Bob's Burgers

I suppose before I review Bob's Burgers, I should let you know what other animated comedy I enjoy.  This will allow you to decide if I am a credible source.  I love Archer, and I really like American Dad.  I still watch Family Guy, but I don't find it as entertaining as it once was.  I haven't watched the Cleveland Show at all this season, but I have watched it before.  Because I feel I should include it, I have never been a regular watcher of the Simpsons.  They haven't been funny for years, and when they were funny, I didn't watch them.

Now that my animated comedy background is summed up, let's talk about Bob's Burgers.  When discussing any animated comedy, there are a number of typical areas I judge them on.

1.  Animation Style
     While I can watch animation that is less than stellar*, I have found animated shows that are so bad that I can't watch them, even when it is intentional.  For example, I don't care for the style of 12 oz. Mouse.  Bob's Burgers is decent animation.  While I am not a huge fan of the character design, it has grown on me.  The more I come to know the characters, the more I see the design as being fitting.

2.  Voice Acting
     Whenever you have H. Jon Benjamin as a primary part of your vocal cast, you're doing it right.  The man is great, and I love listening to him.  A couple of the female characters are voiced by men, and it's awesome.  The cast is made up of a few people I've heard of (H. Jon Benjamin and Kristen Schaal), and some people that are new to me (Most of the rest of them that are regulars).

3.  Writing
     The writing on Bob's Burgers is solid, giving us a different type of show than a lot of the ones that are currently playing.  Bob's Burgers isn't full of cut-aways, like Family Guy and its offspring.  To me, one of the defining characteristics of the Simpsons is their large stable of odd characters; Bob's Burgers has a smaller focus group.  Of course, that's a by-product of how long the Simpsons has run.  Having not watched it in the early years, I am not the best person to examine it.
     Bob's Burgers follows a small core group performing the same menial tasks on a daily basis.  While random adventures do crop up, the show is loosely believable.  There are small touches that make sense in the context of the show which are great.  I love seeing the different burgers Bob comes up with, as the puns are delicious.  The interplay between the kids is regularly funny, with each of them having their own personalities.  Right now, they're pretty simple, but it's working.  Since Bob's Burgers is relatively new, the show actually feels kinda fresh.  Family Guy and its spawn shows, while enjoyable at times, feel like the same thing over and over.  I can't tell a new Family Guy from one that came out three years ago.  I'm not saying that's bad; they've found something that works for them.  I still watch Family Guy, so they're holding their own.  I've just reached a point where I would probably rather watch Bob's Burgers.

If you like animated comedies and haven't seen Bob's Burgers, you need to check it out.  Don't worry about starting at the beginning.  As it is, I catch random episodes.  I may not be completely caught up, but I have seen more episodes from the current season than the first one.  I haven't felt lost yet.

*See Home Movies