The Simpsons and Family Guy may be Fox's better-known animated series, but the one that drew crowds at New York Comic Con 2014 was Bob's Burgers.
Comic Con attendees, many of whom were dressed as Louise, Tina and Jimmy Pesto, Jr. from the series, filled the main stage auditorium to listen to the cast and creator Loren Bouchard talk about the series' origins, reveal what's coming up this season and answer audience questions.
Right off the bat, we got a taste of what's to come this season with some exclusive clips for the Comic Con audience. In one clip, Gretchen accidentally dyes Linda's hair blond (crazy, I know), which gives her this sexier persona around Bob, which he's not feeling so much. In another, Bob has to sketch a nude portrait of Edith, the crotchety, old owner of the town's art supply store. Finally, we saw the Belcher children complain about having to visit a specialty food store in town called Fig Jam to get Bob some black garlic for what looks like a cooking competition. They dislike the high prices and pretentiousness that the store oozes, as we all do with those kinds of establishments.
Bouchard also revealed that in this season's Christmas episode, we will get to meet Bob's father for the first time ever. If you recall, Bob's father also had his own restaurant, which Bob worked in growing up, much like the way he makes his own children work in his restaurant. Whenever Bob talks about his dad, he sounds like he still holds some bitterness toward him, so there should be some family drama at the Belcher Christmas, like family Christmas celebrations all over the world.
Joining Bouchard onstage were the actors who provide the voices for the characters, H. Jon Benjamin (Bob), John Roberts (Linda), Eugene Mirman (Gene), Kristen Schaal (Louise), Larry Murphy (Teddy) and Bobby Tisdale (Zeke). Most of the cast was actually chosen before any real writing or production began on the show. They worked with Bouchard and recorded for about two years while the show was still in development.
"I cheated, just chose these people and basically built the characters around them, basically stole my characters from them," Bouchard said during the panel.
In its early stages, Bob's Burgers could have actually turned out to be a very different show. Bouchard said that he thought he would have to create a shocking animated series to get noticed.
"My first pitch was a family that runs a restaurant and are cannibals," he said. "Fox said, 'We love it. What if they're not cannibals?' I said, that works, too."
Bob made a quick cameo in the Family Guy and Simpsons crossover episode that aired on Fox a couple of weeks ago when he showed up in Peter and Homer's fighter-pilot fantasy in which Peter explained that they "have to carry" Bob "because he can't fly on his own." When asked if Bob's Burgers would ever have a crossover with either Family Guy or The Simpsons, Mirman joked, "I think we'll see a crossover of Bob's Burgers and either CNN or C-Span."
But there is some exciting news for Bob's Burgers fans. Bouchard kept all of our hopes and dreams for a soundtrack for the series alive.
"The tracks are being prepped," Bouchard said. "We have to put it out. It's just got to happen."
Let's just hope it comes in time for Thanksgiving.
