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.
In the history of Bob's Burgers, a lot of the best episodes come through when showing how influential supporting characters are. To some extent, there hasn't been a more supporting character next to Teddy (Larry Murphy) as the couch. While it has mostly been used for the Belchers to sit on, it is the centerpiece for a lot of the great triptych and guest episodes. With the 100th episode rapidly approaching, there's a strange sense that the Belchers wouldn't be the same without that couch, and this episode perfectly embodies the history by which it clings so closely to.
The episode begins with the time honored (and nightly) tradition of family TV night. Linda (John Roberts) is a big fan of a Sofa Queen commercial, of which she lip syncs to Sofa Queen's (Wanda Sykes) every word. When Louise (Kristen Schaal) becomes confused as to why they don't sell the beaten up couch to get a new one, Linda recollects the history. The couch features memories and almost every stain comes from the children drooling or gnawing on it. Bob (Jon Benjamin) suggests that the only way to get rid of it is to convince Linda. Louise decides to file down the base underneath, causing the inevitable realization that they need a new couch.
With the old one in possession of Teddy, the family heads out to Sofa Queen. It is here that Louise reveals to Bob that she is to blame for the current quest. Meanwhile, Tina (Dan Mintz) and Gene (Eugene Mirman) play around on other furniture - specifically on if they can fit into a highchair. With supervision from an employee who dresses like a jester (Jordan Peele), they cause a ruckus. When Linda finds out that Bob knew about Louise's plan, she gets all panicky. The real life Sofa Queen comes to the rescue, convincing her to buy a new couch that happens to have a few stains; which gives it a reduced price.
When they bring the new couch home, Louise has a change of heart. She has too many memories on the old couch and wants to rescue it from the curb where it's being brutally drenched by passing cars. When Teddy reveals that he has sold it, the Belchers go on a quest to find it. With the held of a bartender (Keegan Michael Key), they find that it belongs to a band called The Couch Burners, who are going to burn it for an album cover. Bob convinces them to burn their new couch instead. With the Belchers now back to having their old couch, they think about upholstering it and returning life back to solidarity.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
In one sense, this episode could easily be seen as how Bob's Burgers is this far into its run. Are we really expecting it to embrace anything new or different from what we have seen? As great as the show can be, it has a formula and to go a season without holiday-skewering episodes or the various triptych premises would feel wrong. Even if the couch isn't something that is often thought about, it definitely has a sense of place within the show, making us wonder what would the show be like if any other component disappeared without warning. Would the show be the same without Linda, Gene, Bob, Louise, or Tina? Not exactly.
Even if the metaphor is too broad to fully make it work, it does feel like there's a certain nostalgia that is explored. The episode begins almost feeling like a clip show (of new clips, mind you) where the whole story is going to be about what the couch means to everyone. There's plenty of footage of Tina gnawing on the side or Gene building a fort. The couch is given so much time that it almost feels like an exploration of the show's strangely crass sentimental core. After all, this show had a first season featuring pictures of animal anuses. It will tackle unsettling things from time to time - but should we even get rid of it, possibly even burn it?
The answer is mixed, as the ending feels particularly leading towards something else with The Couch Burners. The lyric "If you love something, set it on fire." sounds like it was meant to show Bob's Burgers moving onto other themes. Instead, it's mostly an excuse to get the old couch back and return to their tried and true life. Is this a bad thing? Not necessarily. The show has survived for a surprisingly long time, and any change would only cause loyal viewers to feel deceit from the program. It may be worn down and not hitting all of the familiar marks, but it still manages to bring up fondness whenever you look at it. You can't imagine the show without Bob much like Bob's Burgers can't imagine the upstairs home not having that couch with its many ugly stains.
What also works is that the show feels like it centralized all of its themes perfectly in this episode. For instance, the main plot about getting the couch dovetails nicely to Gene and Tina's quest to fit into highchairs and Teddy's quest to sell the couch. While I enjoy the show taking on multiple plots to pad out story, this is one of the few that feel like they all have a purpose. They fit together and almost seem to serve as different commentary on the show itself. Gene and Tina don't fit into societal norms. Teddy can't sell the couch much like new viewers likely don't see the appeal of a beaten up Bob's Burgers. Even if this is reading in too much, it creates a deeper sentiment that makes this episode inevitably far more meta and beautiful.
I am happy to know that Bob's Burgers continues to be on the air, if just because it keeps Fox's animation shows perfectly rounded and keeps Seth MacFarlane from having a stranglehold over the network. It's even more impressive that this is approaching legacy status where, much like The Simpsons and Family Guy, the show almost defines the network's programming. It's strange, especially since the show still feels like a beaten up couch from the beginning. Yet I wouldn't want to spend Sunday nights without it. Here's hoping that the show continues to find ingenuity for as long as possible.
The episode begins with the time honored (and nightly) tradition of family TV night. Linda (John Roberts) is a big fan of a Sofa Queen commercial, of which she lip syncs to Sofa Queen's (Wanda Sykes) every word. When Louise (Kristen Schaal) becomes confused as to why they don't sell the beaten up couch to get a new one, Linda recollects the history. The couch features memories and almost every stain comes from the children drooling or gnawing on it. Bob (Jon Benjamin) suggests that the only way to get rid of it is to convince Linda. Louise decides to file down the base underneath, causing the inevitable realization that they need a new couch.
With the old one in possession of Teddy, the family heads out to Sofa Queen. It is here that Louise reveals to Bob that she is to blame for the current quest. Meanwhile, Tina (Dan Mintz) and Gene (Eugene Mirman) play around on other furniture - specifically on if they can fit into a highchair. With supervision from an employee who dresses like a jester (Jordan Peele), they cause a ruckus. When Linda finds out that Bob knew about Louise's plan, she gets all panicky. The real life Sofa Queen comes to the rescue, convincing her to buy a new couch that happens to have a few stains; which gives it a reduced price.
When they bring the new couch home, Louise has a change of heart. She has too many memories on the old couch and wants to rescue it from the curb where it's being brutally drenched by passing cars. When Teddy reveals that he has sold it, the Belchers go on a quest to find it. With the held of a bartender (Keegan Michael Key), they find that it belongs to a band called The Couch Burners, who are going to burn it for an album cover. Bob convinces them to burn their new couch instead. With the Belchers now back to having their old couch, they think about upholstering it and returning life back to solidarity.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
In one sense, this episode could easily be seen as how Bob's Burgers is this far into its run. Are we really expecting it to embrace anything new or different from what we have seen? As great as the show can be, it has a formula and to go a season without holiday-skewering episodes or the various triptych premises would feel wrong. Even if the couch isn't something that is often thought about, it definitely has a sense of place within the show, making us wonder what would the show be like if any other component disappeared without warning. Would the show be the same without Linda, Gene, Bob, Louise, or Tina? Not exactly.
Even if the metaphor is too broad to fully make it work, it does feel like there's a certain nostalgia that is explored. The episode begins almost feeling like a clip show (of new clips, mind you) where the whole story is going to be about what the couch means to everyone. There's plenty of footage of Tina gnawing on the side or Gene building a fort. The couch is given so much time that it almost feels like an exploration of the show's strangely crass sentimental core. After all, this show had a first season featuring pictures of animal anuses. It will tackle unsettling things from time to time - but should we even get rid of it, possibly even burn it?
The answer is mixed, as the ending feels particularly leading towards something else with The Couch Burners. The lyric "If you love something, set it on fire." sounds like it was meant to show Bob's Burgers moving onto other themes. Instead, it's mostly an excuse to get the old couch back and return to their tried and true life. Is this a bad thing? Not necessarily. The show has survived for a surprisingly long time, and any change would only cause loyal viewers to feel deceit from the program. It may be worn down and not hitting all of the familiar marks, but it still manages to bring up fondness whenever you look at it. You can't imagine the show without Bob much like Bob's Burgers can't imagine the upstairs home not having that couch with its many ugly stains.
What also works is that the show feels like it centralized all of its themes perfectly in this episode. For instance, the main plot about getting the couch dovetails nicely to Gene and Tina's quest to fit into highchairs and Teddy's quest to sell the couch. While I enjoy the show taking on multiple plots to pad out story, this is one of the few that feel like they all have a purpose. They fit together and almost seem to serve as different commentary on the show itself. Gene and Tina don't fit into societal norms. Teddy can't sell the couch much like new viewers likely don't see the appeal of a beaten up Bob's Burgers. Even if this is reading in too much, it creates a deeper sentiment that makes this episode inevitably far more meta and beautiful.
I am happy to know that Bob's Burgers continues to be on the air, if just because it keeps Fox's animation shows perfectly rounded and keeps Seth MacFarlane from having a stranglehold over the network. It's even more impressive that this is approaching legacy status where, much like The Simpsons and Family Guy, the show almost defines the network's programming. It's strange, especially since the show still feels like a beaten up couch from the beginning. Yet I wouldn't want to spend Sunday nights without it. Here's hoping that the show continues to find ingenuity for as long as possible.
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