‘Bob’s Burgers’ Is Still Going Strong Because ‘Optimism Is Underrated,’ Says Series Creator

There will always be room in the TV industry for animated sitcoms that are nestled neatly in between cynicism and schmaltz like a patty between two buns.  

Since 2011, Bob’s Burgers has filled a very specific but very popular niche for heartfelt, family-focused comedy that doesn’t sell out to sentimentality, but that resists the urge to slide into mean-spirited humor as well. And, in the greater cultural conversation about animated sitcoms that run too long for their own good, you rarely hear fans complain about Bob’s Burgers the way they deride shows like The Simpsons and Family Guy for running out of steam and succumbing to the temptation of hyper-negative, “Jerkass Homer” style humor, even though, with Bob’s Burgers Season 16 on the way, this is about the time in an animated comedy show’s life-cycle when such a community of nostalgic complainers develops.   

But in the case of Bob’s Burgers, that late-season malaise simply never set in, at least, not for the majority of the fanbase that delights in returning to the Ocean Avenue eatery every year. In a new interview with Variety, series creator Loren Bouchard postulated that the reason why Bob's Burgers continues to stay fresh nearly 15 years into its run is that “it’s a hopeful show about a working-class family with this irrational, creative, barely profitable dream at the heart of it," and hope still sells in the humor business.  

“We didn’t dare ‘think’ it would last this long, but had hope for sure,” Bouchard said of Bob’s Burgers’ endurance through the years. “I know the network and the studio did too. That was the gig, right? See if you can make a show to come on after The Simpsons.” 

But in order to avoid the kind of mean-spiritedness that tarnished The Simpsons’ teen years, Bob’s Burgers needed characters who were just as lovable and funny as the Simpson clan, but who brought out the best in each other more often than they brought out the worst.  

“In the end, if you’re making character-driven comedy, then you have to give credit to the characters for any success you might achieve. People have to want to spend time with them,” Bouchard explained of The Belchers and their continued ability to draw a devoted following. “And because they never age, we’ll never know if they’ll succeed or they’ll fail, but we feel their drive and their fundamental optimism and that’s probably valuable to some folks.”  

Bouchard then suggested, “Optimism is an underrated and complicated thing. Cynics can dismiss it, but that’s because when it’s done poorly in entertainment, it plays like schmaltz. Bob’s is about a grittier, deeper hope and how it works for you even in hard times.” And thankfully, for the fans, that invaluable optimism isn't just contained within the world of the show — it works its magic behind the scenes as well.  

“We’ll keep making the show as long as people want to see it and as long as we have stories to tell," Bouchard promised. "In some ways we’re just getting started.”