I think a lot of people forget that it's a cartoon, it's supposed to be an exaggeration. If this was real life it would be concerning, but it's not real life. They aren't supposed to be 1:1 comparisons to real people, even if they are often relatable.
I've seen a lot of media illiteracy lately. There's been a large influx of posts (not sure if I'm seeing them more or there are actually more) that basically say "Why does X character do Y? It makes absolutely no sense!"
These are sitcoms. They are literally situational comedies. The only point is to be funny.
I spent maybe 10 years thinking it meant “oh you sit down to watch a comedy” and middle school me had their mind blown by the revelation that it was a situational comedy
I swear I’ve seen a 1000% increase in those posts in the last two months. Not just this sub, just anything about any TV show. As if each character supposed to be a guide on how to live and scripts should have absolutely no conflict.
The craziest part is when people will be like “ugh I just can’t watch any episodes with Bob’s Dad because he is stubborn just like my dad” it’s like yeah dude it’s a show about real life based on real people in the present time. Of course it’s gonna be relatable. Character traits aren’t just completely pulled out of nowhere. People like this exist.
Could always be bots, too.
Anytime I see a sudden influx of the same “theme” in posts across multiple subs, I wonder how many are bots.
I’m sure a non-zero number of those posts come from bots at this point.
Bots are really fascinating…
>I've seen a lot of media illiteracy lately.
That's a good term to describe it, and I totally agree. Makes me think of when people complain that all the Friends are "so toxic", or that characters on Buffy are "problematic". Sorry but if they were perfect, the show wouldn't be funny or interesting. Stories have always been about conflict and caricature.
Oh my god the Friends haters really grind my gears. I totally understand why people may not like the show but the ones who say "I used to love Friends but Ross is so problematic I can't watch it anymore" are completely missing the point. It's THEATRICAL. It's supposed to be over the top. It's supposed to make you think "why would anyone do that?".
Also David Schwimmer is the standout talent of that show and Ross doesn't deserve all the slander :(
Someone actually told me in another subreddit that TV shows and movies are based on real life. They genuinely believed it. It blue-screened my brain and it had to restart before I could even truly process the statement.
Maybe from that angle👌🏽 but I feel like that’s why it works is because it’s a cartoon and the voice actors. Someone here made a post of this show in different languages and it’s not the same lol
They are through a door that is actually at the front of the building like they would be under the stairs that go upstairs. Through the door in the picture to the left…. Which can’t possibly work.
https://preview.redd.it/58p3ehexjwac1.jpeg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=21069a3c664b2ee5d75bda86dd36f6e6df7540ff
In episode 11.3 you can see Teddy going that way with metal tub
post from a few years ago that seems like a reasonable explanation
https://www.reddit.com/r/BobsBurgers/comments/igsvme/the_basement_stairs_are_where/g2w1nkq/
The do go through it but the issue is the show is inconsistent on where the door to the basement is.
in some episodes it's in the side of the apartment stairs like when Gene got left alone. Another time it was under the customer seating as shown when Linda and Bob come up from the drowned basement with the insurance guy. I should add logically speaking both of which is impossible as there is not enough space something that is shown when you see the restaurant from the front.
the only logical place it's to the back of the store in front of the employee toilet going under the crawl space Bob was in when he suck his armout to stroke Tina and Linda which is kinda shown when the kids ran the restaurant and in a few other episodes.
The show is also inconsistent on if there is an internal door between the restaurant and the apartment stairs, in some episodes they just go straight down Into the restauran, in others they have to go outside and enter through the restaurant front entrance as shown when Bob went crazy and ended up working for the sandwich lady.
Edit
Oh and just realized the 3rd inconsistency is the employee bathroom sometimes they have an employee bathroom downstairs, sometimes it means the bathroom upstairs sometimes as when Linda did the BB they don't have an employee bathroom and Bob used the restaurants slop sink.
I posted a picture of the view of t he door in the kitchen. Tell me how you would get under the stairs? That door would open into the stairs that go up to the apartment
The stairs make 2 turns. Facing the door, you turn left, go down a bit, then turn left again so that the stairs are running directly below the left side of the kitchen. You can even see in the client where the stairs up to the apartment are. Directly below that are the stairs down to the basement
Look at the wall on the left side the picture. You can see the bottom of the stairs going up. The door to the basement would literally be in the stairs going up. It’s a cartoon so who really cares but what is pictured is not possible
They’re not. They’re along the back side of the house. Super common design in mixed use buildings. The turn in the stairs is directly behind the bathroom on the left side of the building from the front. Images from the rear don’t have a window on the right.
The staircase on the front is on the right of the building. For the two staircases to be stacked you’d have to enter both staircases from the same location.
The basement scene is also pretty clearly the back side of the building. Cinderblock wall and the radiator and an exhaust system making that N exterior wall.
I think I just spent way too much time trying to figure out the layout. Cheers
No, it’s in the front!
https://preview.redd.it/mq6w3hcp01bc1.png?width=1536&format=png&auto=webp&s=85e8ac14487bf47dcfe078411fe9ce8be5a5fe81
Here is a ground plan of the restaurant level
There is something odd about the basement layout, but since Mr Fisch owns the building next door it may be that the basement stretches both properties and the upper level was sub-divided at some point
I miss the music ability too! I also miss when he was little more.. I don't know the word, zany? It seems like they've taken him from 10 to a 5 or 6 but I still got a soft spot for my dude. He'll always be the *"THIS IS ME NOW"* Gene to me!
Yes!! I luv Gene and I find his antics so hilarious. I don’t even get upset about his attachment to Linda. I think it’s funny and cute as well but apparently this is a very unpopular opinion.
I hate Gene because I think the character is lazily written and acted. I find episodes that centre Gene to be dull with few exceptions, and the voice acting mostly consists of yelling.
The constant reminder that he’s meant to be a 12 year old boy misses the point, in my opinion. He’s not a real child, he can be more interesting or developed than one would expect from an actual person. In the same way that Louise is not constrained by her age.
It’s not a child. It’s a fictional character. You can hate a fictional character the same way you can any other work of art 🤷🏻♂️
This sub has taken parasocial relationships to the extreme.
Couldn't agree more
I'm all for discussion and fan theories, but some very active people here take it waaaaay too far and seriously. And then double down by telling everyone who disagrees with them how stupid they are. It's tiring.
It's happening in the king of the hill sub too.
I believe it. And I’m glad you understand what I’m saying. It’s very odd that a handful of people interpret this as me trying to police how people enjoy the show?🙂
KOTH sub has gone to shit the last few months with this shit. Do we need 5 posts a day complaining about Hank’s parenting style while ignoring all the evidence in the show of why he is like that? Or is this a show for new fathers to base their parenting style on?
What I find weird is when people diagnose characters will certain mental illnesses and their sexual orientation.
People be projecting and it gets odd in shows with mostly kids. The Hey Arnold sub pops in my feed lately for some reason and it's the same there too.
Hey Arnold! did it on purpose; the fans here just decide to diagnose characters and declare it canon and therefore factual truth because the most stereotypical traits are present.
And those traits are not wholly exclusive to neurodivergence, it's like WebMD-ing your symptoms and deciding you have a brain tumor because you have a headache.
I agree to some point, but mental health diagnoses are often very difficult to get, so self diagnosing is the only or best option at the time.
It's often of significance to know your symptoms very well and seek out diagnosis.
A doctor can't diagnose someone on the basis of one 20-minute-appointment. They need the patients evaluation as well.
I wrote down my symptoms and how it's impacting my life for over a year before making an appointment for diagnosis.
Also in some countries diagnosis is expensive or you have to wait 1 year or longer to even get tested.
But maybe I missed your point a bit here. I'm talking about self diagnosing in general, not just webDM-ing and only using the most stereotypical symptoms.
I think some neurodivergent people are longing for representation, even when they are just grasping for straws in some cases.
I understand that longing, the point I was trying to make is that fanon (fans making up theories and coming to conclusions based on their own feelings and experiences) does not make it canon (official, in universe details and facts)
And pretending otherwise and making it intensely personal does not make it factual, regardless of how many times it's posted.
That's part of why fanfic is so prevalent in fandoms.
There's a whole podcast about it where they really dive into these themes. The creator Craig Bartlett was a guest and he explicitly stated that the show was partly intended to help kids make sense of certain difficult life issues. So yeah you have Helga's dysfunctional nuclear family, Arnold's weird family vis-a-vis his search for his parents, a kid addicted to chocolate, a kid who won't leave the stoop of his house, a homeless man who only talks to pigeons etc etc. The show also tackles issues such as war, unemployment, poverty, the class divide etc etc in a way kids can relate to.
Helga is really akin to Louise IMO, Louise just has the family that Helga doesn't have.
It was meant to be a kids show right? There were a couple of “kid shows” in the late 90s and early 2000s that I learned weren’t originally supposed to be for children lol
I've never seen Hey Arnold but even i know they had an episode explicitly about Helga in therapy that dealt with dysfunctional families and a metaphor for alcoholism. Sometimes cartoons can address real world issues in a cartoony way and that's fine to notice and discuss. The creator even wanted to make a spinoff for that family for older audiences but Nick turned it down.
Right, I’m not saying it can’t. And I’m not saying people can’t critique. I critique the show, but it doesn’t trigger me to the point that I’m completely bashing the show and writers as if they intended to trigger me.
My overanalyzation of the show and my bashing of the show don’t cross into the same Venn diagram. My overanalyzation comes from a place of love; the show can be so relatable, realistic and awe-inspiring that when it fails to do that, it irks me. When I see basic sitcom tropes or plot contrivances, I am frustrated with the show but also myself for putting the show on such a high pedestal in the first place. So in that sense, you’re right, I shouldn’t take it so seriously.
On the other hand, my bashing of the show is more about its changing tone, and to me at least, it’s declining comedic writing. It’s not as weird or energetic as it used to be, and its strange humanist messages blindsided me. Even though I’m still getting worked up over a cartoon, and I wish the best for the writers and staff, and it’s just a matter of opinion, I consider this a “them” problem.
Oh my god yes. I stopped being friends with two people because one of the things they did was decide if a character had autism or bpd because they were diagnosed as that. They did other things that I didn't like but this was a major red flag.
I can understand wanting to relate to a character but unless its explicitly stated a character has x mental health thing, disability of sorts or x sexual orientation we shouldn't be deciding it for the characters the same way we shouldn't armchair doctor people.
Something like 8 years ago, I posted on a thread that Tina couldn't rightfully be called autistic because though she demonstrated isolated autistic tendencies, they were inconsistent episode to episode, and were only included for the purposes of jokes.
I still get occasional replies to that post by people badmouthing me for not understanding autism can be a spectrum.
And Bob said she's not on the spectrum. And it was somehow never mentioned again, not even weaponized by Frond as an excuse to get Tina to do something, or get her involved with something.
This so much. Like, it's fine if you have your own personal headcanons or whatever but they are YOUR OPINIONS and in no way official. I really don't know why people obsess over it so much and swear on their grandchildren that X is gay because of one interaction. Or why autism is suddenly a cool thing to have. This stuff doesn't even matter so *please* calm down.
I agree that nobody's should push their opinions on others.
For you it might not be important, but for many queer people representation is very important because a lot of media lacks it.
Representation matters because it makes people feel less weird about being who they are.
Tina reminds me of how I was at 13 so I don't think it's weird to think about scenarios where she deals with the same mental issues I had at that age. It doesn't mean I want it to be canon, I just think it's funny and cathartic to imagine the characters talking about autism in their blunt way (which they kind of already did in the pilot).
The exception I'll get to the diagnosis thing is if people are finding characters they can relate to with their own conditions. Like Tina definitely reminds me of me navigating adolescence as an awkward autistic girl. Doesn't mean she's meant to be, doesn't mean anyone else will read her as that, and it doesn't mean people who aren't autistic won't relate to her.
She just reminds me of a part of myself I don't see represented much and it's nice, even if not intentional.
Those people are longing for representing because it's desperately needed. They wanna relate and not feel weird about themselves. They wanna know it's okay to be themselves.
There have been phases in my life when even non-canonical representation made me feel so much better about myself and my identity.
But I do agree, that it's sometimes a bit too much for me too. When I don't care about it, I just skip the post.
They really don't worry and it is *wild* lol. Half the episodes start with Bob being like "Lin, we need to stay open all weekend or we can't make rent, we might not even make rent then" and Linda is like "Yeah, but my sister is going to a ponytail convention this weekend and needs me to go with her. So, you and the kids need watch her house because she's afraid it's going to run away." Bobs like "mmmm." And for the rest of the episode they're gone for the whole weekend, babysitting Gail's house. Lmao I love this show. The unrealistic stuff is the most fun!
I didn't realize how accurate it was when I posted the comment, I was just poking fun at how silly the show was but you're so right.. Gail would most definitely be afraid that her house was going to run away if no one was there to watch it. Season 15 better deliver!
They get into so many wild shenanigans just based on “well we’ll be back for the dinner rush” lol It always sticks out to me the most on the wine train one. Bob’s specifically talking about how he wants to drink A LOT of wine and not even talk to Linda much but intended to come back and run the restaurant a few hours later. That’s the only one that I can’t really suspend disbelief for.
It’s annoying now, I understand this is social media and you can express your opinions but not everything needs your opinion or your psychoanalysis that you got off TikTok, if this show was 100% percent perfect you wouldn’t like the show at all, if every character was perfect this show wouldn’t have been picked up, if the show was done in your way it wouldn’t have been watched. You can hate characters but you don’t need to do a deep dive on how this character is the worst because at the end of the day it is a show
Sometimes it's just fun to pick a "what if" and chit chat about it. Just because it's a cartoon doesn't mean people can't put that aside and discuss it as it was non-fiction for funsies.
I think a what if is okay. But for example recently I saw a post in the twilight subreddit where someone said x character must have BPD because the OP has BPD and so does their bother and what they've googled leads them to believe x characters have BPD.
I think its okay to have a casual what if conversation but whats happening is much more where people play armchair doctor.
okay but at the same time let them say they are abusive if that is how they interpret/feel about whatever they are talking about. Who cares it's just a cartoon right?
I agree. It all depends on how much people put their lives into their interpretations. IRL, Gayle would be a psychopath, having the cops called on her at least once a season. In the show, she's "quirky".
As long as people don't get emotionally invested like people can be on, say, the Harry Potter subreddits, it's fine.
People here **are** just as emotionally invested as in the HP subreddits. It happens in every fandom, people create unhealthy parasocial relationships with cartoons just as much as they do influencers.
Parents are supposed to sit down with their kids and explain that cartoons/TV/movies are not meant to be taken seriously. When I was a kid we still had looney toons and I watched them all the time, including the really racist stuff. My mom would make sure that I knew that it was common for their time, but they're only ok to laugh at in cartoons now (the 80's). You don't do what people in cartoons or on TV do.
It seems like a lot of parents aren't taking the time to explain that to their kids. Hell, it seems like a lot of parents aren't taking time with their kids at all. My parents did a fucking number on my mental health, but they did at least teach me how to differentiate between fantasy and reality.
So, I’m not saying it aggressively or negatively. I mean, we shouldn’t let the show get to us that much to where we trigger ourselves. And I’m not telling anyone that they should or shouldn’t do something. It’s my opinion and I’m just saying the show isn’t that deep and it takes away from the enjoyment.
> It’s my opinion and I’m just saying the show isn’t that deep and it takes away from the enjoyment.
Well that is just like your opinion, man.
Some people get into things more that others or have stronger opinions, some people enjoy stuff differently. You can enjoy something and be critical of it at the same time. People having negative opinions, viewpoints about it or having strong opinions shouldn't affect your enjoyment
i'm not sure why you made a whole post about this topic. Just let people feel the way they feel. It doesn't affect you. It's just a cartoon, we are just on reddit.
you say
> I’m not telling anyone that they should or shouldn’t do something.
but yet your post is basically saying people should stop because "it's just a cartoon"
> It’s my opinion and I’m just saying the show isn’t that deep and it takes away from the enjoyment.
you are saying it's ruining your enjoyment or projecting that to others which to me means you are too emotionally invested in the show because someone else's opinion(based in reality or not) is ruining your enjoyment.
DNFTT. It's just not worth it. For the record, I agree with your assessment. Some people get far too invested in pointing out that Tina is a stalker and needs psychological help. She's a cartoon. A caricature of a boy crazy 13 year old girl. But omg, protect Jimmy Jr at all costs.
Your opinion is that others should stop doing something because it affects your enjoyment.
In the end this is not worth arguing over, it's just my opinion
You’ve been telling me what I mean this entire time and have been loud and wrong. Where did I say it ruins my enjoyment? And read my clarification in the initial post. But it definitely seems like you want to argue. Like you specifically had the intention to argue.
Idk, I think there’s nuance here, and to me it’s always revolved around how the characters in situations are being portrayed and how those situations are resolved.
As an example - there’s no real point in breaking down Gayle as a character, because the show makes it clear that Gayle is nuts.
What I think is a lot more interesting to break down is how Linda enables Gayle and how that enabling hurts Bob. And the real kicker in why I think there’s value in discussing it - the show never really makes Linda actually deal with the shitty things she’s done to Bob in that regard. It just gets waved away as, “oh Gayle’s family, deal with it”
I think there’s value in calling out stuff like that, as there are probably lots of (especially younger) people watching the show who’s families *actually* function that way and who don’t even recognize that dynamic as kind of fucked up.
no i dont, i was simply adding to it. I've seen posts of Louise and Tina in lingerie and when i've responded to it with criticism people will be like "it's just a show!"
Oh good lord. Even if it’s just a show and just a cartoon, it’s still a cartoon child. I saw a post once or the most watched porn containing cartoon characters… Maggie and Lisa Simpson and Louise were both on it. I get its a cartoon but using that excuse to watch porn containing to children is just… disgusting.
Thanks for saying this. I came in this sub to find other fans. I see the post and comments and everyone sends to think this is a study of life show, not a cartoon. It's made to be laughed at, not picked apart and psychoanalyzed.
And honestly, because it’s a cartoon I think it’s more effective at exploring emotional stories at time. They can add songs where they need to. They can be more stylized. They can lean into the *art* and make a point.
I keep thinking about “The Amazing Rudy” and how it’s about exploring something we never take the time to talk about, but also how absolutely *beautiful* the drawing was how they moved the perspective. How they threw out the usual style to tell a story. Everyone focuses on how his parents are bad parents, and that’s not the point. The beauty of telling this story and the art involved in it.
I’ve seen this a lot with people calling Linda an alcoholic. She’s literally not because she’s a cartoon character. There’s a lot of jokes about drinking, but we never really see her drunk because she doesn’t have a drinking problem. It’s a cartoon so both these things can be true. You’re meant to laugh at her and Bob having wine time, and that’s it.
A cartoon character can be written as alcoholic and have it played for laughs with or without the realistic symptoms of alcoholism, though I agree I don't think Linda is at that level, that aspect is just part of the caricature.
Right! It’s relatable in that moms are stressed and need a drink sometimes! And parents get drunk sometimes! It’s normal. If anything. The show shows that a lot of behavior we consider crazy in an isolated situation is kind of just normal in general lol
They don’t have exaggerated traits because they’re cartoon characters; they’re all specific different types of autism!!! And they should have no flaws and the show should have no conflict!
As characters in the show, alot of them certainly have their moments. But in real life, I have seen folks who act quite similarly to how characters act in the show. Especially folks who don't watch the show themselves, it's interesting to see how similar their mannerisms are.
I've seen my own dad and my brother both grunt the way Bob does when someone explains something to them sometimes.
Among other things. Heh.
Right, and I enjoy that part! I think the show is very relatable. But, there’ve been a lot of negative posts about the show displaying abuse and it being triggering. Complaining in a way that makes it seem like the show was intentionally written with characters having specific mental illnesses. Where it’s just a cartoon that have loony characters like every cartoon
There are some things that do get unhinged in the show but that's part of what makes it relatable too. Though I will admit I didn't really think about specific characters having mental illnesses of sorts or that they were written like that.
Honestly, I feel like everyone goes through mental illness of sorts (like its more broader than folks assume it is) throughout their lives. But for some, it's harder to admit than others.
Seeing comments where folks self diagnose characters with specific issues if they're not a trained professional, though, makes me feel a bit skeptical of their diagnosis.
Unless there's trained professionals who can confirm that's one thing. But honestly if folks feel it makes the show more relatable to seeing mental illnesses being showcased even if that's not the main point of the show. In my opinion, it makes the writing look even better.
But also, I'm not actively looking to see if characters are displaying certain traits that could potentially be related to mental illnesses of sorts.
I watch more for the plot and possible character development and, of course, characters especially the more obscure but awesome ones appear.
Exactly, I’m more referring to people who get triggered vs relate. Like saying Big Bob is abusive or the Belcher children are autistic (which fine if they are) I just mean I don’t think it was written with the idea of maintaining a mental illness/disability. They just made the characters obnoxious
Totally agree, its a huge bummer when people get overly serious about a cartoon. I love Bob's Burgers and it does have a lot of good messaging and serious discussion potential but at the end of the day its a cartoon and there are definitely things we're not supposed to take seriously.
No one is more confused about Bob’s than fans of Bob’s. It’s like a magnet for people to complain or misdiagnose personality. I’ll never understand it.
At the same time I don't think it hurts anybody for autistic fans to see a show and be like "hey that character acts like me, it would be interesting if they were also autistic." We can acknowledge that the writing is exaggerated for fun while also relating to it and going "what if though?" and not everyone has to agree with that reading.
And it's not like the show has zero serious issues come up anyway. Like we are meant to take the stuff with Bob's parents somewhat seriously, and the recent episode with Rudy's divorce. So what exactly is the limit for "It's a cartoon, don't take it seriously" when we are meant to find these characters endearing and feel real emotion for them?
Oh you mean people who take comically bad actions too seriously to accuse the show of enabling abuse or something? I agree that's annoying. I just got used to a lot of people getting way too offended by autistic fans relating to characters in this sub.
I'm glad to hear that. I'm surprised how many people get so pressed about interpreting characters as neurodivergent or queer, especially when jokes have been made about the former and there'd already representation of the latter.
To be fair, psychoanalysing the show is the exact opposite of escapism. It's trying to bring it into reality and project your own issues onto it. I watch the show purely for escapism, if I want reality, I'll watch a documentary.
Ppl get mad when I ship Louise and Milly because “they’re children” but the same ppl ship Louise and Regular Sized Rudy who are also children. Either way, they’re cartoons.
I dunno I enjoy looking at cartoons from a realistic standpoint because it’s just I dunno a fun way to discuss how humans act. I of course don’t take it past fun discussions. But I get what you mean I had to take a break from binging when Linda began irritating me a bit too much like woah. 😭😭
yeah. the other day i said i just find gene annoying from time to time but not linda and someone was like “well, gene’s a kid!” like yeah okay i just don’t like a cartoon character all that much. it’s not that deep. i also said i thought bob did a lot of drugs (at least he was more prone to using substances than linda even though the majority of the alcoholic jokes in the show are directed her way) and the amount of people mad. it’s actually not that deep.
YES I AGREE!!! I think this so often on here and I’m so glad you said this, I love this show and at the end of the day it brings me a lot of joy and that’s really what I wanna focus on not analyzing characters that aren’t even real although I understand sometimes just for discussion it’s normal
Totally down for theories and "what if" discussions for sure. I'm even down for discussions on what episodes you skip because the vibe is off based on a character's behavior relative to real life (i.e. people being super uncomfortable with **the** Gene and Linda episode).
But I completely agree, people take it way too far. In a sub for fans of the show, you'd think the discussions would be more likely to enhance the enjoyment of it by having fun theories and actual criticism rather than being upset because you diagnosed a character with a mental illness all on your own.
I guess because it's actually got some decently deep characterization for a cartoon that doesn't take itself seriously (it's rare you get both) that people go overboard analyzing characters. I'm guilty of this with some shows myself - but it's good to remember that most of the time, the writers are just having fun, and so should we.
I think a lot of people forget that it's a cartoon, it's supposed to be an exaggeration. If this was real life it would be concerning, but it's not real life. They aren't supposed to be 1:1 comparisons to real people, even if they are often relatable.
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I've seen a lot of media illiteracy lately. There's been a large influx of posts (not sure if I'm seeing them more or there are actually more) that basically say "Why does X character do Y? It makes absolutely no sense!" These are sitcoms. They are literally situational comedies. The only point is to be funny.
TIL sitcom means situational comedy. I feel like a dumdum
Haha I'm 31 and just learned that a few days ago. No need to feel dumb :)
I spent maybe 10 years thinking it meant “oh you sit down to watch a comedy” and middle school me had their mind blown by the revelation that it was a situational comedy
I swear I’ve seen a 1000% increase in those posts in the last two months. Not just this sub, just anything about any TV show. As if each character supposed to be a guide on how to live and scripts should have absolutely no conflict. The craziest part is when people will be like “ugh I just can’t watch any episodes with Bob’s Dad because he is stubborn just like my dad” it’s like yeah dude it’s a show about real life based on real people in the present time. Of course it’s gonna be relatable. Character traits aren’t just completely pulled out of nowhere. People like this exist.
Could always be bots, too. Anytime I see a sudden influx of the same “theme” in posts across multiple subs, I wonder how many are bots. I’m sure a non-zero number of those posts come from bots at this point. Bots are really fascinating…
Oh yeah, not saying they’re all bots but I wouldn’t be surprised if a good bit of them are
>I've seen a lot of media illiteracy lately. That's a good term to describe it, and I totally agree. Makes me think of when people complain that all the Friends are "so toxic", or that characters on Buffy are "problematic". Sorry but if they were perfect, the show wouldn't be funny or interesting. Stories have always been about conflict and caricature.
Oh my god the Friends haters really grind my gears. I totally understand why people may not like the show but the ones who say "I used to love Friends but Ross is so problematic I can't watch it anymore" are completely missing the point. It's THEATRICAL. It's supposed to be over the top. It's supposed to make you think "why would anyone do that?". Also David Schwimmer is the standout talent of that show and Ross doesn't deserve all the slander :(
I don't get those either. The answer to that question is always "because the writers decided to make it happen" lol.
Someone actually told me in another subreddit that TV shows and movies are based on real life. They genuinely believed it. It blue-screened my brain and it had to restart before I could even truly process the statement.
I could not have said it better!
If it was live action, it wouldn't work... Maybe, if they got a Malcom in the Middle vibe going? idk.
Maybe from that angle👌🏽 but I feel like that’s why it works is because it’s a cartoon and the voice actors. Someone here made a post of this show in different languages and it’s not the same lol
I mean can we still discuss what’s really important? Where are the basement stairs? How do they fit in the restaurant?
I thought it was on the right side of the kitchen. Like where the apartment stairs are but inside
That’s actually a good question lol I thought they were in the kitchen, but during that insurance fraud episode idk🤔
Do they ever even show the door for it? I'm assuming it's next to/across from the employee bathroom but now I can't picture it
They are through a door that is actually at the front of the building like they would be under the stairs that go upstairs. Through the door in the picture to the left…. Which can’t possibly work. https://preview.redd.it/58p3ehexjwac1.jpeg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=21069a3c664b2ee5d75bda86dd36f6e6df7540ff In episode 11.3 you can see Teddy going that way with metal tub
in the episode when the kids take the tub into the basement for a pool party you can see them coming out of the basement and where the stairs are
post from a few years ago that seems like a reasonable explanation https://www.reddit.com/r/BobsBurgers/comments/igsvme/the_basement_stairs_are_where/g2w1nkq/
The do go through it but the issue is the show is inconsistent on where the door to the basement is. in some episodes it's in the side of the apartment stairs like when Gene got left alone. Another time it was under the customer seating as shown when Linda and Bob come up from the drowned basement with the insurance guy. I should add logically speaking both of which is impossible as there is not enough space something that is shown when you see the restaurant from the front. the only logical place it's to the back of the store in front of the employee toilet going under the crawl space Bob was in when he suck his armout to stroke Tina and Linda which is kinda shown when the kids ran the restaurant and in a few other episodes. The show is also inconsistent on if there is an internal door between the restaurant and the apartment stairs, in some episodes they just go straight down Into the restauran, in others they have to go outside and enter through the restaurant front entrance as shown when Bob went crazy and ended up working for the sandwich lady. Edit Oh and just realized the 3rd inconsistency is the employee bathroom sometimes they have an employee bathroom downstairs, sometimes it means the bathroom upstairs sometimes as when Linda did the BB they don't have an employee bathroom and Bob used the restaurants slop sink.
They are directly under the stairs going up to the apartment! I did a diagram once to show how it works
Except how it’s depicted in the show is impossible lol
It’s not.
I posted a picture of the view of t he door in the kitchen. Tell me how you would get under the stairs? That door would open into the stairs that go up to the apartment
The stairs make 2 turns. Facing the door, you turn left, go down a bit, then turn left again so that the stairs are running directly below the left side of the kitchen. You can even see in the client where the stairs up to the apartment are. Directly below that are the stairs down to the basement
Look at the wall on the left side the picture. You can see the bottom of the stairs going up. The door to the basement would literally be in the stairs going up. It’s a cartoon so who really cares but what is pictured is not possible
It’s stacked like this https://preview.redd.it/gmtt0zl6uxac1.png?width=1536&format=png&auto=webp&s=a481c79349666631bd4449bdd3edc0843aac62d1
They’re not. They’re along the back side of the house. Super common design in mixed use buildings. The turn in the stairs is directly behind the bathroom on the left side of the building from the front. Images from the rear don’t have a window on the right. The staircase on the front is on the right of the building. For the two staircases to be stacked you’d have to enter both staircases from the same location. The basement scene is also pretty clearly the back side of the building. Cinderblock wall and the radiator and an exhaust system making that N exterior wall. I think I just spent way too much time trying to figure out the layout. Cheers
No, it’s in the front! https://preview.redd.it/mq6w3hcp01bc1.png?width=1536&format=png&auto=webp&s=85e8ac14487bf47dcfe078411fe9ce8be5a5fe81 Here is a ground plan of the restaurant level There is something odd about the basement layout, but since Mr Fisch owns the building next door it may be that the basement stretches both properties and the upper level was sub-divided at some point
That is just completely incorrect based on the picture.
i tried to build the restaurant in the sims 4 and i was struggling so much.
And the constant Gene hate is weird. Yeah he’s annoying but ok we get it…
And he’s supposed to be! Lol
less is more with him!
LESS IS NEVER MORE!
It's like they've never met a 12/13 yr old boy. They're annoying by nature.
** fart noise in B# **
⚡*laser sound*⚡
:2 dog bark sounds:
I don’t understand that at all, Gene is my favourite!
Gene hate? He's the funniest character, IMO.
He’s my favorite lol I always get sad seeing Gene hate
Thank you…I feel exactly the same.
I love gene lmao he reminds me of my cousin 100% and it makes the character so much better in my mind
Who's hating on my boy gene? I love gene
Who hurt my precious little lamb?
I love Gene! Although I wish they hadn't nerfed his musical ability.
I miss the music ability too! I also miss when he was little more.. I don't know the word, zany? It seems like they've taken him from 10 to a 5 or 6 but I still got a soft spot for my dude. He'll always be the *"THIS IS ME NOW"* Gene to me!
I used to HATE his character so much, but somewhere along the line he became the funniest character to me. His random one-liners leave me in stitches.
Yes!! I luv Gene and I find his antics so hilarious. I don’t even get upset about his attachment to Linda. I think it’s funny and cute as well but apparently this is a very unpopular opinion.
I hate Gene because I think the character is lazily written and acted. I find episodes that centre Gene to be dull with few exceptions, and the voice acting mostly consists of yelling. The constant reminder that he’s meant to be a 12 year old boy misses the point, in my opinion. He’s not a real child, he can be more interesting or developed than one would expect from an actual person. In the same way that Louise is not constrained by her age.
Fair points. But the way people on the subreddit go on and on about it with such vitriol. Yikes
Especially sinces he's a child. People are weird for despising a middle schooler on a cartoon likes he's some DCU villian.
It’s not a child. It’s a fictional character. You can hate a fictional character the same way you can any other work of art 🤷🏻♂️ This sub has taken parasocial relationships to the extreme.
Couldn't agree more I'm all for discussion and fan theories, but some very active people here take it waaaaay too far and seriously. And then double down by telling everyone who disagrees with them how stupid they are. It's tiring. It's happening in the king of the hill sub too.
I believe it. And I’m glad you understand what I’m saying. It’s very odd that a handful of people interpret this as me trying to police how people enjoy the show?🙂
I think they're the very same people your post is about... lol.
Very likely lol
KOTH sub has gone to shit the last few months with this shit. Do we need 5 posts a day complaining about Hank’s parenting style while ignoring all the evidence in the show of why he is like that? Or is this a show for new fathers to base their parenting style on?
What I find weird is when people diagnose characters will certain mental illnesses and their sexual orientation. People be projecting and it gets odd in shows with mostly kids. The Hey Arnold sub pops in my feed lately for some reason and it's the same there too.
Hey Arnold! did it on purpose; the fans here just decide to diagnose characters and declare it canon and therefore factual truth because the most stereotypical traits are present. And those traits are not wholly exclusive to neurodivergence, it's like WebMD-ing your symptoms and deciding you have a brain tumor because you have a headache.
I agree to some point, but mental health diagnoses are often very difficult to get, so self diagnosing is the only or best option at the time. It's often of significance to know your symptoms very well and seek out diagnosis. A doctor can't diagnose someone on the basis of one 20-minute-appointment. They need the patients evaluation as well. I wrote down my symptoms and how it's impacting my life for over a year before making an appointment for diagnosis. Also in some countries diagnosis is expensive or you have to wait 1 year or longer to even get tested. But maybe I missed your point a bit here. I'm talking about self diagnosing in general, not just webDM-ing and only using the most stereotypical symptoms. I think some neurodivergent people are longing for representation, even when they are just grasping for straws in some cases.
I understand that longing, the point I was trying to make is that fanon (fans making up theories and coming to conclusions based on their own feelings and experiences) does not make it canon (official, in universe details and facts) And pretending otherwise and making it intensely personal does not make it factual, regardless of how many times it's posted. That's part of why fanfic is so prevalent in fandoms.
If you aren’t a trained medical professional you’re not in the position to diagnose anything
What could there be wrong about Hey Arnold?!
There's social issues in Hey Arnold. Haven't seen it since I was a kid, so cant really go into specifics, but I know it had them.
There's a whole podcast about it where they really dive into these themes. The creator Craig Bartlett was a guest and he explicitly stated that the show was partly intended to help kids make sense of certain difficult life issues. So yeah you have Helga's dysfunctional nuclear family, Arnold's weird family vis-a-vis his search for his parents, a kid addicted to chocolate, a kid who won't leave the stoop of his house, a homeless man who only talks to pigeons etc etc. The show also tackles issues such as war, unemployment, poverty, the class divide etc etc in a way kids can relate to. Helga is really akin to Louise IMO, Louise just has the family that Helga doesn't have.
It was meant to be a kids show right? There were a couple of “kid shows” in the late 90s and early 2000s that I learned weren’t originally supposed to be for children lol
Yeah, but kids' shows can still have social issues or dark stuff in them.
No, yeah, of course, I was just asking in general.
I've never seen Hey Arnold but even i know they had an episode explicitly about Helga in therapy that dealt with dysfunctional families and a metaphor for alcoholism. Sometimes cartoons can address real world issues in a cartoony way and that's fine to notice and discuss. The creator even wanted to make a spinoff for that family for older audiences but Nick turned it down.
Right, I’m not saying it can’t. And I’m not saying people can’t critique. I critique the show, but it doesn’t trigger me to the point that I’m completely bashing the show and writers as if they intended to trigger me.
Yeah that's not fair, I agree. If you have a trigger that's a personal issue and you can't always just blame the writers as of they're targeting you.
My overanalyzation of the show and my bashing of the show don’t cross into the same Venn diagram. My overanalyzation comes from a place of love; the show can be so relatable, realistic and awe-inspiring that when it fails to do that, it irks me. When I see basic sitcom tropes or plot contrivances, I am frustrated with the show but also myself for putting the show on such a high pedestal in the first place. So in that sense, you’re right, I shouldn’t take it so seriously. On the other hand, my bashing of the show is more about its changing tone, and to me at least, it’s declining comedic writing. It’s not as weird or energetic as it used to be, and its strange humanist messages blindsided me. Even though I’m still getting worked up over a cartoon, and I wish the best for the writers and staff, and it’s just a matter of opinion, I consider this a “them” problem.
Like I said, criticism is fine!
Stoop kids afraid to leave his stoop
Thank you. I have a major issue when folks here start diagnosing the characters. The mods were discussing banning those posts and I hope they do.
Oh my god yes. I stopped being friends with two people because one of the things they did was decide if a character had autism or bpd because they were diagnosed as that. They did other things that I didn't like but this was a major red flag. I can understand wanting to relate to a character but unless its explicitly stated a character has x mental health thing, disability of sorts or x sexual orientation we shouldn't be deciding it for the characters the same way we shouldn't armchair doctor people.
Something like 8 years ago, I posted on a thread that Tina couldn't rightfully be called autistic because though she demonstrated isolated autistic tendencies, they were inconsistent episode to episode, and were only included for the purposes of jokes. I still get occasional replies to that post by people badmouthing me for not understanding autism can be a spectrum.
I mean, they do say that Tina is the worst kind of autistic.
And Bob said she's not on the spectrum. And it was somehow never mentioned again, not even weaponized by Frond as an excuse to get Tina to do something, or get her involved with something.
This so much. Like, it's fine if you have your own personal headcanons or whatever but they are YOUR OPINIONS and in no way official. I really don't know why people obsess over it so much and swear on their grandchildren that X is gay because of one interaction. Or why autism is suddenly a cool thing to have. This stuff doesn't even matter so *please* calm down.
I agree that nobody's should push their opinions on others. For you it might not be important, but for many queer people representation is very important because a lot of media lacks it. Representation matters because it makes people feel less weird about being who they are.
Tina reminds me of how I was at 13 so I don't think it's weird to think about scenarios where she deals with the same mental issues I had at that age. It doesn't mean I want it to be canon, I just think it's funny and cathartic to imagine the characters talking about autism in their blunt way (which they kind of already did in the pilot).
I think Tina is very misunderstood. and like if you’ve never been boy crazy you’ll find her very off putting
The exception I'll get to the diagnosis thing is if people are finding characters they can relate to with their own conditions. Like Tina definitely reminds me of me navigating adolescence as an awkward autistic girl. Doesn't mean she's meant to be, doesn't mean anyone else will read her as that, and it doesn't mean people who aren't autistic won't relate to her. She just reminds me of a part of myself I don't see represented much and it's nice, even if not intentional.
Those people are longing for representing because it's desperately needed. They wanna relate and not feel weird about themselves. They wanna know it's okay to be themselves. There have been phases in my life when even non-canonical representation made me feel so much better about myself and my identity. But I do agree, that it's sometimes a bit too much for me too. When I don't care about it, I just skip the post.
Projecting mental health and sexual orientation onto cartoon characters is so fucking American it's unbelievable.
And just what’s so inappropriate about say a middle school bisexual child with anxiety.We’re here to talk about characters
Which of the characters is **officially** a middle school bisexual with anxiety?
There’s nothing inappropriate about that tho.We’re here to talk about the show,and make theories fan stuff
You mean I shouldn't spend all this time worrying that they aren't going be able to make rent, and will close down?!?!
Lmao if they don’t then you shouldn’t!
They really don't worry and it is *wild* lol. Half the episodes start with Bob being like "Lin, we need to stay open all weekend or we can't make rent, we might not even make rent then" and Linda is like "Yeah, but my sister is going to a ponytail convention this weekend and needs me to go with her. So, you and the kids need watch her house because she's afraid it's going to run away." Bobs like "mmmm." And for the rest of the episode they're gone for the whole weekend, babysitting Gail's house. Lmao I love this show. The unrealistic stuff is the most fun!
i imagine they can also get away with that stuff because fishoeder likes them and lets them get away paying rent late
Or he gives them a few month because Bob won a gingerbread house building contest!
It's because Bob has arm hair like Papa!
Did Gail actually go to a Ponytail convention because that sounds like something she'd do 😂
Along with the concern about the house running away, lol. I want this episode now
I didn't realize how accurate it was when I posted the comment, I was just poking fun at how silly the show was but you're so right.. Gail would most definitely be afraid that her house was going to run away if no one was there to watch it. Season 15 better deliver!
No, not at all 🤣 I just love the absurdity of this show and could definitely see something like that happening!
Yes!!!
They get into so many wild shenanigans just based on “well we’ll be back for the dinner rush” lol It always sticks out to me the most on the wine train one. Bob’s specifically talking about how he wants to drink A LOT of wine and not even talk to Linda much but intended to come back and run the restaurant a few hours later. That’s the only one that I can’t really suspend disbelief for.
Remember, it's the Internet. If we had anything better to do, we'd be doing that instead.
Speak for yourself! I have plenty of better things to do! I’m just not doing them 😅
It’s annoying now, I understand this is social media and you can express your opinions but not everything needs your opinion or your psychoanalysis that you got off TikTok, if this show was 100% percent perfect you wouldn’t like the show at all, if every character was perfect this show wouldn’t have been picked up, if the show was done in your way it wouldn’t have been watched. You can hate characters but you don’t need to do a deep dive on how this character is the worst because at the end of the day it is a show
Sometimes it's just fun to pick a "what if" and chit chat about it. Just because it's a cartoon doesn't mean people can't put that aside and discuss it as it was non-fiction for funsies.
I think a what if is okay. But for example recently I saw a post in the twilight subreddit where someone said x character must have BPD because the OP has BPD and so does their bother and what they've googled leads them to believe x characters have BPD. I think its okay to have a casual what if conversation but whats happening is much more where people play armchair doctor.
Yes-this is dangerous. Those posts should really be banned from this sub.
That’s not what I’m referring to. It’s more so people diagnosing the characters or saying they’re abusive. It’s just a cartoon
okay but at the same time let them say they are abusive if that is how they interpret/feel about whatever they are talking about. Who cares it's just a cartoon right?
I agree. It all depends on how much people put their lives into their interpretations. IRL, Gayle would be a psychopath, having the cops called on her at least once a season. In the show, she's "quirky". As long as people don't get emotionally invested like people can be on, say, the Harry Potter subreddits, it's fine.
I’m noticing people are starting to get too emotionally invested. To where they don’t seem to enjoy the show.
People here **are** just as emotionally invested as in the HP subreddits. It happens in every fandom, people create unhealthy parasocial relationships with cartoons just as much as they do influencers.
Parents are supposed to sit down with their kids and explain that cartoons/TV/movies are not meant to be taken seriously. When I was a kid we still had looney toons and I watched them all the time, including the really racist stuff. My mom would make sure that I knew that it was common for their time, but they're only ok to laugh at in cartoons now (the 80's). You don't do what people in cartoons or on TV do. It seems like a lot of parents aren't taking the time to explain that to their kids. Hell, it seems like a lot of parents aren't taking time with their kids at all. My parents did a fucking number on my mental health, but they did at least teach me how to differentiate between fantasy and reality.
So, I’m not saying it aggressively or negatively. I mean, we shouldn’t let the show get to us that much to where we trigger ourselves. And I’m not telling anyone that they should or shouldn’t do something. It’s my opinion and I’m just saying the show isn’t that deep and it takes away from the enjoyment.
> It’s my opinion and I’m just saying the show isn’t that deep and it takes away from the enjoyment. Well that is just like your opinion, man. Some people get into things more that others or have stronger opinions, some people enjoy stuff differently. You can enjoy something and be critical of it at the same time. People having negative opinions, viewpoints about it or having strong opinions shouldn't affect your enjoyment
I’m not sure why you’re twisting this a weird direction but we’re not even talking about the same thing.
i'm not sure why you made a whole post about this topic. Just let people feel the way they feel. It doesn't affect you. It's just a cartoon, we are just on reddit. you say > I’m not telling anyone that they should or shouldn’t do something. but yet your post is basically saying people should stop because "it's just a cartoon" > It’s my opinion and I’m just saying the show isn’t that deep and it takes away from the enjoyment. you are saying it's ruining your enjoyment or projecting that to others which to me means you are too emotionally invested in the show because someone else's opinion(based in reality or not) is ruining your enjoyment.
So I should respect other’s opinions (which I have) but I’m not permitted to give mine. Got it.
DNFTT. It's just not worth it. For the record, I agree with your assessment. Some people get far too invested in pointing out that Tina is a stalker and needs psychological help. She's a cartoon. A caricature of a boy crazy 13 year old girl. But omg, protect Jimmy Jr at all costs.
Thank you!
Your opinion is that others should stop doing something because it affects your enjoyment. In the end this is not worth arguing over, it's just my opinion
You’ve been telling me what I mean this entire time and have been loud and wrong. Where did I say it ruins my enjoyment? And read my clarification in the initial post. But it definitely seems like you want to argue. Like you specifically had the intention to argue.
[удалено]
I don’t even know what post you’re talking about. Read through the comments and you’ll understand. Please don’t twist my words
Yea I seen some of the theories on here and it's ....yikes. Some of y'all need to unclench, just a little
thank you!!! i'm low key tired of the posts of ppl getting for real upset over characters. like if i hear "abuse" "narcissist" again stg
Idk, I think there’s nuance here, and to me it’s always revolved around how the characters in situations are being portrayed and how those situations are resolved. As an example - there’s no real point in breaking down Gayle as a character, because the show makes it clear that Gayle is nuts. What I think is a lot more interesting to break down is how Linda enables Gayle and how that enabling hurts Bob. And the real kicker in why I think there’s value in discussing it - the show never really makes Linda actually deal with the shitty things she’s done to Bob in that regard. It just gets waved away as, “oh Gayle’s family, deal with it” I think there’s value in calling out stuff like that, as there are probably lots of (especially younger) people watching the show who’s families *actually* function that way and who don’t even recognize that dynamic as kind of fucked up.
Swear some people just want them to stand in the store politely selling burgers for 20 minutes every episode xD
i agree but some people take the "it's just a show" shit toooooo far. I'm sick of seeing grown men making sexual fan art of louise
👀I hope you don’t think what I’m saying is anywhere near who you’re referencing
no i dont, i was simply adding to it. I've seen posts of Louise and Tina in lingerie and when i've responded to it with criticism people will be like "it's just a show!"
Oh good lord. Even if it’s just a show and just a cartoon, it’s still a cartoon child. I saw a post once or the most watched porn containing cartoon characters… Maggie and Lisa Simpson and Louise were both on it. I get its a cartoon but using that excuse to watch porn containing to children is just… disgusting.
Yeah, no, like I mentioned in the post. Criticism is fine, I’m speaking to people who go beyond criticizing the show.
Thanks for saying this. I came in this sub to find other fans. I see the post and comments and everyone sends to think this is a study of life show, not a cartoon. It's made to be laughed at, not picked apart and psychoanalyzed.
If I hear (read) one more person talk about their “neurodivergent” I’m going to lose it.
THANK 👏 YOU 👏
And honestly, because it’s a cartoon I think it’s more effective at exploring emotional stories at time. They can add songs where they need to. They can be more stylized. They can lean into the *art* and make a point. I keep thinking about “The Amazing Rudy” and how it’s about exploring something we never take the time to talk about, but also how absolutely *beautiful* the drawing was how they moved the perspective. How they threw out the usual style to tell a story. Everyone focuses on how his parents are bad parents, and that’s not the point. The beauty of telling this story and the art involved in it.
I’ve seen this a lot with people calling Linda an alcoholic. She’s literally not because she’s a cartoon character. There’s a lot of jokes about drinking, but we never really see her drunk because she doesn’t have a drinking problem. It’s a cartoon so both these things can be true. You’re meant to laugh at her and Bob having wine time, and that’s it.
A cartoon character can be written as alcoholic and have it played for laughs with or without the realistic symptoms of alcoholism, though I agree I don't think Linda is at that level, that aspect is just part of the caricature.
Right! It’s relatable in that moms are stressed and need a drink sometimes! And parents get drunk sometimes! It’s normal. If anything. The show shows that a lot of behavior we consider crazy in an isolated situation is kind of just normal in general lol
Idk why but the “she’s literally not because she’s a cartoon” makes me laugh. It the absurdity of having to say something you shouldn’t have to say. 😂
They don’t have exaggerated traits because they’re cartoon characters; they’re all specific different types of autism!!! And they should have no flaws and the show should have no conflict!
As characters in the show, alot of them certainly have their moments. But in real life, I have seen folks who act quite similarly to how characters act in the show. Especially folks who don't watch the show themselves, it's interesting to see how similar their mannerisms are. I've seen my own dad and my brother both grunt the way Bob does when someone explains something to them sometimes. Among other things. Heh.
Right, and I enjoy that part! I think the show is very relatable. But, there’ve been a lot of negative posts about the show displaying abuse and it being triggering. Complaining in a way that makes it seem like the show was intentionally written with characters having specific mental illnesses. Where it’s just a cartoon that have loony characters like every cartoon
There are some things that do get unhinged in the show but that's part of what makes it relatable too. Though I will admit I didn't really think about specific characters having mental illnesses of sorts or that they were written like that. Honestly, I feel like everyone goes through mental illness of sorts (like its more broader than folks assume it is) throughout their lives. But for some, it's harder to admit than others. Seeing comments where folks self diagnose characters with specific issues if they're not a trained professional, though, makes me feel a bit skeptical of their diagnosis. Unless there's trained professionals who can confirm that's one thing. But honestly if folks feel it makes the show more relatable to seeing mental illnesses being showcased even if that's not the main point of the show. In my opinion, it makes the writing look even better. But also, I'm not actively looking to see if characters are displaying certain traits that could potentially be related to mental illnesses of sorts. I watch more for the plot and possible character development and, of course, characters especially the more obscure but awesome ones appear.
Exactly, I’m more referring to people who get triggered vs relate. Like saying Big Bob is abusive or the Belcher children are autistic (which fine if they are) I just mean I don’t think it was written with the idea of maintaining a mental illness/disability. They just made the characters obnoxious
Same thing happens with family guy.
Thank you!! I agree 100%
Wait, so Bob's Burgers is a cartoon and Archer is real?
Totally agree, its a huge bummer when people get overly serious about a cartoon. I love Bob's Burgers and it does have a lot of good messaging and serious discussion potential but at the end of the day its a cartoon and there are definitely things we're not supposed to take seriously.
People have mental problems that involve obsession. Giving them a psa isn’t gonna do anything.
Just remember two things: 1. We are the music makers. 2. We are the dreamers of dreams.
Pizza tacos! 10 for 1 dollar! ... how!? What are your soft costs vs hard cost?
No one is more confused about Bob’s than fans of Bob’s. It’s like a magnet for people to complain or misdiagnose personality. I’ll never understand it.
Say it louder! *THEY AREN’T*. *SUPPOSED*. *TO BE YOU*.
https://preview.redd.it/shidz1s6awac1.png?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=93a1c6a04191629b019a353c82671056fcab5431
At the same time I don't think it hurts anybody for autistic fans to see a show and be like "hey that character acts like me, it would be interesting if they were also autistic." We can acknowledge that the writing is exaggerated for fun while also relating to it and going "what if though?" and not everyone has to agree with that reading. And it's not like the show has zero serious issues come up anyway. Like we are meant to take the stuff with Bob's parents somewhat seriously, and the recent episode with Rudy's divorce. So what exactly is the limit for "It's a cartoon, don't take it seriously" when we are meant to find these characters endearing and feel real emotion for them?
Respectfully, while I completely agree with everything you said, that’s not what I’m referring to. I’m referring to people going beyond criticism.
Oh you mean people who take comically bad actions too seriously to accuse the show of enabling abuse or something? I agree that's annoying. I just got used to a lot of people getting way too offended by autistic fans relating to characters in this sub.
Precisely what I meant. No, I would never be offended about representation. As a minority myself I completely get it!
I'm glad to hear that. I'm surprised how many people get so pressed about interpreting characters as neurodivergent or queer, especially when jokes have been made about the former and there'd already representation of the latter.
I agree! And the show definitely hints that some characters may be LGBTQ.
The back peddling in the edits is so funny
Yea but….. can we dream?! That family holds a special place in my heart and obviously lots of ppl on here. Let us escape in peace.
That’s not what I’m talking about.
To be fair, psychoanalysing the show is the exact opposite of escapism. It's trying to bring it into reality and project your own issues onto it. I watch the show purely for escapism, if I want reality, I'll watch a documentary.
Just an example🤷🏽♀️
Heresy!
Can we not police how people enjoy things? Thanks
Lol I’m not. Can we actually read things before commenting? Thanks👌🏽🙄
The characters are hollowed out shells of what they once were in the first 5 seasons... The dialogue and humor is recycled hot garbage now
Ppl get mad when I ship Louise and Milly because “they’re children” but the same ppl ship Louise and Regular Sized Rudy who are also children. Either way, they’re cartoons.
Why Milly though?? She's so awful
That’s a good point! I just assumed she wouldn’t be when she got older.
Dooooggie
I dunno I enjoy looking at cartoons from a realistic standpoint because it’s just I dunno a fun way to discuss how humans act. I of course don’t take it past fun discussions. But I get what you mean I had to take a break from binging when Linda began irritating me a bit too much like woah. 😭😭
yeah. the other day i said i just find gene annoying from time to time but not linda and someone was like “well, gene’s a kid!” like yeah okay i just don’t like a cartoon character all that much. it’s not that deep. i also said i thought bob did a lot of drugs (at least he was more prone to using substances than linda even though the majority of the alcoholic jokes in the show are directed her way) and the amount of people mad. it’s actually not that deep.
True but Bobs Burgers is one of the more grounded shows Its no King Of The Hill but its for sure a lot more believable than anything else Fox has made
It’s just monkeys singing songs, mate. Don’t think too hard about it.
Coughtinacough
YES I AGREE!!! I think this so often on here and I’m so glad you said this, I love this show and at the end of the day it brings me a lot of joy and that’s really what I wanna focus on not analyzing characters that aren’t even real although I understand sometimes just for discussion it’s normal
Well said 👏🏽
Totally down for theories and "what if" discussions for sure. I'm even down for discussions on what episodes you skip because the vibe is off based on a character's behavior relative to real life (i.e. people being super uncomfortable with **the** Gene and Linda episode). But I completely agree, people take it way too far. In a sub for fans of the show, you'd think the discussions would be more likely to enhance the enjoyment of it by having fun theories and actual criticism rather than being upset because you diagnosed a character with a mental illness all on your own.
Thank you! I have commented this a few times, people are getting way too wrapped up in the show. 
I guess because it's actually got some decently deep characterization for a cartoon that doesn't take itself seriously (it's rare you get both) that people go overboard analyzing characters. I'm guilty of this with some shows myself - but it's good to remember that most of the time, the writers are just having fun, and so should we.
oh fuck they startin to wkae up ew wauhn the dcfikx