If You Love ‘Bob’s Burgers,’ You Need To Watch Its Creator’s Show on Max

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A decade before Bob’s Burgers premiered, creator Loren Bouchard developed the cult series Home Movies, which ran for four seasons, first on UPN and then on Adult Swim. The show follows an awkward 8-year-old boy Brendon Small, voiced by the actor/comedian Brendon Small, who co-created the show before going on to co-create and star in Metalocalypse. Bob’s Burgers star H. Jon Benjamin plays Brendon’s soccer coach, John McGuirk. Home Movies has a cruder animation style than Bob’s Burgers and doesn’t have the same tight sitcom plotting. This is because it’s largely improvised with scripts that are rough outlines. This gives it a unique feel and emphasizes the awkwardness of the characters. The dialogue is genuinely strange and uncomfortable in a way even the best writers can’t recreate. Although the style is more rough around the edges, everything that makes Bob’s Burgers special is present in its predecessor.

‘Home Movies’ Is an Inventive Comedy

In terms of episode plotlines, Home Movies tells the kinds of stories typical of any realistic show about a child. Brendon deals with issues like trouble in his classes, pestering from bullies, and his parents’ divorce. What makes it distinct, however, is the mix of Curb Your Enthusiasm-style comedy riffs with a melancholy, reflective tone that captures the disappointments and pain of childhood. Brendon deals with the issues he faces through making movies with his best friends Jason (H. Jon Benjamin) and Melissa (Melissa Bardin Galsky). The movies-within-the-show are the most visually inventive part of Home Movies. In some ways, the device of the movies is similar to the fantasy sequences in Rugrats. The usual mundane visuals are broken up with homages to properties like Mad Max. But, while the fantasies in Rugrats tell adventurous stories with a beginning, middle, and end, the movies in Home Movies are more messy and unsatisfactory. They feel like something kids might actually create.

The Belcher Family standing together in Bob's Burgers

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Loren Bouchard Brings the Best out of H. Jon Benjamin

Coach McGuirk tries stand up in 'Home Movies.' — Image via Adult Swim

Bob’s Burgers and Home Movies show that Bouchard understands how to utilize H. Jon Benjamin’s acting style like no one else. Coach McGuirk is a worse role model than Bob Belcher, but the stilted but endearing way he mumbles through trying to guide young children will immediately remind viewers of Bob’s fumbling parenting style. Both characters possess a sort of brutal honesty that still comes off as sweet because they’re so earnest. In the hands of H. Jon Benjamin, lessons about how futile life is and how rare it is to find any success come off as relatable instead of harsh.

‘Home Movies’ Captures the Frustrations of Childhood Creativity

Brendon Small and his friends in 'Home Movies.' — Image via Adult Swim

The best episodes of Bob’s Burgers are the ones that capture the desperate need children have to express themselves, even at the cost of embarrassment, like when Tina shares her fanfiction or Gene takes over the school’s morning announcements. Home Movies zeroes in on this theme even more, as Brendon tries to get through his painful adolescence through creative outlets. The creative outlet is usually the home movies referenced in the title, but he also branches out into other projects.

One of the best episodes of Home Movies is Season 4’s “Bye Bye Greasy,” in which Brendon tries to direct a school play. Every moment in the episode hits the theme of how badly kids want an outlet to express themselves and how difficult that can be to find. Multiple kids eagerly ask for parts in the play, including Brendon’s bully Shannon (Emo Philips), who’s revealed to be incredible at singing but has to fight off a suspension. From the leading lady freezing up for the entire play to one child convincing himself that operating the lights is an important role, the disastrous production feels completely real for anyone who remembers the awkward attempts at artistry that come with being a child.

Home Movies is well worth checking out on Max. In terms of capturing the awkwardness and pain of childhood, it’s up there with shows like Malcolm in the Middle. The hilarious cast members shine, each bringing their unique comedy style to the table. If your favorite episodes of Bob’s Burgers are the ones that focus on the kids and their goofy projects, Home Movies is a must-watch.

Home Movies is available to stream on Max in the U.S.

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