A love letter to ‘Bob’s Burgers’

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A few months ago I asked my son about the Fox cartoon "Bob's Burgers" when I was looking for some humor beyond the 29th season of "The Simpsons." Little did I know that these animated characters and their 23-minute plot lines would end up getting under my skin — the perfect source of philosophical and sociological discussions about life, ethics, pop culture, politics and family, even if their creators were just trying to be funny.

“Bob's Burgers” is the story of the Belcher family: Bob, his wife Linda and his children, Tina, 13, Gene, 11, and Louise, 9. Bob is a small business owner of a second-generation burger shop near an unidentified ocean and a Luna Park wannabe amusement park named Wonder Wharf. This dysfunctional, lower-middle class family is always trying to make rent and have a few dollars in the bank. They encourage their kids to be themselves, as long as they enjoy life and lead ethical lives. Characters with such honesty and sincerity you'd wish you knew them for real. And you might.

Bob, the patriarch, who stereotypically should manage the chaos, can't. He's a gentle guy who is average under every circumstance but he makes a great lunch. I knew a few Bobs in high school, most of us did.


Linda speaks before she thinks but that's because she leads with her heart. If she were real, she'd probably be the only one to agree to sing backup in my (failing) girl band when the others bailed. I admire how she protects her kids as much as their dreams — a cheerleader for awkward, boy-crazy Tina and pop-culture spewing Gene — her older children who are anything but perfect.

And if I ever needed further inspiration than the "Fearless Girl" statue can provide, I can reach for the nine-year-old, Louise. Defying exact description, Louise is wickedly smart, fiercely loyal and, unlike her mom, is able to say what we are all thinking. There is no adult who gets past this tween and I want to be just like her when I grow up.

So why the love letter to the show? Because I recognize this family and the peers that enrich their lives: straight, gay, poor, rich, young or old. The Belchers and their friends are all the people we know and have known from elementary school, the PTA, the neighborhood and the little league.

And while family can be the toughest critics in real life, I try to remember how the Belchers love unconditionally. It may be a cartoon, but it's reassuring that if someone was able to write and imagine it — then a family refuge can be found anywhere — and can be served perfectly with fries. 

A contributing writer to the Herald since 2012, Lauren Lev is an East Meadow resident and a direct marketing/advertising executive who teaches advertising and marketing communications courses at the Fashion Institute of Technology/SUNY, LIU Post and SUNY Old Westbury.