WhileBob’s Burgersseason 15, episode 14 was a lot of fun, the outing owed a creative debt to one of the most interesting episodes fromThe Simpsonsseason 36. SinceThe Simpsonsis the longest-running scripted primetime American TV show in history, it is hardly shocking thatBob’s Burgersborrows from the sitcom from time to time. LikeFamily Guy,South Park,American Dad,King of the Hill, and many more before them,Bob’s Burgersuses plots, techniques, and ideas pioneered byThe Simpsonsall the time.
ComparingBob’s BurgerstoThe Simpsonscan be somewhat reductive, since the newer show has a more grounded tone and more character-centric, less aggressively zany sense of humor. However, asBob’s Burgersseason 16’s arrivalnears, it was hard to miss the influenceThe Simpsonshad on the show’s most recent outing. AsThe Simpsonsis arguablythe most influential network sitcomof all time, this is hardly shocking, but it was a fun instance of the two shows inspiring each other to try new things.
Bob’s Burgers Season 15, Episode 14 Barely Features The Belcher Family
“The Place Beyond the Pinecones” Focuses Almost Entirely On Tina
InBob’s Burgersseason 15, episode 14, “The Place Beyond the Pinecones,” Tina is faced with a major moral dilemma on a Thunder Girls scouting trip. When she is sent to follow the rambunctious Troupe 257 and ensure they don’t cheat, Tina instead ends up hopelessly lost with two of the rival troupe’s more uncouth members. Soon, Tina and the duo find themselves trapped in a remote etiquette camp out in the depths of the woods, and they must use their survival skills to escape this cloying environment.
Throughout its runtime, “The Place Beyond the Pinecones” drops most of the Belcher Family as Gene, Louise, Bob, and Linda all only appear for less than a minute at the beginning and end of the outing.
“The Place Beyond the Pinecones” was a triumphantBob’s Burgersstory that highlighted Tina’s personality, but the episode’s setup would be familiar to fans ofThe Simpsons.Throughout its runtime, “The Place Beyond the Pinecones” drops most of the Belcher Family as Gene, Louise, Bob, and Linda all only appear for less than a minute at the beginning and end of the outing.The Simpsonsseason 36, episode 3, “Desperately Seeking Lisa,” used this same approach earlier as Lisa’s capital city plot barely featured the titular family.
”The Place Beyond the Pinecones” is similar to the plot of “Desperately Seeking Lisa” as both singled out the family’s eldest daughter for a standalone adventure and featured no B-story to heighten the stakes of this plot.BothBob’s BurgersandThe Simpsonssucceeded in their solo storylines, proving that Tina and Lisa had enough personality to shoulder an entire episode on their own without the family’s support.
What Else Bob’s Burgers Can Learn From The Simpsons
The Family Sitcom Has Emerged From The Shadow of The Simpsons In Recent Seasons
Interestingly, both shows also introduced new settings for these plots, as Tina and Lisa were lost far from home in the woods and the big city, respectively. Thus, “The Place Beyond the Pinecones” provesBob’s Burgerscan still learn fromThe Simpsonseven as the show maintains a tone and style of its own. Whereeven the worst villains ofBob’s Burgersare ultimately good at their core,The Simpsonshas a more cynical streak expressed through characters like Mr. Burns.
The SimpsonsandBob’s Burgersare available to stream on Hulu.
However,The Simpsonsalso has an admirable commitment to continuous experimentation even as the show goes through its fourth decade on the air.The Simpsonscould rest on its laurels but has instead continued to offer viewers risky new stories like Lisa’s solo adventure, and this has led to critics hailing the show’s return to form since season 33. It is impressive for any series to be called fresh and interesting after over 30 years on the air, but that’s exactly whatVulturedubbedThe Simpsonsin 2023. Thus,Bob’s Burgersis right to continue borrowing inspiration fromThe Simpsons.
