Animated shows that aren't for kids have always weirded me out. As I grew up, I discovered that shows like "Family Guy" and "South Park" weren't the same kinds of shows as "Winnie the Pooh" and "Rugrats." For a long time I avoided those shows because the crude humor turned me away. But when my friends introduced me to "Bob's Burgers," I was instantly hooked. The odd but funny characters, the awkward humor, and the terrible puns all caught my attention. There are many reasons to start watching this animated sensation: here are just a few.
Challenging social norms.
The epitome of this is Gene. Why he certainly lives up to his role of being an annoying brother, he also has moments where he relates more to women than men. Instead of always talking about video games or football, Gene brags about his shopping trips with his mom and directs his own girl group called the Cutie Patooties when the kids open an underground casino. Best of all, his parents don't discourage him when he comments that he "has his mother's hips" or dresses as Queen Latifah for Halloween.
Clever movie references.
It's always fun when shows reference other works of film. In the pilot episode, Bob's dream scene is direct reference to "The Shining," eerie bartender and all. In another episode, Gene grows attached to a high-tech toilet that has fallen off of a delivery truck and gets stuck in the woods in a very "E.T."-like manner. In "Bob and Deliver," Bob realizes that he loves teaching kids how to cook when he substitutes for a home-ec class. But when his methods of teaching upset the head of the school and he is fired, the students stand up on their desks and beg him not to go—an allusion to Robin Williams' "Dead Poets Society." Seeing the creators of a TV show you love allude to movies that you also love is just a great feeling.
In the end, the family all loves each other.
Many of the sitcoms on TV nowadays revolve around "dysfunctional families" who rarely get along. While this can be humorous and entertaining, it can often lead to much secondhand embarrassment for viewers or simply be not uplifting to watch. Bob's Burgers provides a refreshing view on families, and while they can get on each other's nerves, they all inherently care for each other. Bob constantly makes efforts to understand his kids; he also loves and respects his wife Linda. Even though he hates high school reunions, he goes to Linda's in order to support her and her reunited high school band.
The siblings all manage to get along as well. Even Louise, the mischievous and scheming 9-year-old, won't allow other people to manipulate her siblings, stating that "messing with Tina is a privilege, not a right!" It's just encouraging to see that even a weird, eccentric family like the Belchers can still all truly care about each other.
Would you like that burger on a pun?
Like any other comedy, "Bob's Burgers" has its share of corny jokes. But they go above and beyond to provide the most groan-worthy jokes of all: puns. And it's not just in a few episodes. After season 1, all of the pest control vans that appear in the opening title are rodent-related puns, such as "Hugs not Bugs" and "Rat Stevens."
The characters themselves throw out puns like confetti, such as when the gang tries to come up with slogans for a Super Bowl commercial. Bob's chalkboard in his restaurant also features a different "Burger of the Day" in each episode, featuring puns like "Little Swiss Sunshine" and "If Looks Could Kale." Honestly, if more restaurants used this marketing strategy, I would eat there all the time!
