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.
It's the return of Bob's Burgers for a sixth season. What an impressive, long run the show has developed considering that it was a show that didn't feel built to last. As it is set to cross its 100th episode during this season, there's a lot to be thankful for, especially that Bob (Jon Benjamin) and Linda (John Roberts) are still together. In the premiere, the show decides to pose the question of what would happen if they never met. As in keeping with the tradition, the kids have varying theories as to how this works. The results, as usual, are funny.
The episode opens on Bob riding a stationary bicycle in the living room as everyone goes about their day. When Bob goes to take a break while taking a shower, he notices that his facial hair is starting to fall out. This results into suspicion as to why it's happening. Linda shares a story as to how Bob met Linda because of the mustache. He was passing her at a bar and had her ring become entangled in his hair. She was engaged to Hugo (Sam Seder) and decided to break it off. Not enthused, the kids provide their own theories as to how things happened.
Gene (Eugene Mirman) is up first. After Bob loses his mustache in a traumatic manner, he goes in for surgery to get a robotic mustache. He is part of a Robocop-esque universe where he is a very nitpicky cop. During his run, he meets Linda and befriends her. When he discovers that Mr. Fischoeder (Kevin Kline) is planning to make a wharf attraction, he seeks to stop him. However, Mr. Fischoeder does one over on him and disables his mustache, causing a brain explosion simultaneously. He dies, unable to put on his mustache, which Linda then places on a plant in her house.
Louise (Kristen Schaal) has a more fluid story. Bob goes to a bar and becomes disappointed that he doesn't have a mustache. When he finds a machine that grants wishes, he asks for hair. This gets Linda's attention, but he soon becomes blessed with too much hair, almost forming a wolfman-like presence. As a result, he is forced to wonder if life with hair was worthwhile at all as he becomes an outcast. He gets rejected by Mr. Fischoeder's freak show at the wharf and cannot find the machine to grant his wishes. This causes Linda to form her own life as a nun, believing that it is very similar to Sister Act. When it isn't the case, she gets arrested.
Tina's (Dan Mintz) starts off relatively simple, believing that fate was real all along. However, she is forced to elaborate on her story, and changes small details. Bob and Linda never meet. Hugo is their father and he opens a hot dog restaurant. Bob is the health inspector. When he checks in on them, he shuts them down because the hot dogs have dogs in them. There's no greater story beyond that, making Tina worried that fate isn't real and that everything is just random occurrences.
So, what exactly happened to Bob's mustache? The answer had a lot to do with the stationary bicycle. When he was riding, he found out that his legs were cutting off circulation and causing health problems to various parts of his body. This resulted in him losing facial hair. While this means that he didn't get to have surgery as Gene would hope, it does mean that he gets to get rid of the bicycle and live the old life that he had.
Rating: 4 out of 5
It feels great to have Bob's Burgers back, and remaining in top form. As I specified in the opening, it's astounding that the show has lasted for as long as it has. Considering that last year marked the end of Animation Domination, it does feel like the network is more willing to ditch the lesser animated shows. Even if Bob's Burgers has formed somewhat of a cult status, I don't know that it is considered to be as great as The Simpsons or Family Guy in terms of stature. Even then, it's still a great show that thankfully has gotten its due and continues to impress week after week.
The premiere wasn't an exception. I will admit that maybe the triad stories aren't the greatest episodes, but they allow for some of the most creative moments. It's where parodies of Robocop and Big can thrive as the cast reveals what alternative universes may look like. As usual, Gene is the most abstract and Tina is the most dour. Louise falls somewhere in between, often being more sadistic and sly than either. The only complaint I have is that the show has done this a few times a season, and I don't know if it is a novelty that is wearing thin or sort of genius in some respects.
This is one of the better ones, especially since it revolves around one of the more unique concepts that they get straddled with. What if their parents never met? It's an idea that feels like it should have been done by now, but was never given a chance. Instead of going serious, it's all about Bob's facial hair. It results in some of the funnier gags. While the episode doesn't really top the Robocop parody, it does allow for us to picture what life with Hugo as a father would be. It's actually kind of creepy.
On the bright side, the show really knows how to milk a premise properly. Whereas The Simpsons became swamped with bafflement in its premiere, Bob's Burgers was able to take a premise and play it concisely. I worried when the segments overlapped during commercial breaks. Yet, the show knew how to run the course and made an astounding effort to combine it nicely. I don't know that too many shows pull it off well like this. As a whole, it works and I think each story is given its proper time, which makes me enthused for what the show has in the season ahead.
Here's hoping that it's more of the same this season on Bob's Burgers. Well, not more of the same in the redundant way, anyways. I mean that I hope that the show manages to continue pumping out inspired episodes and bringing the laughs as they always have. Even if it's a show that I don't necessarily revisit often, I'm glad that it exists. It's one of those underdog stories on Fox that you wish would happen more often. It may be a little too deviant now to fully have The Simpsons comparisons, but the bigger miracle is that it continues to survive. Thankfully, it remains just as inspired as ever while doing so.
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