Welcome to TV Recap, in which we look at modern shows and analyze them on an episode-to-episode basis. This one focuses on the cartoon sitcom Bob's Burgers, a very funny show that is capable of rivaling old school Simpsons in terms of irreverent humor and off the wall zaniness. With a cast of modern alternative comedian heroes, the story follows the Belchers as they run a burger joint. Join me as I take part in dissecting the show in its first full season. Check back on Tuesdays for the next exciting installment.
There is little subtlety to what this week's Bob's Burgers is parodying. For those who are not aware, there is a program called My Little Pony that features a mail denomination of male fans known as Bronies. Many documentaries have been made about them and the subculture has bred into its own chaotic creature. Much like every other reference on the show, there cannot be a direct reference to something pre-existing, it seems. Thus, "The Equestranauts" are born to take down Bronies and suggest how strange and sadistic the fondness of adult arrested development is nothing but strange. It is a creepy episode, possibly even some sort of bashing, but is there a reverence that transcends the take down?
The episode begins with Tina (Dan Mintz) with Gene (Eugene Mirman) and Louise (Kristen Schaal) watching a program called The Equestranauts that involves random cartoon horse characters whose characteristics involve turning into things, including a horse named Minnie who turns small. It is optimistic and strange. Tina wants to go to a convention for the show that weekend and drags her siblings and Linda (John Roberts) along.
It is quickly discovered that this convention was not for fans in Tina's demographic. They were in fact adult males dressed up as horses. These people were known as Equesticles, or fans with testicles. Girls don't have nicknames, as they are just girls who don't have to subscribe to giving themselves strange names. Tina has taken along her favorite doll, which captures the attention of a group of Equesticles, including Bronconius (Paul F. Tompkins), who manages to trick her out of the doll because of its cameltoe feature. It is the rarest doll that he manages to swindle from her with a cheap knockoff doll, making Tina seek revenge.
She sends in Bob (Jon Benjamin), whom she sends on a crash course to learn everything about The Equestranauts. In the course of a day, Bob achieves a strong knowledge of everything and decides to go back in. He infiltrates the group and finds Bronconius. When they bond over shared knowledge, they decide to go to a party to dance and have a great time. Tina also discovers that he accidentally gave him fan fiction that is non-canonical. She tries to contact him, but it is too late. He is getting drunk at the party, moments away from being sent to Bronconius' hotel room.
Once inside, the two have bonded closer than ever over their knowledge of The Equestranauts trivia. Believing that they are in a safe sanctum, Bronconius decides to show Bob his rare collection of horses, which includes Tina's pony. During this time, he accidentally speaks a false line about zombie horses that causes Bronconius to recognize Bob's flaws as a fan. In order to redeem his ways, he decides to give him a back tattoo.
It is averted just in time by Tina, who crashes the moment to tell Bronconius about the true meaning of The Equestranauts, which is to not judge others. Slowly everyone else turns on Bronconius and throw him out. Tina gets her pony back. However, she is now disaffected to playing with the doll and wants to give up on it. Bob insists that he spent too much time investing in a terrible subculture, thus forcing her aggressively to play with the doll.
Rating: 4 out of 5
If there is one thing endearing about Bob's Burgers, it is that they manage to make the "villain" of the week somewhat creepy. I do feel that in this case it does paint an unfair picture. I am not sure why, but choosing to tackle the political standpoints of a children's show obsessed culture felt mean. It may be the updated version of nerd bashing, but it also feels like it heightens the ridiculousness of collecting these rare dolls and speaking a cryptic lingo. While the ending helped to justify the entire experience by making Bronconius the only villain within the fan club, this episode does have a lot of creepy elements.
Maybe it is because it doesn't feel like it takes a strong stance on the issue. Yes, the appeal of Bob's Burgers comes from its ability to paint strange characters as broad as possible. This week is no exception. We get introduced to this culture and Bob infiltrates it in clever ways. I feel like the non-canonical gag was exceptionally effective, considering the payoff that followed in the next act. Most of all, it felt like the family loved each other enough to do unnecessary things to take down a creepy guy and get a toy back. To say the least, Bronconius is an unsettling invention of the show that is somewhat sympathetic in its pathetic nature.
Even then, the satire doesn't quite hit all of the familiar spots for me largely because I have no knowledge of how My Little Pony ever intersects. For the most part, I do admire seeing a strange version of the animation to display the horses. The strange culture feels weird to outsiders, notably because it all feels like innocent propaganda to entertain children. Much like the Boyz 4 Now situation of last season, I do not think that this will come back, though I think it would be interesting if the series has some recurring interests among its child characters. I know that Tina pretty much disavowed any interest in it at the end, but I have trouble liking what the show presents in any given episode because it will likely disappear. The show isn't very concerned with continuity, which isn't problematic, but makes me feel like we're just getting a ton of stand alone episodes that don't quite build on each other. When they do, it's for dumb things like Jimmy Jr..
However, this episode does feel like a fully realized vision in line with "The O.T.: Outside Toilet" episode that made last season so great. It pushed boundaries and caused us to try and understand childhood obsessions in a perverse way. The notable trend here is that someone decided to mess with Tina's loves, and that makes everything stranger. Even if she is in-between and transitioning, there is little to suggest that she is quite ready to give up some of her interests. Deep down, I would like to think that this isn't the end of The Equestranauts. Who knows.
I am glad to see that the season has picked up in terms of overall quality in the home stretch. I feel like the characters are interacting in clever and invigorating ways. They manages to mine new territories in familiar fields. It may have trouble painting someone outside of the main cast as sympathetic, but that doesn't matter. It is all one big strange world for Bob's Burgers and there should be some applause for them being ahead of The Simpsons in terms of satirizing a subgenre of fans that are kind of depressing to begin with. However, their ability to not just make it a full on insult makes their overall stance a little confuse and makes the episode's vibes take on a stranger, more eerie connotation.
The episode begins with Tina (Dan Mintz) with Gene (Eugene Mirman) and Louise (Kristen Schaal) watching a program called The Equestranauts that involves random cartoon horse characters whose characteristics involve turning into things, including a horse named Minnie who turns small. It is optimistic and strange. Tina wants to go to a convention for the show that weekend and drags her siblings and Linda (John Roberts) along.
It is quickly discovered that this convention was not for fans in Tina's demographic. They were in fact adult males dressed up as horses. These people were known as Equesticles, or fans with testicles. Girls don't have nicknames, as they are just girls who don't have to subscribe to giving themselves strange names. Tina has taken along her favorite doll, which captures the attention of a group of Equesticles, including Bronconius (Paul F. Tompkins), who manages to trick her out of the doll because of its cameltoe feature. It is the rarest doll that he manages to swindle from her with a cheap knockoff doll, making Tina seek revenge.
Once inside, the two have bonded closer than ever over their knowledge of The Equestranauts trivia. Believing that they are in a safe sanctum, Bronconius decides to show Bob his rare collection of horses, which includes Tina's pony. During this time, he accidentally speaks a false line about zombie horses that causes Bronconius to recognize Bob's flaws as a fan. In order to redeem his ways, he decides to give him a back tattoo.
It is averted just in time by Tina, who crashes the moment to tell Bronconius about the true meaning of The Equestranauts, which is to not judge others. Slowly everyone else turns on Bronconius and throw him out. Tina gets her pony back. However, she is now disaffected to playing with the doll and wants to give up on it. Bob insists that he spent too much time investing in a terrible subculture, thus forcing her aggressively to play with the doll.
Rating: 4 out of 5
If there is one thing endearing about Bob's Burgers, it is that they manage to make the "villain" of the week somewhat creepy. I do feel that in this case it does paint an unfair picture. I am not sure why, but choosing to tackle the political standpoints of a children's show obsessed culture felt mean. It may be the updated version of nerd bashing, but it also feels like it heightens the ridiculousness of collecting these rare dolls and speaking a cryptic lingo. While the ending helped to justify the entire experience by making Bronconius the only villain within the fan club, this episode does have a lot of creepy elements.
Maybe it is because it doesn't feel like it takes a strong stance on the issue. Yes, the appeal of Bob's Burgers comes from its ability to paint strange characters as broad as possible. This week is no exception. We get introduced to this culture and Bob infiltrates it in clever ways. I feel like the non-canonical gag was exceptionally effective, considering the payoff that followed in the next act. Most of all, it felt like the family loved each other enough to do unnecessary things to take down a creepy guy and get a toy back. To say the least, Bronconius is an unsettling invention of the show that is somewhat sympathetic in its pathetic nature.
Even then, the satire doesn't quite hit all of the familiar spots for me largely because I have no knowledge of how My Little Pony ever intersects. For the most part, I do admire seeing a strange version of the animation to display the horses. The strange culture feels weird to outsiders, notably because it all feels like innocent propaganda to entertain children. Much like the Boyz 4 Now situation of last season, I do not think that this will come back, though I think it would be interesting if the series has some recurring interests among its child characters. I know that Tina pretty much disavowed any interest in it at the end, but I have trouble liking what the show presents in any given episode because it will likely disappear. The show isn't very concerned with continuity, which isn't problematic, but makes me feel like we're just getting a ton of stand alone episodes that don't quite build on each other. When they do, it's for dumb things like Jimmy Jr..
However, this episode does feel like a fully realized vision in line with "The O.T.: Outside Toilet" episode that made last season so great. It pushed boundaries and caused us to try and understand childhood obsessions in a perverse way. The notable trend here is that someone decided to mess with Tina's loves, and that makes everything stranger. Even if she is in-between and transitioning, there is little to suggest that she is quite ready to give up some of her interests. Deep down, I would like to think that this isn't the end of The Equestranauts. Who knows.
I am glad to see that the season has picked up in terms of overall quality in the home stretch. I feel like the characters are interacting in clever and invigorating ways. They manages to mine new territories in familiar fields. It may have trouble painting someone outside of the main cast as sympathetic, but that doesn't matter. It is all one big strange world for Bob's Burgers and there should be some applause for them being ahead of The Simpsons in terms of satirizing a subgenre of fans that are kind of depressing to begin with. However, their ability to not just make it a full on insult makes their overall stance a little confuse and makes the episode's vibes take on a stranger, more eerie connotation.
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