Trentavisionist: I’ll Have Bob’s Burgers with a Side of Dialogue

Is Bob's Burgers too Smart for Fox?

Originally posted on TheTelevisionist.com 

On Jan. 9, Fox will add yet another animated sitcom to their “Animation Domination.”

Bob’s Burgers makes its debut serving up a familiar yet not recognizable by name cast. The first reaction you may have when hearing Bob, will be one of a “Where have I heard him before?!” Jon Benjamin has a resume that reads like a laundry-list of brilliant unknown comdey. From episodes of “Parks & Recreation” to a regular role on FX’s “Archer,” not to mention a whole slough of shows under his writer’s hat, there is no doubt you unknowingly are familiar with his work.

Also included in the cast are Flight of the Conchords’ Eugene Mirman, Modern Family’s Kristen Schaal, and Every Body Loves Raymond’s Andy Kindler.

The inception of Loren Bouchard, Bob’s Burgers is hoping to add more to Fox’s Sunday night line up than the current Seth MacFarlane onslaught (Family Guy, The Cleveland Show, American Dad). And if B.B. is a reflection of Bouchard’s earlier work, it will be a 180 to any show currently airing on Fox.

Bouchard, the creative genius behind Dr. Katz and Home Movies, uses “retroscripting” as the driving force in telling his stories. Retroscripting provides a loose plot structure as the model for the voice actors to shape each episode through their own improvisation. This style lends to dialogue driven comedy, which couldn’t be farther away from the MacFarlane Flashback/Cutaway animation.

However, such a dialogue driven style may prove too taxing on Fox’s general audience, and the show could steer away from its Comedy Central and Cartoon Network siblings. Sadly, if Bouchard holds to his style, Bob’s Burgers could quickly go the way of Arrested Development.

Ironically, Bob’s Burgers is about a failing family-run burger joint. Let’s hope the show will serves more laughs than the restaurant is meals.

Bob’s Burgers premieres Sunday, Jan. 9, at 7:30 p.m. MST.