Bob’s Burgers – Who’s the beef?

Well … let’s see what we’ve got:

A dysfunctional American family. Fart jokes. Butt scratching. A grill cooking daughter with an itchy crotch. Burgers supposedly made of human flesh.  “Adventurous” customers willing to try something new. A vindictive, whiny health inspector. Too much saliva. A funeral director who’s a bad jokester.

Bob Belcher, the “Bob” of Bob’s Burgers (the voice of H. Jon Benjamin), has got problems. He’s a bad marketer, he’s forgetful, he’s fat and his kids Gene (the voice of Eugene Mirman, Flight of the Conchords; Aqua Teen Hunger Force), Linda (the voice of John Roberts, Flight of the Conchords; Modern Family) and Louise (the voice of Kristen Schaal) are difficult to keep in line.

To make matters even more problematic, Bob’s got Hugo the health inspector — who used to be engaged to Bob’s wife Tina (Dan Mintz) — all over his ass. It seems daughter Louise told her school class at “Show and Tell” that her family’s restaurant offers burgers made of human flesh. Naturally, the rumor caught wind around the health department. Let the comedy ensue.

Have we got the makings of a spiffy premiere? You bet your bippy we do. The kids have some of the best lines in the entire show and, oft times, they’re as simple as guffaw-worthy pregnant pauses. H. Jon Benjamin’s Bob is voiced with such dry delivery as the patriarch of this goofy quintet it’s hard to improve on it. It’s just about perfect. And Tina? She’s almost Edith Bunker-like … you can’t help but like her.

Despite the fact there was little hope of a profitable day … despite the fact Bob’s showcase window cracked irreparably … despite the fact Bob completely schlubbed his anniversary … at the end of the day Bob is the hero, greeting customers who are flocking through the door attracted to a posted sign that reads “Food May Contain Human Flesh” … and winning the heart of his wife all over again.

Oh. And Linda’s crotch stops itching. A good day made better.

“You’re on a sinking ship, lady, and you better get off … before it sinks.”
– Hugo the Health Inspector to Linda

“I happen to produce a lot of saliva!”
– Bob to Linda

“Who’s the Beef?”
“Don’t put our sons in between buns!”
“Take the ‘me’ out of meat!”
- Several hand-made signs angry protesters sported
while picketing against human flesh in Bob’s Burgers

“Don’t tell me how to do my job! I don’t tell you how to grow your corpses!”
– Hugo the Health Inspector to Bob

The “Child Molester” Burger (comes with candy)
– Louise’s Burger Of The Day put on the chalkboard in place of Bob’s original entry

Clacked by Michael Noble
on Jan 10, 2011 @ 09:00 EST5EDT