Does Bob’s Burgers Depict The Ideal Animated Family?

Most adult animation is known for crude humor, sexual innuendos, vulgar language, and of course, lovable, and inappropriate characters. One of television’s most popular adult animations, Bob’s Burgers, provides us with all the perks of an adult-friendly cartoon without necessarily crossing too many lines. The show is regularly consistent with its light-hearted storylines and concluding lessons at the end of every episode.

Bob’s Burgers doesn’t usually rely on directly offensive skits or stereotypes for their sense of humor compared to other adult animations. In fact, since the first season of Bob’s Burgers aired, the show has been continuously progressing and straying away from its past offensive dialogue and uncomfortable scenes. As an adult animation, Bob’s Burgers isn’t completely harmless. The show has occasionally produced some offensive content. Not one racy television show is innocuous or perfect by any means. But what separates this show from others is its characters and their willingness to do better.

The Bob’s Burgers Family

Bob’s Burgers depicts anything but an average family of five who lives above their family-owned restaurant, Bob’s Burgers. The family includes Bob and Linda Belcher and their three kids Tina, Louise, and Gene. Bob is an ill-fated cook with a dream to make his restaurant more successful or more financially stable. His wife, Linda, keeps Bob’s pessimistic attitude in check by always smiling and singing relevant, made-up songs that fit any necessary situation they face, good or bad.

Bob And Linda Belcher

One important factor in Bob Belcher’s family that distinguishes him and Linda from other adult animations is their happy marriage. It’s strange to contemplate why so many other animations ruin their show family’s marriages as part of their sense of comedy. Some people seem to think that creating failing marriages in television creates a more realistic storyline because most marriages aren’t perfect. This creates an opportunity to poke at and dissect the couple and appease to all genders by stereotyping how a man or woman might act in a stressful situation. Bob and Linda don’t fit this category.

Bob and Linda Belcher’s dynamic is playful and supportive. Of course, you’ll see them disagree and bicker from time to time, but only in a handful of episodes that always end in them apologizing and becoming even closer. They’re equals who have continuously supported one another and always have each other’s backs. It is positive for both their family and friends in the show and us, the viewers, to see a healthy, animated marriage. Their marriage demonstrates that not all relationships are doomed to fail or become mundane and resentful over time. They even display a healthy sex life that tends to include how silly and loving their dynamic is in order to meet each other’s needs.

Linda and Bob not only care very much about each other, but they also make sure to show their kids affection as well. Linda and Bob put their children before everything. Many adult animations consist of neglectful parents who show little to no interest in their kid’s lives, and a lot of the time, that’s the butt of the joke. Both Bob and Linda take their kids’ happiness very seriously. They actively participate in the kids’ hobbies and activities and even encourage them to try new things together. There have been many instances where Bob and Linda have completely rearranged their schedules or dropped everything they were previously doing to fit their kids’ needs better.

Not only have they shut down the restaurant early on multiple occasions to support them, but they’ve also even drained their entire savings just to make some of their dreams a reality. If you ask Bob’s Burgers fans their opinions, most would agree that Bob and Linda are the most desirable parental role models of adult animation.

Tina, Gene, And Louise Belcher

Bob’s Burgers wouldn’t even be close to the series it is now without the personalities of the Belcher kids. Our three young protagonists Gene, Tina, and Louise, are the apple to their parents’ eyes and the epicenter of the shenanigans their family faces daily. Bob’s father, Bob Sr., refers to the Belcher children as “happy, weird kids.” (( Bob’s Burgers. “Father Of The Bob.” Hulu video, 20:30. December 7, 2014. https://www.hulu.com/watch/ac5537b6-8e23-4b70-9e0d-57b794cd41c1. )) To me, this was the best, most simplistic way of describing them to someone who hasn’t watched the series.

Being the oldest, Tina is the most level-headed of the three…unless she’s around teenage boys. In that case, her moral compass goes straight out the window. What’s unique about Tina compared to other adult animation children is her honesty and confidence. It’s as if Tina feels almost no shame, which can be hard for a thirteen-year-old girl to achieve. Sure, there are moments where Tina doubts herself, but at the end of the day, she always accepts the person she is, no matter how strange her interests in horses, zombies, and “erotic-friend-fiction” may seem. Though she is a sensitive teenage girl with more than a few unsupportive classmates, Tina doesn’t listen to negative feedback for long.

She always stands up for what she believes in and keeps us honest and wanting more. Gene, much like his older sister, Tina, has the sense of confidence and attitude that make him genuinely happy and secure with who he is. He never pretends to be anyone else, but himself and always takes accountability for when he’s in the wrong. When it comes to toilet humor and puns, Gene is the best at what he does. Gene is also arguably the most reckless of the Belcher kids. He brings us both passion for music and tasty food. While his sisters have basically referred to Gene as the family screw-up, he’s always there when they need him the most. Above all else, Gene makes his parents immensely proud by just being himself.

Unlike Gene and Tina, their youngest sister Louise doesn’t always initially do the right thing. A lot of nine-year-old girls on television are displayed as fragile, innocent, and feminine: not Louise Belcher. As the most mischievous of the Belchers, Louise has a reputation as not always being honest and considerate. However, she never tries to intentionally deceive her family for long. As the critical thinking mastermind, Louise tends to come up with most of the schemes that ultimately get Tina and Gene caught in her web of trouble.

What makes Louise so admirable as the youngest member of the family is her unconventional persona. She’s a strong girl with a big heart open to tough life lessons. Whenever her plans get out of hand, Louise always steps up to the plate, ready to take the fall for anyone she might’ve hurt in the process. Her sarcasm and quick wit make her smarter than the average kid and keep her parents proud to say they raised such a spirited girl. Thanks to Louise and Tina, adult animation has two influential sisters who prove that siblings can have each other’s backs.

What Makes Bob’s Burgers So Unique?

Bob’s Burgers knows how to implement funny dialogue and simple storylines without intentionally crossing any fine lines. Adult animation receives such a bad reputation from time to time because of its use of conscious and subconscious prejudiced dialogue. There are several shows that are guilty of consistently making fun of stereotypes and relying on racism, sexism, abuse, and other triggering subjects in their comedy. No matter your sense of humor, most people can agree that these jokes do more harm than anything else. Bob’s Burgers can be offensive, just like any other comedy. But what differentiates this series from other adult animations is what it won’t do for laughs.

This series is light-hearted and easy to watch, making it less serious compared to shows like Family Guy and South Park that continuously tackle tough subjects and address relevant political and economic situations. Everything about Bob’s Burgers is fictional: the characters, the town, the situations. Simplicity and dry humor are what make the series so modern and enjoyable. Fans have stated how shows like Bob’s Burgers lower their anxiety when they want to focus on something happy and distracting.

Good Parents Vs. Other Parents

We know Linda, and Bob Belcher raised three exceptional, content children and still remain funny. So why do other adult animations depict toxic relationships between the parents and kids? It’s not enough to say Bob and Linda do the bare minimum of feeding, clothing, and protecting their kids; they also relate to them and treat them as equals, showing results that speak for themselves. Other adult animations use mental and physical abuse towards their offspring in order to convey a sort of back-and-forth, teasing, and taunting relationship.

In these series, you might see acts of name-calling, neglect, substance abuse, and even physical abuse that extends to throwing children out of the house or hitting them with cars. One series that is known for some this type of behavior is The Simpsons. The Simpsons depicts Homer Simpson, a dimwitted father of three who, much like Bob Belcher, is usually down on his luck and just trying to survive life day by day. This series portrays Homer’s relationship with his children and spouse as anything but healthy.

The Simpsons Family

If you’re a fan of The Simpsons, you might already know of Homer Simpson and his son Bart’s relationship. Bart and Homer Simpson’s iconic dynamic is straightforward; Bart does something to annoy or provoke Homer, and in return, Homer strangles Bart. This is the series way of giving viewers some insight into how dysfunctional the Simpson family is.

The purpose of this is not to show a conventional home, but one you wouldn’t relate to, considering Homer is very clearly not father material and Bart continues to be a troublemaker. It goes without saying; physical abuse is never going to teach Bart a lesson. Bart and Homer’s dynamic is meant to be perceived as comical and playful to an audience, considering we don’t see bruises on Bart or signs of trauma between him and his father. But despite the show’s efforts to seek approval among its viewers, fans have spoken out about the negative impact Bart, and Homer’s relationship has on television.

Homer Simpson not only strangles his son, but he is also constantly making remarks about hurting people. He’s seen as an alcoholic negligent father with a temper who is never involved in any of his kids’ activities. And when the time comes where his wife, Marge, forces his compliance, Homer spends that time moping around and complaining about his involvement with his kids. Homer has admitted many times that he would rather be getting drunk with his friends than spending time with his family. As much as fans love The Simpsons, it’s almost impossible to disagree that Homer Simpson probably shouldn’t have had children.

Family Guy, Family Troubles

Another show that’s been criticized for its vulgar display of child abuse and its frequently unhappy marriage and family is Family Guy. Family Guy’s main character, Peter Griffin, takes us on a wild journey through his life with his family and friends typically by his side. This series, much like The Simpsons, is so popular that it’s been running for over twenty years now. But although this adult animation receives a lot of attention, the feedback hasn’t always been positive.

There’s a running joke in the series that Peter’s daughter, Meg Griffin, is unlikable and not loved the way her siblings, Chris and Stewie, are. And although her brothers aren’t treated well either, they don’t endure half of the physical abuse, mental abuse, and neglect that Meg has. This is not to say Peter hasn’t run Stewie, an infant, over with a car and refused to take him to the hospital out of fear, or physically beat up Chris. But Meg has been called every name in the dictionary you can think of that would offend a woman (or any person) and is consistently tormented by her father and brothers and put down by her mother.

There’s a long list of horrible actions Peter has committed towards his family, friends, and even strangers, but that’s a huge factor in the show’s running joke. Peter being an alcoholic, unintelligent, abusive father is a large part of his character. Despite how negative this behavior may be for viewers; this dynamic has given Family Guy a lot of attention.

Are The Belchers The Ideal Animated Family?

There is no right answer to what the ideal family should look like. It’s different depending on individual preferences. Bob’s Burgers, being so independent and proving you don’t need to rely on toxic family traits to be funny, gives viewers hope that there can still be an amusing adult animation without crossing many lines. No parent is perfect, no sibling is perfect, and no family is perfect, but that doesn’t mean every household is full of hateful, neglectful fathers, abused wives, or scared, neglected kids.

What makes Bob’s Burgers so special for its fans is that despite some of the hardships and crude characters that enter the Belcher’s lives, they always stick together and support one another. There’s always a positive resolution and triumph for our progressive family of five.

The irreverent humor may not be suitable for younger viewers, and there may be times where the series has brushed on inappropriate jokes that not everyone finds humorous, but Bob’s Burgers stays true to its family-friendly values and small but cherished life lessons. With a rumored movie about the series supposedly coming out and the planned continuation of the series, there’s plenty more screen time for us to watch and admire these goofy, relatable characters.