“Bob’s Burgers” never fails to impress. From the beginning with the pilot episode “Human Flesh,” the plot lines of the popular television show have been unique and the humor sprinkled throughout each episode is unmatched. It’s the lovable cast, though, that makes this show such an enjoyment.
“Bob’s Burgers” is not the first adult-oriented cartoon and it certainly will not be the last. But, it is the first cartoon to have such a revolutionary set of characters. “Family Guy” and “American Dad” are known for their raunchy humor and many enjoy it, but the character stereotypes seen throughout become rather irritating after just a few viewings. There is little to no substance and as viewers we deserve better than that. “The Simpsons” is popular for combatting these stereotypes, but the show had simply become an outlier in a sea of adult-orientated cartoons that had the same plot lines with a different cast, each as uninventive and revolutionary as the last. When “Bob’s Burgers” first aired in January of 2011, it was certainly a breath of fresh air.
The cast itself is modern in values and something we haven’t seen before. Among the lovable group, though, are the Belcher children. They are among the youngest characters featured on the show and are the manifestations of modern ideals, all in one generation.
Tina, Gene, and Louise make up the infamous Belcher children. Tina, the horse and butt loving teenager with a love for her neighbor Jimmy Pesto Jr. is the eldest. Gene is a lover of music and the quirky middle child. Louise is the youngest with a personality that is simply unmatched. They push past the average gender and character stereotypes right from the beginning and offer the character substance that we, as viewers, deserve.
Tina is feminist. She spends many episodes pining over Jimmy Jr., but, this is simply highlighting her being a teenager and a lover of people. She does not lose herself while trying to impress him and win him over. She knows who she is and that is a lover of horses, fan (or friend) fiction, and butts. She is proud to be a woman always demands respect for herself, never settling for someone who will not treat her with respect. She knows what she loves and is not willing to dull her passions for the sake of others. Tina is the interpretation of what modern feminism should be. She knows who she is, what she wants, what she likes, and she will not dull herself for the sake of others. She balances this confidence with an understanding and acceptance of others.
Gene is the breaker of gender barriers. He is an eleven year old boy who loves music and an amazing arsenal of trivia knowledge. He loved baseball for the spiked shoes and flattering uniform and composed an entire musical for the school’s Fall play. All the while, Gene knows exactly who he is as a male and shrugs the stereotypes off without a second thought. He knows what he enjoys and he doesn’t mind of anyone things it’s too feminine. What is just as uplifting is the other characters’ acceptance of his differences. There are six seasons of “Bob’s Burgers” and there is never once that Gene is assumed to be homosexual, as would be the assumption in today’s world.
Louise is the drive for success. She is power hungry, manipulative, lacking the most in a moral compass, but she has the biggest heart. She knows what she wants and she is willing to do what she needs to achieve it. But, she also can recognize when she is wrong, as demonstrated most notably in “The Nice-Capades” and “Sacred Couch.” She is the hunger for success done in the right way. She will do whatever needed to achieve her goals, but she knows that hurting others is wrong, as well. She falters with her moral compass as her drive can cloud it, but she always returns to a path of moral rightness.
The Belcher children are modern characters that manifest modern ideals within one generation. Feminism, a disregard for gender barriers, and a drive for greatness are stand-out values of today, and the Belcher children represent these values in the youth, not just in their society but in ours as well. They are what we hope our children will be. These characters breaking the norm are revolutionary in itself; but, the acceptance of them within their community is what makes this show one of a kind. “Bob’s Burgers” gives us the modern twist we have been craving.
