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.
Here we are at the end of the sixth season and at the 100th episode of Bob's Burgers. For a show that was a scrappy alternative to The Simpsons, it's surprising and amazing that the show has managed to last for this long. However, it has remained true to its initial spirit of making comedy out of animal butts and very strange family dynamics. In this case, the series decides to celebrate the anniversary not with a great and grandiose mission, but with a story centered around the toilet. It manages to convey everything great about the series without sacrificing any of the charm.
The episode opens with Bob (Jon Benjamin) receiving a call from Skip Marooch (Kumail Nanjiani), who runs Coasters Magazine. Skip is out of town having fun, but insists on putting Bob in the magazine. Bob thinks that this could do great business for him, and immediately does everything he can to make the place look good. However, the kids are stuck in a prank war known as "Goop," where they put sticky substances in unforeseen areas. This includes the phone and door handles. As Bob gets nervous before the big interview, he uses the bathroom only to discover that there is Goop all over the seat. It's not just any Goop. It's a sticky substance that Teddy (Larry Murphy) left in the basement, which is essentially glue.
Bob is stuck. Louise (Kristen Schaal) reveals that she intended to have this prank done on Gene (Eugene Mirman), who skipped his regular bathroom routine. With the interview approaching, Bob does everything he can to remove himself. The press is gathering outside and even Jimmy Pesto (Jay Johnston) is cashing in on the humiliation. However, Louise doesn't want to take fault for the incident, instead deciding to sing a song about how it's going to be a good day. Things keep building until the interviewers show up, disappointed by their findings.
Bob erupts at the interviewers, who walk out of the restaurant in a bit of embarrassment. The crowd cheers him on as "Toilet Bob." By the end, Bob accepts that this mishap is just part of a normal day. When the magazine gets released, the report goes that the place is special and has bizarre occurrences. They talk about the toilet incident, but suggest that the story is best told in person, encouraging readers to go to the actual restaurant. With Louise also admitting her faults, the episode ends with the business receiving a boost of business and everyone being happy.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
There is a lot to wonder as to what Bob's Burgers grand finale would be. Would it be some culmination of the Belcher's progress as a family? In a sense, it is more of a declarative statement about the series as a whole. Having gone through several off the wall ordeals in the past, Bob being humiliated at his place of business manages to be something fresh and original in comparison to everything else. This is his big moment to have a shining business and be taken as seriously as he wants. However, his children are standing in his way, leaving a hurdle of problems for a big interview that promises to solve most of his problems.
While the plot is simple, it does embody everything that's good about the show. It uses Teddy as the hero that the show deserves. While he may as well service as the roadblock that started the mess, his dedication to helping Bob is an endearing starting point for the episode's third act. With everyone coming to help him, it's also a nice change of pace. Usually Bob is helping everyone else. In this case, he needs everyone to help him look good - and they all do their best. This is an episode that embodies community so well that even if it's a silly and juvenile story, it manages to be full of the heart and wit that the show is best known for. It just happens to involve hairy butts.
Another thing that works very well is the use of music. I haven't made too many cracks about it, but the series' penchant for music has been hit and miss. There's something about the lo-fi production that usually bothers me, leaving me wondering if the show is better off just not trying. I doubt they have 100 mediocre songs, but they often have little value. Here, it manages to try its hardest in quite some time with a catchy and enjoyable attitude. It gets the point across while playing into melodies that put it among the better comedy TV songs so far this year. If nothing else, it is just very well produced and makes me sad that very little of the other music ever has this much vivacity to it.
The season as a whole is a nice mix of the best and worst of the series. While it is mostly the former, it does reflect that the show is more about the shocking comedy than the heart. It has been developing, but there's certain novelties that the show continually explores in ways that sometimes wear thin. The Halloween episode in particular is one of the weakest in the series to date. However, it still has a sentimental undertone that makes me relieved to know that this show was given time to develop. This is a show about a family after all, and it does so with a certain earnestness that isn't quite as sappy as The Simpsons nor as crass as Family Guy.
In a way, Bob's Burgers at 100 seems to be more of a commentary on how it's relieved to know that it was able to last this long. Speaking as many crass shows of this nature never manage to make it past a few seasons, seeing this show continually among the now decaying Animation Domination block is a sign of relief. It may not ever receive the acclaim of either bigger heavyweight, but it definitely has the quality and consistency that may secretly be keeping the network afloat. I am curious to see where the show goes next, even more regarding how long it will inevitably last. It's a miracle that this show hit 100 episodes, and thankfully it was given a fitting tribute to its deranged longevity as a gift.
Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5
The episode opens with Bob (Jon Benjamin) receiving a call from Skip Marooch (Kumail Nanjiani), who runs Coasters Magazine. Skip is out of town having fun, but insists on putting Bob in the magazine. Bob thinks that this could do great business for him, and immediately does everything he can to make the place look good. However, the kids are stuck in a prank war known as "Goop," where they put sticky substances in unforeseen areas. This includes the phone and door handles. As Bob gets nervous before the big interview, he uses the bathroom only to discover that there is Goop all over the seat. It's not just any Goop. It's a sticky substance that Teddy (Larry Murphy) left in the basement, which is essentially glue.
Bob is stuck. Louise (Kristen Schaal) reveals that she intended to have this prank done on Gene (Eugene Mirman), who skipped his regular bathroom routine. With the interview approaching, Bob does everything he can to remove himself. The press is gathering outside and even Jimmy Pesto (Jay Johnston) is cashing in on the humiliation. However, Louise doesn't want to take fault for the incident, instead deciding to sing a song about how it's going to be a good day. Things keep building until the interviewers show up, disappointed by their findings.
Bob erupts at the interviewers, who walk out of the restaurant in a bit of embarrassment. The crowd cheers him on as "Toilet Bob." By the end, Bob accepts that this mishap is just part of a normal day. When the magazine gets released, the report goes that the place is special and has bizarre occurrences. They talk about the toilet incident, but suggest that the story is best told in person, encouraging readers to go to the actual restaurant. With Louise also admitting her faults, the episode ends with the business receiving a boost of business and everyone being happy.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
There is a lot to wonder as to what Bob's Burgers grand finale would be. Would it be some culmination of the Belcher's progress as a family? In a sense, it is more of a declarative statement about the series as a whole. Having gone through several off the wall ordeals in the past, Bob being humiliated at his place of business manages to be something fresh and original in comparison to everything else. This is his big moment to have a shining business and be taken as seriously as he wants. However, his children are standing in his way, leaving a hurdle of problems for a big interview that promises to solve most of his problems.
While the plot is simple, it does embody everything that's good about the show. It uses Teddy as the hero that the show deserves. While he may as well service as the roadblock that started the mess, his dedication to helping Bob is an endearing starting point for the episode's third act. With everyone coming to help him, it's also a nice change of pace. Usually Bob is helping everyone else. In this case, he needs everyone to help him look good - and they all do their best. This is an episode that embodies community so well that even if it's a silly and juvenile story, it manages to be full of the heart and wit that the show is best known for. It just happens to involve hairy butts.
Another thing that works very well is the use of music. I haven't made too many cracks about it, but the series' penchant for music has been hit and miss. There's something about the lo-fi production that usually bothers me, leaving me wondering if the show is better off just not trying. I doubt they have 100 mediocre songs, but they often have little value. Here, it manages to try its hardest in quite some time with a catchy and enjoyable attitude. It gets the point across while playing into melodies that put it among the better comedy TV songs so far this year. If nothing else, it is just very well produced and makes me sad that very little of the other music ever has this much vivacity to it.
The season as a whole is a nice mix of the best and worst of the series. While it is mostly the former, it does reflect that the show is more about the shocking comedy than the heart. It has been developing, but there's certain novelties that the show continually explores in ways that sometimes wear thin. The Halloween episode in particular is one of the weakest in the series to date. However, it still has a sentimental undertone that makes me relieved to know that this show was given time to develop. This is a show about a family after all, and it does so with a certain earnestness that isn't quite as sappy as The Simpsons nor as crass as Family Guy.
In a way, Bob's Burgers at 100 seems to be more of a commentary on how it's relieved to know that it was able to last this long. Speaking as many crass shows of this nature never manage to make it past a few seasons, seeing this show continually among the now decaying Animation Domination block is a sign of relief. It may not ever receive the acclaim of either bigger heavyweight, but it definitely has the quality and consistency that may secretly be keeping the network afloat. I am curious to see where the show goes next, even more regarding how long it will inevitably last. It's a miracle that this show hit 100 episodes, and thankfully it was given a fitting tribute to its deranged longevity as a gift.
Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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