"Bob's Burgers" is one of my favorite shows. So you can imagine how happy I get when "Bob's Burgers" has an episode with a musical number, and lucky for me it's actually pretty often. For an animated series that has nothing to do with music, their musical numbers are actually good. Really good. I’d probably add this to my Spotify if it was a full song because it’s so darn catchy good. And Bob’s Burgers is a clever and funny show, so the songs have the same high quality writing as the script. Here are some of their great ones to jam out to:
Bob has a big interview with Coasters magazine, but Louise put heavy-duty glue on the toilet seat and now Bob is stuck. Not only is the overlapping duet rhythmically well-timed, the break in the with the dialogue over the music builds tension and does a great job introducing the split screen and powerful end. Also Louise’s fear of admitting her guilt is clearly a sign of self-reflection and accountability, something we don’t often see from her. She is genuinely one of the smartest characters on the show and I love when the writers show her thought processes.
Lina gets a new job at a supermarket and Bob has to run the restaurant alone. They’re both figuring out how to do things without the other one around and this duet is a great way to show that in a unique way. It’s upbeat and emphasizes how different their experiences, also effectively utilizing the split screen.
Louise’s science teacher forces her into doing a science project on Thomas Edison. To spite him, Louise plans on uncovering the truth about Topsy, an elephant that Thomas Edison cruelly electrocuted. She needs Gene and Tina to help her with the reenactment, but since Gene wants to do a song and Tina can’t sing, they recruit their Aunt Gayle and Mr. Fishoeder as the vocals that they’ll lipsync with. Kevin Kline (Mr. Fishoeder) has won multiple Tony awards and Megan Mullally (Aunt Gayle) has been on Broadway and in two bands, so this number has some legitimate vocal force behind it. It’s a powerhouse of a number and I also just really like the wordplay.
Honestly I just really love Boyz 4 Now. And I think “coal-mine” it’s an excellent pun.
So if other show creators are reading here's the takeaway: musical numbers are a surefire way to get on people’s good side and if you can throw in a few puns then you’re pretty much set for good ratings. Fans love a good 11 o'clock number.