Gene (Eugene Mirman), and Louise (Kristen Schaal) by his side, Bob gets into hijinks and shenanigans in their oceanside New Jersey town. Bob’s Burgers is on FOX and has run for 12 seasons so far, with season 13 set to premier in 2022. The structure of the show is episode-to-episode, so there’s no connecting storyline (except for a few episodes that have a part two), and the show has a revolving cast of colorful characters around the town.
After 12 seasons of solid television, it’s hard to imagine a show that keeps getting better with each season. Both animation, quality, and story all gradually level up as the seasons progress. The jokes in particular are solid because they’re a combination of pop culture references, puns, and dry humor. This is a show that for savvy people — there are a lot of fun jokes and a lot of random references for just about everyone. Each character gets their time to shine, and it’s hard to pick a favorite because it rotates from season to season. Each character plays a fun role, but manages to shift and show growth in some subtle ways. Moreover, each character also has distinct relationships with one another that make for some hilarious moments. Since the show isn’t linear, it’s nice to just drop in and not have to worry about the “previously on” section before the show starts. There are a few two part episodes that are enjoyable and from time to time, some jokes or events come back. Generally though, the episodes are standalone and it’s refreshing considering we’re in an age of serialized TV gold.
It’s impossible to choose a favorite character because it changes from season to season. Each character is just so funny and has some amazing moments throughout the course of the series. Tina, Bob, and Linda’s oldest daughter, is so wonderfully weird and neurotic. She’s probably the closest to a favorite I can determine. Gene, the middle child, is hilarious while also being sharp with his words. Louise, the youngest, is a little sociopath, but still manages to bring hilarity to any situation. Bob is the unsung hero throughout the series as the semi-straight man who has to manage the chaos, while still trying to get into crazy situations. The cast is fantastic and the voice performances are strong. Even some of the people who were mainly bit characters get more time to shine. The character that probably gets more time to shine as the season progresses is Teddy (Larry Murphy), who is Bob’s self-professed best friend and loyal customer to his restaurant. The guest stars and recurring cast are all solid, and the list is a who’s who of great comedy. Comedians like Billy Eichner, Jenny Slate, Aziz Ansari, and Tim Meadows all have great recurring characters. Perhaps the standout of the recurring characters is from Kevin Kline, who plays Bob’s landlord Mr. Fischoeder. Kline is hilarious and comes up with lots of wonderful moments.
My favorite thing about the show, though, is the unexpected emotional moments. This is a family after all, so there are going to be a lot of heartfelt moments. The moments that got me the most, involved Bob with his kids. As a parent myself, not only is it relatable, but it also just warms your heart to see some of these moments in such funny ways. A lot of the heartfelt moments come up during holiday episodes. Bob’s Burgers does Christmas and Halloween episodes very well, particularly with the costumes for Halloween. If you like puns or creative costumes, this will be for you. The Thanksgiving episodes are probably the best parts of the season because it shows how much Bob cares about the holiday, but then there’s some emotional depth as well. I applaud the show for their creativity, but also for their wit in coming up with some hilarious moments and emotional punches.
Bob’s Burgers is a, dare I say, underrated show. Through over 200 episodes, it continues to improve year after year, and still manage to tell funny and compelling stories. It will also continue to chug along for years to come, and I’m happy to continue the journey moving forward with the Belchers. This will also be one I will throw on in the background if I want to watch something funny or need something comforting, joining the ranks of shows like Parks and Recreation, The Office,and Scrubs. If I can think of a wishlist of what I want from the movie, I want a little bit of everything. I want jokes and comedy, but I also want a few emotional moments and funny side characters. I’m also looking to see what the movie can do with a longer format and to see if it just feels like an extended TV episode. I also want to see if there are any guest stars that come back or inside jokes for fans. I also want music moments and clever burger names on Bob’s board too. The songs might be some of the best parts of the show that they do sparingly. A long list, but I’m just excited to see this one with other people who will love the show.
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