Why Tina of Bob's Burgers Can't Be Ignored
- Thread starter MovieBob
- Start date
Unfortunately, I think Bob might be reading too much into the character. From Bob's own description of tropes, she's often depicted as a 'beast' and IS played as plain and for gross-out comedy (although having Gene & Louise as siblings means they take the brunt of it). Tina is given a monotonous voice, played as incompetent (like the rest of the family, but her driving & acting are especially bad) and aside from her 3 big eccentricities of horses, boys & butts, she's boring and takes a backseat most episodes. Her fan-fiction & fandom of a boy band are played for laughs, I'm not sure how that would make a teenage girl more comfortable behaving the same. I'm sorry, but she's just not a new and/or interesting as a character...
I loved this article. All the children in the Blecher family are my favorites, and so Tina is my favorite. And yes, she is incredibly new and a wonderful breath of fresh air. The article was really cool too Bob, thanks.
Is it weird that one of the first things I thought of when Bob was describing Tina was Meg of Family Guy? Maybe I don't remember her as well, maybe Bob's Burgers is a little more grounded and capable of delivering more relateable characters, but nothing about Tina sounds very peculiar.
One of the earliest similar examples I can think of is Helga from the show Hey Arnold!. At first glance she seems to fall into The Beast stereotype Bob describes and shares a lot of the same traits, but even as a little boy watching the show I could sympathize with the depiction of juvenile unrequited love. Her strange affection for Arnold was played for laughs in the way she built shrines and spoke soliloquies about "true love" but I never felt like she was being dehumanized for it and her behavior mirrored that of other young boy characters in other shows who had their own crushes (Timmy Turners love for Trixie Tang in Fairly Odd Parents springs to mind).
Ultimately, I don't think we "needed" Tina. It's fine she's here and of course she's welcome to stay but the character doesn't seem that unique or challenging of the norm.
One of the earliest similar examples I can think of is Helga from the show Hey Arnold!. At first glance she seems to fall into The Beast stereotype Bob describes and shares a lot of the same traits, but even as a little boy watching the show I could sympathize with the depiction of juvenile unrequited love. Her strange affection for Arnold was played for laughs in the way she built shrines and spoke soliloquies about "true love" but I never felt like she was being dehumanized for it and her behavior mirrored that of other young boy characters in other shows who had their own crushes (Timmy Turners love for Trixie Tang in Fairly Odd Parents springs to mind).
Ultimately, I don't think we "needed" Tina. It's fine she's here and of course she's welcome to stay but the character doesn't seem that unique or challenging of the norm.
Interesting, I noticed that about the character with the few episodes I've seen. Not a regular watcher because I honestly don't "get" the humor, but it's a decent original show. While most TV shows don't seem to feature good female characters experiencing puberty in original or relate-able ways, some films can definitely surprise.
One of my favorite horror movies, Ginger snaps, I think has an interesting exploration. The two leads are sisters who pride themselves in being "different", and are thoroughly disgusted by the idea of puberty. When Ginger begins her "time", her and her sister are unfortunately attacked by a werewollf resulting in Ginger being infected. What follows is a werewolf transformation process metaphor for a cautionary of sexual awakening that, at least to me, seems to suggest that repressing puberty is impossible and not horrifying unless you don't learn to control your urges.
Quick aside, any self respecting horror fan needs to see this movie. Seriously, it has just practical effects, body-horror, and balances its' dark comedy with the atmospheric and horrifying elements very well.
One of my favorite horror movies, Ginger snaps, I think has an interesting exploration. The two leads are sisters who pride themselves in being "different", and are thoroughly disgusted by the idea of puberty. When Ginger begins her "time", her and her sister are unfortunately attacked by a werewollf resulting in Ginger being infected. What follows is a werewolf transformation process metaphor for a cautionary of sexual awakening that, at least to me, seems to suggest that repressing puberty is impossible and not horrifying unless you don't learn to control your urges.
Quick aside, any self respecting horror fan needs to see this movie. Seriously, it has just practical effects, body-horror, and balances its' dark comedy with the atmospheric and horrifying elements very well.
Almost the entire show could be ignored, Bob, Linda and Louise are rather entertaining but Gene is retarded in an annoying way and Tina is just boring (and manages at times to be more retarded then Gene).
The show manages to entertain some times but it never picks up to be anything all that worth while and whenever Gene or Tina are the focus of the episode you might as well just watch paint dry as it will make more sense and a better experience
The show manages to entertain some times but it never picks up to be anything all that worth while and whenever Gene or Tina are the focus of the episode you might as well just watch paint dry as it will make more sense and a better experience
An interesting, thoughtful and well-spoken examination of this weird and unusual character. A good read, Mr. Chipman. I look forward to more articles in this series.
--Morology!
--Morology!
Some very interesting perspectives on her character. I have only watched 2-3 episodes of Bob's Burgers but instantly wondered what was up with her character. Basically one of the first things she says is that she has a rash... *awkward pause*
anyways, I'll definitely keep Bob's analysis in mind when watching more episodes. I think it might increase the appreciation of the things she does, says or thinks that might otherwise feel strange.
anyways, I'll definitely keep Bob's analysis in mind when watching more episodes. I think it might increase the appreciation of the things she does, says or thinks that might otherwise feel strange.
It's funny you mention that if Tina were male, she'd be a considered a horndog, Bob. In the pilot episode of Bob's Burgers, Tina's character was actually male, but I think the creators changed it because it either didn't test well, the studio gave input, or they thought it'd work better this way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAgYbiWh5rY
Either way, I'm happy with the show as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAgYbiWh5rY
Either way, I'm happy with the show as well.
I absolutely adore this show. The first season might be a bit spotty, but it just picks up steam verrry quickly from there.
Great read!
Great read!
I always think of the blond girl from the movie "Dodgeball" when I think of the expectation for women in movies.
In a cast of misfits and losers the only girl teammate is athletic, good-looking, smart, and kind.
In the end, all of the losers transform themselves into great men and the girl is revealed to be....bisexual.
I loved the movie, just thought it was an easy example. Even if the movie was meant to be that kind of satire.
In a cast of misfits and losers the only girl teammate is athletic, good-looking, smart, and kind.
In the end, all of the losers transform themselves into great men and the girl is revealed to be....bisexual.
I loved the movie, just thought it was an easy example. Even if the movie was meant to be that kind of satire.
Do people actually watch this show? I mean does it actually have any sort of ratings success? Because I tried to watch it once but it was too painfully shite for me to get more than maybe twelve minutes into an episode.
Seriously the animation, the voice acting, the writing... all were just terrible and unfunny.
Seriously the animation, the voice acting, the writing... all were just terrible and unfunny.
People tell me this is a good show. It's just too damn ugly and Archer's voice throw's me off. Simpson's is ugly and it's fine for me. I just can't get past the animation in this show.
Archer? Pfft. H. Jon Benjamin will always be Coach Mcguirk first and foremost.deathmothon said:
Did anybody else get the feeling that in True Detective the fact that Audrey was engaging in a threesome said less about her and more about the way in which Hart viewed girls who have threesomes? Audrey is repeatedly told by her parents that something must be worng with her, or with the situation she's put herself in, but in the end there... isn't. She's just a girl who appears to have started thinking about sex early on, and that freaked the hell out of her parents.
I always did think Tina was a surprisingly interesting character, but the fact that there's a teen girl at all is surprising. In spite of being long out of my teens, and male, I found myself identifying with her more than most characters in most animations, just from what I remember of my own teens.
So in my opinion, pretty well written if she can do that. Also, her voice actor is brilliant, like an animated Leslie Nielsen.
So in my opinion, pretty well written if she can do that. Also, her voice actor is brilliant, like an animated Leslie Nielsen.