Monday, July 8, 2013

The Simplicity Kitsch of Bob's Burger: A Short Essay of Old School Television in Contemporary Times

Louise Belcher 
Tampa, (Fl) -- There is something honest and beautiful about Bob's Burger - it reminds me of the late 1990's cartoons on the animation almost on the time period where King of the Hill made his debut -, yet the show use a similar equation that The Simpsons had on the early years before Homer went D'oh! and Lisa went Gaga.

The writing of the show is fresh even if it has been seen many times in the past and with today's competition as Family Guy (as well other 3 Seth McFarland clones) and with The Simpsons itself; because, the show has what the others left behind many years ago in order to keep the audience; but, Bob's Burger follow more the vein of King of the Hill on the writing rather than other shows of nuclear dysfunctional families as it appeals to a more mature audience without using an overly impact of slapstick comedy.

The family dynamic between the Belchers reflect the early dynamics of The Simpsons as an incompetent father tried to focus on gaining respect of his children while them only paid attention to their mother. The show shows a problematic in today's world due the rise on the price of living and many families being separated in order to keep their houses as well pay for their children's education they nucleus of an unity has been broken but beside that the intrusion of multimedia and "celebrities" advertisements in the homes of families due the use of different technologies had created a new generation of children that are far more knowledgeable on certain topics but yet more naive due the world problems because of their ego centrism and their perspective that everything has to be given "now" to them without any effort.

Probably Bob's Burger will bring back the essences of Animation Domination and will put the most established shows in an order that their scripts will improve to attract again a demographic of adults who are tired of trying to find a fresh block aimed to adults that don't include traces of child thematic's on the story-line.

When The Simpson's started on 1989 as an independent show from The Tracy Ulmann Show, the cartoon essentially defined what is adult animation today. Back on season 1 the show focused more on the family dynamics as well their interaction around their town, Springfield. Bob's Burgers follow on certain extent that concept but also dangles on the shenanigans of the family without making them extremely unrealistic (quoting The Simpson's, the Brazil episode) but yet making them lovable as people can relate to the Belcher family as the lovable losers they are.

Maybe with today's television we'll need to see more scripted shows that focus on actual events as well a fairly realistic approach of characters in comparison with today's world instead of showing a megalomaniac 1 year old who can speak and has an infatuation with a dog while they travel around time and space (we can leave that to all the "bear" fanatics of Dr. Who across the world) but writers can find inspiration on the mundane without going in the absurd but yet maybe in the kitsch.  

4 comments:

  1. This essay on Bob's Burger is humorous and spot on. This showed character development. - Layce, an Australian essay writer.

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  2. Funny post and nothing more. For me Bob's Burger will never be equal with the Simpsons or Futurama. This is another failed attempt pass by already passed way, another parody on The Simpsons. Another boring and dull show. So few shows on TV that are based on original ideas. - Mary, the best tips for your essay .

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  3. Funny post and nothing more.

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